Product Description
Charlton Heston is perhaps most famous for his portrayal of Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's epic The Ten Commandments and for his Academy Award-winning performance in the 1959 classic Ben-Hur. Throughout his long career, Heston used his cinematic status as a powerful moral force to effect social and political change. "From My Cold, Dead Hands" examines how Heston evolved into a major American political figure.

Heston has campaigned for both Democratic and Republican candidates, marched in support of black civil rights, served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild, helped shape policy for the National Endowment for the Arts, and served as president of the National Rifle Association. Disillusioned with the Democrats, Heston formally registered with the Republican Party in the 1980s, but he argued that the decision was in keeping with his longtime advocacy of individual rights.

"From My Cold, Dead Hands" is far more than a biography--it is a chronicle of the resurgence of American conservative thought and, in particular, the birth of neoconservatism. Emilie Raymond convincingly argues that conservatives owe a great deal to Heston: his image of morality, individualism, and masculinity lent their movement credibility with a larger public, and he effectively campaigned for conservative candidates and causes. Meanwhile, Heston paved the way for many of today's Hollywood activists, using his popularity and image to fuel and legitimize his political activities.

A balanced study of Charlton Heston and his work offscreen, "From My Cold, Dead Hands" neither glorifies nor maligns Heston but provides an engaging account of how he propelled his personal beliefs into the political mainstream of America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Praise for a man who is obviously demented..
I thought C. heston was one of the great actors in the world, and I still like Ben-Hur and El Cid and the 10 Commnadments very much..but Heston's stands on issues such as the NRA and gay rights are fascist at the very best.

He took a turn in his life thinking he could be an intellectual..a huge mistake..he was a good actor, he knew that much about himself, that he could dsraw aude=iences in with his swagger and heroic gesturing. But when he stepped out of the screen's protective proceniums, he showed his low voltage mind.

His Altzheimer's Disease is very sad, but the latter part of his life, beyond Touch of Evil, and Will Penny is even sadder.

A tragic case.

The making of a cultural conservative
Raymond's book is an excellent example of the study of a star formed by his cultural circumstances and historical forces. Heston has often been unjustifiably vilified in the recent past for his unpopular views to the detriment of his acting achievements. This book reveals that Heston was not alone in his rightward swing since it reveals him, along with Irving Kristol and Gertrude Himmelfarb, as liberal conservatives who belonged to the Democratic Party until historical forces changed their alignment. In many ways, they remained true to their beliefs while the Democratic Party changed from its conservative Eisenhower-Kennedy roots into Johnson Great Society that these people could not accept.

For those interested in social change in American society, this book is a very revealing treatment and explains much of what has happened during the last forty years. My only complaint is that Raymond has focussed on a limited amount of Heston films and has not examined others such as the Cold War western ARROWHEAD (1952) and THE CALL OF THE WILD where the Heston character undergoes a crisis of masculinity in one scene. It is easy to denigrate the actor as Michael Moore did unfairly in his interview in BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE where he appeared oblivious to the actors failing health and his recent operation. During Whoopi Goldberg's unjustly short-lived TV talk show, she did not take the easy option of making the actor look like a fool but spoke to him in a meaningful conversation without having any hidden agenda. It is a shame Raymond does not cite this in the book which is a valuable cultural study of a star who engaged in activist neo-conservative politics. While it is easy to sneer at his now outmoded roles and jeer at his Alzheimer's diagnosis as did George Clooney, it is much more challenging to understand the man and his beliefs in an objective manner. Raymond has risen to the challenge in a book which has several significant insights but could have been much better if more of the star's films had been covered against the background of the changing social and historical forces documented in this valuable work.

A true American who would fit right in with our Founders
Anyone who thinks of Himself/Herself a Patriot needs to read this book. Anyone who doesn't needs to read it to find out why they need to be.This is the greatest country in the world, and if we wish it to stay great and free, we have to get involved, or what we take for granted will slip away.The modern media blames America first, finds fault, and betrays all that countless patriots who have given their all that we might live we do today.Why do peoples of the world see us as the beacon of hope, and risk everything to come here?You'll find the answers in Mr. Heston's book, and what we must do to pass what we have, on to our children, and generations to come.

almost TOO fair
Ms. Raymond goes all out to prove Heston a "principled" conservative -- and yes, they do exist, even in this day of Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush and Foley.Much of the information is very interesting. Amazingly, though, she does not seem to know of the use Michael Moore made of Heston in his film "Bowling for Columbine," which is the indelible image that most of us have in mind when we think of Charlton Heston. Was this ignorance, or just kindness to an old man suffering from dementia?

Indeed, Raymond does not seem to wonder whether Heston's whole NRA shill was a product of early Alzheimer's, a topic that it would seem to me needs addressing, if only to shoot it down.

For the most part, this is a strong book. But the omissions show. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great insight into the actor's mind.....
For many Heston will be always be considered a "thinking man's" actor, taking on roles not just economically expedient, but were a challenge for the actor to portray professionally.In this fascinating book, the actor's thoughts from 1956-1976 are open for all of us to share: his respect and conversations with DeMille, reflections about relationships fellow actors, his irritation with costly delays, his admiration for the stuntmen who made him look so good and, of course, the love for his family who he took on many of his shoots including "Ben Hur," "The Agony and the Ecstacy," and "El Cid."

What emerges from this book is not just a fascinating insider account of the movie business from one of its greatest stars, but a protrait of a man devoutly devoted to his wife and family despite his demanding career.Entries abound with comments about his son, Fraser, who would follow with a career in directing and producing movies of his own; his daughter, Holly, a mere teenager and Heston's rumblings about feeling overprotective, and lastly, his sincere love for his wife, Lydia.

In is interesting to note that the Heston that emerges from the 70's is one that is apparently more cynical and disappointed with the roles given to him, "Airport 75," "Earthquake," and "Two Minute Warning" (one of his more lackluster performances--Heston plays against type and it doesn't work with John Cassavettes stealing much of his thunder).At his time, the actor was looking to return to the stage and achieved this with some success--a production of O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" with Deborah Kerr was fairly well received.

The book also contains a section of candid family photos; many taken on location in Rome and Spain.

Great bathroom book
Just finished it.Probably my favorite "bathroom book" of all time. (Right up there with Tony Randall's "Which Reminds Me.")(All the entries are very short.Hard to "lose the thread" while reading this one.)Includes some very interesting comments about acting, developing projects, promoting films, squeezing in stage work in between, and tending to family.Most of the comments are on his professional life.Some personal/familial comments are included.If you hate Heston, don't bother, but if you sort of like Chuck, then like I say, it's a great W/C companion. ... Read more

Product Description
The famed actor passes on to his grandson his advice about how to do one's best while keeping one's promises, how to be fair, how to never give up, and how to be a good man. 75,000 first printing. Tour." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sad, lonely old man
Poor Chuck Heston, living in a fantasy version of the past--as wingnuts are wont to do.This sentimental tripe is about as useful to read as a cup of sugar, and just as nutritious.

Good, not great.
Review title says it all.Best read by the intended recipient rather than the general public.

Holier than thou
Yuk.So full of himself and his "goodness" that I couldn't even finish it. Don't waste your time.

An excellent source for parents of all ages.
A must read for any parent thinking that old fashion ideas have fell out of favor. Charlton Heston confirms that old fashioned beliefs are well worth passing on to the next generation. Well written and nice photos.

This book really touched my heart ~
You don't need to be a grandparent to appreciate the love and thought that Mr. Heston put into writing this book for his grandson.His words of wisdom, his life lessons and his family values are valuable and extremely well-written.His grandson, Jack, is one lucky little boy to have such a wonderful and caring grandfather. ... Read more

Product Description
Light Used First Edition Hardcover published by GT Publishing, N.Y., 1997, 288 pages in Very Good Condition. Dust Jacket shows slight shelf wear along the edges, DJ Cover still has bookstore sticker on it. Text is clean and unmarked with no rips, tears, creases, loose or bent pages. A nice clean copy of this out-of-print First Edition Hardcover companion to the highly acclaimed TV special featuring the great actor. We ship within 24 hours of your purchase with a Delivery Confirmation.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great illustrations
As a seminary graduate and son of an artist I can say this is a great book.Full color illustrations are used for the Old and New Testaments.All of the illustrations are paintings photographed very well.The synopsis of the Bible (text of the book) is good as well.

Seriously?
Unfortunatly a friend gave me this as a gift.The bible? You gotta be kidding me. ... Read more

Product Description
Known for both his legendary film career and his political activism, this Academy-Award winning actor shares the intimate story of his life in a moving autobiography that includes anecdotes about some of Hollywood's biggest names. Reprint. NYT. " ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A fascinating life
This is a very interesting tour of Heston's life. You feel as if you are on location, and get to be behind the scenes of his film and stage work.The man seemed to be tireless in the work he did for a living and for other causes.

biographry
it is charlton all the way and i enjoy his insight and the picture were wonderful

Heston In the Arena Review
Very interesting book!It's great to hear stories of what went on behind the scenes while making some of the greatest movies of Hollywood'd golden era (and beyond).Heston's writing style is very easy to follow and it's a pleasant read.He comes across as a regular midwestern guy who just happened to have a spectacular ability to act.I love this book and am glad I bought it.

A Pleasant Surprise
A good autobiography is one in which you can hear the author audibly speaking out the book in your head as your read. Certainly you have that in the Arena. It will be a long time before I get the voice of Charlton Heston out of my head.

Summary: This book does have some politics in it but it is far from politically correct. One thing is certain about Charlton Heston: He speaks candidly about his opinions, and holds no punches for doing so. With that said this is not a book about politics. The final chapter is fabulously written pointing out the facts and ending strong words of encouragement for America.

I picked up this book to learn insight into the background of some of the movies that he had performed in. Not only did I find that but I also found a man rich in conviction and commitment. How many men stay with their first love, and how fewer are those numbers counted as individuals in the entertainment industry? Heston's commitment to his wife Lydia shows his real character.

The only negative that I can find in this book is Chapter 20. For some odd reason Heston breaks his chronological order for only this chapter. This chapter is primarily about his stage plays and it tends to ramble on over 40 pages, I can almost imagine that somehow this chapter missed the editors cut. This chapter isn't as well written as the others and is difficult reading in that the storyline jumps around quite a bit. In all honesty, you could skip this chapter all together and go right to 21.

Breakdown Review:
Storyline: I give 4 out of 5 stars simply because of the inconsistency of chapter 20.

Writing style: 5 out of 5 stars. It is written in the way that you would imagine Charlton Heston speaking. Rich and free.

Depth/Inspiration: 5 out of 5 stars. This was only a 3 ranking until chapter 22. I would have preferred he put more information in about his personal relationships andreligious beliefs. If you only read one chapter read 22. Very inspirational for the American reader.

Entertainment/Education value: 5 out of 5 stars. Definitely an entertaining novel, one that is quite difficult to put down once you get into it. This book is educational not only on Mr. Heston's life but also on how movies are directed and a slight insight into the internal workings of the motion picture industry.

Actor, director,activist, family man.
Charlton Heston's larger-than-life screen presence comes through on every page of his wonderful 1995 autobiography, which is a really great read.Heston grew up poor in the woods of northern Michigan, where he was lonely and painfully shy.He gained confidence in his high school's senior play, and as he says, he never looked back.He won a university scholarship, and there he had his first-ever date.Her name was Lydia; she was an acting student, and they have been happily married now for over 60 years.

Heston began his career on the stage; he loves acting in and directing plays, especially Shakespeare, and has done almost as many plays as movies.We get all the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, learn which movies he is most proud of and those that make him cringe, the co-stars he admired and those he didn't.He has no false modesty about his power as an international movie star, yet he comes across as a genuinely nice man who treasures his family.

Fans of Charlton Heston are sure to enjoy this heartfelt autobiography.

Kona ... Read more

Customer Reviews (353)

Ben Hur
Great movie, anything with Charlton Heston usually is. Wonderful actor, very passionate the way he portrays each of his characters. This is not the only one of his we own.

My copy of this DVD kept freezing on screen all the time so can no longer use it. Had to replace it when it finally came on sale locally.

Good
The product arrived as advertised and was in good condition. I would order from this seller again.

Anti Semetic tripe
I saw this movie only today after some heavy recommendation from my brother in law... And Am I the only one to notice the anti semetic theme of this movie?

First off, the Chariot Race was amazing. That was the only good part of this movie. Everything else was about how this Jew who wanted vengeance could only find peace when he found Jesus message. There was one particular scene where Benhur and his mother and sister as lepers are going back to the city and there is this blind Jewish man begging...and Benhur drops a coin in his bowl...when the blind beggar hears that he is with lepers, the drops the coin (basically didn't want to take the money from lepers...after all Jewish people are nasty and rude and unkind..right?..unlike all those people who found Jesus (Christians).

It's amazing what the Jewish people have gone through these 2000 years. Even Shakespeare has not spared the Jews. In his Merchant of Venice he talks about this Shylock who wants his pounds of flesh. This was my first exposure to Anti Semitism as a Hindu when I was in school in India.

Then came Martin Luther's Anti Semitic rantings which culminated in the Holocaust.

Sad and pathetic at the cruelty of Christianity towards the Jews. I know of no religion with maybe the exception of Islam to some extent that talks ill of people of other religions as Christianity. Fortunately in today's world the vast majority of Christians like people of other faiths are good people in spite of theirvile religiousdoctrine

Case damaged a little, but fantastic movie. well worth it!
This product was very prompt in its arival time, However once I opened the package I noticed that the plastic DVD case was a little damaged. I didn't pay it much mind at first however I noticed a piece inside the clear plastic DVD Disk holder and it turns out that it was part of the corner piece. That being said The Movie is what we are all after. I found the silent one to be ok, but the two disk full length feature is one awesome movie. So it overpowered the fact that little damage was done to the case. All in all I enjoyed the product (and still do) but I dont have all the time in the world to watch it whenever I please.

Favorite movie
Great set, great actors, great storyline, great soundtrack.I've watched this movie so many times I know what scene is occurring just by hearing what part of the dramatic score is playing.The actors are of the finest caliber.They don't make actors like that any more, they seem straight out of the classical world of theater, having so much beauty and raw power in every expression and every movement.Every line is classic and potent, even though there is not much dialogue, which should be a disappointment for me because I love clever scripts and smart dialogue; however, the actors are so great at acting that their faces and actions say more than they ever could, so I don't mind the sparseness of the spoken word.

It may be too dated for some, but the galley scene and the chariot race scene are some of the greatest "action" scenes there are. Brutal and violent as well.I can't believe my mother let me watch the galley scenes when I was six or seven.

The book is great as well and different from the movie, however both cover what all great stories are about, glory and tragedy and the fall and rise in between.If anything, watch the movie for Charlton Heston's performance. If you want to see a man and a man with all of his emotions ( rage, sorrow, revengeful, unable to comprehend), than there is no better place to see one than Heston's Judah Ben Hur.

PS Love scenes are a bit cheesy, but there are also what you would have seen on the stage way back when. ... Read more

Product Description
Presenting a rare look at American moviemaking through the eyes of one the living legends of the screen, "Charlton Heston's Hollywood" surveys postwar Hollywood--the actors and directors who have shaped the industry, the major historical events, and the ever-changing tastes of the movie-going public. 150 photos. 150 sketches by Heston. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fun stories; great pictures
This is an enjoyable overview of Hollywood and Heston's career, lavishly illustrated with photographs and Heston's own sketches. Much of the text is his commentary and explanation, making it a good companion to Heston's autobiography, In the Arena.

charlton heston
it is very entertaining and is an easy read. the pictures and great. the pictures cover along period of time and are great history

Great book!!!
If you love the "Old Hollywood", you'll love this!!!Great stories and pictures ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best Book on Charlton Heston--The Man
Michael Munn's biography is the best book I have read which gave an excellent insight into Charlton Heston--the real man. This books tells about Charlton's meager beginnings as a shy-loner living in the Michigan's woods, who later turned into the epic-hero-actor in classic films such as THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, BEN HUR, EL CID & THE PLANET OF THE APES. This book helped me to understand the kind of person Mr. Heston REALLY is. Information about his family life, his relationship with his wife-Lydia who he has been married to over 50 years. Michael Munn has direct quotes from interviews he held with Charlton, his wife Lydia, Fraser & Holly (his children) throughout the book, which allows the reader to know exactly how the actor & family felt at the time about certain events in Charlton's life. This is a 'Must-Read' for any Heston fan. MonaK ... Read more

Product Description
A revised version of the 2008 biography on the late great actor! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Please break that exclamation point key!
I wonder if this person even bothered to proof.I've seen better work from junior high students.But first off--she needs to break the exclamation point key off the keyboard.I'm reminded of what Lewis Thomas said in his great essay "Notes on Punctuation."

"Exclamation points are the most irritating of all.Look! they say, look at what I just said!How amazing is my thought!It is like being forced to watch someone else's small child jumping up and down crazily in the center of the living room shouting to attract attention. If a sentence really has something of importance to say, something quite remarkable, it doesn't need a mark to point it out.And if it is really, after all, a banal sentence needing more zing, the exclamation point simply emphasizes its banality!"

From The Medusa and the Snail: More Notes of a Biology Watcher (1979:103-6).

Buy this "book"
I love this work for the same sort of reasons I love the movie "plan 9 from outer space". The plentiful typos and jumbled prose made for compulsive reading.Another huge bonus is the large amount of empty space, you can use these to cut out pictures of Chuck , and glue them in wherever you feel is appropriate, making your copy unique and personal to you.

For pure reading pleasure, this book is on a par with the product reviews written by the big bopper and the wise one.

This is probably the worst book ever published, and should be celebrated as such. For that reason, I heartily recommend it.

Clunky, amateur work--just awful!
This is precisely why they tell aspiring writers NOT to self-publish. Lacking an expert set of eyes to help edit and re-write, an amateur ends up with clunky, awkward phrasing and--god forbid!--typos. Yep! If Ms. Bernier can't spell, do you think she can write in an engaging manner? You be the judge: read the first couple of pages. It reads like a high schooler's biography. Gag!

What IS this, exactly???
Okay, right off I'll admit that I've not purchased this "book."And I'm not going to.I read the first page with the on-line reader from Amazon (thank goodness!), and the writing is extremely poor, to be kind about it.Bad grammar, bad punctuation, bad spelling, jumbled thoughts...and then to see the review that mentions it's mostly blank pages?!?This appears to be tantamount to a child's memoir, and might be excused as such.As an individual's personal tribute to this great man, it would be acceptable to the writer at least.But to pass it off as "a true character study," well, start by getting a proofreader before you publish your next "work."And, who on earth is Michelle Bernier, anyway???Stick with "Charlton Heston: In the Arena" or "Charlton Heston: An Actor's Life."Or, "To Be a Man: Letters to My Grandson."I wonder what Lydia, Fraser and Holly Heston think of this "work"?

Worst book I have ever seen
This book has mostly blank pages. When added together it might have ten pages of text. This is really a joke, and even if given away free it is not worth the price. Terribly disappointing. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume II 6 Tape Set ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I can't believe thats all there is...
The only problem with this audio set is the length.Unless there are some mysterious expanded sets floating around, the one I have consists of 2, 30min cassettes.Oh the agony!However, the 1 hour of total time is worth the set, simply because of Heston's voice.I mean come on, MOSES, reading the BIBLE.It just makes sense.Heston brings his trademark over-emoting to the King James Bible and his crackling voice just seems the perfect fit to the 400 year old language.If you enjoy the Bible and want to listen to some favorite stories and psalms injected with a new sense of majestic power, look no further.If you can't get enough of Heston rambling on and on about damn dirty apes and his people having to go, then grab this too because its in a very similar vein.I'll say it again, MOSES & THE BIBLE, it just makes sense. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Family in America
I loved the book when it arrived. I have admired Mr. Heston since I was a little boy and when I opened the book to discover that it had been autographed by the author, I almost fell out of my chair. What an incredible bonus for this Libertarian American. The Second Amendment Rocks and we need to keep the entire Bill of Rights uppermost in the minds of Americans.

As important today, as when it was written!
A book by an author that liberals love to hate. Mr. Heston speaks plainly about the foundations of our nation and the unchanging ideals which make our country great. He stands firm against any threats to our constitution. A must read for the new generation who may only know the myth and not the man.

Saving Our Freedom
I really enjoyed reading "The Courage To Be Free", by Charlton Heston. Charlton's core beliefs resonate with mine. Liberty is never free. It wasn't free for our founding fathers and the other ordinary hero's of the American Revolution, it wasn't free for the blacks in the South during the Civil War, it wasn't free for the concentration camp victims during WWII (the list is long of those liberty wasn't free for) and it isn't for us either. But it's well worth the fight! Even though I don't own a gun, like Charlton I'm passionate about The Bill of Rights, the second amendment right to gun ownership included, and am willing to to take a stand to ensure that they aren't taken away from us. I love the picture and quote on the back cover of the book. Charlton holding a musket above his head tells an audience of NRA people, "From my cold dead hands!" Only then would he stop his fight against those who are trying to erode the freedom's promised to us in The Bill of Rights.

Even when it wasn't popular for him to do so, I admire that Charlton has been unafraid to stand for his core values. For exmaple, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched on our nation's capital to give his "I Have A Dream" speech, Charlton organized a small group of move stars to join him in the march. This was at a time when minority rights were not important to the Hollywood elite and it brought him criticism. When Charlton died in 2008, we lost a fine actor, and even more importantly, a tireless foot soldier in the fight for liberty. I highly recommend this inspiring book.

Available from NRA Store
This book is available with author signiture from the NRA Store website for thirty dollars. ... Read more

Product Description

"It came with a rush; not as a rush of water nor of wind; but of a sudden evil-smelling emptiness. . ."

Customer Reviews (1)

A Very Good Listen
I get these books on CD for my commute time, this one was a winner.Charlton Heston give it a very good reading. ... Read more

Product Description
5 DISC BOX SET: GENESIS, THE STORY OF MOSES, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE PASSION, AND GOLGOTHA ... Read more

Product Description
An accessible introduction to the Bible, as well as a guide to help readers build on their knowledge of the Scriptures, Charlton Heston Presents the Bible will give all readers a new appreciation of the Bible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I'd recommend this book to anyone
This is a beautiful book with many photographs of famous & not so famous biblical works of art.The title andlocation of each piece is noted on the same page & each piece of art is related to the story being told by Charlton Heston.The artwork is from museums around the world.

Makes a great coffee table book

Charlton Heston presents the Bible
This is a great book, Charlton Heston tells a great story. I have always loved him!!

reviewed for church library
We just reviewed this book for our church library this evening, we foundit to be an elegant and accessible summary of popular Bible stories.Theillustrations and photos are wonderful.The addition of historic and othercontextual information in sidebars appealed to this well-educated group ofchurch women.We felt that the book would be a good starting place forsomeone new to the Bible.The stories were told in a manner appropriatefor reading aloud (Heston's intent) with older children. ... Read more