Rating: 
Summary: A Real Winner
Review: What fun! I am not one to display overt enthusiasm, but this one pushed me. "Complete History" is about as complete a digest as I've come across. Most Academy Award histories are about the winners. What's fun is who didn't win. Great.
Rating: 
Summary: Inexcusable mistakes
Review: While I am always excited when a new Oscar book is published this is a book that you probably shouldn't get too excited over. While there are some interesting parts about this book the very simple fact that they get the most basic facts wrong is inexcusable. Estelle Parsons has only won 1 Oscar, not 2. There are other such mistakes like that. It just made me wonder how many other mistakes there are in the book that I didn't catch. There are some admirable aspects to this book, but wait until this book is in the $10 book bin to buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: I STAND SLIGHTLY CORRECTED
Review: Yes, Judy Holliday recorded albums with Jazz greats. However, she is not one of Madonna's influences. (reference US Weekly 1998 article in which Madonna discusses her love of BILLIE Holliday - the singer.) I don't claim to be a movie expert. But neither can the authors of this book. Of the 19 online reviews of this book, 12 note the large number of factual errors. It's simply not a reliable reference. Yes, Chita Rivera originated the role of Anita in West Side Story. On Broadway. But she was not in the movie, did not win an Oscar, and was not "standing in the winner's circle" with George Chakiris. If the authors want to fancifully "right an aggregious wrong" then their book should be sold under FICTION. And if they want to spell words correctly, it's EGREGIOUS. What is the excuse for saying that Katharine Hepburn won 8 Oscars, difnyc? For listing Clark Gable as Best Actor for Gone With the Wind? More righting of "E"gregious wrongs? Ah, I wish it were so. Does this mean I can write an Oscar book where Helen Hunt never won? Where Dances With Wolves was trounced by GoodFellas? Where Julie Andrews wins for "My Fair Lady?" (Because you know, she did originate the role on Broadway.) It's a poorly-edited, poorly fact-checked book. Case closed.
Rating:
Summary: I STAND SLIGHTLY CORRECTED
Review: Yes, Judy Holliday recorded albums with Jazz greats. However, she is not one of Madonna's influences. (reference US Weekly 1998 article in which Madonna discusses her love of BILLIE Holliday - the singer.) I don't claim to be a movie expert. But neither can the authors of this book. Of the 19 online reviews of this book, 12 note the large number of factual errors. It's simply not a reliable reference. Yes, Chita Rivera originated the role of Anita in West Side Story. On Broadway. But she was not in the movie, did not win an Oscar, and was not "standing in the winner's circle" with George Chakiris. If the authors want to fancifully "right an aggregious wrong" then their book should be sold under FICTION. And if they want to spell words correctly, it's EGREGIOUS. What is the excuse for saying that Katharine Hepburn won 8 Oscars, difnyc? For listing Clark Gable as Best Actor for Gone With the Wind? More righting of "E"gregious wrongs? Ah, I wish it were so. Does this mean I can write an Oscar book where Helen Hunt never won? Where Dances With Wolves was trounced by GoodFellas? Where Julie Andrews wins for "My Fair Lady?" (Because you know, she did originate the role on Broadway.) It's a poorly-edited, poorly fact-checked book. Case closed.
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