Rating: 
Summary: Not for Lucy Fanatics
Review: Although I must give the author his due, the amount of research and time it must have taken to learn all the tiny details which are exposed in this book is extraordinary, it is not a book for the true Lucy Fan. It's a book for trivia buffs. The author really does not have too many kind words for Lucy. She's old. She's tired. This is not a good vehicle for her. Every show is a rip off of something else. Lucy didn't tell the truth all the time. Maybe in his mind, she was and it wasn't and she didn't. To me a self proclaimed Lucy fanatic, as sit here looking around my room at my Lucy clock, calender and pictures think she was the GREATEST talent to ever walk the face of the earth. Yes, "I Love Lucy" was the first and nothing could have ever topped it, but, I still think her later shows were terrific, including "Life with Lucy". Just like my parents who can remember where they were standing when Present John F. Kennedy died, I could draw a outline on the carpet of my feet where I was when I heard Lucy died. So if you want to know who wrote, guest starred, produced, swept the floors of each episode, this books for you. If you remember Lucy as the great star that she was and want to continue thinking of her that way, invest your money elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Exhaustive Reference
Review: Detailed analyses of every episode of Lucille Ball's four sitcoms, plus an examination of every television appearance she ever made from 1947 through her death. Snippets of interviews give a fascinating glimpse into a lost era of television. My only complaint is that author displays a creepy and disgustingly sexual interest in Miss Ball. She is lucious, voluptuous, gorgeous, stunning, beautiful, feminine, entrancing, enticing, etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. Surely most of us think of "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show" as comedies, not pornography, and we have no interest in being told the details of the author's obsession.
Rating: 
Summary: Lucille Ball's Life in Television
Review: Endorsed by Desilu, Too, Llc and featuring interviews with Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr., this is the definitive book on Lucille Ball and her life in television. The Lucy Book reveals what it was like to work with the mega-talented comedienne and discusses her immense contributions to the business of television. Author Geoffrey Mark Fidelman conducted extensive interviews over a twenty-five year period with Lucy's colleagues, costars, and the crew members who worked with her. The finished product chronicles nearly every appearance Lucy ever made on TV.
Rating:
Summary: Lucy is still #1 to me
Review: First lemme say I am a huge sitcom fan and I think Lucille Ball is the #1 queen of TV. This book included a detailed description of every episode of I LOVE LUCY and all the other sitcoms that Lucy stared on. I enjoyed a lot of the book. But I felt like it was missing something. Some of the details were very boring such as the furniture being changed constantly on I LOVE LUCY. I wanted to hear more commentary from Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance, but for some reason their comments in the book were rather brief. THE LUCY BOOK was written almost like a textbook. It would have been more interesting if it were more fan-oriented. Some months back I read an excellent book COME AND KNOCK ON OUR DOOR about the sitcom Three's Company. And I think THE LUCY BOOK would have been much more interesting if it were written in the same manner. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in getting factual accounts about Lucy's TV sitcoms (such as dates and times). But I do not recommend this book to anyone who wants to have an entertaining reading experience. However if you do want to read a really good book about Lucy I recommend the book LOVE LUCY which was written by Lucille Ball. And if you're interested in books about sitcoms in general then I recommend: COME AND KNOCK ON OUR DOOR, GROWING UP BRADY and ARCHIE AND EDITH MIKE AND GLORIA THE TUMULTUOUS HISTORY OF ALL IN THE FAMILY.
Rating:
Summary: My book is the one-stop source for info on Lucy's TV career.
Review: Hi Lucyphiles! I am so pleased that The Lucy Book is being sold on Amazon, and that, like me, you love to read about Lucy! I am happy to say with pardonable pride that my book shares information on every TV appearance by La Ball. It took me over 25 years to gather the information and put it together for you. I would love to hear what you think about the book, and any suggestions you have for future editions.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read, HOWEVER
Review: I agree with the reader from Sparta, NJ USA. The author was far too critical of pretty much everything the great Lucille Ball did after I Love Lucy. The author even had the GALL to criticize Lucille's so-called "puffiness." This book is for Lucy fans but diehard Lucy fans might get a wee bit angry.
Rating: 
Summary: The Only Lucy Book You'll Ever Need!
Review: I call this The Only Lucy Book You'll Ever Need because it's all here--backstage gossip, production info, out-take dialoge and best of all its researched, researched, researched. This is for those of us that can recite whole snatches of dialoge, who wondered about odd cuts and gaffes, critical (but loving) comment and not just the "I Love Lucy" series but tons of things on the uneven "Lucy Show" and the rest. Geffrey is the ultimate fan and he presents the information fairly and if I may say so, like a gentleman. (Note: Steve Allen writes a forward and is quoted--intirguingly--but is not the co-author as this amazon.com heading would imply) Great, funny and touching quotes from Lucie, Desi Jr., Gale Gordon, etc, as well as Desilu regulars like Kathleen Freeman, Doris Singleton, Shirley Mitchelland the whole gang. This book has been years in the making. Your copy will be dog-eared and falling apart quickly if you use it for constant reference. Go ahead and buy a second! : > Great companion to the "Desilu" book.
Rating:
Summary: The Only Lucy Book You'll Ever Need!
Review: I call this The Only Lucy Book You'll Ever Need because it's all here--backstage gossip, production info, out-take dialoge and best of all its researched, researched, researched. This is for those of us that can recite whole snatches of dialoge, who wondered about odd cuts and gaffes, critical (but loving) comment and not just the "I Love Lucy" series but tons of things on the uneven "Lucy Show" and the rest. Geffrey is the ultimate fan and he presents the information fairly and if I may say so, like a gentleman. (Note: Steve Allen writes a forward and is quoted--intirguingly--but is not the co-author as this amazon.com heading would imply) Great, funny and touching quotes from Lucie, Desi Jr., Gale Gordon, etc, as well as Desilu regulars like Kathleen Freeman, Doris Singleton, Shirley Mitchelland the whole gang. This book has been years in the making. Your copy will be dog-eared and falling apart quickly if you use it for constant reference. Go ahead and buy a second! : > Great companion to the "Desilu" book.
Rating:
Summary: A Treasure Trove of Information, written for True Fans!!!
Review: I disagree with the reviewer who said this book is not for the "true Lucy fan." I consider myself to be a pretty true Lucy fan, and I have read almost every book written on her, and I have to say that this book is one of the very best. Geoffery Mark Fidelman has put a lot of time into this work, and it shows. He offers fascinating insight and/or critique on nearly every episode of "I Love Lucy," "Lucy Show," "Here's Lucy," "Life With Lucy," and a host of other television appearances Lucy made over the years. Does Fidelman say Lucy looks tired at times? Yes. Does he critique her performance sometimes? Yes. She didn't always do a blockbuster job in every performance of hers, due to any one of a number of reasons (troubles with Desi, overwork, stress in her life, and just plain tiredness). And though I've seen few episodes of "The Lucy Show," "Here's Lucy," and "Life With Lucy," Fidelman's overall feelings on those series reflect what critics have been saying for years. Just because Fidelman tries his best to offer objective viewpoints (which I think he does, more often than not), it doesn't mean he's not a true fan, or that true fans shouldn't read this book. This book is short on biographical information, but it was never designed for that. Frankly, that's a good thing, because there are so many books out there about Lucy and/or Desi, another one wouldn't have been necessary. But for the ardent Lucyphile out there, this is a must-own. I find myself going back to this book constantly, after each "I Love Lucy" episode I see, even if I'd seen the episode many times before. Go, buy this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Treasure Trove of Information, written for True Fans!!!
Review: I disagree with the reviewer who said this book is not for the "true Lucy fan." I consider myself to be a pretty true Lucy fan, and I have read almost every book written on her, and I have to say that this book is one of the very best. Geoffery Mark Fidelman has put a lot of time into this work, and it shows. He offers fascinating insight and/or critique on nearly every episode of "I Love Lucy," "Lucy Show," "Here's Lucy," "Life With Lucy," and a host of other television appearances Lucy made over the years. Does Fidelman say Lucy looks tired at times? Yes. Does he critique her performance sometimes? Yes. She didn't always do a blockbuster job in every performance of hers, due to any one of a number of reasons (troubles with Desi, overwork, stress in her life, and just plain tiredness). And though I've seen few episodes of "The Lucy Show," "Here's Lucy," and "Life With Lucy," Fidelman's overall feelings on those series reflect what critics have been saying for years. Just because Fidelman tries his best to offer objective viewpoints (which I think he does, more often than not), it doesn't mean he's not a true fan, or that true fans shouldn't read this book. This book is short on biographical information, but it was never designed for that. Frankly, that's a good thing, because there are so many books out there about Lucy and/or Desi, another one wouldn't have been necessary. But for the ardent Lucyphile out there, this is a must-own. I find myself going back to this book constantly, after each "I Love Lucy" episode I see, even if I'd seen the episode many times before. Go, buy this book!
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