Product Description
Exposing the real stories behind 100 hit reality-based movies, this captivating resource offers interesting facts about some of the most well-respected and much-loved films. For both film buffs and casual moviegoers, this invaluable guide explores Hollywood's ardent and often uncomfortable relationship with the factual accounts it converts into fantasy. Illuminating films such as A Beautiful Mind, Adaptation, Apollo 13, Black Hawk Down, Catch Me If You Can, Erin Brockovich, The French Connection, The Perfect Storm, and Titanic, this work reveals how Hollywood alters history for movie fans, leaving filmgoers often unable to tell the difference between fact and fiction. A riveting examination, this volume focuses on alterations to the "true story" such as concocted love affairs, annoyingly obvious character motivations, trumped-up endings, bigger explosions, more car crashes, and spontaneous songs, all created for the sake of entertainment.Amazon.com Review
"When legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Director John Ford's quote prefaces Based on a True Story: Fact and Fantasy in 100 Favorite Movies, a book that digs into the facts behind 100 movies that were--supposedly--based on true events including popular fare as Hoosiers, Ed Wood, Seabiscuit, and Erin Brokovich. Previous books of this lineage were usually written by historians who looked at every foible of a film. Here, authors Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen come from a more movie-centric position. They know filmmakers must telescope events, create composite characters, and give the Hollywood treatment to other elements to simply be produced and enjoyed. They are movie fans who can praise The French Connection as a grand film with terrific action sequences, but note the true events were far less visceral (leading to the book title's asterisk "but with more car crashes"). More modern films are examined in these 3-5 page segments with excellent further reading notes including Web sites. The authors also question how truthful a film should be, even great films, praising the accuracy of Ghandi and GoodFellas and delivering harsh blows to Monster, Braveheart, and A Beautiful Mind. Besides the usual chapters of factual films (war, sports, biopics), they also search out films "based" on paranormal incidents that can't keep the "facts" straight. Mentioned often, and placed at the end of the book, is Oliver Stone's JFK, the movie that "gave birth to this book." In one sense, the film "must be the most fact-heavy film in Hollywood history" but the sources materials are so questionable. Perhaps Stone realizes the power of Ford's quote better than any other Hollywood filmmaker. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A fun book--BUT WHO PROOFREAD IT???
For any movie fan, Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen's "Based On a True Story* (*But With More Car Crashes)" is as fun as a tub of buttered popcorn. These 100 brief articles on how movies based on true stories diverged from the actual facts make compulsive, page-turning reading. Some of the cinematic whoppers related here were already well-known ("A Beautiful Mind," "Titanic"), others less so ("Boys Don't Cry"). And really, did any sane person think "The Amityville Horror" or "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" were documentaries? But they sure are fun to read about, especially with the sprightly, sardonic approach Vankin and Whalen take to writing about them.

That said, the book contains more proofreading errors than any book I've read recently--a real problem for a book that sets itself the task of correcting factual misconceptions. Words such as "a" and "the" go missing with regularity in the text, making it read at times like a bad Charlie Chan screenplay. There also are frequent and deplorable misspellings ("Comtesse," not "Comptess," is the correct version of "Countess" in French). Nevertheless, the sheer fun of the book makes up somewhat, if not completely, for the frequent errors. To read or not to be? I leave that question to you.

A Wonderful Read
This book is a non-stop joy to read.Funny, irreverant, intellectual and endlessly fascinating.It's divided into quick to read chapters so it's perfect for carting off to the doctor's office, your son's baseball game, the line at the DMV, or sneaking in chapters between work assignments at the office, although I pretty much read it to cover to cover in a couple of days.I absolutely loved it.

And Filmed on Location
Too many chapters are superficial.The author's spend many pages on each movie going over the plot and other well known details and then give only 2-3 comparison/contrasting points between the movie and the 'true story'Woulda been better covering 50 movies and providing more historical scholarly work.

Informative and Accurate
Great book because it gives the other side of the "based on a true story" movie. Makes you look at movies in a different light.

Disillusioned - Over and Over Again
The authors do meticulous research and supply ample source footnotes in their reviews of one hundred movies dating from the seventies to many quite recent releases.Their analysis is so straightforward despite the liberal interjection of sarcasm that it is impossible to conclude that the great majority of Hollywood filmmakers couldn't honor truth if you paid them to, even though in many cases they apparently enjoy pretending to while being paid.

If you are a movie fan and look at cinema as a strong forcefor "truth and beauty" in the world this book will cause you to thing again.Is it possible that all the failed would be blockbusters are an indication that the audience has enough continuous access to viewing video products that even the most uncaring are better able to instinctively sniff out obscured incredibility and turn their noses up?

The fascination with mere flickering images may be over.We will see what happens as the means of production goes all digital and the price of entry into movie making goes down by orders of magnitude.It may be that everyone can get a shot at being a star.We also may be on the receiving end of many opinion pieces masquerading as documentaries. Yes I know, at least Michael Moore cares and believes passionately about his subject matter.

If you really want to hear about an instance of dishonest and ludicrous audience manipulation do an internet search on "lemmings to the sea" and find out about Disney's cruelty and venality in the 1958 production "White Wilderness".Suffice to say that lemmings never hurled themselves off cliffs committing suicide.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A nice selection of fairy tales
I've been a fan of the "Big Book of..." series for a while now & this is one of the books I've been meaning to get for a long time.

This entry into the series collects various fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, including such great stories as "All Soot", "The Goose Girl", "The Fox's Widow" & my personal favorite "Mother Hulda".Since these stories have been handed down via an oral tradition, there are many different versions out here- so don't be surprised if you find that one of these stories are different from what you are familiar with! (The Brothers Grimm traveled & collected stories from all over & they had discovered that there are many different versions out there of the fairy tales.)

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. The art style in the book differs from story to story, which works for many of the tales in here. You have some of the more humorous tales ("Clever Hans") drawn with a more playful hand, while others ("All Soot") have been drawn to be a little more somber & serious.

While I don't find anything truly objectionable in this book, some parents might not like some of the subject matter in one or two of the stories (violence, incest) & I recommend that they read over the book first so they can be aware of the stories & be able to discuss this with their children.

If you want more Brothers Grimm, I suggest that you check out one of the compilations of fairy tales that are out on the market, the best of which is The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. It collects many of the different versions & makes for a great companion piece to this book!

Blood and Violence-the way Disney fears to show them...
I love the stories told in the book. They are the real stories as they were to be told originally. The comics are drawn in various styles, so you don't get bored of seeing the same drawing style. These stories tell many lessons, some, though, are just entertaining. I recommend this book to comic fans or to people who like fairy tales-but are older than thirteen.

Addicting and informative
Like all the others in the Factoid books line, this book lays out 50-something fairy tales in all their gruesome glory in consice, information-packed comics. The graphic novel-esque medium allows readers to cut to the chase of each tale the way written prose cannot. Highly recommended.

Pretty good read
I liked the book a lot, but when I first got it I hadn't paid attention to the fact that it is a graphic novel. I thought there were just illustrations. I wasn't exactly expecting a comic book. The book is very good, and it does have original endings and doesn't edit itself for a "g" rating, that's true. However, some of the stories seem a little rushed, as if there was just not enough room for more detail since they had so much illustration. It was a quick read and it was good, but I'm kind of glad I didn't buy it.

Interesting and fun
Art by Charles Vess and Colleen Doran are the highlights of this book which doesn't cut the gut from the wild old tales of the Brother's Grimm, but some of the art in this book is pretty awful. When you have 60 cartoonists contributing, naturally, quality will vary. It's great, quick reading, though. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Scintillating And Amusing.
Shame on the people inside this book whose scandalous lives provide such fun reading! By reducing (or is it "elevating") to graphic recreations the misadventures of these celebrities and other assorted famous people who got caught in the act, the authors and artists here provide us with some wickedly delightful re-tellingsof the juiciest scandals of the recent past. They're all here!

A big comic book!
I was TOTALLY disappointed with this book. When I received it, it was a big comic book! Nothing but comic strips throughout, which is not what I expected. If you feel like reading the comics, pick up your local newspaper, otherwise don't waste your time with this one!

Better Than the Enquirer!
"The Big Book of Scandal" from Paradox Press digs up all the hottest dirt from the 20th century!Find out that Clinton wasn't the first philandering president!And royal scandals didn't begin under QueenElizabeth II either!Learn just how Hollywood became Babylon!You won'tbelieve your eyes!

EXTRA! EXTRA!Read all about it!
A riotous look at how the mighty fall:Greed, sex, perversion, and fraud. All the things what make people watch the news, and buy papers. The artwork and writing are top notch, as is the right amount of humor in each story.

Concise comic book on forgotten scandals
Vankin does a great job of concisely and completely dealing with longforgotten scandals, without too much crossoverinto his previous books(Conspiracies, Cover Ups and Crimes and 60 Greatest Conspiracies) and hedoes not pick easy targets.TheLockheed Scandal, the Wilson-TerpilAffair, several minor celebrity sin-fests, even something on tired oldWatergate get comicized here.The book focusses on Hollywood, society,political and big business scandals, and so distinquishes itself from theother Big Books--onthe unexplained, criminals, martyrs, urban legends,weirdos, losers and freaks. To coin a Vankinish observation, that listlooks more likereaders than topics the longer it gets. The first book inthis series--from Factoid Books, a front for Paradox Press, which is animprint of DCComics--was the excellent Big Book of Conspiracies. ... Read more

Product Description
As we grow up with fairy tales, we simultaneously grow up with pictures, I suppose. If they aren't pictures in comic books and on the screen, then they are the illustrations in books read to us, we play with, or later on read ourselves. Such pictures both become part of and remain detached from the verbal narrative. The narrative, in turn, may or may not develop its own inner pictures for the listener or reader. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Is this book funny in a "1001 Jokes forToastmasters" kind of way? Certainly not. And if one-hundredth ofits contents actually come to pass, I suggest you make plans to moveto the moon. Of course, if your sense of humor tends towards theblack--as the authors' do--you'll think it's an unmitigated laughriot. After all, what could be funnier than J. Edgar Hoover in adress? This book does an excellent job of giving you the backgroundthat the X-Files assumes you already have--who are thePleiadians, and why are they mutilating my cattle? With grim goodhumor, this book is an excellent primer for a topic that activelyresists rational discourse, much less cogency. The authors are funny,witty, and keep a bit of skeptical distance from the topic at handwithout dismissing it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Vankin and Whalen are hot to plot!
Conspiracy theories are like medicine.Taken properly, they can be a healthy antidote to unrelenting statism and the adoration of Big Brother.Taken improperly, they are a recipe for groovy leftist nihilism.

Given the fact that the United States government, as well as other governments, have indeed shown themselves to have an unhealthy predilection for secret mischief-making, the conspiracy industry is something that should interest both Left and Right, and to some extent, it does.But as is the case with so many things, the "mainstream" conservatives disdain interest in the cutting-edge and the controversial and as far as the "extremists" go, the voices of the Left simply outnumber and out-shriek the voices of the Right.

So most conspiracy authors have large left-handed axes to grind, and many of them produce entertaining but self-serving and un-edifying literary acid trips, such as Tom Miller's"Assassination Please" almanac and Shea and Wilson's "Illuminatus Trilogy".

Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen, the authors of "The Greatest 60 Conspiracies of All Time", are ... and a little more restrained, and hence slightly more informative and slightly less entertaining.

Some of what's published here is old stuff, such as the horrible experiments in eugenics that took place in the early 20th century or the CIA plotting against Fidel Castro.

The most entertaining conspiracy theories discussed are the apolitical ones.The notion that aliens once crash-landed at Roswell, New Mexico is fun, and there really aren't any serious political implications to it (the authors treat it skeptically, in any event).

Also kind of fun at this late date is the notion of some sort of connection between Jack the Ripper and England's royal family.But it's been done to death and has been largely disproven, as has been the "Lincoln Conspiracy" formulated by David Balsigier and Charles Sellier.

But as James Burnham once wrote about liberals and leftists, "Pas d'Ennemi a Gauche".For them, there is no enemy to the left.Whenever Vankin and Whalen are in doubt, they cast everything suspicious or dubious as "far-right" or "right-wing".For leftists who only chat with each other, the Left simply doesn't exist for them any more than a fish might be aware that he's always swimming in water.

Vankin and Whalen TRY to be restrained in their conclusions, but for them, there is always at least the POSSIBILITY of an underground right-wing cabal behind every major event.Just about every leftist conspiracy theorist disdains or ignores Lee Harvey Oswald's Marxist sympathies and distorts or ignores evidence linking him to the shooting of JFK.

But in another burst of creativity, Vankin and Whalen cast Mehmet Ali Agca's 1981 assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II as a fascist conspiracy instigated by a nationalistic Turkish group and they regard attempts to blame it on Soviet intelligence as a clumsy frame-up attempt by Western intelligence.

Mort Sahl once urged fellow conspiracy theorists to ask "cui bono? (who benefits?)" in order to come to appropriate conclusions about world events.Vankin and Whalen have obviously decided that at a time of unrest in a Soviet satellite country, inspired by the Polish pope, an "ultra-nationalist" Turkish group desiring to spread "terror and chaos" stood to gain more from the pope's death than did the Soviets.

That sort of mindset reminds me of Tom Miller's pointed use of the small letter "c", every time he had occasion to use the word "Communist" or "Communism" in his almanac.To remind us of what an insignificant role the Evil Empire played in world events.

Well, that sort of mindset is what probably accounts for the fact that the very real Soviet conspiracy to infiltrate high levels of the U.S. government in the post-war era through the use of spies such as Alger Hiss, Harry Dexter White, and the Rosenbergs somehow doesn't even make Vankin and Whalen's Top 60 conspiracy list.Because, darn it all, there just isn't any enemy to the left.There just isn't.

They even suggest that if Vince Foster was murdered, he was murdered not by people close to the Clintons but by people conspiring against the Clintons.Oh, so THAT'S why the Clintons strained every nerve to make sure that no stone was left unturned in the investigation of his death.

It's a shame that the conspiracy industry is dominated by the acid heads and granola-eaters because I think there really is stuff out there that needs to be more thoroughly explored by credible authorities, stuff that really might necessitate the re-writing of history and the realignment of political factions.This might include the eerie connection between the Bush family and the family of John Hinckley, would-be assassin of President Ronald Reagan, at the time that the elder Bush was next in line.That's just plain weird.

And what if some sort of triangulation between Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton, involving drug deals and intersecting in Mena, Arkansas really could be found?Wouldn't THAT turn American politics on its ear?Wouldn't that just discolor the "red" and "blue" zones on the electoral map?Wouldn't mainstream conservatives and liberals just have a cow though?Wouldn't they just have a cow?That's why neither National Review nor the New Republic are likely to look too closely at such a possibility.

But if our world really is ultimately governed by shadowy right-wing overlords, they seem to have left popular culture untouched.Popular culture isn't a "right wing" conspiracy at all; it's more of a left-wing conformity.Popular culture is shrill and cacophonous and it's dominated by leftists, nihilists, androgynes, and multi-culturalists.The self-empowerment advocates.The diversity industry.

Vankin and Whalen are a small part of this, of course, and they might want to ask themselves why the fascists allow them and their peers to operate so freely and so destructively.Is it possible that the acid heads are pawns in a game played by forces that they suppose themselves to be in opposition to?

Good, could have been great
60 GREATEST CONSPIRACIES is an informal encyclopedia of a variety of conspiracy theories from the last two hundred years.It begins by dicsussing the nature of these theories, and why they are hated so much by the Establishment.Theorists tend to be against those in influence and authority, and frequently deal with the Dark Side of human nature, stuff most people do not want to discuss in polite conversation.One of the methods used to supress conspiracies are when the establishment circulates its own wacky stories that they themselves can easily refute in order to make independent researchers look like fools and thus discredit them easier.The authors are obviously liberals, and this hampers them to some degree, especially when viewing certain topics and summarizing them, but otherwise there is a multitude of useful information and speculation.Some of the material seems poorly edited, and I had trouble trying to find out what the possible motives were in certain events described, especially the chapters on political assassinations.Some things in here are not conspiracies, like the chapter on the eugenics movement which gleams with the authors' liberal bias, and some useless info is included on UFOs and Alien Autopsies.The editors reject the notions of a possible Jewish conspiracy, but instead think that some kind of Nazi-fascist group is calling the shots behind the scenes in spite of contrary evidence that can be researched elsewhere.

Most of the best chapters were about unified field theories and satanic/occult-ritual crimes.Enjoy the really good ones:

'The Royal Ripper':Jack the Ripper slayings in London could have been the work of Masonic Assassins, high ranking figures in British society to symbolically terrorize London's underclass population and intimidate possible snitches.

'Death Squad from the Desert':Charles Manson's connections to the Process Chruch of the Final Judgement.

'Hello from the Gutters':My second favorite, about a possible occult group perpetrating the Son of Sam killings and other ritualistic murders around the country and being involved in the snuff-film trade.Michael Hoffman II makes some connections to the Manson murders, and to the rape-death of Virginia Rappe (a virgin-rape ritual symbolizing the extension of the elephant trunk's power) by Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in 1921.Son of Sam also connected to Illuminati and attack on Gerald Ford.

'Enlightened Ones':speculations on who the Illuminati are.

'THE SORCERERS':My personal favorite, it advances Downard's idea that the world's Masonic rulers do what they do not for power or money but to warp humanity in an Alchemical process.The three things that have to take place are killing of the divine king (JFK assassination), creation and destruction of primordial matter (nuclear bomb test) and "the making manifest of all that is hidden."

'Anglophobia':Theories that rock music concerts and dancing are a revival of Dionysian/Bacchic rituals, and that sex-degenerate cults, rock music, sixties counter-culture and drug trade are traced to the British crown and secret agents.

'Playing Those Mind Games':Stuff on mind control.Possibility that UFO "abductions" are part of government expirements.

All in all, well worth looking at if "the most controversial explanations" of well-known events happen to interest the reader.

Trust No-One !!
By writing this I'll probably now have a file opened in the CIA database.But hey, stuff 'em. This book is awesome. I dare you to read it and notthen be skeptical about everything you see on the TV or read in newspapers(or should they be called "disinformationpapers"). Welcome to theNew World Order people; Never has so much been owned, controlled, andcovered up by so few.

I dare you to read this book and not become a raving paraoid
I don't remember why I started reading this book, but I have spent the past year ingesting it in dainty, sanity-promoting bites.Funny?Certainly, in a bent and cynical way. But mostly it's informative, maybe even a little depressing (hence the nibbling), which is a direct result of their fairly consistent objectivity.What I've liked most about this book is the insight the authors give on the players and their motivations.Yes, I know more about the conspiracies themselves, but more important, they've shown me what kinds of questions to be asking and how to pay attention to details.I'll never be the same again (grin)!

BEST Conspiracy primer around....get it before it's banned!!
I used to dismiss conspiracy people, but this book made me a believer. Written in an engaging-but not too serious-style, this book avoids the usual raving, poorly organized syntax of most conspiracy books. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, and most of all, it'll scare the hell out of you if you take the time to approach the material with an open mind. After reading this book, you'll never see anyone-or anything-in the same naive way again!!! Question everything!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
In the first half of this entertaining guide to contemporary paranoia, Jonathan Vankin introduces us to some of the leading figures in modern conspiracy, from self-styled political leader Lyndon LaRouche to Kerry Thornley, co-creator of the underground religion Discordianism and a possible "second Oswald." Then, in part two, he puts together all the disparate strands of conspiracy theory into one overarching narrative that includes the Freemasons, Nazi occultists, CIA-brainwashed assassins, the Mafia... you name it, Vankin's probably found a way to fit it into the puzzle. The point is not that this is the secret history of the world order, but, as he writes, "civilization is a conspiracy against reality." In order for the world to run smoothly, and for us to be "normal" participants, Vankin argues, we have to accept a lot of things on faith. Conspiracy theorists refuse to do that, and consequently are usually dismissed as mentally unbalanced. But what if they are right and what we've been led to believe turns out to be wrong? A fascinating and provocative book that may well lead you to never trust the newspapers and nightly broadcasts again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Better than other conspiracy theory books!
This book really makes you wonder about things. It was really fun to read because it gives you an alternative perspective to what you have heard about certain events such as the JFK assassination and UFOs. It has a seriousness about it that makes every conspiracy seem like it definetley was a conspiracy. It was a good book.

Pure Paranoia is merely a Paperback away...
My employer used to laugh whenever I would mention the existence of vast conspiracies working around us in the world today.Then I lent him this book.Now he merely smiles and nods, with the occasional nervous glanceover his shoulder.
Two main sections help deliver tone that exists inthe world of conspiracy theory.The first section examines a cross-sectionof the theorists themselves; from the flaky personalities capitalizing onthe public's need to know, to the ordinary people (like you or I) that findthemselves sucked into the realm of the unbelievable, the unexplainable,and the unavoidable.The second section then broadsides you with a vastcollection of some of the most intense and complicated examples of whatconspiracy theory is all about.
The key to this book's success atmaking you think is that it doesn't pick and choose which plots andcover-ups are real or imagined.Instead, it merely dumps all of the factsand theories right in your lap, leaving you no choice but to decide foryourself what you can or can't dismiss as paranoid folly. Highlyrecommended for believers & skeptics alike. ... Read more

Product Description
This instant classic has been updated to include late-breaking mysteries and cover-ups, including the alien autopsy, the death of Vince Foster, Big Brother on the Internet, and Japan's shadowy Aum cult.Amazon.com Review
The book may claim to chronicle the "greatest conspiracies ofall time," but there's a decidedly 20th-century bent to Vankin andWhalen's compilation--not that there's anything wrong with that. Manyof their selections are familiar territory--the Kennedy and Kingassassinations, government suppression of UFO data, questions aboutMarilyn Monroe's suicide--but this edition has been updated to includeinformation on more recent events like the death of Princess Diana andthe Oklahoma City bombing. (Although not without some disheartenment:"Back in the good ol' days when conspiracy theorists were stillconsidered crackpots," they lament, "it actually took some kind ofevidence to get this kind of frenzy under way.... Now anytime somepoor sap dies every frat boy with an Internet account races to be thefirst in his quad to post the conspiracy of the moment.") Theindividual essays are written in savvy, journalistic prose, and theauthors freely admit that they don't have the answers to any of thesemysteries. But that's part of the entertainment value of suchhistorical paranoia--you're always free to imagine some new twist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

great fun
this is perfect for the xfiles/alien geeks just like me, if you are one of those, get this book!

Several years later, and I STILL re-read it!
Especially in the post-9\11 world of intrigue, The 70 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time is by far one of the best tomes ever committed to print.It has nearly EVERTHING: the first Gulf War(where the name Enron mysteriously appears), MK-ULTRA, Roswell, the Men in Black(the "real" ones), fluoridation, and of course the assassinations of the Kennedys.With humor and self-awareness, Johnathan Vankin and John Whalen take you on a bizarre yet all-too-real trip through the foggy underbelly(can an underbelly be foggy?) of conspiracy!

You know...I am stunned by the interest,, good and bad
Despite the rather weak title (it put me off a little - and there ware only 60 then) I read this book from cover to cover, and while I know most of the speculation involving these "deep political processes" (I much prefer Peter Dale Scott's distinction between the two), I was stunned by the level of knowledge and real research and committment here. Forget the history teacher that gave 1 star for lack of research - that is laughable. To even make 60 cases for intregue (now 70) and make them well and coherently says a whole lot. My hat is off to the authors for the Pan Am 103 expose. If it ever does come out properly, that could outrage a whole new section of a 'silent but skepticle public'. Notice Qadaffi, now America's new lap dog. INFORMATION is power, and guys like binLaden, Hussein, and Qadaffi have a whole bunch of it. Drugs; the covering and "doubling" of the runners; the huge illegal profits which can be funneled around the Legislative Laws of the Land. These are at the heart of the tragedy of Pan Am 103. My point is that we need to get middle-minded, middle-class, good, bright, loyal Americans to start to take some of this stuff seriously. May I humbly suggest losing the word "conspiracy" - I know that it sells books, but it is the rope which is being used to hang and invalidate the concept of "deep political process". The authors make real valid points with what most people know is fishy, 'cause they've heard about it: MK/ULTRA, the October Suprise - which I think went further than anyone has dreamed. My view is that Carter was sabatauged WHEN the hostages were "TAKEN" - oh...just another American 'asleep at the wheel" intelligence failure? C'mon, we did the same thing with the same cast to Iran and through Iran not but 20 some years earlier. Carter gets screwed by his CIA (bumblers, huh?) much like Dulles ****ed Kennedy in the Bay of Pigs, much like BOTH Dulleses did to Eisenhower every time he tried to make a detente move. The pattern is there and it is well documented - forget that the hostages came home the day the Gipper was sworn in...think about how IMPOTANT Carter was made out to be. Look at the results - No-one gets hurt, the Contras get their arms, we get our "hostages" (and our drugs, and cash) and Carter loses by the biggest landslide since Goldwater disappeared. OK, I'm off topic again. Sorry. This book is So well researched, that I am suprised it is still in print, Seriously. Gore Vidal's Essays from 1992-2000 have been discontinued at public libraries. This is getting very Orwellian. I guarantee you'll find something her that makes you pause. I can only guess what the new 10 are...

Sleep well my child, for everything's fine out there...
Ah here's another book destined to disgust the orthodox thinkers of this world who insist everything is clear-cut out there. If you belong to that caste you need not bother with the book or this review. The rest do read on.
Basically, this book is the musical industry's equivalent of a "best of". While seasoned conspiracy theorists will tell you that there's definately more than 70 conspiracies that need listing this is not the aim of this book.
What it aims at is to serve you with a summary of the top conspiracy material circulating planet earth and poke you on to do the rest of your reading yourself (or should i say the rest of your thinking?).
What you get is a short summary for each of the 70 conspiracy theories listed here. They seem to be well researched too for anyone with a deeper reference to all these theories.
True, most of the stuff being "investigated" here belong to the really glorified conspiracy theories, and, it's very probable you've heard or read them somewhere before: aliens, area 51, mind control programs, JFK, machurian candidates, secret weapons to name but a few.
The writting is very entertaining especially since the authors don't omit to add their own touches of sarcastic scepticism to some of the most extreme theories they involve.
More addvanced students of conspiracy lore (if you want to call it that) will probably not be satisfied here as this book is nothing more than a very dense presemtation of the "facts".
But, if you are just starting to get into this kinda stuff this book is a cool start as it will smoothly and effectively introduce you to the trenchcoated world within your world.
And if some of the theories presented here seem a bit "too far out" for your tastes just remember that "nothing is really as it seems" whether you believe in conspiracy theories or not.
Reality is not monodimensional anyway, and neither is the level of reality that we humans can interfere with.
Or are we humans to start with? But no, i better not get into that one..

Who Is Watching You?
This is a great book for anyone who wants to know more about Big Brother and all the other things 'they' don't want you to know about. Not only is it full of interesting ideas but it is backed up with a biblography for each conspiracy.New to this edition of the classic text are theories on the death of Princess Di, the vast right-wing conspiracy, the real men in black, Armageddon countdowns, and much more. You could pass on buying this book, all the while keeping your head in the sand, but I recommend against it. ... Read more

Product Description
Back when irony was just a literary device and people wore bell-bottomsfor their own sake, Western civilization reached its zenith and nadirsimultaneously. Jonathan Vankin's Big Book of the '70s looks insurprising depth at the trends and the notable figures of that decade, usingillustrations from dozens of excellent comics artists like Shary Flenniken andTerry Laban. Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, and Jimmy Carter all getthe Big Book treatment in a delicious combination of behind-the-scenespeeks and easily digested history lessons. Fads and phenomena like disco,running, and the rise of the women's movement are also explained and, in somecases, followed up through modern times. The writing is clear and snappy, theillustration is consistently well-done, and the topics chosen are a thorough,comprehensive mix of lightweight (pet rocks) and serious (Vietnam). --RobLightnerAmazon.com Review
Back when irony was just a literary device and people wore bell-bottoms for their own sake, Western civilization reached its zenith and nadir simultaneously. Jonathan Vankin's Big Book of the '70s looks in surprising depth at the trends and the notable figures of that decade, using illustrations from dozens of excellent comics artists like Shary Flenniken and Terry Laban. Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, and Jimmy Carter all get the Big Book treatment in a delicious combination of behind-the-scenes peeks and easily digested history lessons. Fads and phenomena like disco, running, and the rise of the women's movement are also explained and, in some cases, followed up through modern times. The writing is clear and snappy, the illustration is consistently well-done, and the topics chosen are a thorough, comprehensive mix of lightweight (pet rocks) and serious (Vietnam). --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

An OK Book
Some interesting material here, much of it similar to the underground comics genre. There are some fun stories here (like the whole Symbionese Liberation Army episode with Patty Hearst) but other stuff I really couldn't get into. Not a serious work despite the inclusion of a bibliography.

Not as good as other books in the series but still fun.
This is one of the better ones in the Big Book Of Series. It is not a jaw dropper like Big Book of Conspiracies or Big Book of Weird, but it is still a fun read.
I was not born until the 80's, but I thought this book was great. I never knew that Kissinger could be an intresting guy. This is all the cool stuff that you never got to see in That 70's Show. From the Son of Sam murders to the Pet Rock and the Brady Bunch it covers the wackiest decade with some amazing art work.
I just hope they do a Big Book of the 80's some day.

mixed bag of retro tales
Comic book-style stories explain the fads, events, people, music, sports, and everything else about one of the more colorful decades in history.Trying to cover pet rocks and Viet Nam in the same book leads to some inevitable unevenness, of course, and the serious topics are often trivialized or over-simplified.But there are already many books on Watergate; buy this book to learn about streaking and disco.

This book is cool
I put off taking Amazon up on the recommendation to buy this book (i had bought 4 "big books" in the past)I finally ordered it and received it Friday. I got it just in time because TLC ran a 70s special Sunday and FX has started showing 54.So now I can watch and read about the decade I was born in. I am planning on taping both this week when it airs again so I can have a 70s tape to go along with my book.( Just wish my old beta vcr still worked lol)

The '70s Are Back, Man!
This is the latest volume in Paradox Press' excellent Big Books series.It proves to be another winner!It chronicles the Me Decade, and analyzes how it affects society as we know it in this decade.It covers a lot of the wacky memories, like pet rocks, mood rings, and the fashions, plus some of the not-so-wacky memories, like the gasoline shortage and the Iranian hostage crisis.As someone born in the 1970s, I truly enjoyed this.But you don't have to be a child of the '70s to like it too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Really gets you thinking
I really enjoyed this book. The conspiracies in it are very interesting and they really get your mind thinking about some of the things going on in the world today. The author does a good job of writing about conspiracy and what is believed to have happened followed by writing down some facts related to the conspiracy. It helps to get you thinking and deciding on your own opinion about the situation. Good read...recommend it.

Good Concise Book on Conspiracies
I received this book as a birthday present and at I first believed that this would be another boring encyclopedia type book with dull entries; I was wrong. I greatly enjoyed reading this book. The entries read more like a narrative than a text, and the humor used by the author to describe some conspiracies made reading this book even more enjoyable.

The purpose of this book is to list what the author believes are the 80 greatest conspiracies of all time. This book provides a concise list of conspiracies, some were proven true (e.g. the numerous C.I.A.'s attempts to kill Castro), while others have not been proven true (e.g. the Roswell Alien Conspiracies). Every conspiracy in the book is group by topic, which makes it easier to look up a conspiracy. In addition, the humor the author uses to describe the conspiracies makes the book a great read for anyone. The author also lists the major sources for his entries at the end of each conspiracy and has an index at the end of the book.

Good deal for the price.
It took a week to receive the book, but other than that great price and great book.I would consider using this vendor again.

Just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean . . .
I've been enjoying this book through all of its many incarnations, from 50 to 60 to 70 and now 80 greatest conspiracies!

Just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean that this book won't hit 100+ someday!

Curt Rowlett,
Author of Labyrinth13

AIDS cure patent #
Hats off to some great taxpayers for taking the time to condense all those tomes into a handy Cliffnotes version of the shenanigans that the Egos In Power engage in.When I first read the 50 Greatest, I've since confirmed more information on a lot of these, including the U.S. Patent number for the AIDS cure- #5676977.How did Magic Johnson ever shake his case of it?Hmmm..... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Conspiracys Exposed In America It Happens Everyday
This book is as the tile reads.Jonthan Vankin Kenneth M.Currie tell It all.Excellent read.It will open up your mind as to what Is happening In america.And how we the people are being held hostage in our own country.Mind control.Manipulation.We the american people paid with our tax dollars to arm Iraq and other countries.Our hard earned money funded the goverment for the mess this world is In today.When we the american people can not afford health Insurance.Work two jobs to make ends meet.Where is the president in this country? What Is he doing to help us. No jobs, Insurance,Terrosist In our country. We are the second world country not the first.Its not going to get any better.Does the goverment care about us.NO.Do you have a cement building with 23 rooms and hospitals and doctors in It.The govement does. They tell us to go about our lifes.When they have many of body guards that we the people pay for.What a bunck of lies they feed us everyday. Just an american who cares. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Perfect for Paranoid Cocktail Party Conversation
An ideal primer for those who don't have the time to read the vast volume of conspiracy literature.This book will not only introduce you to perennial conspiracy favorites involving JFK, the CIA, UFOs, Marilyn Monroe, and Jim Morrison but also more obscure conspiracies.There's that dead reporter in the bathtub.He was working on something called the Octopus file involving stolen software and arms smuggling.And what about those machines in the polling booth?Are they really counting your vote?There's the "Fighting Quaker" who stopped a cabal of American fascists from overthrowing FDR.Who really did the killings at Jonestown?Is fluoride not a plot to steal our precious bodily fluids but to sell us more candy?

You get a briefing on 50 conspiracies and suggestions for further reading, so, the next time someone at a party begins to go on about their favorite conspiracy (and doesn't everyone have at least one?), you'll be able to look them square in the eye and say, "Well, I have a theory ... Read more

Product Description
Visit two exotic locales in this new, globetrotting graphic novel from Vertigo

First, in a tale set in Tokyo, a lone American armed on a quest for high-tech gadgets is swept into a different side of the city by a Japanese high-school girl. Along the way, traditional Japanese values of honor and harmony collide with a young girl's wild ride to the top of the pop charts, with the Yakuza in hot pursuit.

Then, a vacationing couple heads to Bangkok hoping to heal their disintegrating relationship - but instead become embroiled in an international sex scandal that involves kickboxing tournaments, stray elephants and a misguided quest to save two young girls from a life of crime. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Keep the Days, Skip the Nights
The first half of the book, "Tokyo Days" is really, really good.Very high level of detail, innovative style, many Japanese in-jokes, many great scenes.The story moves along at a good clip and has great characterizations.Coloring, linework and humor rate very highly.

The second half, "Bangkok Nights" is not good.The style is that Cartoon Network, fake brushwork look that I find very irritating.The characters are cliches--even the katoey kickboxer--and the Thais are basically just window dressing for the Caucasians to react with.The plot is rather cliched and the climax disappointing.

I would have give the book five stars if it had only included "Tokyo Days".

Intelligently written comic
Bangkok Nights is well written and thoughtful.Like any graphic novel, it can be read relatively quickly.Unlike most graphic novels it's a story that stays in your mind after you finish.I don't know anything about the author but it's obvious he has a talent for dialogue and characterizations.I tend to think he has spent some time in the far east -- none of the characters are truly likable, they are merely human and there is a ring of truth to their actions and motivations.

Globetrotting with Vertigo Comics, Jonathan Vankin Tour guide
This graphic novel is two separate stories. Both share the theme of Americans abroad and the cultural differences that can confuse and bewilder.
The first tale is set in Tokyo, and follows a young man who is addicted to gadgetry. He has a job to cover his expenses and spends his free time getting the latest electronics. Through a twist of fate he meets a young Japanese girl who helps bail him out of some trouble, only to lead him into bigger trouble. Rich pop stars, Yakuza and a girl who just wants to have fun are a just a few of the things making life , shall we say more challenging? For Steve, our unlikely hero.
In Bangkok Nights the adventure follows two people from LA, a couple trying to fix a relationship which seems to be pretty screwed up. Marz Kay and his girlfriend Tuesday are both people with their own agendas. Marz is a minor actor with some B movie credits, Tuesday likes spending his cash and messing with him. Soon after landing they realize that the way they behave back home won't work here. There adventure gets more interesting when they steal an elephant, get caught up in a hassle with sex workers and their bosses, and go to a kick boxing match with a transvestite champion.
The stories here move at a nice clip and are very interesting. I'm guessing Vankin spent time overseas because it just feels to authentic to think otherwise. I love the way he plays the Americans, rather oblivious to the way other people live and getting in trouble as a result. It seems like they eventually catch on, but maybe just enough to keep from getting in serious trouble. It's a big world out there and TOKYO DAYS, BANGKOK NIGHTS does a groovy job of showing some of it. ... Read more

Product Description
Word count: 1071. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Marvels & Tales, published by Wayne State University Press on October 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1364 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: The Big Book of Grimm by the Grimm Brothers as Channeled by Jonathan Vankin & over 50 Top Comic Artists.(Book Review)
Author: Reinhard Friederich
Publication: Marvels & Tales (Refereed)
Date: October 1, 2003
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Volume: 17Issue: 2Page: 272(5)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
The Witching #3"Who Let the Cats Out?"Single Comic Book (22 pages)Published by Vertigo ComicsOctober 2004 ... Read more

Product Description
"Fly Me to the Moon" ... Read more