Out With the Stars: Hollywood Nightlife in the Golden Era

Customer Reviews:

A Real Treasure!.......2004-06-27

This is one of those books I can't recommend highly enough if you love old Hollywood or the flamboyant architecture and graphic design of Hollywood in the 20's - 50's. I picked it up on a cut-out table in New York about 10 years ago and have come to appreciate it as one of the best books in my library - in fact it's one of those books that is always getting borrowed from friends who are graphic designers or work at ad agencies looking for inspiration.

Jim Heimann deserves much praise for assembling what is obviously a huge labor of love with lots of great photos and illustrations that you will never see anywhere else - everything from cocktail napkins and matchbooks to beautiful interior photography and paparazzi pics of the stars at play.

Also I'd like to disagree with the review - I actually found the writing in the book to be pretty engaging. It's fairly straightforward and to the point., luckily since there is a lot of history to cover.

Book Description

In New York, there's a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park, and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Of course, most humans are oblivious to this, but Cal Leandros is only half-human. His father's dark lineage is the stuff of nightmares-and he and his entire otherworldly race are after Cal.

He and his half-brother Niko have managed to stay a step ahead for three years, but now Cal's dad has found them again. And Cal is about to learn why they want him, why they've always wanted him...for he is

Customer Reviews:

Nightlife.......2007-10-10

This was one of the best reads I've had for a long time. Thurman has a uniquely humourous writing style. Her characters are compellingly well-written and the plot line engrossing. Loved it!

Good beginning..........2007-09-26

Nightlife by Rob Thurman is a remarkably good first effort. The story centers around Cal (Caliban) and his half-brother, Niko. They share the same mother, but Cal's father is a supernatural creature called an Auphe. The Grendels, Cal and Niko's term for the Auphe are after Cal for their own nefarious purpose. Niko has taken on the role of protector. He and Cal have been running from the Grendels since Cal's 14th birthday. Now they must finally make a stand.

The tale is very dark and grim, but strangely compelling. Is Cal a human or monster? The story is told from Cal's point of view, and it's always a question he wrestles with. The brother's playful antagonism toward each other covers a deep connection between the two. Their exchanges of insults rang true in the dialog. Although, Cal lacked a certain depth. He seemed to be rather typical teenager, although he is somewhat older. I would have like a bit more insight into his soul, but that is a minor point in a work that is very good. It will be interesting to see how he develops over the course of the series. The next in the series is Moonlight.

Compelling Urban Fantasy.......2007-09-22

Nightlife tells the story of two brothers. Cal - the younger brother who is half human / half 'monster' and Niko the older brother who will do whatever it takes to protect his sibling from the creatures that constantly pursue them.

The story is told by Cal the younger brother, who makes for a cynical protagonist, with an extremely cutting sense of humour. It's interesting how when the style of narration changes (Cal undergoes something of a transformation halfway through) that underlying humour is still there, albeit with a much nastier twist.

It does take a couple of chapters for the story to get going, but almost without realising it, you are slowly drawn into Cal and Niko's world. And once you are in there it becomes very hard to put the book down. Although the major focus of the story is the relationship between the two brothers and their struggle to survive, the world is populated with interesting and original secondary characters - Boggy, Georgina, Robin Goodfellow (yes, that Robin Goodfellow :) ), Promise and Abbagor. It's made very clear that these are creatures / people who all have their own agendas and problems to deal with and who don't necessarily have the welfare of the brothers at heart. It's refreshing not to have the good guys and the bad guys made completely obvious.

Because there is a major change in protagonist behaviour halfway through, this is a book of two halves. The change is very much a necessary part of the plot, but I did prefer the narration of the first half more, finding that because there was less interaction with other characters in the second half it did get slightly bogged down in exposition.

Having said that I recommend this book for anyone who's looking for something a little different in the Urban Fantasy line. (Definitely worth checking out if you like the Ukiah Oregon series by Wen Spencer.)

Moonshine the second book in the series is also available.

Dark Nightlife.......2007-09-15

I really wanted to like this book. I just got finished reading the Dreaden File books, and was looking for a new fix. A friend, the same friend who had recommended the Dresden books, told me about this book, and I was anxious to check it out. This book was way darker than even the Dresden books, and I really hated that the second half of the story was actually from the point of view of the bad guy. It is very well written, and some may really like the unusual point of view presented. I bought the second book, and will read it, also - eventually. This story is such a downer, though, that I think I'll wait before taking this particular dark path again.

One of the hottest writers in urban fantasy.......2007-09-07

This is a fantastic novel. The interactions between the brothers who are the lead characters are great. The action is intense. The roller coaster ride you're emotions will take is not one to be missed.

All that's nice, but the most important part is that the plot makes sense, the characters are consistent in their behavior, fully fleshed out and distinct from each other. The descriptive passages are exactly what they need to be, no more no less.

People's Choice Guide: Cancun Travel Survey Guide Book

Average customer rating:

And the survey says...
The Perfect Gift
Old but still the best
As good as Lonely Planet in my opinion
Better than the others by far

People's Choice Guide: Cancun Travel Survey Guide Book
Eric Rabinowitz
Manufacturer: Turbulence Music Corp.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0978513908

Customer Reviews:

And the survey says..........2007-08-17

When we planned a recent trip to Cancun, we thought we could use this book to pick restaurants and nightclubs. The book did provide other people's opinions of restaurants,etc., but without knowing anything about those other people, you couldn't really rely on their opinions. Unlike Zagats which caters to people who really care about food, this book seemed to get a lot of people who were only slightly concerned about food, and very concerned about drinking. Basically, the format is that a brief description is provided and then various customer quotes are used to round out the review. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is a serious "foodie". Also, this is not truly a travel guide, as there are only 8-10 pages about travelling in Cancun, with the rest of the book being reviews of the restaurants and accomodations. We also found some of the information to be outdated: we went to one restaurant that was closed, and found another that the guide said was closed to be open.

The Perfect Gift.......2007-05-12

I bought this book for a young couple headed to Cancun on their honeymoon! They loved it. (And they said the book wasn't bad either.)

Old but still the best.......2007-04-18

Although you have to know going in that the age of the book will mean many of the restaraunts will ahve closed, we still found this to be the only useful source of reviews.

As good as Lonely Planet in my opinion.......2006-07-22

Easy to read and understand info on nearly all hotels, restaurants & clubs in the Cancun tourist area. I really like that the location is pinpointed to like km 6.5 for example. Most directions in other ads and publications are to the nearest km marker so you may be trying to find a place for a half mile or so. Tough to do when you are dodging the Cancun taxis on the divided highway running for about 29 km through the hotel zone.

Helpful and informative on which places other travelers like and dislike. I travel to Cancun regularly and found new places to try in this easy to carry book.

I recommend this book for new or repeat visitors to Cancun.

Better than the others by far.......2006-07-14

I have been travelling to Cancun for over 10 years and lived there for a year and half, before, during and after Hurricane Wilma, and I am delighted to have found this guide book. It differs from the others not only for its content - detailed and accurate reviews of restaurants, clubs and hotels - but also for its convenient size. The first section, as others have mentioned, offers helpful tips you just can't find in the other guidebooks on the market, and the rest of it contains real reviews of just about every establishment a traveller will come across. This one was written from the heart - I highly recommend this book for both the inexperienced AND the experienced Cancun traveller.

Zagat 2007 Las Vegas Restaurants & Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Average customer rating:

Great Buy!!!!
Great alternatives to Strip restaurants
Great Guide

Zagat 2007 Las Vegas Restaurants & Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Manufacturer: Zagat Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1570068259

Book Description

ISBN: 1570068259 TITLE: 2007 Las Vegas Restaurants Nightlife AUTHOR: Zagat Survey DESCRIPTION: Consumer based survey covering the dining and club scene in Las Vegas.

Customer Reviews:

Great Buy!!!!.......2007-09-11

This guide was full of helpful restaurant/night club reviews, maps, contact info, etc. VERY easy to use! Well organized! Wish Zaget had a book like this for every place I plan to visit! You will be happy to have it when traveling to Vegas. I bought it in advance and mapped out restaurant choices according to our daily plans. It was awesome! It helped make our whirlwind weekend trip (on a small budget) so much more enjoyable. THANKS ZAGET!!

Great alternatives to Strip restaurants.......2007-04-11

There are so many fabulous restaurants in Vegas, it's hard to choose where to eat on your trip. To add to the confusion, some of the best meals have astronomical price tags (I'm from New York; it's not like I'm unfamiliar with expensive meals, but in LV it gets a bit ridiculous). With the Zagat, we were able to find some amazing restaurants off the strip that weren't too pricey-- especially #1 ranked Rosemary's. And even when we decided to eat on the strip, the Zagat helped narrow down the mulititude of choices, with easy access to phone numbers to make reservations.

Along with a basic travel guide (Fodors/Frommers), this little book made our trip! Thanks Zagat!

Great Guide.......2007-03-14

As always Zagat comes through with a great guide to the best in dining and the best in night clubs in Las Vegas, which now may be the culinary capital of America. If you are going to Vegas this is a great guide for you.

Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution! and Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!

The Sims 2: Nightlife (Prima Official Game Guide)

Average customer rating:

I love to boogie!
Ecellent information on the game.
Much improvment over other Sims 2 guides..
Ok, but not great
Very good guide to The Sims 2 Nightlife

The Sims 2: Nightlife (Prima Official Game Guide)
Greg Kramer
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 076155145X
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Book Description

Make it a night to remember
·Complete catalog of over 125 new Objects and Items
·Details on the new Pleasure and Aspiration
·Create the ultimate social butterfly with details on fun group outings night after night
·Send your Sims to the fanciest restaurant and the dingiest dives in the new downtown neighborhood
·Build the downtown of your dreams
·Become a true creature of the night—live the life of a vampire or a partier
·Be a winner at the dating game with tips for supercharging romantic pursuits

Customer Reviews:

I love to boogie!.......2007-01-23

As usual, this is the most wonderful, fulfilling, mesmerizing game out there! Thanks again, Sims creators! My daughter received this for Christmas, took it to her room, and we haven't seen her since. Just kidding! She loves it!

Ecellent information on the game........2006-12-25

These guides are worth every dollar if you want to get the most out of your game.

Much improvment over other Sims 2 guides.........2006-09-26

I've avoided purchasing Prima's other strategy guides for the Sims expansions because Prima has a habit of devoting half of their guides to the base game and the rest to the expansion pack. In the guide for Nightlife however they've improved. More than half of the guide is devoted to Nightlife: new socials, new characters, new relationships, new objects..etc. There's still information on the base game which could have been left out however overall I do recommend the guide. I don't have to skip over the first half of the book to find information on the expansion pack with this guide. Well done Prima thank you!

Ok, but not great.......2006-03-13

I hoped for more information about the game in general and less images of new products or objects from the game. There were not enough tricks and tricks included to make it worth the price.

Very good guide to The Sims 2 Nightlife.......2006-02-17

This book follows the same format as the other Prima guides to the Sims. It has lots of tips about game play and good overviews of how the new elements of the expansion pack work. It includes tables of objects, community lots, and new commands so that you can look items up fairly quickly during game play.

The primary negatives are the lack of an index (also missing in the other Prima guides) and the repeated use of the same graphics from the game over and over throughout the book.

Still, if you are a Sims 2 fan and have the Nightlife expansion pack this is a very helpful book.

Average customer rating:

nightlife
Good, but not his best.
Could be better
Disappointing
Couldn't put it down

Nightlife: A Novel
Thomas Perry
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1400060044
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Book Description

Thomas Perry’s novels of suspense have been celebrated for their “dazzling ingenuity” (The New York Times Book Review) and for writing that is “as sharp as a sushi knife” (Los Angeles Times). By turns horrifying and erotic, Perry’s new thriller takes us on a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that pits two women against each other: a beautiful serial killer and the detective who is determined to stop her.

When the cousin of Los Angeles underworld figure Hugo Poole is found shot to death in his Portland, Oregon, home, police find nothing at the scene of the crime except several long strands of blond hair hinting that a second victim may have been involved. Hotel security tapes from the victim’s last vacation reveal an out-of-focus picture of a young blond woman entering and leaving his room. Could she also be a murder victim?

Portland homicide detective Catherine Hobbes is determined to solve the case and locate the missing blonde, but her feelings, and the investigation, are complicated when Hugo hires private detective Joe Pitt to perform a parallel investigation. As the Joe and Catherine form an uneasy alliance, the murder count rises–and both realize that the pretty young woman in the security tapes is not a victim at all.

As Catherine follows the evidence, she finds herself in a deadly contest with an unpredictable adversary capable of changing her appearance and identity at will. Catherine must use everything she knows, as a homicide detective and as a woman, to stop a murderer who kills on impulse and with ease, and who becomes more efficient and elusive with each crime.

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Customer Reviews:

nightlife.......2007-08-23

The twists and turns in this book keeps you on the edge of your seat. I found myself enjoying an evil serial killer way too much. I highly recommend this book.

Good, but not his best. .......2007-07-30

As a fan of Thomas Perry's, I was a bit disappointed in this book. He does his usual wonderful job of creating settings and bringing action to life. Each scene is carefully crafted, and many are full of the kind of suspense at which he so often excels. The premise of the book is compelling and it has one of the best beginnings he's written.

So why three stars? Perry is a master at describing settings, creating unlikely but richly defined characters, and, most of all, fascinating pursuits with a stream of identity changes mixed in. In Nightlife, this combination of skills never really gels into a tight story.

1. The ending is frightfully predictable. Long before the final clash, you can see it coming; and, when it does it's abrupt and uninteresting.

2. The romance is superfluous. It adds nothing substantive to either the plot, or our understanding of Catherine Hobbes, the heroine of the story.

3. The events are episodes that are somewhat loosely connected. The continuity of the pursuit that fuels his best works such as Butcher's Boy and the early Jane Whitfield books is missing.

Read this one at the beach or while on an airplane. It's Perry after all, and still worth the time.

Could be better.......2007-07-21

The complaints by some of the other reviewers are for the most part valid. The book has its moments, but it becomes a little too predictable. The serial killer just keeps staying a few steps ahead of her pursuers. The choices of what to do with the characters are not all that great. And the ending is silly. Perry has done much better in other works.

Disappointing.......2007-07-21

NIGHTLIFE is my first Thomas Perry novel. It will be my last. The story could have been great, the characters are interesting but that's it. The writing is pedestrian, predictable and often boring. You can speed read through most of the action, especially the second half of the book. After having just read Martin Cruz Smith, Elmore Leonard and Steve Yarbrough, Perry was a miss for me.

Couldn't put it down.......2007-05-30

Thomas Perry always delivers and this is no exception. A great read.

Zagat 2007 New Orleans Restaurants & Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Average customer rating:

Up to date (spring 2007)

Zagat 2007 New Orleans Restaurants & Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Manufacturer: Zagat Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1570068267

Book Description

ISBN: 1570068267 TITLE: 2007 New Orleans Restaurants Nightlife AUTHOR: Zagat Survey DESCRIPTION: Consumer based survey covering the dining and club scene in New Orleans.

Customer Reviews:

Up to date (spring 2007).......2007-05-23

I decided to help pump up the local economy and so I visited N.O. recently. This book was a very good guide to how the restaurants are operating here in 2007. I also drove through the devastated sections of N.O., and this book fairly points out that while the French Quarter is very approachable, there are big sections of the city that are still devastated, as it was very clear to see on the drive. Somehow its gotta get the gas stations, food stores, local eateries, and other businesses set up, before the housing can feel good in moving back. Or does the housing have to come back first before the gas stations, food stores, local eateries, and so on will move in. How DO YOU reestablish a neighborhood with homes and the businesses to support the neighborhood? What's the critical mass that's needed?

But I've gotten away from the review, sorry, but I hope you realize that what I listed above is important for this city and its reemergence. 5 stars to this book for being a fair, accurate, thorough report on the restaurants (I am not commenting on the night life, the restaurants were enough for me) that you will experience today when you go to N.O., based on my sample of 12 or so of the places listed herein. I very much enjoyed my visit and suggest you give N.O. a try if you can, and that you use this book to help guide you to where you want to eat.

I have no financial interest in any product I review.

Zagat Survey 2006/07 New York City Nightlife

Average customer rating:

Zagat Survey 2006/07 New York City Nightlife

Manufacturer: Zagat Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1570067813

Zagat 2007/08 New York City Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Average customer rating:

Zagat 2007/08 New York City Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Manufacturer: Zagat Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1570068747

Product Description

What lies beyond the velvet ropes of New York City's most exclusive nightspots? What's the hottest dance club of the moment, the best place to taken an important client for a drink, the most romantic choice for popping the question? You'll find all that information, plus much more, in this Zagat Survey of New York City Nightlife, from the publishers of the country's best-selling restaurant guides. Based on the opinions of in-the-know night crawlers, this guide takes you on an insider's tour of the City That Never Sleeps, rating and reviewing over 1,250 establishments and offering practical indexes to help you make the right choice for any occasion.

Zagat Survey 2006/07 San Francisco Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Average customer rating:

Zagat Survey 2006/07 San Francisco Nightlife (Zagatsurvey)

Manufacturer: Zagat Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1570067945

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