Product Description
The classic, with 316,000 copies sold to date.Amazon.com Review
After three decades of prodigious film work (and someunfortunate tabloid adventures as well), it's easy to forget thatWoody Allen began his career as one heck of a great comedywriter. Getting Even, a collection of his late '60s magazinepieces, offers a look into Allen's bag of shtick, back when it wasnew. From the supposed memoirs of Hitler's barber: "Then, inJanuary of 1945, a plot by several generals to shave Hitler'smoustache in his sleep failed when von Stauffenberg, in the darknessof Hitler's bedroom, shaved off one of the Führer's eyebrowsinstead..."

Even though the idea of writing jokes about old Adolf--or addledrabbis, or Maatjes herring--isn't nearly as fresh as it used to be,Getting Even still delivers plenty of laughs. At his best,Woody can achieve a level of transcendent craziness that no otherwriter can match. If you're looking for a book to dip into at random,or a gift for someone who's seen Sleeper 13 times,Getting Even is a dead lock. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Typical witty Woody Allen
This was fairly short but very entertaining read. It is the usually quick-witted and quercky early Woody Allen most people know and appreciate. It is a collection of short stories, unrelated in topic. He loves absurd references and off the wall comparisions and they make for a few laugh out loud moments. I recommend this book to anyone who likes off-the-wall writing and comedy with some intellectualism thrown in to the mix. This is early Allen, written before many of his biggest movies came out also.

Comedy Classic
Woody Allen's 70s written comedy style is a world unto it's own.A funny, fast-paced quilt of humorous references and seemingly meaningless non-sequiturs.I find his stuff quite amusing . . . while it's true that his humor might bounce off folks who haven't had enough (or too much) college education, it is a bit unlike anything else out there.

There are many good bits here.One that comes to mind is the final story "Mr. Big" wherein the search for the existence of God is re-cast as a detective noir in the Maltese Falcon tradition.

Grad-School Henny Youngman
A philosophy course teaches oneness, with successful students moving on to twoness. A cook for a band of South American rebels weakens morale serving up an exclusive diet of Gila monster. Hitler's barber contemplates loosening the neck-napkin to allow clippings to fall under his Fuhrer's collar, but "my nerve failed me."

Even if you don't know these light humor pieces directly, you can figure out the identity of their common author. Oh, yes, there's also a skit about Death playing gin rummy with a would-be victim.

"Getting Even", a 1971 collection of short humor pieces Woody Allen wrote for magazines over the previous five years, captures his transition from nightclub comic to filmmaker. It's very worthwhile for Woody fans, and certainly amusing enough, if in a broad way. But Allen was still a work in progress in 1971, and "Getting Even" shows him in what today would seem atypical form - straining for laughs rather than brushing them off.

Most of the time he is funny, if a bit bitty. A piece on Organized Crime notes criminal activities that include loansharking, hijacking, and "the transportation of a large whitefish across the state line for immoral purposes". The Hitler story squeezes every possible idea out of the idea of tonsorial services in the Third Reich, from Goring calling dibs on a hobbyhorse to Hess flying to England with Hitler's Vitalis. Names like Freud and Camus come up often, even if a half-imagined rimshot is never far behind.

A couple of pieces never get off the ground, such as one involving nasty, stupid rabbis who brain pupils and paint Easter eggs. Here as elsewhere, Allen displays more hostility toward practicing Jews than he does to Nazis, something he didn't grow out of over time. A collection of scholar-annotated laundry lists likewise falls short, while a promising beginning to a "Lost Generation" memoir devolves into a series of broken-nose gags.

Like other reviewers, I was impressed by the final piece, a detective-fiction parody called "Mr. Big" where a Sam Spade-type finds himself up against a seedy group of philosophers with God in the role of the Maltese Falcon. Less self-consciously smart but just as fun is a Dracula tale where the count mistakes a solar eclipse for sundown and pays the price. Both of them offer not only funny lines, but building comedic momentum and thematic structure the other pieces lack.

Woody got a lot better at this very quickly; his next collection, "Without Feathers", is rightfully regarded as a classic. But "Getting Even" suffers from the higher expectations the name "Woody Allen" conjures today. Alas, if not for the name, no one would even remember it now.

again, classic allen
Death falls in through the window - a chess game gone beserk - Allen at the top of his game.Great book (got great service for $.08) - most pleased

Early and Very Funny
This is a first collection of Woody Allen's early articles that appeared in various New York publications in the 1960's.They are hit and miss, but mostly hits.A Woody Allen movie fan will recognize his parodies of intellectual pretension and his continuing obsessions with death, metaphysics, and religion.

Allen is a master of parody. The pseudo-intellectual silliness in the review of "The Metterling Lists" and the life of the Earl of Sandwich in "Yes, But Can the Steam Engine Do This?" are laugh-out-loud hysterical. "Conversations with Hemholz" is a lesser light about one of the alleged founders of psychoanalysis and the petty rivalries that tickle the funny bone."Schmeed's Memoirs" about the top Nazi barber is a miss.

The "Hassidic Tales" are also top-rate Allen on display.The interpretations of rabbinical misfits by his "noted scholar" are wonderfully absurd justifications for equally absurd behavior.His "Death Knocks" is a weak first encounter with one of his most famous and laughable fears.

The other pieces in the collection from chess-by-mail to encounters with Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas all have their moments.One can foresee the germination of "Bananas" in "Viva Vargas" and "Play it Again, Sam" in "Mr. Big." Curiously, in this volume sex takes a holiday since there are no pieces on his second greatest obsession next to death.

If you are an Allen fan this small volume is well worth buying at the price for which it is now selling.Since it is a collection of separate pieces you also have the luxury of reading each in any order at any time.I enjoyed reading early Woody, not only for the laughs but also for a view of the potential that would make him a legend later.



... Read more

Product Description
Comprising the classic bestsellers Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, this definitive collection of comic writings is from a man who needs no Introduction. Really–this book has no Introduction.

The Insanity Defense reveals many sides of Woody Allen as he holds forth on the most human of urges (“Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only for food: frequently there must be a beverage”); reflects on death (“I don’t believe in an afterlife, although I am bringing a change of underwear”); and notes the effect on history wrought by trick chewing gum, the dribble glass, and other novelties. There is also an inspiring story of the futile race to beat Dr. Heimlich to the punch: “The food went down the wrong pipe, and choking occurred. Grasping the mouse firmly by the tail, I snapped it like a small whip, and the morsel of cheese came loose. If we can transfer the procedure to humans, we may have something. Too early to tell.”

All Woody Allen fans will cherish this uproarious treasury–and those who don’t enjoy The Insanity Defense are just plain crazy.

“If you don’t care if you break into helpless whoops of laughter on buses, trains, or wherever you happen to be reading it.”
–Chicago Tribune, on Without Feathers

“Brilliant flights of fancy whose comic detail and inspired silliness are at once dramatic and controlled.”
–The New York Times, on Side Effects ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A Comic Genius, Though Imperfect
Woody Allen is probably known more for his movies than his prose, yet his prose provides an excellent presentation of his comic genius.For me Allen is one-of-a-kind, as his comedic talent is somehow magnified by his otherwise morose and dark persona.He is an apparently well-read individual, as he takes topics from philosophy, art, literature, history and politics, and plays with them to great comic effect.As most everyone knows, Allen is the quintessential neurotic New York Jew, and this comes across in many of his pieces, as he deftly and hilariously weaves Jewish characters and culture into many of these selections. He also demonstrates the ability to write from other points of view, and the reader is treated to hilarious compositons about detectives, restaurateurs and others. The comedy aside, Allen is also simply an excellent writer.

On the down side, one piece is surprisingly serious, although I suppose the book didn't promise comedy only.There is also some repetition of various types of punch lines across the works, but this is only a minor flaw.The final piece is eerily portentious as it relates a love triangle between a lover, a mother and a daughter, in other words incest taboo, which some feel Allen engaged in when he married his step-daughter.Overall, however, this is classic Woody Allen.

Not funny
This book is not funny. It seems like someone tried to write like Woody, but compared to his previous writings a big letdown.

Not at all what it purports to be
Two compilations of this material had already been released in 1989 and 1992, respectively: a paperback edition plainly titled "Without Feathers / Getting Even / Side Effects" and the hardbound "Complete Prose of Woody Allen." Unlike this volume, these books compiled the entirety of "Getting Even," "Without Feathers" and "Side Effects." Not only are several essays from these three titles omitted from the contents of this so-called "complete" collection, but so are those of the recently released "Mere Anarchy." For the sake of completion, both the original editions and the earlier compilations of this material are all very cheaply available if bought used on Amazon, and all of them feature far more attractive and tasteful cover designs than this putrid-looking thing. Christ almighty, whoever designed the wretched cover for this rip-off should be flogged and forced to sign a legally-binding agreement to never again dabble in graphic design, lest he or she create another ugly desecration.

The wholly deserved rating that I've awarded to this book has nothing to do with its mostly brilliant content. It should be noted that some of Allen's best writing can be found in his less recognized works. Two examples of these are "If the Impressionists Had Been Dentists" (what the author accurately describes as "a fantasy exploring the transposition of temperament") and "The Gossage-Vardebedian Papers," an exercise in totally dishonest, passive-aggressive one-upmanship in the context of a long-distance chess game. Even when invoking non sequiturs, Allen's humor is nuanced, often bordering on erudite; it deserves a better presentation than this book affords.

Absolutely Worth Whatever They Charge
I won't go into detail on this, but I defy anyone to read this and not laugh out loud.Do not bring to funerals or divorce proceedings.The topics and styles are so broad as to be nearly exhaustive.There is no stone unturned, but combined with Allen's hilarious, sometimes absurd, style I flew through these books.I've owned each of these individually, but having loaned them out many times I decided it was time to own a complete collection which I could keep for myself.And I still laugh every time I read it.

Don't buy this book, obtain the originals instead
I had already read Woody Allen's three previous books of essays ("Getting Even", "Without Feathers", and "Side Effects") and found them hilarious.But there is a serious problem in the subtitle of this book "The Complete Prose", even if the implication is meant to be that it is complete IF TAKEN TOGETHER WITH Woody's other 2007 publication, "Mere Anarchy". Despite its subtitle, "Insanity Defense" is NOT A COMPLETE COMPILATION OF THE FIRST THREE BOOKS, including only 46 of the 51 essays.The missing five (which are also not in "Mere Anarchy") are worthwhile and funny.Don't get me wrong--the 46 essays that are included are very good, but it does rankle me that they misleadingly claimed completeness.I recommendskipping "Insanity Defense" and obtaining the three original volumes via used-book sources, to go along with "Mere Anarchy". ... Read more

Product Description
Over the course of his long directing career, Woody Allen has portrayed contemporary American life with an unmistakable mixture of irony, neurotic obsession, and humor. Woody Allen on Woody Allen is a unique self-portrait of this uncompromising filmmaker that offers a revealing account of his life and work. In a series of rare, in-depth interviews, Allen brings us onto the sets and behind the scenes of all his films. Since its original publication, Woody Allen on Woody Allen has been the primary source of Allen's own thoughts on his work, childhood, favorite films, and inspirations. Now updated with one hundred pages of new material that brings us up to his Hollywood Ending, Woody Allen on Woody Allen is a required addition to any cinephile's library.Amazon.com Review
Fans of Woody Allen have long waited to hear him tell us inhis own words about his life, his tastes, and his films, but untilrecently he has been reluctant to give lengthy interviews. This bookis the conversation we've been waiting for, a dialogue with StigBjorkman in which Allen speaks openly about himself and hisart. Bjorkman invites the writer/director to talk at length about hislesser-known movies as well as his famous ones. We also learn aboutAllen's filmmaking technique, his feelings about his stock company ofactors, his influences, and why Stardust Memories andThe Purple Rose of Cairo are his two personal favorites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Entertaining and Interesting.
The book starts with a good interview about Allen's early days and his transition from a young movies' fan, to a skilled writter and director. The interviewer makes deep questions trying to revealAllen's way of thinking, his taste on films, literature, music, etc.
In addition the book makes a complete and deep revision of each Allen's movie in which Woody provides a detailed explanation and description of the movie itself. The subject, the locations where they were film, the election of the movie cast, as well as his relationship with the whole staff that has accompanied him along the years in the movies making process.

If you like Woody Allen you will love this book because it is entertaining, it provides a lot of insight about Allen and while you are reading it, you feel you are part of the interview as well, like you had the chance to sit there discussing life and movies with him.

Fascinating
I am a fan of Woody Allen's films. But perhaps I am a bigger fan of Woody Allen's philosophy of cinema, of work, of life. I find this book to be a fascinating look into the minds of one of our greatest contemporary artists; the next best thing to personally having these discussions with him.

I also like the fact that the organizing principle of the book is chronological. The best way to encounter an auteur is to walk with him (or her) on his journey through his life. It is then then that we more clearly see the missteps, and the corrections, and the forging of the view that informs their work.

I believe that this is a wonderful "companion book" which can be used alongside a viewing of the film being discussed. If someone wants to really study Woody, a pretty good way would be to see his movies in the order that they were made, perhaps seeing one each day and then following each viewing by reading the chapter/interview about that film. A lifetime of experience could be condensed into six weeks. :)

This is a book where I have scribbled notes in the columns, and a book I will return to from time to time. Especially when I lose my way.

2 Friends Talking
I think is a good Book, easy reading... not much about personal life, but very interesting if you remember most of his movies... a lot about lighting, photography, casting,favourite actors, movies and music... at the end... a very good book based on two friends talking ...

Shadows and fog
Judging from the other reviews of Stig Bjorkman's Woody Allen on Woody Allen, my assessment is definitely a minority report.I found the interviews, which take the reader through Allen's work from "Take the Money and Run" through "Manhattan Murder Mystery," to be more shadow and fog (to quote the title of one of Allen's films) than substance.In them we get some information about Allen's directorial style (he doesn't rehearse that much), his editing style (he doesn't cut too much), and lots of breezy, rather gossipy information (the first time he met Diane Keaton, the fact that he didn't actually live with Mia Farrow during their long relationship, and so on).But we almost never get any insight into what makes Allen tick.Why is a central concern, even in his early "funny" films, existential themes such as human mortality, unhappiness, and absurdity?Why does he so admire directors like Bergman and Fellini?What does he think about film as a medium?How does it compare to, say, literature or dance?Even when discussing his obviously more thoughtful films--"Stardust Memories," for example, or "Crimes and Misdemeanors"--the discussion rarely goes very deep to explore the questions of personal identity or ethics that are at the heart of the films.

I don't know if the fault lies with the interviewer for not asking the right questions and follow-ups, or if Allen is simply being tight-lipped.But of all the volumes in the "X on X" famous director series, this one is the most disappointing.(This is especially surprising, since Stig Bjorkman, the interviewer here, also edited the volume Bergman on Bergman, which was quite good.)*I'd recommend Sam Girgus' The Films of Woody Allen if one wants to know something about why Allen does what he does as a director.

Two and a half stars.
_________
* Although Bergman later claimed that he lied his way through the entire book.

A must for Woody Allen fans.
I was going through some old books today and came across this.I remember buying it quite a long time ago -- at the height of my Woody Allen worship.It's an absolutely fabulous book, made up of a long series of Q&As the author conducted with Woody Allen about his films.It starts with his early career and then devotes each new chapter to a specific movie, working chronologically.Allen, as always, is brutally honest about his movies -- he's modest, if anything.The insights are wonderful and Allen is a terrific, articulate interview subject.Unfortunately, the book ends with "Manhattan Murder Mystery."I've often hoped Mr. Bjorkman and Allen would do a sequel and pick up where they left off.

This is an essential book for any Woody Allen fan. ... Read more

Product Description
Here they are--some of the funniest tales and ruminations ever put into print, by one of the great comic minds of our time. From THE WHORE OF MENSA, to GOD (A Play), to NO KADDISH FOR WEINSTEIN, old and new Woody Allen fans will laugh themselves hysterical over these sparkling gems.
Amazon.com Review
The title of Woody Allen's second collection of New Yorker-stylesprint humor is a sly comment on Emily Dickinson's famous quote, "Hope isthe thing with feathers."Without Feathers delivers Allen'shopeless schlub persona--you remember, what he used to be before he waseither a lecher or an auteur, depending on your politics. Inaddition to being as funny as anything published since, to read WithoutFeathers is to return to a simpler time, when being a fan of his work wascommon, not controversial.

Though each piece is funny, two of them are particularly notable examplesof Allen's distinctive style (borrowed in large part from S.J. Perelman byway of the Borscht Belt, but distinctive, nevertheless)--"The Whore ofMensa" and "If the Impressionists Had Been Dentists." Here's an excerptfrom the latter:

Mrs. Sol Schwimmer is suing me because I made her bridge as I felt it andnot to fit her ridiculous mouth! That's right! I can't work to order like acommon tradesman! I decided her bridge should be enormous and billowing,with wild, explosive teeth flaring up in every direction like fire! Now sheis upset because it won't fit in her mouth! She is so bourgeois and stupid,I want to smash her! I tried forcing the false plate in but it sticks outlike a star burst chandelier.

Customer Reviews (27)

Hilarious!
This book is hilarious. If you like Woody Allen's humour I would highly recommend it. It's totally ridiculous, but brilliant at the same time -- which sums up Woody Allen as a comedian. This is a book to make you laugh out loud. It's a collection of short essays, short plays and other strange observations. I was lucky enough to find it outside someone's house in a box of books they were throwing away. It's quite an old book, written back in the '70s, so some of the references are out of date, but I think it has aged well and is still relevant today. If you want a giggle you should pick up this book.

A COMIC GENIUS!
i haven't read this in a while, so i won't be detailed, but this book was the first book i ever read that made laugh out loud in very public places. it is hilarious. i can still remember, quite well, "if dentists had been impressionists". one of the most original and funny ideas for a story. i recommend this to anyone, even those who don't care for woody allen in general.

classic Woody Allen
This is the Woody Allen I love and loved.More just damn funny and less introspective nonsense.

Awful!
I'd never read Woody Allen before, and I just wanted to give it a shot. I ordered it online and for whatever reason I didn't look at any excerpts first. I really wish I would have, because it literally only took one page for me to know that I couldn't read it. I never got past that first page. If you've never read Allen, find some excerpts first - his style is unique and to me, very annoying.

All Hail ...
My attempt to weave sarcasm, farce and humor into my writing is undoubtedly inspired by the writing of Woody Allen, and this book is a great example of his work... a style I can only aspire to achieve. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Born in 1935, Allen Stewart Konigsberg (better known as WoodyAllen) is today one of the most influential figures in cinema. He haswritten and directed such memorable films as Annie Hall and Manhattan, and hasacted in over 40 films. He is also the author of threebooks--Getting Even (1971), Without Feathers (1975), andSide Effects (1980). The Complete Prose of Woody Allenbrings these memorable titles together for one bumper collection--amust-have for Allen addicts.

Getting Even is a collection of 17 of Allen's magazine pieces from the late 1960s discussing such bizarre topics as the invention of the sandwich, laundry lists, death, obesity, and, of course, rabbis.

Without Feathers delivers more of Allen's New Yorker-style humor. Worthy stand-outs include "If the Impressionists Had Been Dentists," a genius piece that puts oral surgery in a whole new, much more exciting, light.

Finally, Side Effects compiles Allen's best New Yorker essays from the late 1970s. Although not as outrageously funny as his previous books, this is still a classic piece of comedy. --Naomi Gesinger ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Dear Amazon Kindle Department...
Please make this hilarious book, "Complete Prose of Woody Allen," available for the Kindle.p.s. Now!

Great Fun
Three great books all in one fun filled volume of sheer funny. Including:

Getting Even is the comedic genious at his ludicrous best. The reparte between the two chess playing opponents, via e-mail, is worth the price of the book alone. Very funny.

Side Effects was released in 1980. It is a very funny collection of Allen's work, much of which first appeared in the New Yorker and other publication. The books is pretty even, and rather funny. The high point here is The Kugelmass Episode which features a professor named Sidney Kugelmass who is, via a magician, tranpsorted into the novel Madame Bovary.

Without Feathers is a witty humorous book with 15 or so short essays/stories on a variety of topics. The humor here is very funny and not dated at all. You most pay close attention as the one-liners fly off the pages. Simply hilarious stuff. Hard to believe this was released in 1975.

A 5 star book, well worth the price... enjoy!

Note: This collection is also available in paperback and titled The Insanity Defense: The Complete Prose

brilliant
Brilliant Woody. Not the best of this type, but still fasciniating. I heartily recommend.

Belly-laughs a minute
I read the three volumes this book is comprised of years ago and, to this day, I've been hardpressed to find other books,
on a line to line basis, funnier than Woody Allen's works. It's
too bad he hasn't written any more since these books. It is our
loss. If you like to laugh until your brains dribble out your
ears, read this book. Highly recommended.

The Ultimate inIntellectual Humour
This is genuinely hilarious and intelligent prose. My favourites are "Mr Big", "Viva Vargas!" and "Reminiscences, People and Places". Prepare to convulse. People will stare at you while you gasp for oxygen. Pure genius. The only mystery is why Allen isn't as well recognised for his writing as his movies. If you read this you will also wonder.

Allen sometimes seems to step over the line separating sharp satire from outright cynicism, especially in the later writing - but who cares? It's still a class apart. Highly recommendable. ... Read more

Product Description
In discussions that begin in 1971 and end in 2009, Allen talks about every facet of moviemaking through the prism of his own work as well as the larger world of film, and in so doing reveals an artist’s development over the course of his career. He speaks about his influences and about the genesis of his ideas; about writing, casting, acting, shooting, directing, editing, and scoring—and throughout shows himself to be thoughtful, honest, self-deprecating, always witty, and often hilarious. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great read!
A fascinating insight into every one of Woody Allen's films spoken by the the writer/director himself.The kind of book you can pick up and start from any point.The organization of the contents is excellent.

Inside the mind of a genius.
Conversations with Woody Allen may very well be one of the finest books in regard to Woody Allen. The whole book consists of questions given to Woody at diffrent time periods. Many of which were during production of his films. This books allows you to generate an in depth understanding of Woody and who he really is. Within the book you find virtually everything. Images from many of his films, as well as a biography of his younger years, his favorite music and films, and whats going through his mind while filming and writing his one of a kind pieces. Each chapter consists of a diffrent subject, from directing, writing, editing and scoring the film. All of which give the reader an understanding of Woodys methods.

Woody Allen is a master in his field, and I highly recommend this book to whomever is into film, or hoping to get into film. You will understand methods in which one of the greatest director/screenwriters uses, as well a side you never expected from such a comic character on the big screen.

Great read!
My husband is a big Woody Allen fan...he's read so many biops, but this one seems to be the one he really can't put down.

An unknown friend
I am 47.
I started to see Allen's movies a long time ago.
Every year, 90 minutes with an unknown friend,
sometimes fun, sometimes tragic, always entertaining.
Every important moment of my life could be associated with a Woody's film.
Every sentimental feeling, as well.
I have the habit to discuss a movie, after having seen it, usually in a "Pizzeria" with my friends.
I want to reassure Mister Allen that this habit is alive.
The book shares with us his professional story along the years, from the sixties right now.
It's a fantastic way to live all the emotions from the opposite point of view,
and it is a real pleasure.
I share also more of Mister Allen's reflections about life and death, and i was very
disappointed when his italian voice (Oreste Lionello), in a recent TV interview on an italian network,
used Mister Allen face to express ideas completely different from the author.
Explicitly, but anycase a sort of violence against Mister Allen.
Woody, life is very difficult, but it would have been worst without you.
Thanks a lot.

Better Than A Bio
This is a great way to learn about Woody Allen, his craft, and his films.Organized thematically and chronologically, you see what films Allen really cares about and what he did just to fill the time.Some of his films were clearly throwaways for him.He made them because he's always working, but hardly remembers them and doesn't care to (Scoop, Small Time Crooks, Sleeper).Others are passions, like The Purple Rose of Cairo or Husbands and Wives.Allen is also, not surprisingly, self-depreciating, believing that his career is mostly self-indulgence that only a small audience appreciates.Of course, this underestimates himself and how impressive it is that he can have a regular output of one or two movies a year that, regardless of whether they are one of his best, are always well made, well acted, and interesting.The insights into how Allen works and how quickly, are interesting for fans.It also makes those of us who fancied ourselves writers realize what a true talent is.The best part of this book, there is no diversion into Allen's personal life which may be of interest to some, but not this reader.This is a great way to read about Allen's career, his collaborators, and his methods. ... Read more

Product Description
Here, in his first collection since his three hilarious classics Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, Woody Allen has managed to write a book that not only answers the most profound questions of human existence but is also the perfect size to place under any short table leg to prevent wobbling.

In hysterical flights of inspirational sanity we are introduced to a cast of characters only Allen could imagine: Jasper Nutmeat, Flanders Mealworm, and the independent film mogul E. Coli Biggs, just to name a few. Whether he is writing about art, sex, food, or crime, he is explosively funny. In “This Nib for Hire,” a Hollywood bigwig comes across an author’s book in a little country store and describes it in a way that aptly captures this magnificent volume: “Actually,” the producer says, “I’d never seen a book remaindered in the kindling section before.”

Praise for Mere Anarchy:

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

“The stories in Mere Anarchy deliver the same joys and foibles that have been with its author from the start.”
–Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Uproarious . . . In each story the ornate and the vulgate slam together and make it rain polysyllabic absurdity.”
–The Wall Street Journal

“Nostalgically enjoyable . . . The stories in Mere Anarchy deliver the same joys and foibles that have been with its author from the start.”
–The New York Times

“Brilliant neurotica . . . unfailingly entertaining . . . [an] obsessive and seriously funny book.”
–Los Angeles Times Book Review

“Like the Carnegie’s one-pound sandwiches, Allen’s literary slapstick is . . . comedy on wry.”
–USA Today ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Esoteric at times, but side-splitting nonetheless
Woody Allen's genius shines as expected in this slim little volume. My only criticism is that at times the depth of his forays into the movie industry makes a few of his essays, including "Falling Moguls," difficult to understand, much less find appealing. Much of that difficulty comes from allusions to obscure celebrities and places. His command over contemporary and classical English boggles the mind, too!

Mere Anarchy is an absolute gas.

Inventive and funny.

This is pretty much what you'd expect from Woody Allen: eighteen amusing fictional essays -- I don't know what else to call them except maybe "pieces" -- mostly parodies, mostly from The New Yorker. If you've read any of his earlier books, like "Without Feathers," you'll find the subjects and style familiar, if maybe not quite so fresh and adventurous.

Here's an example, the opening lines of "Thus Ate Zarathustra," a take-off on Nietzsche.

"Fat itself is a substance or essence of a substance or mode of that essence. The big problem is when it accumulates on your hips. Among the pre-Socratics, it was Zeno who held that weight was an illusion and that no matter how much a man ate he would always be only half as fat as the man who never does push-ups."

That excerpt is emblematic. First, it's utter nonsense. "A substance or essence of a substance or mode of that essence."

Second, it plunges abruptly from the intellectual to the most quotidian plane. The problem with "the mode of that essence" is that it accumulates on your hips and makes you fat.

Third, it's a bit challenging. You don't need to know Nietzsche but you need to have been exposed to a page or two of a certain kind of philosophy book in order to appreciate the absurdity of the statements. That first sentence, for instance, is a parody of Nietzsche but it could actually BE Nietzsche or some other philosopher like him.(Even the title, "Mere Anarchy", although it applies to Allen's reckless prose, is taken from Yeats' "The Second Coming.")

Finally, some of the humor, while real enough, is hidden behind the obvious craziness of the idea. Zeno argues that "no matter how much a man ate he would always be only half as fat as the man who never does push-ups." As it stands, it's more silly than funny. But its comic quotient goes up if we know that Zeno's paradox was that a man running a given distance would never reach the finish line because, no matter how far or fast he ran, it would always take him some time to run half the remaining distance. Allen's statement is not just a send-up of philosophy but, more specifically, of Zeno and his paradox.

We have to get used to big, rare, exotic, foreign, jargonistic words and names too, though we don't need to look them up. The name 'E. Coli Biggs' is more amusing if you've heard of E. coli bacteria. I couldn't define "corybantic" and probably Allen couldn't either without the help of a thesaurus. But if you go with the flow, as they say, the deliberate pomposity itself is kind of amusing. And, again, much of the humor lies in the juxtaposition of this highbrow lingo with the lowest-brow interpretations of human nature. As other humorists have observed, "hockey puck" is a funny term. So is "opthalmologist," although "optometrist" is not funny. It's the same effect that W. C. Fields so often aimed for. "My dear, what symmetrical digits!"

Allen's comic inventions are his own but his style is borrowed from the late New Yorker writer of the 1930s and 40s, S. J. Perelman, with whom Allen shares several tastes, including contempt for Los Angeles. Here's an example from Perelman. It could almost as easily have been Allen:

"Does anyone here mind if I make a prediction? I haven't made a prediction since the opening night of 'The Women', when I rose at the end of the third act and announced to my escort, a Miss Chicken-Licken, 'The public will never take this to its bosom.' Since the public has practically worn its bosom to a nubbin niggling up to 'The Women', I feel that my predictions may be a straw to show the direction the wind is blowing away from. I may very well open up a cave and do business as a sort of Cumaean Sibyl in reverse."

Two nebbishes, only Woody Allen really means it.

Aside from the self debasement, there are other similarities in the pieces themselves. If Allen writes a piece on his and his wife's renovating a Manhattan apartment, Perelman had a cabin in Bucks County to contend with. If Allen sometimes adopts the persona of a detective out of films noir ('This Nib For Hire'), Perelman often masked himself as a private investigator from the pulp magazines of the 30s and 40s ('Farewell, My Lovely Appetizer'). I didn't find the similarities at all disturbing. Great minds run in the same channels, especially if they've been raised in New York and are Jewish.

If there's a problem with Allen's latest book, and there is, it's that the entries are all a little too repetitious in style. The comic tactics are usually effective but the overall strategy hardly ever changes. And, of course, as in any real world, some of the jokes are better than others.

MERE S.J. PERELMAN
One of the greatest and most popular American humorists of the 20th century was S.J. Perelman.His style is absolutely unique as regards vocabulary,, narrative persona,premises, titling of pieces, characters' names - everything.It cannot be mistaken.In "Mere Anarchy", Woody Allen, who has said that Perelman was a huge influence on him, has done his level best to reproduce exactly Perelman's style and incorporate very little of his own.It boggles the mind how well Allen has copied Perelman, in all aspects.Why he has done it, and almost completely abandoned his own distinctive style, is another question.An homage?Just to see if he could?(He can.)He's so successful, though, that it makes it difficult to review this book.If you love Allen's previous books like "Without Feathers," then you won't care much for this.If you loved Perelman, you'll enjoy this odd reincarnation of him but perhaps resent just a tiny bit the usurpation of a singular mind and gift.And you might want to read some of Perelman's work while you're at it ("Baby, It's Cold Inside" or "The Most of S.J. Perelman")-he was a genius. In fact, I would recommend just getting the Perelman collections and leaving "Mere Anarchy" alone.

Hits and Misses
Woody Allen still has the ability to make me laugh out loud and in this collection of short sketches he succeeded several times. There are an equal number of entries that fell somewhat flat and felt like either incompletefiller or in other instances like he was trying too hard.
Overall it's a harmless enough offering with a few laughs in it. Not so bad.

Five stars for fantastic writing and one hit line after another...
Oi.I actually hurt from laughing.There are lines in this book that will punch you out.It helps to be Jewish, too. One complaint: Woody, you made the book too short. ... Read more

Product Description
Comedian, writer, director, actor, musician, and deep thinker, Woody Allen is clearly trying to say something, but what? And why should anyone care? Fifteen philosophers representing different schools of thought answer these questions, focusing on different works and varied aspects of Allen's multifaceted output. These essays explore such topics as how Schopenhauer's theory of humor emerges in Annie Hall; why, for all his apparent pessimism, Allen gives a brighter alternative to the Bogartian nihilism of film noir; the importance of integrity for the Good Life, as found in Manhattan; and the fact that just because the universe is meaningless and life is pointless is no reason to commit suicide. Also here are droll, probing essays on why hedonism is a health hazard, and why, despite the fact that Earth may be swallowed by a black hole and crushed to the size of a peanut, the toilet continues to overflow. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Could have been a lot better.
The first thing to know about this book is that it is but one in a series."Woody Allen and Philosophy" is brought to you by the same folks who brought you "The Simpsons and Philosophy," "Seinfeld and Philosophy," and so on.I have not been impressed with this series.Generally, the pop culture topics chosen have no explicit philosophical inspiration.Philosophy must be read-in to otherwise superficial material.Some of these movies and sit-coms constitute good illustrative examples of philosophical topics (e.g. the tired observation that Seinfeld is a "deconstructive" comedy about nothing), but none of them was consciously embedded with philosophy.

Woody's work is different.The attempt to understand the intellectual references contained in Woody's early films is precisely what led me to study philosophy in the first place. They contain deeply philosophical themes and explicit philosophical references.Films like Annie Hall, Love and Death, and Bananas are absolutely packed with high-culture easter eggs waiting for a good interpreter.Sadly, the essays in this book miss pretty much all of them.

Of course, I admit I am the sort of snob who thinks that philosophy should not be the handmaiden to pop culture.I am embarrassed to see Schopenhauer wasted on Seinfeld.

The bottom line is that you will enjoy this book if you enjoy the series itself.Serious Woody Allen fans and philosophers alike will probably be disappointed.

In depth
Really heavy philosophical stuff. If you're an avid fan [like me] of Woody Allen and understand philosophy a little [like me] you will enjoy this book. I found out more than I thought I would ever know about Allen's films from reading this book. Thoroughly engrossing and fun to read.

Articles focus on Allen's philosophy and viewpoints
How often has the reader combed a casual survey of actor Woody Allen longing for insights into the witty sayings and cutting remarks Allen is notable for? Wonder no longer. In Woody Allen And Philosophy, Mark Conrad and Aeon Skoble edit a fine philosophical approach to Allen's sayings and life, presenting articles which survey his pragmatic optimism, his sex comedys and spoofs, and his artistic films alike. Articles focus on Allen's philosophy and viewpoints and provide plenty of personal insights in the process of analyzing his works.
... Read more

Product Description
A humor classic by one of the funniest writers today, SIDE EFFECTS is a treat for all those who know his work and those just discovering how gifted he is. Included here are such classics as REMEMBERING NEEDLEMAN, THE KUGELMASS EPISODE, a new sory called CONFESSIONS OF A BUGLAR, and more.
Amazon.com Review
Before Woody Allen set his sights on becoming the next IngmarBergman, he made a fleeting (but largely successful) attempt atbecoming the next S.J Perelman. Side Effects, his third andfinal collection of humor pieces, shows his efforts. These essaysappeared in The New Yorker during the late 1970s, as he showedmore and more discontent with his funnyman status. Fear not, humorfans--Allen's still funny. He is less manic, however, than in hispositively goofy Getting Even/Without Feathers days, andthis makes Side Effects a more nuanced read.Woody picks andchooses when to flash the laughs, as in an article discussing UFOs:

[I]n 1822 Goethe himself notes a strange celestial phenomenon. "En routehome from the Leipzig Anxiety Festival," he wrote, "I was crossing ameadow, when I chanced to look up and saw several fiery red balls suddenlyappear in the southern sky. They descended at a great rate of speed andbegan chasing me. I screamed that I was a genius and consequently could notrun very fast, but my words were wasted. I became enraged and shoutedimprecations at them, whereupon they flew away frightened. I related thisstory to Beethoven, not realizing he had already gone deaf, and he smiledand nodded and said, "Right."

Customer Reviews (24)

Woody Allen Proves Intelligence and Silliness Are Not Mutually Exclusive
Woody Allen's comic collection of short stories,"Side Effects" is a beautiful journey through the absurd mind of a genius. Like his early movies, "Take the Money and Run", "Bananas", and "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex *But Were too Afraid to Ask", this book captures my favorite era of Woody's half century and still going creativity. As much as I love the total masterpiece, "Annie Hall," I have to admit I prefer the zanier, looser brilliant babbler who wrote for Sid Caesar and wasn't above humor for the subgenius among us.

terrible.
this book is a chore to read. i kept at it, hoping it would improve, but it continues in the same unfunny vein throughout. the unrelentingly 'wacky' style is ridiculous, but not in an interesting way.

Side Effects: Sore side from laughing
Side Effects, by Woody Allen, was released in 1980.It is a very funny collection of Allen's work, much of which first appeared in the New Yorker and other publication.The books is pretty even, and rather funny.The high point here is The Kugelmass Episode which features a professor named Sidney Kugelmass who is, via a magician, tranpsorted into the novel Madame Bovary.

A very funy four star offering from Mr. Allen.

Loved It
Discovered in the humor section at Borders, I couldn't resist one of my favorite director's/producer's/actor's books. Side Effects is a collection of Allen's short stories that read similar to skits that were too short or just not right to be put on the screen. They're humorous, beautiful, and intelligent in the usual Allen fashion. I will admit though that as far as short story mastery goes, Allen has nothing on Cheever or Carver but for any Allen fan they're a must read.

A pleased Allen fan
After watching mant of Allen's films and listening to Allen's stand-up I was more than pleased to read one of his books. His prose is the same as the dialogue that gushes from his character's mouths in his films, tinged with a twitchy neurosis that brings a smile across my face. This book is littered with moments that will make your stomach sore from laughing and others that result in a sly amused grin. Bring the existential alka-seltser. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

I Thought, Therefore I Was
The golden age of comics has ended; the art form is now sadly dying out. But all is not lost--DREAD & SUPERFICIALITY is here, and is a delightful sampling of an era when the Sunday funnies took up pages and pages of the paper, and when people actually came up with brilliant ideas like using Woody Allen as the subject for a comic. The strip is rife with Allen's trademark neuroticism and self-deprecation, and while it is perhaps not as charmingly profane as it should have been (blame the syndicates), it still has its wonderful quips and one liners ("every time she had an orgasm, her nose grew longer"). And seriously, who would have thought that comic-Woody Allen would look more like Woody Allen then real-Woody Allen? But he does.

For those buffs who are looking for more insight into the creation and publication of comic strips, there is an extremely enlightening introduction that covers the inception of the strip. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, I found the use of the original comic art to be very appealing--it really created an intimacy between the viewer and the art that wouldn't have been as accessible had they used the printed scans. All in all, DREAD & SUPERFICIALITY was a welcome throwback that shed a little more light on the comic strip epoch and culture. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone whose interest is already piqued by the subject matter.

16 Great Pages, 200+ Not So Much
"Inside Woody Allen" was a newspaper comic strip that ran from 1976-84. It never appeared in many papers, which was as it should be since, frankly, it wasn't that great a strip.

The feature starred the famed comedian/filmmaker who was at the time riding high on a string of smash hit movies. Although Woody's persona was all there -- the neuroses, the philosophy, the skirt-chasing -- in the comic strip he was scrubbed so clean, so innocuous, that it may as well have been a strip about Bob Saget.

What makes the book a worthwhile read certainly isn't the strips, which are reproduced in great abundance, and it certainly isn't for the intro by R. Buckminster Fuller, whose bizarre attempt at a comic strip got the best of me after a few pages. The highlight of the book is a 16-page introduction by cartoonist Stu Hample which traces the development of the strip and its travails with the syndicate. This is a great insider narrative that provides insight on the way syndicates, newspapers and comic strip creators interact. I felt this alone was worth the price of the book.

Not to give too much of the story away, but it turns out that if Woody and Stu had been given free reign on the strip it might well have been a classic. Hample reproduces many notes from Allen that show that Woody, genius that he was and is, had a keen understanding of what makes a great comic strip. Syndicate executives, on the other hand, were like a broken record -- make it inoffensive, dumb it down, don't make the grannies angry. As usual, the suits won. A pity...

One interesting design choice in the book should be mentioned. The nearly 200 pages of strips are all reproduced from original art, with corrections, blue lines and margin notes intact. The strips are all photographed in color, despite all the originals being drawn in black and white. I can see reproducing a selection this way, but it seems an odd choice for an entire book. The production costs for all that color (even though the only actual color is just cream colored paper and blue pencil) explains the $35 price tag.

THE VERY ESSENCE OF WOODY ALLEN
If you're an admirer of Woody Allen's work you will love Stuart Hample's, "Dread and Superficiality."From 1976 to 1984 Hample's internationally syndicated cartoon, "Inside Woody Allen," captured the very essence of Woody - and continues to do so in this beautifully-produced publication.Not only are the comic strips hilariously funny, but they are reproduced from Hample's original cartoon boards; some with marginalia, Scotch tape impressions and "chicken scratches," giving the reader a sense of glimpsing at the actual source masters and being privy to the process involved in such creative work.Further enriching our experience, Hample provides an evocative account of how all this came about in his extensive and wonderfully illustrated preface - the preface alone is worth the price of the book.As if this weren't enough, the book includes an introduction by the legendary visionary, Buckminster Fuller.This is no ordinary introduction; it is probably the most idiosyncratic and marvelously original introduction ever written - appropriately in the style of a cartoon.This is a must for any Woody Allen fan!

pleasant memories
I accidentally came across "Inside Woody Allen" around 1979.While I was not a comics reader, I found it delightful.I read it on and off till its retirement.I came across "Dread and Superficiality" and it brought back a lot of good memories.The humor in the strips is classic and still entertaining.A few people who have looked at it in my home and who are not true fans of Woody enjoyed it.One said that given today's culture it was refreshing.I was particularly pleased with the use of original, cut out of the paper strips.It added a wonderful,authentic and nostalgic flavor to the book.I really liked it and I bet Woody does too.

More than a coffee table!
Finally, a coffee table book that's more interesting than art books no one reads and which you only have out for show.And you no longer have to worry about spilling coffee or drinks on it.In fact there's a wonderful feel to these reproductions of the artist's actual work, with their occasional printer notes and glosses; your coffee spills can only enhance that sense of authenticity.Even if you're not a Woody Allen fan, the book makes for great pick-up and pick-me-up reading fun -- especially on that coffee table (or in your loo).It's sometimes even more distressingly pathetic than Allen Konigsberg himself.But that's also when it's at its funniest.Great gift!Especially for yourself.So stop trying to impress your friends with fancy art books and buy something artful instead! ... Read more

Product Description
From What's Up, Tiger Lily? to Match Point, Woody Allen's work has generated substantial interest among scholars and professionals who have written extensively about the director. In The Films of Woody Allen: Critical Essays, Charles L.P. Silet brings together two-dozen scholarly articles that address the core of Allen's work from a variety of cultural and theoretical perspectives. ... Read more

Product Description
Selections from published and never-before-published works are collected in a work that features film excerpts, one-liners, essays, stand-up routines, Allen's classic New Yorker pieces, screenplays, film outtakes, magazine articles, and interviews. 40,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Watch It Again, Sam
Woody Allen is perhaps the most prolific filmmakers of all time. In terms of his "earlier funnier" movies, "Play It Again, Sam" is possibly his best.

There is something for everyone. The obvious yet inventive tie-in to "Casablanca" satisfies devoted film buffs. Chemistry between Allen and muse extraordinaire Diane Keaton makes the rom-com crowd quite happy. Allen's trademark dialogue will leave even the biggest theatre snob laughing.

In the end, "Play It Again, Sam" is vintage Allen. At face value, it all seems like fun and games. Yet, just a scratch below the surface level reveals something greater than comedy: universal truths about love and the human condition.

Very Entertaining
This has got to be one of my top faves. I can watch it over and over again if i could. Just to see how Allan's character starts out and how it all ends up.

vintage Woody
"Play It Again Sam" is a movie I remember seeing in college and loved it. The "Casablanca" story line made it even more enjoyable. This is a movie that is perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon. Tony Roberts as a busy executive glued to the phone makes you think what he'd do in in the age of Blackberry and Iphones today. Need a laugh, get this movie.

The Best Woody movie ever
If you could only watch one Woody Allen movie..............Play It Again Sam is the one.

Play It Again, Sam
Classic Woody Allen.Even though he didn't direct this one you can see all the vintage aspects of Allen's future comedies.You can see why he made so many movies with Keaton.Looking backwards from the age of cell phones it's fascinating to see Tony Roberts' character in action. ... Read more

Product Description
Now fully updated: The only critical study available of Woody Allen's entire body of work.

Woody Allen has carved out a unique place for himself in American movies, becoming our national auteur as well as the most prolific director in the country, and creating a singular world with each film he has released since his first movie in 1969. Foster Hirsch analyzes and celebrates that world in this expert study of the themes, visual style, and acting in each of Allen's films. With the addition of a new introduction and chapter covering the eleven movies Allen has made in the last decade, from Alice to The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, this is a vital book for Allen fans and students of film alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A MUST READ
Having very little immersity in woody allens work I read Hirschs book anyway. The book was fun to read and well prepared. I was able to share the authors enthusiasm even without famililarty of allens work. If youv'e seen just one of allens film then this is a must read, it is comically and insightful, with enlightning critizism and praise. ... Read more

Product Description
Complete screenplays of four of Woody Allen's most famous films. Hilariously funny, with all actions included.


From the Trade Paperback edition.Amazon.com Review
Woody Allen's greatness as a director rests squarely on hisstupendous talent as a writer. In the glory years from 1977 to 1980 hereleased his best--and best written--movies. Included in this volumeare the scripts of Annie Hall, Allen'sfirst mature film and the winner of the Best Picture Oscar;Interiors, his first serious work, a Bergmanesque treatment ofa tortured family; Manhattan, his greatestand most characteristic movie, which concerns a writer's attempt tofind true love in the comic wilderness of New York City; and Stardust Memories, hismost satiric and personal piece, about the effects of fame on a filmdirector who is standing at a crossroads in his life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

a long time ago
Its hard to imagine now that there was a time when you couldn't just go out and buy a film. So a book like this that contains the complete screenplays for four Woody Allen films seems a little bit redundant. But in fact its a great volume.

Annie Hall and Manhattan are two of Woody Allens greatest films. They are funny, and full of great one-liners, but there is also a serious undertone to them. So having the chance to flick from one great scene to another on the page is actually very satisfying. As well as the dialog a description of the action is provided by the Publisher.

The dialog is 100% accurate so every pause and mumble by the cast is captured on the page. In Annie Hall for example (Annie talking about photograhy):

"Well, well, I...to me - I... I mean, it's-it's-it's all instinctive, you know. I mean, I just try to uh, feel, you know? I try to get a sense of it and not think about it to much."

Interiors is a Bergman inspired film, which to date I have not seen, but I am hoping that this volume will encourage me to see it now. Stardust Memories is Allen's take on celebrity and is well worth reading.

So if you are a fan of Woody Allen you will enjoy this volume, even if you already own the films (as I do now).

Do It For The Eggs
I bought this while studying screenwriting, assuming that owning ANNIE HALL and MANHATTAN would somehow deliver upon me some kind of ability, perhaps a bit of greatness via osmoseous (sp?).

I was wrong.

I also realized that MANHATTAN is based more on the visual than I had realized--the script, while great, isn't on the same level as ANNIE HALL; INTERIORS, which dissapointed me on the screen is a very good script; and--this just confirmed what I already knew--ANNIE HALL is a great great GREAT film.

Did I mention that ANNIE HALL is a great film?

Truly pointless
If you're a cineaste, it can be quite enlightening and entertaining to read the original shooting script that a favorite film was based on.In addition to the screenwriter's comments and directions, you usually get several scenes that were cut from the finished movie as well as occasionalodd little changes in dialogue sprinkled throughout and an overall peek atsome aspects of the creative process that a film goes through frominception to completion.Unfortunately, that's not the case with thisbook, since the four "screenplays" included are merelytranscriptions from the finished films.VCRs were generally available whenthis book was first published in '82, so even back then this book was apointless rip-off.Watch the films, skip the book.

Must have omnibus for Woody Allen fans and script writers.
This book contains "screenplays" of Woody Allen's most famous films including Manhattan and Annie Hall. It doesn't say screenplays on the cover, but that's what I figured it would be. Instead, what I got was abook that's not even script formatted. The publisher also adds his noteswhenever he pleases to explain what's going on 'from the film' to thereader.

Hilarious
This great book includes the screenplays of two of Woody's best films,"Annie Hall" and "Manhattan."There's also"Stardust Memories" which is good, and "Interiors"which is, well...ok.Well worth the money. ... Read more

Product Description
3 PAPERBACKS IN SLIPCASE ... Read more

Product Description
Farce / 12m, 4f / Int.

A cascade of comedy and a solid hit on Broadway, this affair takes place inside an American embassy behind the Iron Curtain. An American tourist, a caterer by trade, and his wife and daughter rush into the embassy two steps ahead of the police who suspect them of spying and picture taking. It's not much of a refuge, for the ambassador is absent and his son, now in charge, has been expelled from a dozen countries and the continent of Africa. Nevertheless, they carefully and frantically plot their escape, and the ambassador's son and the caterer's daughter even have time to fall in love.

"Moved the audience to great laughter.... Allen's imagination is daffy, his sense of the ridiculous is keen and gags snap, crackle and pop." N.Y. Daily News

"It is filled with ... bright and hilarious dialogue." N.Y. Post. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Who took the photos?!
Not necessarily the publisher's fault but disappointing they don't give the photographers credit for their photos - only the agency they purchased the images from.

Great Book Great Price
Taschen book are always great and this is no exception.great pics and text.smaller than expected but that's what i get for not reading the fine print. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive biography and national best seller, now back in print and fully updated.

When it first appeared in 1991, Eric Lax's splendid biography, written with nineteen years of access to Woody Allen, was universally hailed as the definitive portrait of a film genius. The next year, as Allen's long relationship with Mia Farrow disintegrated amid scandal, a new phase of his life and work began. For this edition, Lax has written a chapter on the break-up and the personal and professional changes that followed. He chronicles the last eight films, from Shadows and Fog to his latest Small Time Crooks, and again offers Woody's candid opinions of his art and himself. Published to coincide with Allen's sixty-fifth birthday, this updated biography will continue to be "required reading for Woodyphiles" (Kansas City Star).Amazon.com Review
This affectionate biography of Woody Allen is the best accountof his life you can buy. Eric Lax, a longtime friend of Allen's, doesnot recite Allen's story by chronological rote. Instead, he begins inthe present day and digresses from it to past events. The result isan anecdotal account that manages to give all the details of Allen'sdevelopment as an artist and a man while remaining consistentlyentertaining, enlightening, and funny. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Loved it!
Seldom, have I read a biography that I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed this one. I think Eric Lax's prose skillfully captures the essence of a complicated man. I was grateful for the absence of any reference to Allen's romantic life because it is the artist Allen that continually takes my breath away with his films, even those he later comes to dislike.

I loved the description of Allen's writing process, the self-taught editing process, and I had a different appreciation of the cinematographer's responsibility after I finished this book.The mechanics of Mr. Allen's film making were just as fascinating to me as the character Woody Allen.

Thank God that there is still one American filmmaker who is neither concerned with ratings or box office gross. If his movies run over budget, he makes up the difference!

This one doesn't rip him apart in matters that don't matter
A natural stage in my succession of becoming a Woody Allen freak was picking up a biography. Any single one would have suited my needs, because I knew only as much as somebody who had seen ten or so of his movies and was beginning to show some serious interest in this singular personality.

It turned out that by accident I had picked out just the right book. Eric Lax delivers over 400 pages of what seems to be a very detailed and reliable account of Woody's life. Contrary to the tabloid-like obsession with Allen's women which many writers of today appear to revel, Lax's primary emphasis is on his work, influences, and progress as a comedian. A special section was added to the end of the book to summarise the events of the last ten years (the first edition of this biography was published in 1991), including the row with Mia Farrow and Woody's marriage to Soon-Yi Previn. But it remains a biography of the man it boasts in the title, not a collection of second-hand conjectures and prejudices about what he might seem to be. Indeed, this is left to the army of Woody admirers who like to derive his character from the roles he has played or written.

The shattering of preconceived images that surround the private self of Woody Allen is probably one of the major strengths of Lax's book. Woody is shown as somebody who has been engaging in his beloved trade for years and now shows genuine surprise about all the fuss that is being raised around his straightforward life. Nevertheless, I refuse to buy such a portrayal, simply because I am one of those blind followers who have merged Woody on-screen with the real-life Woody. True or not, it is an illusion I am prepared to live, for that is the main attraction of his movies.

Reasonable bio of one of America's great artists
It's a commonplace that many artists have questionable private lives. What Mr Allen does or doesn't do in his private life is of passing interest to me. That he likes younger women doesn't make him much different, maybe unfortunately, from millions of other men (is Rupert Murdoch a classicexample or what?) If I want gossip I read a magazine. Mr Allen's work onthe other hand interests me very much. This bio by Mr Lax is good forexcerpts from Mr Allen's comedy routines and in revealing the movie makingexperience from the editting point of view, shooting, casting, writing andrewriting. I don't think the prose skill of Mr Lax is especially high butthe book's subject matter is interesting enough, and Woody Allen's writingamusing enough, to carry it along.

under his thumb
I read this book long before Woody Allen's personal troubles became public. (I've always been an admirer of Allen's films.) It is, hands-down, the worst biography I ever read. Lax is more than reverent of Allen; he isobsequious and subservient. At a very early point in the book, I began tosense that every word had been approved by Allen. By the end, I thoughAllen's publicist and psychiatrists had probably signed off too.

P.S. IfI had an option of giving this book no stars, I would have done so.

under his thumb
I read this book long before Woody Allen's personal troubles became public. (I've always been an admirer of Allen's films.) It is, hands-down, the worst biography I ever read. Lax is more than reverent of Allen; he isobsequious and subservient. At a very early point in the book, I began tosense that every word had been approved by Allen. By the end, I thoughAllen's publicist and psychiatrists had probably signed off too.

P.S. IfI had an option of giving this book no stars, I would have done so. ... Read more