Arts & Music Books > Film & TV Arts & Music Books > J

Advantages: very informative and entertaining
Disadvantages: some of the "serious" essays can get a little boring

...by Shindig writer Jane Espenson, Finding Serenity includes twenty essays and pieces of interest as well as an introduction by Espenson and a glossary of the Chinese used in the show compiled by Keith M. Sullivan. Finding Serenity also features Jewel Staite (who played Kaylee on Firefly and on the upcoming feature film, Serenity)'s thoughts of the show and her top five moments of each episode, including behind the scenes stuff. There is a varied mix ...
...written by Glenn Yeffeth. Finding Serenity features writings on almost all points of interest of Firefly, the characters, the music, the writing, the language, the ideas behind it, the mysteries, the early cancellation, the philosophy, and many more. Finding Serenity is a must have for all browncoats (term used to mean fans of Firefly) personally my favourites to read were the more humorous inclusions mentioned above, but every essay included increases ... Read review

Advantages: Briliant interviws, great colour pics
Disadvantages: Why can't it all be in colour!?

...source of reading for any Frasier fan. The book stars off with an excellent radio interview with the doc himself, Frasier. This book is also good for many reasons. Perhaps it's the colour pictures in the centre in full glossy surface. Or perhaps its the brilliant episode guide that, while only reaches season three, is still good if you have seen them. Or maybe its the quotes from the show. Or the cast interviews with everyone, yes, even Bulldog. ... Read review

Advantages: An enormous amount of trivia for such a small book. Fascinating for telly addicts.
Disadvantages: Randomly arranged.

...you to take it home. Evans' TV Trivia did that to me, your honour, and it was such a lovely shade of sky blue as well - how could I resist? Within moments of opening it I had discovered that Civilisation began on February 23rd 1969, five days before On The Buses. And on the seventh day He rested, presumably. This is one of the best trivia books I've ever seen because, as Donald Rumsfeld might say, it's full of things I didn't know, things I didn't ...
...to know, things I had forgotten I knew and things I didn't know I had forgotten. One unknown unknown that I didn't know I didn't know was exactly who the eponymous Evans was - at first I was afraid (yes, maybe even petrified) that it was the ginger one, but, no, it turned out to be Jeff of that ilk - "a well-known television historian and writer" apparently. He has also edited the Campaign For Real Ale's 'Good Beer Guide' eight times - so he probably ... Read review

Advantages: some brief, really small parts are okay...
Disadvantages: ... but most is mind-numbingly boring

...~*~ THE BOOK Inside Big Brother was released shortly before the show's conclusion, and was highly promoted by Channel 4 at the end of the nightly Big Brother recap shows. Penned by Jean Ritchie, author of a couple of other Big Brother books in the past, the book is selling over 5000 copies a week. I can't see why. I don't even know why I bought it in the first place. Jean Ritchie has much credibility in the field of writing Big Brother companions. ...
...Big Brother 3. Inside Big Brother takes us behind the scenes of the series. Some people do long to know what goes on at the other end of the cameras, but this book has been approached in the wrong way. The producers reveal how they looked for a site for the house to be built on, they give us information on the selection process, and experts tell us about the feng shui of this year's house. Quite simply - things which are of NO INTEREST to the average ... Read review

Advantages: A good length, informative and insightful.
Disadvantages: Not too exciting.

Written by Jeri Taylor, one of the creators of Voyager, this book explores the early lives of the crew of Voyager. Chakotay, Kim, B'Ellana, Paris, Seven of Nine, Neelix, Kes & Tuvok talk about their lives whilst held prisoner on a remote prison planet, kept captive by a race of hostile aliens. The plot is essentially just an excuse to get the crew of Voyager to recant their life stories, but that's not important. It is really interesting to hear ...
...written by one of the show's creators - not just a hack writer with bills to pay. It gives it more of a feeling of being 'official'. Naturally, it's well written and the characters stay true to their TV personas throughout. It's a very good read, and I highly recommend it, but it must be said that some suspense is lost in knowing that this is all just 'history'. The book is also available as an audio-book, read by Robert Picardo (who plays the doctor ... Read review