The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

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For one man to have been behind the completely mad roles of Inspector Clouseau, Dr. Strangelove, and Clare Quilty in Lolita is nuts in itself. Any surprise then that Peter Sellers, the comic genius who pulled it all off, was himself a bit of a mad bugger? Roger Lewis recounts the details of Sellers's rise to fame and the sordid mess he made of it in this telling biography. The book succeeds at depicting the actor's artistic genius while also describing the myriad obsessions that ruled his personal life. Drugs, domestic abuse, womanizing, mysticism, and unbridled ruthlessness all fit into the story. As Lewis himself describes it, "What made Sellers an artist on the grand scale was what made him mad: the intensity and excitement of his imagination."

Book Description

Sellers' fluidity as an actor made for a terrifying madness that grew like a slow metastasizing cancer throughout his adult life. The story of Peter Sellers concludes with his premature death at the age of 54, "sick at heart and alone in those sunless hotel rooms," so recoiled from intimacy that no one really knew him anymore.

Customer Reviews:

The Brilliant Madness of Peter Sellers.......2007-08-12

"The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" (1994) excels in its critical overview of the comic actor's film career, but fails as an objective biography. When author Roger Lewis delves into the personal aspects of Sellers' brilliant madness, he drowns in a sea of unpleasant negativity. Like many human beings, it's no surprise that Sellers was a mixed bag. Unfortunately, Lewis cannot break free from his "evil monster" thesis, which undermines the fascinating analysis of Sellers' screen portrayals. It's a shame the biographer didn't put his detailed research to better use.

A Flawed Man, But Not As Flawed As This Book.......2005-12-13

Peter Sellers was an amazing comic force, but also a flawed human being; often quite difficult to work with and given to bouts of childishness. Thus, one would not expect a biography of his life to paint a glowing portrait. However, nor should one have to wade through this rubbish, from an author who writes like he works for "Hard Copy" and who liberally fills in the blanks with his own imagination, drumming up entire conversations and thought processes. A lot of research went into this book, no doubt, but a lot of research was left out, as well. This is lazy and shoddy biographical writing, and it does an injustice to a gifted actor.

Essay as Biography.......2005-06-03

Roger Lewis' controversial book The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is at best a massive essay on the negative aspects of the famed comedy star. While his achievements are questionable and even seem to dim in the paleness of time, the book itself isn't even interested in what those are. The book is primarily arranged to address Sellers' behavior (or alleged behavior, in some cases) to suit the needs of the writer. While not as vile as Goldman's Lennon book, its focus is revealed quite early in the introductory chapter, which rambles on and on, backward and forward through time, to tell us that, basically, Peter Sellers was a jerk. Though he does attempt to start each subsequent chapter in chronological order, he doesn't stick to it. Instead he uses the event as a springboard to once again ramble through the rubbish of Sellers career and life to prove to us that he was really nobody. Sellers himself admits this, but Lewis makes it graphic. Ugly. Whether its true or not is not for me to decide.

Ultimately, the problem I have with the book is the same one I had with the movie. Its not a proper biography, but rather a character essay of a man with no character at all.

It is interesting to note that Sellers, who I have always found only mildly amusing, did actually go on to achieve what he did considering his antics.

This book is one I'd recommend only to someone with real tolerance to the subject and the style.

The biography as a horror novel.......2005-02-09

Like Fosse's ALL THAT JAZZ, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS takes its subject and portrays him as living, breathing monster.

Writing in a florid, stream of consciousness that evokes a long-winded Edwardian poet hopped on coke performing in a Llandudno musical hall, Lewis unleashes a barrage of verbal fireworks as he portrays one of filmdom's true acting geniuses as a cold, calculating, souless creature hell-bent on destroying all around him.

While wading through this difficult (frequently redundant) and morbidly obssesive biography, it becomes obvious that Lewis is (was?) an ardent Sellers fan who has had his illusions shattered.

Lewis takes great pains to praise Sellers' cinematic triumphs as well as expose him as a bloodthirsty monster who craved attention and power.

A hard and difficult read. But fascinating all the same. Ultimately worth taking the time.

I read this book so you won't have to.......2004-06-25

Whilst this book did not make me physically ill, it has come closer than anything I have ever read.
Firstly, the book is interminably long- 890 of the 1050 pages are devoted to the years up to 1963, effectively dealing with the first ten years of Sellers' significant work. The years from 1963 to 1980 (from marriage to Britt Ekland) are rushed through on the excuse that Sellers was basically repeating himself. I suspect that the real reason is that the long suffering publishers balked at the prospect of a further 1,000 pages.

The most infuriating thing is that having laboured through the author's endless deviations and detours (is anyone interested in 4 pages on Lewis' views of the non-Sellers Kubrick films), he explains finally that the style was deliberately artful, and that he had inserted a fallible narrator into the text.

Whilst this may be a thrilling joke for anyone reading for a degree in English, it is too glib and does not excuse Lewis' appalling writing style. Not since Will Self has an author so delighted in obscure words; the book is padded with endless footnotes and agents' letters (most of which are simply source material and not interested other than to an entertainment lawyer. Lewis' insertion of his own opinions and 'goonish' sense of humour grates more than I can describe.

Lewis's essential point is that Sellers was a mother-loving monster who was dreadful to his family and anyone he worked with. Repetition adds little, and the organisation of the book is so chaotic that I began to feel as if I had read the plot of 'Being There' over ten times by the end of this book.

Sheer bloody mindedness got me through this mess of a book. How it ever came to be published is beyond me. It is a testament to the arrogance of the author and the feebleness of the editor (was there one?) to control this beast.

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Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
ROGER LEWIS
Manufacturer: See notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RQH8J8

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The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Lewis Roger
Manufacturer: Applause
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LCHLQ8

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Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Roger Lewis
Manufacturer: APPLAUSE BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OK87CY

Book Description

Anton Bruckner's Eighth Symphony (1890), one of the last of the great Romantic symphonies, is a grandly complex masterpiece. This book explores this many-faceted work from several angles. It documents the complicated and often misunderstood history of the symphony's composition and revision and provides an accessible guide to its musical design. It demonstrates, by means of a study of well-known recordings, how performance styles have evolved in this century. It also revisits the conventional wisdom about the various versions and editions of the symphony and comes to some provocative new conclusions.

Download Description

Anton Bruckner's Eighth Symphony (1890), one of the last of the great Romantic symphonies, is a grandly complex masterpiece. Its critical reception has been fascinatingly contentious. Its music, at once extensive and distilled, directly confronts the problem of the symphony after Beethoven and after Wagner. This book explores this many-faceted work from several angles. It documents the complicated and often misunderstood history of the symphony's composition and revision and offers an accessible guide to its musical design. It demonstrates, by means of a study of well-known recordings, how performance styles have evolved in this century. It also revisits the conventional wisdom about the various versions and editions of the symphony and comes to some provocative new conclusions.

Customer Reviews:

great book,a must read.......2004-04-03

If you care at all about this symphony or this era, do not miss this book - one of the best Cambridge handbooks (a superb series). Korstvedt not only clarifies the murky question of revisions, and helps us understand the creative process in this work and the structure and meaning - he also explodes what has become the conventional wisdom about editions. He makes a powerful case for the supposedly "corrupt" edition published in the composer's lifetime, showing how it profoundly changes our understanding of the meaning of the work, and discussing great early recordings based on this edition (and comparing them to some distinguished modern recordings). The chapter on performance traditions by itself is worth the price (only $10 used - what a deal!) A must-read, which I hope will be read not only by listeners but by Bruckner performers.

An uninspired thesis retread.......2001-10-25

The substantive content of this slender volume is in absolute contrast to the greatness of this monumental symphony, arguably the most imposing symphony of the second half of the 19th century. The small book still manages to be stuffed with filling, but of the wrong kind: intricate and tedious academic harmonic analyses and self-proclaimed 'controversial' findings with regard to the various editions of the symphony. Thus, despite its short length, the book overstays its welcome by failing to balance its technical minutiae with any larger musical issues such as where the symphony could proceed after Wagner or the sublime solution of Bruckner. All-in-all, it resembles an unfocussed and undigested doctoral thesis (which doubtless was its unfortunate genesis). IMHO, one of the weaker titles in the otherwise fine Cambridge Press series, and a disappointment for those hoping for a long-overdue addition to the sadly empty bookshelf on this extraordinary composer.

An uninspired thesis retread.......2001-10-25

Good work - but, oh, the price!?!.......2001-01-27

I've just borrowed this book from a university library. Professor Korstvedt has written a fine treatise on the Bruckner Eighth and is apparently planning a full-length biography on the composer and this is certainly something to look forward to, especially as it will, I think, be the first such work by an American author. This book undertakes a detailed analysis of the masterwork - its form and genesis and all of the relevant background material. But for a very thin hardcover volume with just over a hundred pages of text? You've got to be kidding me! Borrow this book from your library unless money is no object.

Bruckner - symphony no.8.......2000-05-20

So far as we know, his 8th symphony is as famous as his 9th and/or 4th.

There is also a famous annecdote that all the students of Composer's were really impressed when he first played this symphony by piano.

Composer explained that this symphony reflects the life of his living in the country.

But, this book (though it seems that the author had been tried his great effort to complete this) just shows the analysis of his 8th.

However, thank to author that the most difficult area of discovering Bruckner's symphony at the most detailed situation.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on June 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1309 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: Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 8.(Review)
Author: Graham H. Phipps
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 2001
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 4 Page: 902

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 New Zealand Sym Orch/George Tintner (Naxos 8.553453).(Review) (sound recording review): An article from: Sensible Sound

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Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 New Zealand Sym Orch/George Tintner (Naxos 8.553453).(Review) (sound recording review): An article from: Sensible Sound
Karl W. Nehring
Manufacturer: Sensible Sound
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Sensible Sound, published by Sensible Sound on April 1, 1999. The length of the article is 707 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: Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 New Zealand Sym Orch/George Tintner (Naxos 8.553453).(Review) (sound recording review)
Author: Karl W. Nehring
Publication: Sensible Sound (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 1999
Publisher: Sensible Sound
Page: 79

Article Type: Sound Recording Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Anton Bruckner: Symphony No 8 in C Mi
Swr Orchestra Cdcol 93061
Manufacturer: COLLEGIUM RECORDS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 6308204439

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Bruckner:Symphony No 8
Carlo Maria Cdkhi Bbc4159 Giulini
Manufacturer: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 6308782017

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Bruckner:Symphony No. 8
Nikolaus Cdteld 81037 Harnoncourt
Manufacturer: TELDEC RECORDS
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 630650947X

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Bruckner:Symphony No. 8
Rudolf Cd7575 42733 Kempe
Manufacturer: QUALITON IMPORTED LABELS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 6306184333

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Bruckner:Symphony No. 8
Barbirolli , and Halle Orc Cdkhi Bbc4067
Manufacturer: KOCH ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 630649703X

Book Description

Adults can now share their love of puzzles with their kids! These crossword puzzles and word games were specially created for children ages nine and above. Edited by the great Eugene T. Maleska, each book is chock-full of fun and imaginative activities. Children are sure to enjoy the challenges that these mini-brainteasers offer.

Customer Reviews:

Great British Humour!!.......2004-04-01

My husband and I listened to one of the radio programs when we were visiting friends in the UK then received this CD from them for Christmas. I listen to it in my car and occassionally need to pull to the side of the road because I'm laughing so hard. Some of the humour is specific to the UK but much is just wonderful, clever silliness. If you don't like British humor, you'll hate it. Monty Python fans in search of the ridiculous will be delighted with this CD.

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British humor
Great loo book

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Manufacturer: Orion Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0752826808

Book Description

Published to mark the 25th anniversary of the BBC Radio 2 show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, this book contains a selection of the funniest results of the limerick round.

Customer Reviews:

British humor.......2005-08-15

This series ( I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue) is one of the most popular ever broadcast in the United Kingdom. It appeals on many levels -- the quick wits of the panel; the double meanings implied in some of the answers; and in general just unoffensive fun which does not have to be censured for delicate ears. I travel by car frequently and for long mountainous distances, and these guys are my constant companions. I've gotten many curious looks from other travellers as I sat at a red light or a railroad crossing so obviously laughing out loud. If you are a fan of "play on words" and rapid repartee you will love I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, and will lobby the BBC to release more than the 9 programs they have so far shared with us!

Great loo book.......2001-12-27

What do you expect from a book of Limericks from the long running radio comedy show? Wordsworth?

Book Description

The first course was The Complete Limericks Collection which sold over 30,000 copies in the trade last Autumn. Now the team is ready to expose every bit of their talent assisted by Sven, Samantha and Mrs Trellis. Profoundly illustrated we revisit: the Late Arrives at the Ball, Celebrity Lonely Hearts, Famous Unsuccessful Chat Up Lines, Famous First Words, Hitler's Diaries (ideas for fraudulent diaries from other famous folk), Unhelpful Advice (the team supplies unhelpful advice to among many a sex education class and new parliamentarians), Mrs Trellis' Letters, Name That Barcode, National Anthems (suggestions for unusual anthems for countries around the world), Humphrey's Opening Links, Proverbs in Translation, Through the Keyhole, Topical Nursery Rhymes, Low budget Remakes of Famous Films... and much more.

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is the most listened-to comedy programme on British radio, an institution with regular panellists Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer and until 1996 Willie Rushton, being given silly things to do by jazz supremo Humphrey Lyttelton. Listener figures are now over 2 million each week and is now aired also on Radio Two the only radio comedy show to do so. Tickets are so keenly sought after shows are now held in two thousand seat theatres around the country. THIS IS THE BIG HUMOUR TITLE FOR CHRISTMAS

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I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Collection, Vol. 2 (BBC Radio Collection)
Various Artists
Manufacturer: BBC Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0563494840

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