Follies

Average customer rating:

A brilliant insight into why this show always fails financially

This IS the Piano Vocal Score

Unnecessary Revisons Ruin Sondheim's Best Musical

It's the Piano-Vocal Book, All Right

A disappointing revision

Follies
James Goldman
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Company: A Musical Comedy

Follies - The Complete Collection: Vocal Selections

Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies

Follies - The Complete Recording (1998 New Jersey Cast)

A Little Night Music (Libretto)

ASIN: 0394473620
Release Date: 1971-11-12

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant insight into why this show always fails financially.......2007-10-07

I have every cast recording of "Follies" ever professionally recorded and I truly believe it is the greatest Broadway score ever written. Not a single song misses its mark. How then, can it be, I often used to wonder, that "Follies" always manages to fail when it is produced for the stage? When I found out that a version of the libretto was available I snapped it up, inspite of the negative comments listed here on Amazon by some users. Well, I read it in one sitting - I couldn't put it down! But by the end not only was I devastated by the story, I understood entirely why "Follies" always fails to draw a long term audience. The book does not support the score. From the cast recordings it is easy to picture a huge character driven extravaganza - the songs gifted to the characters in the play are so fascinating! Even the most incidental numbers such "Rain on the Roof" or "Ah, Paris!" are brilliantly memorable. To say nothing of such masterpieces like "I'm Still Here" or "One More Kiss." The problem is that these songs are given to characters that, as it turns out in the script, are not even featured. They have bit parts. A few lines to establish who they are and why their song is appropriate for them. The leading four characters guide the entire show while the featured characters distract it. Aside from a few VERY brief encounters (such as Ben meeting with Carlotta Campion) they might as well be characters in two different stories. The result is that the entire script comes accross as being severely under-written. You can't introduce such fascinating characters as Dimitri Weissman or Hattie Walker or Solange LaFitte, feed the audience a snappy line and a magnificent song, and then retract them without giving them purpose or conclusion. The stories of Phyllis and Ben, Buddy and Sally are magnificently told - but to a staggeringly underwhelming conclusion. These four fools who have been living in the past and hating it for deacdes are confronted with every decision they blame for the poor state of their present existence in the course of a few hours. There is every opportunity in the world for them to shake off the illusions of their pasts and move on unburdened towards the future... and they NEVER DO!!! Overall I found the dialogue brilliant, snappy and appropriate, everything you would expect from the writer of "The Lion in Winter". The lyrics are there in full along with stage directions. This IS a fascinating read - both as a study of the show and just as an interesting story. You will, however, be disappointed. This is an underwritten masterwork which hopefully one day someone will perfect. Perhaps a movie?

This IS the Piano Vocal Score.......2007-04-17

As another reviewer has said, although the preview feature links a different book, when you buy this they send you the correct one: the piano/vocal score of the 1971 version of Follies.

Unnecessary Revisons Ruin Sondheim's Best Musical.......2005-11-04

I absolutely agree with the reviewer here who said that this edition of the book Follies has weakened the original play. Let me first reiterate what this book is, exactly - it is the published libretto (script, stage directions and song lyrics) for the 2001 revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's landmark musical, Follies. There is no sheet music in this book, just the complete dialogue and song lyrics - of the 2001 revival.

As another reviewer has pointed out, Mr. Goldman apparently became disenchanted with the play Follies as originally performed and previously published by Random House. For some reason I cannot fathom (because there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with the original) he chose to revise and re-write his play several times. No one has ever declared a "definitive" version, but the publishers of the current book have chosen to present the show as revised and performed in the 2001 Broadway revival. I saw the 2001 revival; I thought it wasn't bad, but I left the theatre with the uneasy feeling that it was vastly different (and far less satisfying) than the show that captured my imagination and became my favorite Broadway show, back when I saw it three times in its original run between 1971-72. Since I own a copy of the original play as published by Random House in 1972 (at the time I paid $2.95 for the hardcover!) I decided to acquire the new publication and compare the two published versions, line for line.

What I found shocked me. Not only did the changes that Mr. Goldman made completely change and weaken the character of Ben, several of my favorite speeches were completely excised from the new book. Gone is Phyllis' exchange with the chorus girl who shared her dressing room, (PRS: "I remember you. You never liked me." Chorus Girl: "What a thing to say!" PRS: "That's OK, I never liked you, either.") Also gone are some of the more provocative and interesting lines that Phyllis had (both her wonderful speech about how much she wanted Ben when they were first married, "I used to come home with my panties wringing wet" and her speech about the lover who loved to kiss the birthmark below her left breast - silly today, maybe, but amazingly candid for 1971 - are gone from the revised edition). Dialogue for other characters has also been moved or deleted.

Worst of all, the ending has been completely changed. Buddy and Sally's heartbreaking final exchange (Buddy: "Come on kid - let's go home and make plans for tomorrow" Sally: "Oh dear God, it IS tomorrow") has been deleted, changing the tone of the whole show. In the original published version, Sally's line - "Oh dear God, it IS tomorrow" had a piece of stage direction that I will never forget as long as I live - it said simply, "There is no hope". A far cry from the revision, where Ben offers a simpering apology to Sally and she contends, "I'll be fine". In short, some of the most witty, funny and poignant moments from the original show have been altogether deleted, all for the sake of proffering a show that could be more easily digested by middle America. The revisions produced a musical that is far more banal and nowhere near as touching or tragic as the original that was so beautifully presented to Broadway audiences 34 years ago. My understanding is that Mr. Goldman was never happy with the fact that the play didn't have a "happy ending" and he needed to revise the characterizations substantially to give us something that mainstream audiences would be more comfortable with. I wish he had been able to leave it as it was. He never found any reason to tamper with his other masterpiece, The Lion in Winter (it's a funny coincidence that my favorite film of all time - The Lion in Winter, and my favorite Broadway show of all time - Follies - should both be written by the same man). The bottom line is that I firmly believe that this piece has suffered terribly from Mr. Goldman's inability to simply leave well enough alone. Fans of the show who want a complete rendering of the lyrics to Stephen's Sondheim's glorious songs will not be badly served by this edition. But if you are lucky enough to find a copy of the original Random House edition, you will also have a much better libretto for Follies in your library.

It's the Piano-Vocal Book, All Right.......2005-06-24

Yes, this is the complete piano-vocal score, but when you click on the image (to "look inside"), you get taken to a completely different book. That's why the reviewer below is cautioning against this volume. But I recently ordered it, and it's got all the music from the original production of this show.

A disappointing revision.......2004-02-03

First, it's important to clarify what this book is, since a couple of the reviewers below seem to think it's the piano-vocal score for "Follies." There is no music in this book. This is the script of "Follies": the book, lyrics, and stage directions.

I believe that the original version of "Follies" is one of the two or three greatest American musicals ever written. Unfortunately, that is not what is in this book.

For some reason, James Goldman, author of the book, became convinced that his brilliant (if controversial) original book needed to be revised. I believe that his revisions consistently weakened the show.

What is printed here is not even Goldman's final revision. Instead, it is the text used in the 2001 production of the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York. Goldman had died in 1998, having revised the text several times but never having decided on a definitive version. The people putting together the Roundabout production prepared a version working from several of his revisions.

This version notably weakens the character of Ben. Goldman's original book was very terse and almost underwritten. The deletions of some of Ben's dialogue end up reducing clarity. Also, since Ben's breakdown is the climax of the show, anything that weakens his character harms the entire show. Goldman also made changes to the breakdown itself, taking something that was strange and allusive and making it into something banal.

It's not just changes to Ben, though. Some of the dialogue for the other main characters was also revised, making them less interesting.

In addition, this version added some awfully silly stuff for the subsidiary characters. These characters were originally there mostly for atmosphere and to provide thematic complexity and texture. The additions throw the focus where it doesn't belong at a crucial moment, adding nothing of real emotional value and reducing the original's uncompromising quality.

Some of the changes work to make the script more naturalistic than the original was. They also make the show less interesting, and frequently simply don't fit with the rest of the script and the score.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed.......2007-05-24

I wanted this book to share jokes with my grandsons - ages 5 and 6. Too few jokes were clever or funny. We all felt we could have done better than the authors

Average customer rating:

Faun's Follies Calendar

Manufacturer: Viesti Collection
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Calendar

Average customer rating:

A flight of fancy, folly, and fun
Constance Burdett
Manufacturer: W. & R. Chambers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00088ZBJY

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Guatemala is the essential guide to this captivating country. A 24-page, full-colour introduction gives an inspiring insight into GuatemalaÂ's highlights, from the delightful colonial city of Antigua to the ancient Maya ruins in PetÃ©n. The guide includes extensive and reliable reviews of all the best places to eat, drink and stay for visitors on every budget. There is plenty of practical advice when travelling to remote highland areas, plus detailed information on jungle treks, river rafting and volcano climbs. The guide also includes thorough and informed commentary on GuatemalaÂ's politics, indigenous culture, diverse landscape and spectacular wildlife, as well as detailed maps and plans for every region.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent guide for environmentally and socially conscious travelers!.......2007-08-24

We found this guide to be outstanding. It boasts great maps, color photos, plenty of tips, and comprehensive historical and environmental coverage lacking in many competing guides. It has eco-projects and off-the-beaten-track destinations not included elsewhere. Coverage of archeological sites such as Tikal and Copan (in neighboring Honduras) are outstanding, and the Bay Islands of Honduras are included as well.

Save your money and get something more up-to-date!.......2007-08-23

This book seems to miss the mark in several aspects. I used it for a trip earlier this year but ended up buying another guidebook once there. In terms of content, it either ends up giving you waaay too much information (to where it reads like an encyclopedia) or not enough, depending on the subject. It just wasn't practical and the information was often outdated, to boot. It's also marred by endless pages of text with nary an occasional black & white photo at the end of a chapter (usually overly dense in printing and uniquely uninteresting). True to its name, it was ROUGH and not very user-friendly. The poor layout causes you to strain your eyes while searching for needed information, especially on bouncy roads in a car or bus. It's like flipping through a phone book (some of the subject headings for local services are vaguely labeled as 'listings').
I'd wait and get the new Moon Guatemala and/or Lonely Planet Guatemala. I see both companies are releasing new editions in September. Insight Guides is the book for fantastic color images, though it's not as good for practical information. Note that most of the positive reviews for Rough Guide Guatemala pre-date the release of this latest edition when there were fewer options on the market. Bottom line: This may have once been an OK guidebook to Guatemala, but there are much better options now.
Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks)
Lonely Planet Guatemala
Insight Guides Guatemala, Belize And the Yucatan (Insight Guides Guatemala, Belize, Yucatan)

Best Guatemala Guidebook.......2007-05-09

I have traveled to Guatemala 5 times and usually rely on Lonely Planet, but this year bought the 2006 edition of Rough Guide as well. I was SO PLEASED to have it, even though the maps are slightly better in LP. The depth of explanations in RG leaves the reader with much better understanding of places visited, and is a result of the author spending much more time exhaustively traveling and researching Guatemala than the LP authors did. I loved going to places recommended by RG but barely mentioned in LP, places devoid of backpackers following the Lonely Planet Gringo Trail. Lagunas de Sepalau and Bombil Pek near Coban were both recommended by RG and excellent, but also empty of tourists since the Lonely Planet author apparently did not visit them. I visited 5 caves in the vicinity of Coban, but LP only discussed the ones at Lanquin, which they raved about. In fact Lanquin Caves were much less impressive than several of the others. The Highlights section in Rough Guide for each region is an excellent summary of attractions. I highly recommend Rough Guide Guatemala.

Better than the other good guide to Guatemala.......2006-11-10

This guide to Guatemala is better than the one produced by Lonely Planet.

A nice thought but completely impractical.......2006-03-09

As we flipped through the Rough Guide to Guatemala 2002 edition about a month ago, we were really impressed with the layout and the backdoor feel that the Rough Guide had as opposed to the more conventional guide books. Our only hesitation was that the practical information like hotels and transportation schedules might be out of date because it was published so long ago. We found out that a new version of the Rough Guide to Guatemala was going to come out right before we left for our trip so we decided to hold out until it was published. We were so excited when it arrived and couldn't wait to get to Guatemala. When we arrived, however, it became immediately apparent that Rough Guides had not bothered to live up to their claim of reliability. The information in the guide was completely outdated. We ran into logistical problems at every turn. I understand that Guatemala is one of the countries that is in a state of constant flux but some of the hotel recommendations in the book had disappeared years ago. On the whole, the book was good for the ideas of what to see and do and the history of the country but logistically speaking, it left much to be desired. We ended up forgetting the book completely for logistical planning and asked the locals instead.

The Rough Guide to Central America 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Average customer rating:

Limited info, often misleading info
Very thorough book.
Best Central America guide available

The Rough Guide to Central America 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Peter Eltringham , Joe Fullman , Brendon Griffin , Jean McNeil , Toby Nortcliffe , Paul Smith , Lain Stewart , and Andy Symington
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1843532883

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Central America gives unparalleled coverage to all seven Central American countries. The guide provides focused advice and information for those doing overland travel and planning multi-country trips. The full-colour introduction gives a run down of the regions climate, culture and geography and includes the inspirational ''Things Not to Miss'' - stunning photography of the best sights, activities and events the region has to offer from the beaches of the Caribbean coast to the lost Maya cities of the jungle. There are opinionated reviews of the best places to stay eat and drink, assuring the experience will match the expectations. Topical coverage is given to each country''s culture and politics, with background articles on history, wildlife and ecotourism. For every region of every country there is practical advice on the wide range of activities available, from scuba diving off the reefs of Belize to exploring the flora and fauna of the cloudforests.

Customer Reviews:

Limited info, often misleading info.......2007-05-17

I just traveled through Central America (Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala) for 2.5 months using the Rough Guide. I found the info in the Rough Guide of very limited utility. Their maps are not very clear. Overall, the guidebook could use more detailed maps. Sections of the book do not follow common sense organization (Costa Rica for instance is a mess without a north to south organization you think would make sense) making it difficult at times to find the destinations you're traveling to.

They generally did a decent job with recommendations for accommodations, however they often neglected noting the popular backpacker hostel of the area (there's usually one) (maybe to distinguish themselves from the Lonely Planet whose recommendations seem to become the popular destination).

Their health recommendations are shameful. They only mention the presence of malaria on the Bay Islands of Honduras, and that info is hard to find. Other important info, about weather or need for rain gear is simply lacking.

Very thorough book........2007-02-19

I bought this book to help me decide whether or not I want to go to Costa Rica. IT seems very comprehensive and very interesting.

Best Central America guide available.......2006-04-28

I just returned from a month long trip through Central America, during which I visited the following countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, in that order. For the trip I brought two guide books along with me, this one and Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring. I found myself using this guide almsot constantly and Lonely Planet's not at all. So if you are going to Central America, take this book with you.

The best thing about this book is that it is well-organized and easy to read. This is especially true of the maps, which are in color and a delight to read. Anything you might be seeking can be found with ease. There are ample listings of sleeping accommodations and places to eat. The title might lead you to think that this book is just for backpackers and those seeking accommodation and restaurants just on the lower end of the scale. Not so! In every country, the book lists a wide range of hotels and restaurants, ranging from the luxury to the most basic. So, there is something in here to accommodate every budget. The book is especially useful in providing keys to providers of side activities, such as specialized tours like the Panama Canal. Through information in this book, I was able to contact a tour provider and make a reservation for a boat ride on the Panama Canal. I also found the best place to stay at the ruins in Tikal and in most of the major Central American capitals.

In summary, I can't praise this book enough. Don't even think about going to Central America without it.

The Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Average customer rating:

DR book
Led me astray many times
answers to all of my questions
Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic
A great guide

The Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Sean Harvey
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dominican Republic | Caribbean | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Caribbean | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1843534975

Book Description

The revised, third edition of the Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic is the complete handbook to the CaribbeanÂ's most popular destination. The guide opens with a 24-page, full-colour section introducing many of the islandÂ's highlights, from the idyllic white-sand beaches and lavish resorts, to picturesque villages, coastal mangroves and the verdant Cordillera Central. There is lively coverage of all the islandÂ's top attractions, from the colonial relics of Santo Domingo to the stunning beaches around Puerto Plata. There are detailed reviews of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, and for the more adventurous traveller the guide provides plenty of practical advice on all outdoor activities, including: snorkelling, scuba diving, white-water rafting and hiking.Â

Customer Reviews:

DR book.......2007-09-20

Excellent information on what we were hoping for. Great and I aould recommend it to anyone interested in getting aropound in the Dominican Rerpublic.

Led me astray many times.......2007-03-20

I just returned from 16 days in the DR. I found this guide untrustworthy and wrong. I spent the first 3 days hiking Pico Duarte and then was based for 2 weeks in Santiago. To give you an idea of the level of error, the map of Santiago on p. 264 shows the Centro Leon in one place, the description on p. 269 gives another location: neither one is correct. Now, my travels were off the beaten tourist path--I only spent 4 hours at a beach. But that's why I chose the Rough Guide. In general the guide was written for travellers who rent cars, but everyone (including the guide) recommended against them. Guaguas are great!

Here are the errors in the order I encountered them:
p. 281 The Finca Altagracia does not accept overnight guests except on a long term stay. If you do manage to get a motoconcho to take you on the mountain road to get at their gates at night, they will not let you in and you will have to go to any farmhouse in a nearby village that's big and kind enough to take you in. The next morning they will tell you that they have been meaning to tell the guide that they got it wrong.
p. 287 Duarte's face is not sculpted onto the rocks. Clearly the writer or editor has never been to the summit of Pico Duarte.
p. 274 There *may* have been mines down the road leading to "La Cumbre de Juan Vegas", but the locals do not know of them, and my hour's hike to the end of the path did not find them. Currently there are mines off of a road about 3-4 kilometers further North. The turn is to the EAST right after the police station. Ask a motoconcho to take you to the mines. They are about 1 kilometer down the road, but hard to find on your own.
p. 269 The Centro de Recreo and the Palacio Consistorial are NOT on the North side of the park--on the west side.
p. 269-70 The Centro de Cultura is not where they say it is either.
p. 277 The Charcos de Los Indios is criminally overrated. I moved heaven and earth to find it, asking many locals and spending a whole day. The locals did say it is better when the waterfalls have more water, but the prose in this section should be toned down. I can send pictures of the place.
That's all I have time for now.

answers to all of my questions.......2007-02-25

i read this book from cover to cover. the history of the country is outlined in an easy to follow format. thanks to this guide, i have a two month educational trip planned to DR.

Rough Guide to the Dominican Republic.......2007-02-16

This is a very thorough and helpful guide to the Dominican Republic. I used it in combination with the Lonely Planet guide and together they gave me everything I needed to know about the country, accommodations, eating, getting around the country, etc.

A great guide.......2007-02-16

I just got back from a 10 day trip to the DR. I found this guide amazing right up to the second to last day when I lost it on the beach. I had checked other guide books out from the library but when it came time to go this was the one I ordered.

Average customer rating:
Signwork: A Craftsman's Manual
Bill Stewart
Manufacturer: Kumarian Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQHA7G

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