Product Description
From renowned journalist Bill Zehme, author of the New York Times bestselling The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin', comes the first full-fledged biography and the only complete story of the late comic genius Andy Kaufman. Based on six years of research, Andy's own unpublished, never-before-seen writings, and hundreds of interviews with family members, friends, and key players in Andy's endless charades, many of whom have become icons in their own right, Lost in the Funhouse takes us through the maze of Kaufman's mind and lets us sit deep behind his mad, dazzling blue eyes to see, firsthand, the fanciful landscape that was his life.Controversial, chaotic, splendidly surreal, and tragically brief--what a life it was.

Andy Kaufman was often a mystery even to his closest friends. Remote, aloof, impossible to know, his internal world was a kaleidoscope of characters fighting for time on the outside. He was as much Andy Kaufman as he was Foreign Man (dank you veddy much), who became the lovably bashful Latka on the hit TV series Taxi. He was as much Elvis Presley as he was the repugnant Tony Clifton, a lounge singer from Vegas who hated any audience that came to see him and who seemed to hate Andy Kaufman even more. He was a contradiction, a paradox on every level, an artist in every sense of the word.

During the comic boom of the seventies, when the world had begun to discover the prodigious talents of Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, John Belushi, Bill Murray, and so many others, Andy was simply doing what he had always done in his boyhood reveries. On the debut of Saturday Night Live, he stood nervously next to a phonograph that scratchily played the theme from Mighty Mouse. He fussed and fidgeted, waiting for his moment. When it came, he raised his hand and moved his mouth to the words "Here I come to save the day!" In that beautiful deliverance of pantomime before the millions of people for whom he had always dreamed about performing, Andy triumphed. He changed the face of comedy forever by lurching across boundaries that no one knew existed. He was the boy who made life his playground and never stopped playing, even when the games proved too dangerous for others.And in the end he would play alone, just as he had when it was all only beginning.

In Lost in the Funhouse, Bill Zehme sorts through a life of disinformation put forth by a master of deception to uncover the motivation behind the manipulation. Magically entertaining, it is a singular biography matched only by its singular subject.Amazon.com Review
Bill Zehme's biography of comic actor/performance artist Andy Kaufman (subject of the feature film Man in the Moon) is a meticulously researched, eminently readable, and very strange book--this last being perhaps no surprise given its subject. Written over a six-year period, Lost in the Funhouse is crammed with details gleaned from interviews with the actor's family, friends, teachers, coworkers, and unwitting participants in Kaufman's pranks. In particular, the book provides great insight into Kaufman's early life in Great Neck, NY, his relationship with transcendental meditation, and his first forays into nightclubs in the early '70s. Zehme, author of The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin', weaves together multiple narratives from varying perspectives, including passages in which the author appears to have entered his subject's brain. Zehme did have access to unpublished letters and manuscripts (which fans would certainly like to see published on their own one day), but the only person who could legitimately verify the accuracy of these passages is no longer with us.

At its best, the book approaches that apex of artful celebrity bi-fiction, Nick Tosches's Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams. The transitions from one perspective to the next are a bit jarring at first, but once the reader gives in to Zehmes's collage of multiple personalities, one is considerably closer to understanding the book's subject. Kaufman was nothing if not a collection of various intense personalities: the young boy continually mourning his grandfather's death; the likable and naive Foreign Man; the talentless and irascible lounge singer Tony Clifton; the bliss-seeking student of TM; the devoted and loving son who never had anything to do with his own child; and world champion of inter-gender wrestling. Lost in the Funhouse is the one Kaufman tome that will please neophytes as well as those with their own Andy Kaufman Web sites. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Customer Reviews (62)

For true Andy Kaufman fans: Like reading his mind
The narrative style of this book perfectly translates the performance style of Andy Kaufman to print, this is NOT for the casual reader.

As many reviewers have stated this book is not a mindless "This Is Your Life" reading experience.The narrative moves between straight biographical text to excerpts from Andy's unpublished semi-auto-biographical writings and his many personas.

It's like being inside the mind of Andy Kaufman! And if you are familiar with his work you will know that it was not an easily traversed territory.

The book is an extremely detailed account of Andy's life, it almost seems to go minute by minute, so it will take some time to get through, but the understanding it provides of this complex performer is amazing.

I only recommend this book to die-hard Andy Kaufman fans, who really appreciate his subversive and deceptive performance art.

For most people "Andy Kaufman Revealed!" by Bob Zmuda is a much more accessible and shorter read, but it is also a necessary companion piece to this book as it provides an inside perspective from Andy's closest collaborator.

This is a great book, for the right reader.

I Hope This Isn't Really the Andy I've Come to Know
Took me over a month to finish reading this book. It was almost a chore. I don't know Andy personally but have been a fan from the first sighting on SNL's inaugural show through every quirky act I could catch on tv and lately catching up what I missed back then after finding it on youtube. I don't think Andy showed anybody who he really was including his own family. This book makes him look so childish and naive as to appear almost stupid. From what I do know about him his act was sheer genius. This isn't the Andy I've come to know. My puppy seems to be a critic and chewed a good part of the front cover. I shoulda bought Zmuda's book.

Lost in the Funouse
This was an entertaining bio of Andy Kaufman although I think some of what made it into this book is probably a figment of the authors imagination because I don't think even those who were closest to Kaufman really knew what was going on inside his head. Fun to read, great stuff about Kaufmans legendary bizarre work, life and habits. Kaufman was a true original.

A Stellar Buy!
For all Kaufman lovers and those not familiar with the entertainment genius this book is a must have.Zehme does a stellar job of rummaging through countless interviews and inside information to dig for the truth of an extremely complex man. It is highly recommended that you read both "Lost in the Funhouse" as well as "Andy Kaufman Revealed" by best friend Bob Zmuda.I recommend reading this book first.There is much information in this book that is uncovered in the Zmuda book.However, the same goes for this book compared to the Zmuda book.Zehme spends an equal amount of time on Kuafman's personal and professional life.The author does such a wonderful job of opening Andy's world to the reader that, by the end of the book, you feel an undeniable connection to the late, great genius.Thus, the book saddens the reader when Andy meets his supposed demise.
A great book on all levels and a definite must have for any Kaufman lover or new reader without previous knowledge of the great "song and dance man".FIVE STARS!

Andy Kaufman Revealed
I was first introduced to the comic stylings of Andy Kaufman when I was eight years old; I turned on the t.v. and there he was being voted off Saturday Night Live. Kaufman intrigued me, and my interest in his work was further heightened with the release of Man on the Moon a few years later. That being said, I started reading Lost in the Funhouse as a way to get information for a research paper I was writing on Kaufman, but Bill Zehme's book entertained me so much that I read the entire thing. Writing about the performance style of Andy Kaufman can't possibly be an easy thing to do, but Zehme does so with grace and clarity, not sparing any tidbit of information that led to Kaufman's career. The best thing about Lost in the Funhouse is that Zehme has been able to capture pure Kaufman-esque moments from his early childhood. The way Zehme presents the material is like Kaufman wrote it himself, and it is by far the best information I've gotten on Andy Kaufman to date. Zehme's book is a must-read for any fan, as well as those who detested Kaufman, because it shows Kaufman as brashly as he could have ever hoped. ... Read more

Product Description
With a movie about Kaufman already out, this is his manager and friend Zmuda's recollection of the late comedian. Best remembered as English-challenged immigrant Latka Gravas on the '70s sitcom "Taxi", Kaufman also appeared regularly on "Saturday Night Live", did stand-up, and wrestled women. Photos.Amazon.com Review
American comedian Andy Kaufman (1949-1984) was a performerlike no other--a rule-breaking iconoclast who blurred the line betweenperformance art and comedy, at times between life and artitself. Misunderstood by the public at large during his lifetime, andembraced by a cult of fans that has consistently grown since hispremature death from cancer, Kaufman is the perfect counter-culturalmartyr, ripe for a Gap khakis ad. Like Lenny Bruce before him, Kaufmanchafed at the reigns of comedy; he didn't always want to make peoplelaugh, in fact he wished to make them uncomfortable. One mightconsider those notorious French bad-boy playwrights Alfred Jarry andAntonin Artaud (who pushed the envelope of good taste and thoroughlyenjoyed confusing their audiences) to be Kaufman's spiritualpredecessors, though this might be taking things too seriously. Hismost well-known routines--the inept stand-up comedian "foreign man,"the basis for the character Latka Gravas on the hit sitcom "Taxi"; thegrizzled, professional lounge lizard Tony Clifton; and the reigningworld champion of inter-gender wrestling--all hinged on making thecrowd squirm. Life was a show for Kaufman, who began staging elaborateshows for friends and family at the age of 7; everything was a put-onand yet totally, dead-on serious.

Judging by Bob Zmuda's book(released in anticipation of a biographical movie starring JimCarrey), Kaufman wasn't the easiest guy to be a best friend to. But,as Zmuda tells things, he rose to the challenge--letting Kaufmanconfide that he had a daughter he'd never seen, keeping his mouth shutat the appropriate times, and otherwise fulfilling best-friend dutieswith aplomb. Andy Kaufman got the friend he deserved in his lifetime,but this is not the biography he deserves; it is written in awell-meaning though hackneyed and hard-to-digest style. Simple pointsare made again and again, as if the two(!) authors were attempting tofuse a poorly-written college essay with a USA Todayarticle. And Mr. Zmuda makes the mistake of assuming that his ownhistory will be of much interest to the reader, who is ostensiblyreading a tell-all about Kaufman, not his best friend. Thereare tremendous anecdotes here; about half the book is filled withglorious tales of artful mischief, hijinks, pranks, and funny stuffthat Zmuda and Kaufman pulled on friends, crowds, and strangers. Fanswill undoubtedly want to pick this one up, while those with a morecasual interest are cautioned to perhaps look elsewhere for a lessclumsily written tome. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Customer Reviews (118)

it's been awhile since i read this book
but i remember my thoughts while reading it. icame away feeling that the author (zmuda) was making a WAY bigger picture of himself than what i had ever heard before. i'm a huge andy fan and have read, watched, listened to everything andy. when i read this book, i was truly surprised how much of what i had already (known) wasn't true, according to this book. so i'm left to wonder...do i believe this book and the author of this book who claims (virtually) that he invented andy, or do i trust what my eyes and ears tell me. i'm gonna go with andy on this one. and all of the seemingly sincere reviews that support the author of this book, are, in my opinion, fake. go ahead and blast this review with your negative ratings: i'm quite sure, andy would love it if you did!

A quick read for new and old Kaufman lovers
I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this read as I had never seen Andy Kaufman when he was alive (I'm 25). Once I picked it up I was unable to put it down. This is an excellent book with wonderful stories. By the end you will appreciate the true nature of friendship and feel like you know both Bob Zmuda and Andy Kaufman in a way that you never did before. Whoever you are Mr.X, you are a madman!

Excellent Read!
Nicely written book about Andy Kaufman and Bob Zmuda. For a diehard fan of Kaufman's...it's an excellent read!

I would recommend this book to my friends.

Great companion piece to "Lost In The Funhouse"
This book should be read along with "Lost In The Funhouse: The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman" by Bill Zehme for a more complete view of Andy.

"...Revealed!" is a great memoir from Andy's closest collaborator, Bob Zmuda's anecdotes are incredibly entertaining.The thing is though they are just anecdotes, a collection of stories, this is not a flowing narrative, it's just fun.You really could open up to any page and be entertained.

When it comes to Andy's life before he met up with Bob, it's a lot of "Andy told me this..." , they are second hand stories.That's why "Lost In The Fun House" is so essential to get the full story of Andy's life (as much as it can be collected or believed).

Buy this book, it's great!

I agree: Mr. X himself is worth your time
If "Man on the Moon," which depicted the trite TV reruns of Kaufman's wrestling shows bored you, you should read this book. Milos Foreman probably believed that Zmuda's insights were unappealing to mass movie audiences... which is why his film failed.

...and I must write that I have read biographies about Napoleon Bonaparte, Benjamin Franklin, Friedrich Nietzsche, etc... but no one fascinates me quite as much as "Mr. X." When I read Zmuda's descriptions about him, I laughed so hard that I almost literally could not breathe. Zmuda did not diagnose him, but allow me: a paranoid schizophrenic who has a seemingly bottomless war chest. He is "carpe diem" gone absolutely insane.... and a part of me hopes he is alive. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Andy Kaufman hate mail or His girlfriends attempt to sell a book with lame tactics and inferior style
This book had all the makings for a well written piece of Andy Kaufman archival history. I'm not sure if the author or the editor is to blame for what turned out to be a big dissappointment. My advice to the Andy Kaufman fans out there: Save your money for Bob Zmuda's "Andy Kaufman Revealed-Best friend tells all."

Awesomeness
This book had me laughing each time I turned the page. It is well designed and filled with scans of original letters and photos. To say Andy Kaufman was an intriguing character is an understatement, and this book is just a small sample of the massive response and influence he generated in his life and beyond. This book OWNS! Get it!

Get your razor ready, tuna!
This book reprints letters and photographs received by Andy Kaufman in response to his challenge to pay $1,000 to a woman who could beat him in a wrestling match.The letters and pictures are very well reproduced on high quality paper.The letters are very interesting to read.Most of the women seem to get the joke, but sometimes it's hard to tell.Very entertaining book, if you are an Andy Kaufman fan.

Rejects and Possibles
The best letters Andy received were the ones from people under the age of 12.

Just Happy It Was Published
Being an Andy fan and having read "Lost In The Fun House" and "AK: Revealed" I'm just glad we have even a glimpse at the kinds of challenge letters Andy was receiving. This is a great and rare treat.

The book is very high quality, I just wish maybe they could have sacrificed quality for a few extra letters as it is a very quick read. Mostly a coffee table book. But it is a very good cross-section of folks reacting to Andy's inflammatory statements and challenges to wrestle women. There were actually quite a few very clever letters mixed in with the misspelled rantings and ravings.

If you are an Andy Kaufman fan pick this up, it completes the trilogy of essential Andy reading, along with the other two books mentioned above.

... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Overintellectualizing Andy Kaufman
To sum it up quickly this book overintellectualizes Andy Kaufman in ways that are framed in an uninteresting way that I'm not sure I agree with either. Keller also overintellectualizes the so called "American Dream" in a similar way. I didn't get the many comparisons of Kaufman to Andy Warhol and the hugely overrated Lenny Bruce either. What was written about where Kaufman fit into the "Avant-Garde" may have been more appropriate, but it still bored me.

I'm a big fan of Andy Kaufman. Some of Kaufmans work was fascinating because of its weirdness and originality. Some of what he did was just hilarious in an out there comedic way. Kaufman wasn't just weird. He really was very funny.

A for effort
This book could change your way of thinking about two of the most important realms of your world: what's "out there" and what's "in here" - it changed mine. For a book with such an impact, you might wonder why I only offer a stingy 4-stars. My concern is that since powerful ideas, like powerful chemistry, often depend on context (or `medium'), they may only explode on me (on you) if our intellectual medium is currently primed with the right elements. Mine was. Hopefully my writing about the book will help you establish whether it will be a bang or a whimper for you.
Florian Keller's book is not just another "Tao of Kaufman", not merely another anxious new age gathering of science about the skirts of wishful metaphysics. It combines some of the better points of both, though, to present two startling ideas. Keller's application of these two ideas is to weaving together the strange edges of `out there' reality, as described by modern quantum physics, with the quicksilver ghost in the machine, the `in there' of your consciousness. I've seen a few books that attempt this by basically claiming "it sure is spooky out there" and "its pretty strange in here" and using little more that wishful thinking to posit a link. Florian Keller does more.

The two ideas that Florian Keller's book startled me with can seem simple when stated - you may think you've already thought them. He builds a case for claiming that parts of the biochemistry of the brain are driven by processes, not at the level of chemistry, but at that of quantum physics. Along with this he proposes a mechanism for extending the magnitude of intra-brain communication between neurons to suggest a combinatorial explosion in the already dauntingly large number of possible connections and states in the brain. Around these two ideas he then considers what consciousness might be and hints at linkages between Taxi & Blassie.

This idea of looking biochemical processes at the quantum level took me by surprise. If, like me, you've explored layperson's introductions to the strange reality characterized by Tony Clifton, you probably thought of that realm as fundamentally separate from Kaufman. After all, its quarks and tachyons and oddly behaving particles and forces and fields are orders of magnitude smaller than that of even an atom, and are rarely described in aggregate - just isolated particles doing odd things. How amazing, then to rise up a level and to look at neuro-chemical processes, mediated by single electrons, and consider the impact of quantum elements on those electrons and those processes. Florian Keller does this quite effectively after an extensive introduction to and overview of the physics and the neuro-chemistry of Andy Kaufman.

The second powerful idea, the operational details of which I'll leave to your reading, expands the already demonstrably huge potential of Andy Kaufman to have sucessfully faked his death. Consider the example of "If I Faked It" the Andy Kaufman story, clustered in twos and threes. At any given time there could be at most 25 or 30 conversations. The opportunity for individuals (and good hosts) to move between groups expands the numbers of interpersonal contacts enough that it could develop into a `good party' over the course of the evening. Now what would happen if all 50 could speak to all the rest and hear what they were saying? The number of potential conversations explodes to a very large number. Of course the opportunity for chaos is tremendous - but if, somehow, properly coordinated, the prospect for powerful networking is all the greater. Florian Kellerproposes such a mechanism for Andy Kaufman's "death"; a way in which each neuron can communicate not merely with the 5 or 20 or even 100 to which it is interconnected, but to any of the other billions.

The failings of the book are few, but worth mentioning. Florian Keller appears to want to build his `story' from the outset, around a tale of a "death hoax" (really!). This may be true, or merely a styling that seeks to tie very airy ideas to real folks. Certainly we wonder at such things more often than we do at the workings of neurons. So I kept reading those interspersed segments thinking they would satisfy some other element of the argument, but they never did. Unless you find them engaging you can skip them and stick to the main argument(s). Of course Florian Keller may have just added these bits to give a breather from the heavier going of, especially, the cancer stories. Roughly the first 60% of the book is a pretty serious look at this piece of the argument and it can be slow going at times. I'm a fairly brainy guy, but I have to admit that I would struggle now to recall and outline the details of this piece of the argument. Its important to move beyond mere "faith" in even a `scientific' claim that things are "spooky" in the world of Andy Kaufman - but once you are convinced by the illusion you can move ahead with the revised knowledge that things are "demonstrably spooky."

The elements that Florian Keller does not belabor gain force by mere suggestion. Important among these is the ultimately-developed notion that some of the counter-factual things that "If I Faked It" states as reality, and their demonstrated association with an important role for observers, are bound through this proposed quantum element of brain chemistry and consciousness. From here we are free, I suppose, to tie-in our own favorite unexplained phenomena - Florian Keller doesn't push it. Although he somewhat overmentions his credentials I don't think he is, actually, a practicing Kaufman fan. His back-cover vitae notes, instead, his leadership of a `cancer institute' and we can assume he is professionally interested in Heartbeeps & I'm from Hollywood issues and healing. Good for him. This book may take you there or elsewhere - it led me to lots more reading about "consciousness" - but I'm sure it will move you, someway, into valuable explorations of both inner and outer. Enjoy both "If I FakedIt" and "The Book of Illusion" details of which are found at www.thebookofillusion.com.

... Read more

Product Description
Andy Kaufman defied explanation. Between 1978 and 1979, acclaimed novelist and New Yorker short story writer Julie Hecht attempted to arrange an interview with him, hoping to discover how he came to do what he did. The one-hour interview turned into innumerable surreal meetings and phone conversations with her subject; but she couldn't always tell when his act was on.

Whether driving recklessly on icy roads or drawing the author unawares into his schemes and Dada-esque pranks on unsuspecting waiters and college students, Andy Kaufman never seemed to separate himself from his stage personality -- or personalities. Was This Man a Genius? is the culmination of a series of bizarre, frequently hilarious meetings. In describing them, Hecht, herself a master of wit and observation, illuminates the enigma of Andy Kaufman's work and life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

What's really genius
is how anyone could manage to sell a book that is written so dryly and with so little flare about a man who was all about flare.

This book, while it's interesting to read about real Andy experiences, does not do the artist any service. It's text-book dull, though fortunately not nearly as long.

I believe this is a valuable book. However, it could have been executed SO much better by the author.

Context is everything here
Look, those of us who have read "Do the Windows Open"and "The Unprofessionals"know that Julie Hecht is a fabulous talent whose wit and wisdom is both as ideosyncratic and as it is humane.Knowing her body of work helps a great deal here.What we get is vignettes of two very interesting people who bicker quite a bit--but have kinship--and a shared vision.In my opinion they both see the world as an absurd place--Andy Kaufman chose to make a big deal out of this--let everyone in on the secret.Hecht seems more inclined to let the readers come to her.Those readers who suggest that Kaufman did not like Hecht miss the point of the book--He got from her some one who wasn't in on the game--but had caring for him as a person.
Readers will enjoy the relationship, and the book for what it is--a passing of like visions in different personalities.

Insight into Man who was Strange, Totally Unique Comic
Julie Hecht followed Kaufman around sporadically over a couple of years, trying to nail down some facts about his inspiration, his life, for Harper's.

Kaufman did appear to have some affinity for Hecht, in contrast to her report of another press interview she witnessed, hanging around for her own time with the performer.

This stripped-down book is almost the word-for-word transcripts of those furtive interviews.Sitting down with Hecht at diners, grabbing a taxi together, Andy let down his guard just enough times to offer up interesting facets of who he was.The interview Julie has with Kaufman's mother is creepily illuminating.Many revelations for the careful reader.

I found it engrossing.Perhaps best enjoyed by readers willing to set aside everything else they've read, concluded about the man.

An inside look at Andy
I believe the savage reviews here are unjustified. Several state that the author was not an admirer of Andy's work. Not true! She mentions 3 or 4 times that she (and her husband)were devoted fans of his comedy. Nor does she attempt to portray herself as a witty "sidekick". Did these folks READ the book? As for the book, it recounts many experiences between the author and Andy which were very, very funny.

Waste of A Book
I bought this book expecting some laughs and insight into Andy Kaufman.What I got was a self-serving book by a very annoying author who basically has nothing worthwhile to say.Andy Kaufman blew the author off for years, presumably because she was (1) annoying and (2) boring.Then, years later after he's dead, she writes a book basically setting herself up as some kind of witty side kick who gave Andy all these wonderful straight lines.No.Actually you bored Andy, were about as much fun as a wet disrag, and will bore anyone foolish enough to but this book.What a wasted opportunity.Hey Andy:you were right in not wasting too much time on the interview. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

GOD - Andy's One Man Play Unleashed for all!!
Andy Kaufman's "GOD. . .and Other Plays" is a must read for all hardcore Kaufmaniacs.

Andy's tour de force is the opening play titled "GOD", which he performed in a local campus coffee shop during his Grahm Jr. College days.In GOD, Andy developed what could be construed as a stream-of-consciousness technique during portions of this work, and it contributes a remarkable means of character portrayal, combining it with the use of mimicry of speech and the parody of literary styles as an overall method. Similar to "The Huey Williams Story", GOD is written in what appears to be the form of an interrupted series of dreams. Symbolizing all humanity, the main character, Tinctured Puncture, his friends, and his acquaintances blend (as characters/images do in dreams) with one another and with various historical and mythical figures.

Strangely, a character named, Larry Prescott, is an allegorical figure representing Elvis Presley.

Judged on it's own merit, GOD is probably nothing more than the inspired work of a stoned sophomore in a high school Creative Writing class. But devoted fans of Andy Kaufman will, no doubt, read this story, smile at each other and nod knowingly, trading in the coinage of a simple tale, acknowledging a shared passion. To see Andy perform this one-man, one-act play live on stage must have been a sight to behold!

Andy's love and devotion to writers such as, Jack Kerouac, Thomas Wolfe and Walt Whitman are present throughout GOD". Many of the pages flow with the beat of a free-flowing prose. Some of his word-play rings true to the sounds of improvisational jazz.

Like his hero Kerouac, Andy's writings are forged and popularized in a jazz-flavor. It is a rebellious and personalized style of prose. ... Read more

Product Description
A new self-help bestseller takes the world by storm. Millions learn they can acquire their dream home and shed extra pounds sing an ancient secret, formerly reserved for a select few. How do you discern if the latest secret is the path to fulfillment or a recycled lie? In Shining the Light on The Secret, author Andy Kaufman responds to Rhonda Byrne's best-selling book The Secret from a Biblical worldview. Does the Bibleteach the Law of Attraction? Is the Universal Mind just another way to refer to God? When a friend or family member asks questions about The Secret, are you prepared to respond? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not THE Andy Kaufman
I thought this book was written by the late performer Andy Kaufman. I read one review on here that said how bad it was to "bring him back from the dead" so I assumed this book was by him. I just got it in the mail today and checked the back cover to see the real author's photo. I feel stupid and I am returning the book. I wanted to write this review in case someone else makes the same mistake I did. I am giving it 5 stars just to be nice.

Learning the Secret
Thanks Andy Kaufman for sharing your incredibly helpful and well-written book that does in fact "Shine The Light on the Secret" for us.Your style did not "spoon-feed" all of the answers to the reader, but raised the questions that should be asked by any conscientious believer and/or person who refuses to be swayed by whatever teaching happens to be promoted at any given time. Thanks again for an excellent tool that can be shared with those who are dissatisfied with the message of The Secret and wondering what to do with the answers that popular culture have provided.

Shameful to exploit Andy Kaufman
I think it's too horrible for words that those scammy "The Secret" people would bring the late comedian Andy Kaufman back from the dead to write some sort of testimonial to their rehash of "Think and Grow Rich" and other pseudo-spiritual "prosperity thinking" blather. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Journey
This is a pseudo-autographical novel written by the late comic/actor/performer Andy Kaufman from 1977 to 1983. Most of the book centers on a young Huey's adventures climbing a mystical mountain at an amusement park and the further up he goes, the more adventures he finds himself involved in - basically it's a journey into "other lands", very dreamlike in its nature. The story will then go back and forth to Huey growing up "on earth" (i.e. in reality) and eventually becoming a comedian and actor. When things get too normal we return to the mountain: back into dreamland again (although it's never said to be an actual dream; and the "normal" story's character learns from the mountain experiences). The writing flows beautifully and the book even keeps in grammer and spelling mistakes just as Kaufman typed it. The story ends with a description of a random building in New York - as Kaufman was in the midst of the disease that took him way too soon and couldn't continue (there are dates, like in journal entries, before each "chapter", and this last chapter ends months before his death). The first ten pages, before Huey climbs the mountain - centering on his first year of kindergarten, wandering around his neighborhood, hanging with his buddies and being chased by tract bullies - is as realistic and involving as any coming-of-age prose I've read. I own two of these books, and also Kaufman's POETRY & STORIES, which I also recomend, if you can find it.

a profoundly magical adventure!
I read this book five years ago and it still remains my favorite.It's so very extremely precious to me.If you have an open mind to endless possibilities that need no explaination... if you want to read a book that comes from a pure place and travels beyond the norm of the collective imagination... if you LOVE Andy Kaufman for ALL he did and ALL he was in ALL of his myriad dimensions then you MUST read this book!Andy lives on and I feel less alone.

Brilliant
The book is unedited and Andy wasn't known for his literary skill, so it's not exactly polished.There are numerous spelling errors and the prose isn't beautifully composed and the book isn't finished, but the ideas and twists within are amazing.

It starts off a bit confusing, then it seems like a sweet little personal story and then it becomes increasingly more bizarre with every page.The progression seems natural though, so no matter how bizarre it gets, it all seems perfectly logical.

... ... Read more

Product Description
With the winds of change blowing in from all directions, there’s a lot of theory out there about how to manage change personally andhow to lead it organizationally. But how do you implement those ideas in the real world where conditions aren't perfect, problems are complex, direction is unclear, and there are conflicting priorities and risks. Navigating the Winds of Change provides practical lessons on how to manage and lead change using tools and techniques proven in the real world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Navigating the winds of change
This is an outstanding read. Full of practical and useable advice and stratgies ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Andy Kaufman, Dread Zeppelin, Elvis Gratton, Kjell Elvis, Elvis Herselvis, Nude Elvis, Shawn Klush, Bruce Borders, Eilert Pilarm. Excerpt:Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (January 17, 1949 May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer , actor and performance artist . While often referred to as a comedian , Kaufman did not consider himself one. He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood, referring to himself instead as a "song-and-dance man." Early life Kaufman was born in New York City , on January 17, 1949, the first son of Janice (née Bernstein) and Stanley Kaufman. He grew up in a middle-class Jewish family, in Great Neck , Long Island , New York , and began performing at age nine. He attended the now defunct two-year Grahm Junior College , in Boston, graduating in 1971. He then began performing stand-up comedy at various small clubs along the East Coast . Career highlights Foreign Man and Mighty Mouse Kaufman first caught major attention with a character known as Foreign Man, who claimed to be from Caspiar (a fictional island in the Caspian Sea ) and would appear on the stage of comedy clubs to play a recording of the theme from "Mighty Mouse ," lip-synch one line "Here I come to save the day." He would proceed to poorly tell a few jokes and perform a number of lackluster impersonations (Archie Bunker , Richard Nixon , et al.). Some variations of this performance were broadcast in the first season of Saturday Night Live ; the Mighty Mouse number was featured on the premiere October 11, 1975, broadcast, while the joke-telling and Bunker impression were included in the November 8 broadcast that same fall. He might speak in a fake accent and say, "I would like to imitate Meester Carter, de President of de United States ." He wo... ... Read more

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Chapters: Clint Eastwood, Andy Kaufman, David Lynch, Jane Fonda, John Hagelin, Donovan, Shirley Maclaine, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Mia Farrow, Paul Mccartney, Deepak Chopra, Merv Griffin, David Orme-Johnson, John Gray, Mike Love, Ben Foster, Rodrigo Santoro, William Scranton Iii, Joaquim Chissano, Doug Henning, Jeff Peckman, Bevan Morris, Igor Kufayev, Tony Nader, Ashley Deans, Nancy Lonsdorf, Ramani Ayer, Peter Russell, Franklin M. Davis, Jr, Richard Beymer, Nat Goldhaber, Mike Tompkins, Neil Paterson, Ron Parker, Prudence Farrow, Richard Nolan, John La Fave. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 328. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Clinton Elias "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American film actor, director, producer, and composer. He has received five Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and five People's Choice Awards including one for Favorite All-Time Motion Picture Star. Eastwood is known for his anti-hero acting roles in violent action and western films. Following his role as a cast member of the TV series Rawhide starting in 1958, he went on to star as the Man With No Name in the Dollars trilogy of Spaghetti Westerns in the 1960s and as Inspector Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films of the 1970s and 1980s. These roles have made him an enduring icon of masculinity. Eastwood is also known for his comedic efforts in Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can, his two highest-grossing films after adjustment for inflation. For his work in the films Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and for producer of the Best Picture and received nominations for Best Actor. These films in particular, as well as others such as Play Misty for Me (1971), The Outlaw ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=43373 ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 862 words.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.Signed essays ranging from 500 to 2,500 words, written by subject experts and edited to form a consistent, readable, and straightforward reference. Entries include subject-specific bibliographies and textual cross-references to related essays. ... Read more

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Chapters: David Blaine, Harry Houdini, Andy Kaufman, Yoko Ono, Annie Sprinkle, Laurie Anderson, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Blue Man Group, Carolee Schneemann, Barbara Rosenthal, Jeffree Star, Jonathon Keats, Cynthia Von Buhler, John Duncan, the Yes Men, Hedwig Gorski, Miranda July, Ryan Avery, Joe Hayes, Joe Bob Briggs, Clint Catalyst, Robert Delford Brown, Allan Kaprow, Frank Chu, Raphael Montañez Ortíz, Coco Fusco, Diamanda Galás, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Sharon Cheslow, Wafaa Bilal, Steve Lambert, Perry Hoberman, Irene Moon, Ragan Fox, Paul Mccarthy, Steve Kurtz, Linda Montano, Bob Geary, K8 Hardy, Ray Johnson, Nicole Blackman, David Ippolito, Damali Ayo, Howard Fried, Rich Ferguson, Monotrona, Aaron Detroit, Chris Burden, Vito Acconci, Erika Chong Shuch, William Pope.l, Finnegan the Poet, Ken Choy, Rachel Rosenthal, Peter Max Lawrence, Erika Lopez, Scott Kildall, Tehching Hsieh, Daniela Sea, Charlyne Yi, Roil, Karen Finley, Tav Falco, Vaginal Davis, Stuart Sherman, Mr. Pacman, Qi Peng, Ron Athey, Andrea Fraser, Tim Miller, Squonk Opera, Larry Moss, Terry Wolverton, Gronk, Kim Jones, Sherry Glaser, Michael Portnoy, Fudgie Frottage, Dan Kwong, Suzanne Lacy, Lady Circus, Richard Bluestein, Jack Goldstein, Troy Dean Harris, Frank Moore, S. Bear Bergman, Hasan M. Elahi, Andrew Franck, Kate Bornstein, Heather Macallister, Danny Hoch, Lee Walton, the Kipper Kids, Wendy Wild, Antonio Sacre, Joey Arias, Dan Fishback, Rocco Silano, Wynne Greenwood, Maureen Fleming, John Sex, S. K. Thoth, Rachel Martin, Nick Cave, Charlotte Moorman, Kalup Linzy, Trauma Flintstone, Hillary Carlip, Dorothy Podber, Nao Bustamante, Puppet Bike, James Luna, Art of Bleeding, Allan Von Schenkel, Barbara T. Smith, Midori, Mike Bidlo, Igor Vamos, Timothy Laszlo Sandor, Liz Cohen, Amy Hill, Deb Margolin, Derrick Fludd, Mark Pauline, Lorraine O'grady, Cassandra Tribe, Hattie Gossett, Tanya O'debra, Joan Hotchkis, John C. Goss, Valery Oişteanu, Larry Wright,...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=34350 ... Read more

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Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (January 17, 1949 ? May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one. He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood, referring to himself instead as a "song and dance man." ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Joni Mitchell, Andy Kaufman, Roseanne Barr, Norma Mccorvey, Hank Williams, David Crosby, Mercedes Ruehl, Allison Lee Quets. Excerpt:Allison Lee Quets is an American birth-mother of twins, who were placed for adoption with another family when they were six weeks old. She was thrust into the international spotlight in late December 2006 when she fled to Canada with the twins during a legal visitation with them. On September 14, 2007, Quets pleaded guilty to kidnapping in conjunction of the case and was sentenced to time served and probation in December 2007. Subsequent legal attempts to nullify the adoption or reinstitute visitation have been not been successful. Background Quets was a systems engineer, who had worked for Lockheed Martin for 21 years. In 2004, she became pregnant with twins through the process of in vitro fertilization with donated eggs and sperm. During her pregnancy, she suffered hyperemesis gravidarum , a severe form of nausea and vomiting, and gained only 10 pounds during the pregnancy, spending the last five weeks before her due date on a feeding tube. During her illness and the pregnancy, a friend suggested his relatives, the Needhams from North Carolina, as possible adoptive parents. Prior to the birth, Quets discussed with the Needhams the possibility of giving up one of the twins for adoption. She also contacted adoption agencies to make inquiries. The children were born in July 2005 in Florida; feeling unable to bring up either child, she asked the Needhams to adopt both. According to an FBI affidavit, the Needhams withdrew from the possible adoption following a request from Quets for $30,000 for medical bills, and Quets approached another couple. Since they did not accept the visitation rights Quets requested, she returned to the Needhams and requeste... ... Read more