Movies to Manage By

Book Description

"A tasty confection that is both fun to read and though-provoking. Clemens and Wolff have crafted and engaging book that illustrates the entire gamut of good and bad leadership behavior. I recommend it especially to young managers who are growing into or aspiring to leadership roles." -- George R. Stephan, Former Chairman Kollmorger Corporation "Readers of this book should be allowed to go to the movies on company time. The flicks take on a whole new meaning." -- Roy Rowan, Author of The Intuitive Manager Movies do more than just entertain. A good film can also teach. Charles Foster Kane, the tragic protagonist of Citizen Kane, is the perfect example of how hoarding power can lead to chaos in business and personal matters. Dead Poet Society's John Keating is the archetype of the employee who has affected change downward but has not solicited the support of superiors who may later stonewall other projects. And Norma Rae (in the movie of the same name), a seemingly powerless factory worker, shakes up the plant's male-dominated management and becomes the company's most influential leader. In this entertaining and instructive book, you will discover that film is indeed an untapped source of leadership wisdom for businesses, large and small. You will see your own organization--as well as your own management and leadership challenges--mirrored here in the examination and analysis of nine compelling and highly accessible film narratives. John K. Clemens, professor of management at Hartwick College, is the founder and executive director of the Hartwick Humanities in Management Institute, an organization that conducts leadership seminars for emerging leaders in Fortune 500 companies. He is also the coauthor of The Classic Touch: Lessons in Leadership from Homer to Hemingway. Melora Wolff is an essayist, poet, and playwright who teaches workshops and seminars in film, literature, and creative writing. She is the writing consultant for the Hartwick Humanities in Management Institute.

Customer Reviews:

Insights from the Silver Screen.......2000-03-01

What a terrific concept! Select a number of movies and then analyze what they reveal about "lessons in leadership." Specifically, here are the themes:

"Following Your Hunch" (The Hunt for Red October)

The Importance of Improvisation (Apollo 13)

The Failed Promise of Heroic Leadership (Dead Poets Society)

Turning Around a Faltering Team (Hoosiers)

Socratic Leadership (12 Angry Men)

Turning Around a Troubled Organization (Twelve O'Clock High)

When Leadership Fails (Citizen Kane)

Morality and Leadership (Wall Street)

This is a book which I wish I had written. The authors are to be commended, first for thinking about writing such a book and then for doing it. The result is a brilliant piece of work. The writing style has snap, crackle, and pop. The insights are of great value as we are helped to correlate the circumstances in each movie with the daily circumstances in which most of us are obliged to function each day.

After you read this book, you will perhaps think of other movies which also could have been discussed by the authors. For me (what great fun!), I would nominate Paths of Glory, Zulu, Executive Suite, Command Decision, Tunes of Glory, Braveheart, Jeremiah Johnson, Pork Chop Hill, Pale Rider, and Patton.

If you are a movie buff, if you are looking for a great read, and if you agree with me that much of value can be learned about leadership from the movies, obtain a copy of this book ASAP.

Very useful and interesting.......1999-11-19

What a fun read this is! Business books tend to be so boring, so it was great to read something original and different. And the link of movies to management is not a stretch at all. Just good sensible advice presented in a really engaging writing style. I liked this very much.

Useful guide for those that don't get much outside training.......1999-10-27

In preparing for an annual management seminar that I was leading, someone suggested this book. It was a great help in being able to illustrate easily some useful take away management points for my group. Showing film clips as part of the day's events was a great way to break up the monotony and I found the participants sat up and listened to each segment, obviously interested. I would recommend this book for those who don't work for large companies who are always sending you outside for training. The book gives you all the items for you to do it yourself!

Creative guide to leadership principles.......1999-10-27

A useful guide for business management courses, offering students creative insight into basic leadership principles. In "Movies to Manage By" John Clemens and Melora Wolf creatively utilize film as an instructive tool to convey leadership in a unique approach. A great book to be used in any graduate or college business program

Cool book.......1999-10-09

Movies to Manage By uses film in the right way. Clemens and Wolff are wonderful writers, and their approach to film and leadership is insightful, meaningful, and entertaining. I have a small business and so am dealing with a lot of the dilemmas that the authors raise, and their observations are right on key. The subject matter seemed kind of light when I first saw the book, but reading it I see that it really is a book of substance with helpful information for people like me. Thank you.

Paid in full: we might think we're given a life sentence for our sins, but as two religious movies show, Jesus always manages to come through and bail ... review): An article from: U.S. Catholic

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Paid in full: we might think we're given a life sentence for our sins, but as two religious movies show, Jesus always manages to come through and bail ... review): An article from: U.S. Catholic
Patrick McCormick
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from U.S. Catholic, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1044 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Paid in full: we might think we're given a life sentence for our sins, but as two religious movies show, Jesus always manages to come through and bail us out.(culture in context)(One Night with the King)(The Last Sin Eater)(Movie review)
Author: Patrick McCormick
Publication: U.S. Catholic (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 72 Issue: 4 Page: 42(2)

Article Type: Movie review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Product Description

For the first time ever, many of Alfred's most popular Masterwork Library editions are now packaged with a full-length CD at affordable prices for students! The Alfred Masterwork Library CD Editions conveniently combine each exceptional volume with a professionally recorded CD that is sure to inspire artistic performances. The Masterwork Library offers pianists the most historically informed and up-to-date presentation of standard piano repertoire. Each book is carefully researched by world-renowned musicologists back to original autograph sources or first printings and all selections are presented in their original form. A must-have for teachers and students.

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Schumann's Album For The Young

Manufacturer: Schott
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 3254002377

Selections from RObert Schumann: Album for the Young Op.68 : Piano Solos by Master Composers of the Period (Piano Masters Series)

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Selections from RObert Schumann: Album for the Young Op.68 : Piano Solos by Master Composers of the Period (Piano Masters Series)
Robert Schumann
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0769290876

Book Description

Newly engraved for our Piano Masters Series, is this collection of the most often taught and performed pieces from the popular group Album for the Young by Schumann. Also included is a thorough biographical sketch of the composer.

Album for the Young (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

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Album for the Young (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (Kalmus Edition)

ASIN: 0739007343

Product Description

Numerous selections from Schumann's Album for the Young have long been favorites of intermediate students, and few collections fail to include the "Soldier's March," the "Happy Farmer" or the "Wild Horseman." This historically informed edition of the entire collection clearly differentiates the markings of the first edition from Clara Schumann's later-edited version. Discussions of ornamentation and the collection's origin are also included.

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Album for the Young Op. 68

Manufacturer: Schott
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Twenty-Five Easy and Progressive Studies for the Piano, Op. 100: Piano Solo

ASIN: 379575271X

Book Description

Our new edition contains nine pieces which were missing in the first edition: For the Very Small * Doll's Lullaby * In a Gondola * Guckoo in Hiding * Catch Me if You Can * Venetian Lagoon * Bear-Dance * Rebus * [Little Waltz] First Section: For the Very Young * Second Section: For the More Grown-up * Appendices * Musical Rules for Life and the Home

Album for the Young, Op. 68: 2 CDs (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

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Album for the Young, Op. 68: 2 CDs (Alfred Masterwork Edition)

Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Album for the Young, Opus 68/Album fur die Jugend With Preface and Critical Notes by Joseph Banowetz

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Album for the Young, Opus 68/Album fur die Jugend With Preface and Critical Notes by Joseph Banowetz
Robert Schumann
Manufacturer: General Words and Music Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000URR6T6

Complete Works for the Pianoforte Album for the Young ; Scenes from Childhood: Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics Vol. 90

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Complete Works for the Pianoforte Album for the Young ; Scenes from Childhood: Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics Vol. 90
Robert Schumann
Manufacturer: G Schirmer, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NPVNBW

Robert Schumann - Complete Works for Piano Solo Vol. 5 (Studies for the Pedal-Piano Op. 56; Sketches for the Pedal-Piano Op. 58; Album for the Young Op. 68; Four Fugues Op. 72; Four Marches Op. 76, Forest Scenes Op. 82) (Kalmus Piano Series, 3927)

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Robert Schumann - Complete Works for Piano Solo Vol. 5 (Studies for the Pedal-Piano Op. 56; Sketches for the Pedal-Piano Op. 58; Album for the Young Op. 68; Four Fugues Op. 72; Four Marches Op. 76, Forest Scenes Op. 82) (Kalmus Piano Series, 3927)
Robert Schumann
Manufacturer: Belwin Mills Publishing Corp., New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5VO84

Customer Reviews:

a great vampire supplement.......2007-04-03

I just finished reading this and I have to say Im sold. Vampire is one hell of an rpg setting. Of all the covenants in the new game this is the best one. It exemplifies the kindred like no other covenant and it has rules on how to expand on classic vampire merits like herd and status.

I also love the rules on managing fog of eternity and how vampires live for hundreds and thousands of years to lay out their plans. I also like the rules for vampire dynasties where a group of vampires rules the estate of an elder who is in torpor to lower his blood potency. This rule makes it possible for players to have power early in the game, the potential for great storytelling is excellent.

The book also gives details (foggy at best) regarding the origins of the covenant after the fall of the Camarilla which was the ruling body of vampires during the time of Rome. It also has rules for ghouls who serve this clan and a few bloodlines.

I cannot wait to use this covenant in my games. Next to Ordo Dracul its my favorite. Great supplement!

I like this book.......2007-01-10

Recomended for any VTR players. It has a few blood lines that are kool.

An expansion of one of the classic vampire organizations........2006-09-14

Presenting the vampire Covenant (political faction) known as the "First Estate," Invictus provides well thought out insights and clever plot hooks for the oldest and most powerful vampire Covenant. New Factions, Bloodlines, Disciplines, Devotions, Merits, and Ghoul Families are presented along with a substantial amount of descriptive setting material. In every instance the new game mechanics support organizations and ways of thinking within the Invictus, and provide more than just a list of new toys.

The best of the covenant books.......2006-02-24

I haven't been much of a fan of the Invictus since I started reading about and playing Requiem. So when I went to my local gaming store and started reading through this book, I was expecting to not be surprised at what was inside.

However, this book ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises I've ever run across in gaming. Of course, the book mostly focuses on power structure, since that's the nature of the Invictus covenant. Yet there are also enormous details about the Invictus' relations in the World of Darkness, the history of the covenant, why and how one joins, what happens as time goes on, and bloodlines and factions- including the very interesting cyclical dynasties. There are also portions of the book that deal with the treatment of Ghouls, a few Ghoul Families created by the Invictus, and Blood Oaths.

This book is fantastic! I can't recommend it enough. Even if you're not going to have any characters in the Invictus, it can be used for NPC creation, or for storyteller information. Get this book, it's worth it.

Extremely well crafted and full of info useful for any chronicle.......2005-11-30

The Invictus is the fourth covenant sourcebook for the RPG Vampire: The Requiem (the others before it, in order of release, have been The Lancea Sanctum, The Ordo Dracul, and The VII), and probably the most useful. The information in here, and there is quite a lot of it, goes beyond just the context of the Invictus and provides essential information for crafting a society of Kindread.

Ch.1: History
The Invictus history presented in the book should serve to entertain any who have come to appreciate the fiction and mythos that the White Wolf games present with their product. The ancient Roman Covenant, the Camarilla, is discussed and the Invictus is in many ways the heir to the Roman sect (one view presented is that the Invictus is the Camarilla following the split of secular and religious powers, namely the division of the Invictus and the Lancea Sanctum into separate factions). In the dark ages that followed the fall of Rome and the Camarilla, the Invictus flourished and many heroes arose from this dark time (the legends of a few of these heroes are presented in the book). Later, the Invictus experiment with central government and its failings is described, mainly in the story of the Invictus Emperor. The history ends with a description of the Covenant's migration out of Europe and their position in modern nights.

Ch.2: Unlife in the Invictus
This chapter possesses a wealth of information that will revolutionize characters that make use of it and provide comprehensive structure to the governments and societies of the Kindread city-states. Protocol, titles of address and office, deals, dealings with mortals, politics, and doing business are all described at length, but the major innovation presented here is the concept of Cyclical Dynasties. Anyone who has seen the movie Underworld will be familiar with the concept (the succession/cycle of rule by the three elder vampires). The Cyclical Dynasties are also called Houses, and several sample Houses are presented. A House usually has 2 to 4 members, and they are formed for the purpose of protecting the power and assets of Elders, and the sleeping Elders themselves, during torpor, with either half or two-thirds (depending on the size) of the members of the House active while the other(s) slumbers.

Ch.3: Invictus and the Danse Macabre
In this chapter the concepts of Guilds and Orders are described. A Guild is sort of like a small school with in the Covenant. A master/mister tutors a small number of pupils in the pursuit of perfecting a specific talent or skill. Orders are basically Guilds but with a military element whose members are called Knights. Chapter 3 also provides information related to joining the sect, either before the Embrace, or after it, either by default through one's sire or joining up later on.

Ch.4: Factions and Bloodlines
This supplement, like all the others dealing with major Covenants so far, presents six new bloodlines that are primarily found in the Invictus. The bloodlines presented here are for the most part run of the mill and uninteresting, but each meshes well with the Covenant. The sects, which are like larger versions of the Guilds, are much more relevant to the Invictus than the sects presented in previous Covenant books are to their respective Covenants, as they provide information on organizations that do what the Covenant does (entering into business ventures, manipulating politics, etc...), rather than being defined by differing political or philosophical views. Also, Ghoul Families are discussed, and two sample Ghoul Families are presented.

Ch.5: Blood Oaths and Disciplines
The portion on Disciplines deals mainly with the unique powers of the Invictus bloodlines, and although the bloodlines are a little dull their powers are extremely cool and useful for any vampire lord.
The Blood Oaths are also a great concept, as they present a system to ensure trust between Kindread that isn't just the enslavement of one party involved by the other. This highlights one aspect of Requiem that I enjoy over the way things were in the Masquerade: although scheming and backstabbing is an element in the story, it is not a given- vampires are actually able to resist turning on one another simply because they can.

All in all, anyone who is a fan of Vampire: The Requiem, Invictus players in particular (and fans of the Masquerade's Clan Ventrue and Camarilla sect), will find this book both entertaining and useful. The books dealing with the Lancea Sanctum and the Ordo Dracul (initially I found both Covenants much more interesting than the Invictus) are pretty much only useful for developing characters and the unique powers of their respective Covenants (but they also have cooler blood-lines and histories), but the Invictus book provides information for building a Kindread society, a powerbase, and the means to survive throughout the ages. This book second only to the core volume in importance and necessity for a Vampire: The Requiem chronicle.

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Tempus Invictus
Ernest L. Norman
Manufacturer: Uranius Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Voice of Venus (Pulse of Creation Series)
Tempus Procedium
The Voice of Orion
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Voice of Eros (Pulse of Creation Series)

ASIN: 0972471057

Ernest L. Norman Collection (Tempus Invictus, Tempus Interludium (Volume II), Cosmic Continuum, Infinite Perspectus, The Infinite Concept of Cosmic Creation. - (The Voice of Eros, The Voice of Orion, The Voice of Venus -The Pluse Creation series)

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Ernest L. Norman Collection (Tempus Invictus, Tempus Interludium (Volume II), Cosmic Continuum, Infinite Perspectus, The Infinite Concept of Cosmic Creation. - (The Voice of Eros, The Voice of Orion, The Voice of Venus -The Pluse Creation series)
Ernest L. Norman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TSYBMQ

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Invictus
Bill Yancey
Manufacturer: Briarwood Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 189261443X

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A chilling first novel

Invictus
VYSHALI MANIVANNAN
Manufacturer: Pearl Street Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0972268839
Release Date: 2004-03-19

Book Description

In a society that has yet to accept the idea of infusing metal with a life of its own, Phalanx, a bioroid or "living robot," is created as a scientific achievement. Unable to construct for himself the "human" identity he desires, Phalanx strives instead to win his creator's approval-at any cost. Invictus chronicles the highly charged journey Phalanx is forced to undertake in order to reclaim and redeem himself from the external forces that would control him.

Customer Reviews:

A chilling first novel .......2005-07-12

I always love reading books by first novelists, and apparently Manivannan was fifteen when she wrote Invictus.

Invictus defies categorization--it's not (strictly) sci-fi, and it's not (strictly) (young) adult fiction. I've added parentheses because I don't know how to categorize it, but that's one of the pleasures of the work. The book is displaced in genre, and its subject matter is a chilling exploration of "displacement" itself.

Manivannan has a lyrical way of blending description, action, characters' thoughts, and larger themes. A storyline that could have been too lofty and abstract stays grounded with concrete elements--Aria's coffee-pot, Phalanx's discovery of the piano and love of music.

The descriptions of Phalanx and Exodus's sensations are unnervingly realistic. Subject matter that could have distanced the reader--for example, the scientific parts about how the robots are constructed--are pulsing and vivid and make the reader feel what's happening. One description that gives me chills, for example, is when "the cold copper plug slid into the back of his head, intercepting the positronic shell of his brain and slowly locking into place. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sheer coldness of it..." Any reader can tell how deeply Manivannan experiences her characters.

At times, Phalanx's and Exodus's back-and-forth talk about killing or sparing each other felt repetitive; it disrupted my sense of whether the story was building to a positive note or falling to a negative one. But maybe the continual death-talk was meant to shake the reader's confidence about the plot's direction.

My qualm is small, and it doesn't take away from the pleasure and satisfaction that Invictus gave me as a reader. I cared about Exodus and Phalanx. I wished so much to see Phalanx's dreams come true, for Kaine to snap out of it and act like a real father again. The resurrection of Phalanx's memories and mind, during the epilogue, made me feel giddy and excited. Exodus'/Phalanx's kiss of Linnet was strange and surreal and a passionate ending indeed--it made the reader lust for life and for more story. This is a book about the sweetness of human relationships, and by inciting such feelings Manivannan crafts the best kind of ending.

INVICTUS, Song with Pianoforte Accompaniment

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INVICTUS, Song with Pianoforte Accompaniment
Composed by Bruno Huhn
Manufacturer: Arthur P. Schmidt Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Sheet music
ASIN: B000N4NGA4

Product Description

Alto or Bass

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Invictus: A Play
Francis Jarman
Manufacturer: Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1557429987
Release Date: 2007-04-25

Book Description

At the court of the Roman emperor Constantine, Christians and pagans are struggling for power. But within the imperial family itself an even more dangerous conflict arises, as a forbidden passion leads to disaster.

British playwright Francis Jarman (A Star Fell, Girls Will Be Girls, Lip Service) offers an original and dramatic solution to one of the most mysterious crimes in Western history.

Invictus; a history of Alexander the Great
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Invictus; a history of Alexander the Great
Alexander James Cutrules
Manufacturer: Vantage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Greece | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007EQMHY

John Gordon, invictus: Born again Christian! : Georgia love story
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John Gordon, invictus: Born again Christian! : Georgia love story
Juliet Cox Coleman
Manufacturer: Vantage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
ASIN: 053304622X

The Re-certification of Nathaniel Goude
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The Re-certification of Nathaniel Goude
David Invictus
Manufacturer: 1974 Studios LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974282634

Book Description

Meet Kevin Clash, the man behind the Muppet and the unassuming heart and soul of Elmo. At last, the puppeteer who has performed Elmo for nearly twenty years comes out from behind the stage to share his story. Weaving together his memories of growing up with the life lessons gained from his furry red alter ego, Kevin reveals himself to be as caring, and as eager to grow and learn and love, as the very special character he brings to life.

You will discover how young Kevin honed his talent entertaining the kids in his mother’s home day care with puppets he made from slippers and coat liners; how, as a struggling young artist, he realized his dream to meet and then work for his idol, Muppet creator Jim Henson; and how each and every day of performing Elmo reinforces for him what is most important in life.

As Kevin has been inspired by Elmo, now we can all learn from his furry red ways. Kevin’s (and Elmo’s) thoughts on love, creativity, friendship, and optimism remind us of life’s simple truths and ultimately encourage us all to be a little bit more like Elmo–to live with joy, to love more easily, and to laugh more often.

Customer Reviews:

My Life as a Furry Red Monster.......2007-07-18

Elmo. He's cute, he's furry, and for years he's been teaching the world to ask questions, to be creative, and to love with a pure heart. Odd but I never really thought about an actual person "being" Elmo.

My Life as a Furry Red Monster is written by Kevin Clash, the voice and puppeteer behind that furry red smile. In hearing his story, you understand that Elmo is merely an extension of the way this man tries to live his life. Kevin grew up in a household full of love where creativity was encouraged. At a very early age, he made all sorts of puppets. His shyness magically disappeared when he was entertaining others with his creativity. His greatest wish was to join the team at Sesame Street which took a lot of perseverance and hard work.

I may have picked up this book because Elmo was on the cover but Kevin's story will stick with me. It reminded me that dreams can come true.

Furry Red Monster.......2007-04-22

I am, at heart, a child. A bitter, sarcastic child, yes, but a child nonetheless. I love animation. I like playing in the dirt. I adore the Muppets. I have absorbed Muppet trivia and information like a sponge. You tell me the Muppet (even a vague description) and I can spout back the puppet's name, puppeteer, and filmography. It was precisely for this reason that I finally picked up the autobiography of Muppeteer Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo.

Born and raised outside of Baltimore, Clash grew up building puppets out of his mother's slippers and the lining of his father's Sunday coats. By the age of 12, he was making money as a puppeteer, and by the time he was a teenager, he and his puppets were regulars on a local television show. By the time he was 19, he had established a career as a puppeteer with the Captain Kangaroo show and another one of my perennial favorites, The Great Space Coaster. Shortly thereafter, Clash found himself in the dream job of his youth as a Muppeteer with the great Jim Henson companies.

The birth of Elmo was one of those happy flukes. Fellow muppeteer Richard Hunt, who passed away in 1994, flung a random puppet, then known as `Baby Monster' to Clash and said, "Give it a voice, Clash." Since then, Elmo, as he was eventually renamed, has become a world-wide phenomenon.

In My Life as a Furry Red Monster, Clash and his co-author take a rather unusual approach to the re-telling of Clash's life story and the story behind perhaps the most popular puppet in television history. Instead of a chronological retelling of his life history, Clash opts instead to divide the chapters into life lessons such as tolerance, friends, and joy. Using stories from his early childhood, his life as Elmo, and from Elmo's point of view, Clash illustrates the importance of these aspects of life.

In some ways, this unique approach works. One can see, particularly in Clash's retelling of events that have happened to him as the voice of Elmo, how one small three and a half year old with a hyper-active imagination and an unlimited capacity to love has changed the world and improved it for so many.

This is not, however, a history lesson in Elmo and the Muppets. The facts and behind-the-scenes tidbits that are so tantalizing and fascinating to a reader such as myself are in very short supply, and entirely out of order. We read about the death of Muppet creator Jim Henson within the first paragraph. We never really learn anything in-depth about Clash's induction into the Muppet hall-of-fame or how he progressed from muppeteer-in-training to director, producer, and muppeteer-in-training trainer.

The writing is very accessible and engaging; the voice, personal. However, it is difficult to follow the though path of Clash and his co-writer due to some very unusual stream-of-consciousness thought paths that have Clash in one paragraph recounting his childhood, the next paragraph preaching about a topic, and then immediately back to the Sesame Street studios. It's a short work, coming in at just over 200 half-sized pages, and when all is said and done, I felt rather unfulfilled by my experience.

I also had a small complaint about the form factor of the book. Instead of being a standard size, the book was printed in an unusual 6.7" x 5.9" form factor, which makes holding the book open with one hand a difficult process. I found my hand cramping after just a few minutes holding the book open.

Clash does do one job well, however, and that's relating Elmo's experiences to those faced by adults and the world in general. Clash relates particularly touching experiences, including the introduction of Elmo to a group of small school children in the newly apartheid-free South Africa in preparation for the release of a South African version of Sesame Street and his experiences in New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. It's easy to see how, in Elmo's life, the ability to distribute love freely has resulted in love being returned to him ten-fold--and the difference that has made in the lives of countless children and adults.

Toward the end of the book, Clash writes

"We go to school to learn--from out instructors, from our books, from each other. And at some point, we begin to listen to another teacher: our dreams. We think about what could be, what might happen once we're all grown up, what we might be able to do without our budding talents or our latest interests. Dreams are fragile things, but when they've been bolstered by the support of parents and teachers, and reinforced with early success, they can withstand the skeptics and take flight."

This, perhaps more than any other statement, defines what this book is about. Though light on the "literature," history, and behind-the-scenes tidbits, My Life As A Furry Red Monster is all about the quest of a furry, red, three-and-a-half year old monster to make the world a better place, one hug and one laugh at a time.

Rating: B

Elmo and Kevin Clash.......2007-02-17

I love this book and made me appreciate how the muppeteer lives through the muppet and the outreach it can have through to children and adults alike.

Reviewed by Ali Jenkins.......2007-01-26

Kevin Clash's book, My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud kept me smiling from beginning to end. It documents the journey that Kevin had and how is parents encouraged him to keep his passion alive as he entered adulthood. This book is filled with life lessons such as love, joy, tolerance, learning, cooperation, optimism, and courage just to name a few.

This book is reminiscent of Everything I Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulgham, but much more reader friendly. The chapters are divided to be shorter but are quite precise in what they are trying to teach.

Kevin Clash mentions how Jim Henson, a man he idolized since childhood and who he would later work for, treated each and everyone of his employees as friends. This is just one thing that makes making working on Sesame Street such a pleasure.

Elmo was created as an inquisitive three year old who, because of his joy of learning, laughing and loving, has become a phenomenon with children and adults alike.

He has reminded me to look at each individual as I did when I was a child. Children don't judge their peers or adults, they look at them and their environment through their wide-eyed curiosity. They are so eager to learn about everyone and everything.

Elmo may have taught Kevin about life, love and laughing out loud, but Kevin has taught me that it is just his true nature shining through Elmo. Elmo is deservedly one of the most loved characters from Sesame Street, and it's because of Kevin.

Although Kevin mentions that he and others on the Sesame Street set have had thier failures, this does not discourage any of them from trying new things and taking creative risks. This is a lesson I think we should all learn to do in our life. There are so many good lessons in this book but I think the best one is, "..you can't be afraid to fail, because you never know true success unless you have a flop or two." Another note of a very valuable lesson is that his life as a performer has never been a solo act, "No life ever is." This may seem a simple statement, but it is a very deep and meaningful one. Kevin constantly describes how, with the encouragement from his family, friends and teachers, he was able to turn his childhood passion into a lifelong dream.

This book can teach or remind adults about lessons that will allow us to not discriminate, to tolerate and to know that each and everyone of us are full of courage in our own way.

Wonderful book!.......2007-01-19

This book was a pleasure to read! I had often wondered about who was behind Elmo! How nice that he decided to come out with a book! Kevin Clash's story is inspirational and his way of writing the story refreshing! Now as I watch Elmo with my kids, I feel the happiness my kids feel as I listen to Kevin's voice and appreciate the pure joy, passion and love he has for his work. Makes you love Elmo that much more.

My Life As a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud

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My Life As a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud
Kevin Clash
Manufacturer: Broadway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N65ZV0

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