Gavin Edwards (1)

This book serves as a heartfelt tribute to the enduring legacy of Mister Rogers. Childhood nostalgia and fond memories of Mister Rogers prompted me to pick up this book. The biographical first half provides a comprehensive look at the life and career of Fred Rogers, then the second half offers poignant lessons shared by individuals who had meaningful interactions with him. There were no earth-shattering revelations, but this book solidified Mister Rogers as a genuinely good human dedicated show more to nurturing childhood emotional intelligence. While it wasn't particularly inspirational, several anecdotes deeply resonated with me, reminders of the importance of kindness and empathy. It was a quick yet comforting read. Learning about his hard work and genuine love for others was heartwarming and bittersweet, especially in contrast to the current media landscape. His absence is keenly felt, and it's a shame there aren't more figures like him today. The most salient message I’ll take beyond kindness is to strive to be deep and simple. show less

This is actually an uplifting book. Basically stories about Bill Murray's freewheeling way of life fitted into a structure loosely depicting his unspoken philosophy: The Ten Principles of Bill. Of course, few people can pull most of this stuff off, but there's always hope.

This book is a collection of misheard song lyrics -- lines people wrongly think they have heard in English- language rock, pop, and folk songs of the 1960s through 1990s.

For example, consider the line in Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind", when he apparently sings: The ants are my friends, they're blowin' in the wind..., and as reflected in the book's title, when Jimi Hendrix sings 'scuse me while i kiss this guy ("kiss the sky")

Likewise, in "White Rabbit" (Jefferson Airplane), Grace show more Slick's soaring vocals remind us Remember, what the doorknob said... while Paul Simon complains that he . "gets no offers... just a come-on from the horse on 7th Avenue...".

As another example, Creedence Clearwater's "Bad Moon Rising", asserts there's... a bathroom on the right , while "Down on the Corner" advises You don't need a pinhead, just to hang around .

Some wrong lyrics are sung by people who know they are wrong, but who find amusement in what they sound like. For example, when Kenny Rogers sings "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille", who can resist singing along With four hundred children and a crop in the field... Likewise, there's the Beatles' Will you still feed me, when I'm six feet four... and their famous phrase about Lucy: the girl with colitis goes by...

As yet another example: to most English speakers, the refrain "Guantanamera" sounds just like One ton Tomato...; and if you've not heard it that way before, you'll never be able to sing the song correctly again. As another culinary offering, there's the Eurythmics Sweet dreams are made of cheese... Or in a social venue, in a gathering that's cheering on a jolly good fellow, you can amuse yourself by singing He's a delicate fellow...

With 275 misheard lyrics included, there are plenty to choose from. An especially amusing aspect is that most of the misheard lyrics are accompanied by clever, hand-drawn cartoons that illustrate the misinterpretation.

I cheerfully grant that this book is rather puerile, but I found it quite amusing. My copy now has plenty of turned-down corners to mark my favorites. show less

I enjoyed listening to this biography of River Phoenix. I was in the mood for something different, and LAST NIGHT AT THE VIPER ROOM fit the bill perfectly. This book was released just a few days shy of the 20th anniversary of his death. A night out at a club. Drugs. A bad decision. A promising young actor dead at age 23.

This was more than just a recap of what happened on October 31, 1993. It spans River's life from his unconventional childhood in South America (his hippie parents were show more members of a cult) to his rise to stardom and beyond. Learning about what went on during River's childhood was surprising. I can see how his experiences shaped the troubled young man he became. The book also talks a lot about "Young Hollywood" at the time, which included Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder. Hearing about what the other actors where doing helped put River's career in perspective.

The audiobook was performed by Luke Daniels, and overall I was pleased with his narration. He had a strong, interesting voice and good pacing. When quoting people he would change his voice, and most of his impressions were spot on (at least for the people I'm familiar with).

LAST NIGHT AT THE VIPER ROOM is a well-written story of a life cut short. It didn't glamorize drug abuse at all - it told it like it was. Sad. The author also poses "what if" questions and the possible answers which were very interesting to think about. This book might appeal to film buffs and and fans of Gen X biographies. show less