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Book Reviews of There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale

There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale
There and Back Again An Actor's Tale
Author: Sean Astin, Joe Layden
ISBN-13: 9780312331467
ISBN-10: 0312331460
Publication Date: 10/14/2004
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
 20

2.6 stars, based on 20 ratings
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

6 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on + 301 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
Can't imagine anyone writing a book that would make themselves look so small, mean and petty. Openly jealous of just about everyone, he even calls his mother's book "self-serving." The perfect guest for Maury Pauvich.
arianna avatar reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on + 21 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I don't know what I expected from this book, but I was surprised at how much Sean Astin really wanted to talk about himself & his own journey, for some reason -- even though that's exactly what the book is about! I really enjoyed reading about his interactions on the set & his personal journey & struggle with his own ego (in the Freudian sense, not the selfish one, necessarily), but I guess I had expected more of an in-depth look at the actual filming, and I'm not sure I ever got that. It seemed to be more of a superficial look at how Mr. Astin interacted with the other characters & big players. He has led an interesting life & it certainly made me appreciate the filming of the LotR films even more than I had before! So I say it's worth the read, but not necessarily what someone should look for if they want some kind of "expose" into the creation of the film. It's a much more personal book, which I did enjoy.
HBNole avatar reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on + 53 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Too self-absorbed for my taste. (I guess he's an actor so what can you expect.) I was hoping for more about the making of the movie, but the first half of the book is about his petty issues with other people in the industry. DON'T CARE!
reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I didn't even finish this one. He is overly analytical and qualifies every statement he makes. He is overly critical. I suspect this book may be his undoing.
donnamig avatar reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I had hoped for a real insider's look at the process of creating the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but to be honest, this is a pretty dull book. Astin spends far too much time talking about his directorial ambitions and not enough giving us the details of making the film.
reviewed There and Back Again : An Actor's Tale on
I thought this was a pretty good memoir by Astin. A little about many movies, and his thoughts and feelings about filming LOTR. Not your typical autobiography, but still very enlightening.