Rating: 
Summary: Great Photos -- No Objectivity
Review: I enjoyed this book a lot, the photos alone are worth the price.
The stories are often wildly funny. The author is a true authority on Garland and, even if you thought you know Judy, you will learn some new details.
What you will not get is objectivity. Garland had a very tough life, you certainly do not learn much of that here. This is a book for a true fan, not a casual observer of Hollywood.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Coffee Table Book Celebrating Miss Show Business
Review: I have been a long time fan of Judy Garland and have collected all of the books written about her. I must admit this one takes my breath away with it's stunning photo reproduction. I have never collected memorabilia such as photos or posters from her movies (nor do I have the time or inclination to do so) which is why I appreciate this wonderful book. Mr. Fricke did all the work for me. I know there are people out there who are obsessed with Judy Garland in a very mentally unhealthy way. There was an article in the local (Tucson) newspaper here a few months back about one such person here in Tucson who obsessively collected Garland items like used pill bottles and worn underwear which I consider to be very sick behavior, and he was proud of his freaky collection which overwhelmed one entire room of his home. Those kind of "fanatics" are scary. Thank goodness Mr. Fricke's book celebrates Judy and her career in a positive and healthy manner. BRAVO Mr. Fricke!
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Summary: This book should be under every Garland fan's Christmas tree
Review: I just received my copy of this wonderful book and it exceeded my expectations! As a graduate student I am used to paying $60, $70, $80 or more for a textbook that I may seldom open again.
At $35.00 this book is an absolute steal! I plan to display this book proudly and browse through it often. It will be a treasured part of my library many years from now. There are some books that people will want to read, and there are other books that people will want to OWN. This book falls into the latter category. While you may want to go to a libary to check out Gerald Frank's "Judy" or Christopher Finch's "Rainbow" for a good read, you may not necessarily want to OWN them. Trust me, this is one book you will want to own, as it contains so many wonderful and rare photos that it would take a lifetime to accumulate them in any other way. Fricke has done the leg work and they are reproduced with great detail. Plus, there is no "author agenda" here, except to celebrate one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived. I gave myself an early Christmas present by purchasing this book, but I plan to give copies as gifts to friends of mine who are Garland fans also. I would give this book 10 stars if I could!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: I read all the other reviews posted here prior to purchasing this book, and was curious as to how I would respond to this book. I have read everything that has been written or done on Garland, and this far outshines all the others. This is not a tired rehashing of the same old stories. It is a loving tribute that allows Garland's genius to shine through. My partner has always patiently tolerated my love of Judy--after looking through this book, he said that he finally could see what the hubbub is all about. Now THAT's an achievement.
Rating:
Summary: a lovely book with wonderful stories and thrilling pix!
Review: I think this book is just wonderful. It does seem to go over the same material as Fricke's "World's Greatest Entertainer" but how could it not--the material is Judy Garland's life. When you read this you get even more of a sense of what she was like--brilliant, funny, and loving. The pictures are magnificent and brought me to tears. $35 is a steal for the richness of this book. I recommend buying it!
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Summary: STUNNING AND MAGNIFICENT!-Created with class & intelligence
Review: I was truly excited when I learned that John Fricke was going to bring forth a new Garland book. However, I was not prepared for anything this exceptional. Mere words do little to communicate what an amazing piece of work Mr. Fricke and his design collaborator have brought forth here. At last we have a Garland book to truly treasure, with thoughtful, profound, insightful, and beautifully written text, surrounded by glorious images (many that I've never seen before) of Garland and her career.I can't imagine any fan or admirer of Judy Garland not being blown away by the magnitude of this achievement. If only the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences gave awards to books,
for if they did, this is one time where Judy would win an OSCAR! Bravo, John Fricke! .... Bravo, Judy Garland!
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Summary: If Academy Awards were given for Books about Movie Stars...
Review: If Academy Awards were given for books about movie stars, this one would win hands down. I have never seen such a tremendous tribute paid to any star, including Marilyn, Elvis and Lucy. (You don't need their last names). Judy is also on a first name basis with fans and this book lovingly captures her unique beauty and charming personality. The photos are all crystal clear, not fuzzy as another reviewer from St. Paul stated. By the way I am sure I know the identity of that reviewer as we are both from St. Paul, and that person is jealous of the career achievements of Mr. Fricke, because that reviewer is nothing more than an untalented Judy-obsessed alcoholic drag queen. Anyway, this book has arrived just in time for Christmas, so do yourself a favor and put this on your coffee table. It is a gift you will never tire of owning. Thanks Mr. Fricke for your wonderful new book and please ignore the words of those who are jealous of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Pictures are Beautiful, Text Too Sappy
Review: In many ways, this is the ultimate Judy Garland book, with page after page of wonderful pictures. It's a coffee table book to enjoy time and again. I enjoyed the text up to a point. The text consists of glowing quotes from fellow performers and reviewers
and gushy summaries from Fricke. I was around for Judy's career in the late '50s and all of the '60s, the highs of 1961-1965 were followed by many low points in the last years. Fricke just glosses over the low points, making the book's text little more than a fan magazine version of Garland's life.
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Summary: This book is pricey but worth every dime.
Review: In response to other reviews that this book is overpriced, I have to disagree. It is the BIGGEST book that I own and weighs about 4-5 pounds!
The paper used is very high quality & the book has over 300 pages filled with huge photos. I also have Fricke's other book on Judy & this is not a rehash. If you love Judy and aren't into melodrama, you'll LOVE this book like I do.
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Summary: in response to the couple of negative reviews below...
Review: In the spirit of full disclosure (obviously not shared by a couple of the cowardly, anonymous posters above), I am the author of an earlier book on Garland, "Rainbow's End: The Judy Garland Show." Additionally, I have known John Fricke for more than two decades. After reading two pans for his book here -- one of them inexplicably stating, "This new book is almost too large and too heavy to enjoy" (?) and the other carping that this book presents little new information or material (!) -- I must respond to correct such false claims. It's one thing to have and offer an opinion; it's another to lie. Anyone familiar with the past-published books about Judy Garland knows that PORTRAIT IN ART AND ANECDOTE is absolutely unique in its approach to reproducing rare art, never-before-seen in any reputable volume -- whether about Garland, M-G-M, Hollywood, or general entertainment history. Over 370 of the 415 pictures herein fall into this category. (And not one of the 415 appeared in Fricke's earlier books on Oz OR Judy Garland.) To make a claim to the contrary is preposterous. I spotted perhaps 20-30 photos from previously published sources; even if they have been seen elsewhere, this book's elegant design, its oversized pages, and top photo stock paper make familiar shots an entirely new experience. This book doesn't compare with any other Garland book (not even mine!), and certainly not with Schechter's error-laden, self-promotional tome. John's clear-eyed, accessible text -- and the work of designer Ranse Ransone -- make for a masterful job in the illumination of Garland the woman and performer. Fricke's intelligence, sense of balance, insight, and research are second to none; his writing is first-rate. And the dazzling, welcoming layout gives us the most stunning look-to-date at all facets of Judy Garland's life and times. Someone recently stated that Fricke's previous "World's Greatest Entertainer" focused primarily on her work; this new book stresses Judy as a person while always putting that human being in the context of her professional achievements and astounding workload. PORTRAIT IN ART AND ANECDOTE does an artful job of providing fresh information and perspective for long-time fans and, at the same time, provides the newly-curious with a blueprint of her professional and personal accomplishments: all the pivotal moments, the triumphs, the setbacks, and the challenges faced throughout her life. This book is nothing less than extraordinary -- and certainly worthy of its subject. To my mind, John Fricke is THE only one to have done it so brilliantly. It's unfortunate that Amazon's casual readers and browsers have to be dragged into the idiocy of envious fandom...but the facts -- on behalf on Fricke, his designer, his coworkers, and his publishers -- need to be spelled out. Finally, what honest, real enthusiast would actually whine about a book being too big?!
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