false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178796573m/837899.jpg 837899 5 The fascinating memoir of a Hollywood life and an inside look at a life-changing role and the groundbreaking Lord of the Rings films that captured the imagination of movie fans everywhere.The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful film franchises in cinematic history. Winner of a record eleven Academy Awards--a clean sweep--and breaking box office records worldwide, the trilogy is a breathtaking cinematic achievement and beloved by fans everywhere. For Sean Astin, a Hollywood child (his mother is Patty Duke and stepfather is John Astin) who made his feature film debut at 13 in the 1980s classic The Goonies and played the title role in Rudy, the call from his agent about the role of Samwise Gamgee couldn't have come at a better time. His career was at a low point and choice roles were hard to come by. But his 18-month experience in New Zealand with director Peter Jackson and the cast and crew od The Lord of the Rings films would be more than simply a dream-come-true--it would prove to be the challenge of a lifetime.There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale is the complete memoir of Sean Astin, from his early days in Hollywood to the role that changed his life. Though much has been written about the making of the films, including the techniques and artistry employed to bring Tolkien's vision of life and the various relationships between castmembers, the real story of what took place on the set, the harrowing ordeals of the actors and the unspoken controversy and backstage dealings have never been told.Sean's experience and candid account of his time filming in New Zealand is unparalleled. More than a companion guide to the Ring films, There and Back Again filled with stories from the set and of the actors involved that have never been revealed before and is an eye-opening look from a Hollywood veteran at the blood, sweat and tears that went into the making of one of the most ambitious films of all time. 4021 14 10 2004 There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale total:221|5:25|4:42|3:92|2:54|1:8| 221 685 342 40 2 1 false false Sun Sep 14 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Sep 10 11:24:30 -0700 2008 Sun Sep 14 09:52:53 -0700 2008 1
...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 01 08:06:38 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 01 08:14:49 -0700 2009 Hedged my bets with this book because it was about a Hollywood star but Sean came across surprisingly personable and likable.

He describes himself (before LOTR) as a journeyman actor. Could I really feel for someone who "only" got $250,000 for the three years to be part of...more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Mar 17 09:59:49 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 17 10:04:19 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jan 08 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 19:57:55 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 20:03:32 -0800 2009
He is long winded on everything the talks about as well. The book could have been completely told in 15...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Mar 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Mar 28 18:19:58 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 12:24:22 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Nov 17 10:58:28 -0800 2008 Mon Dec 08 07:16:31 -0800 2008 There and Back Again by Sean Astin for the enticing price of 3 bucks. Sorry, Mr. Astin, not enticing enough. My next visit to the bookstore revealed that the price had dropped to a dollar. I compare what happened next ...more...]]> 2 0 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Mar 09 05:00:40 -0700 2008 Tue Mar 11 05:52:55 -0700 2008
Sadly, I have to report that I became increasingly frustrated with this book - whi...more...]]> 3 0 true false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Nov 23 00:12:55 -0800 2007 Fri Nov 23 00:15:25 -0800 2007 more...]]> 2 0 false false Fri Sep 11 14:49:06 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 12 19:15:51 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 12 18:43:00 -0800 2008 Sun Nov 09 20:46:45 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Jan 09 11:05:57 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 06 09:23:38 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Sun Nov 08 12:03:02 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 12:04:05 -0800 2009 2 0 false false Fri Sep 07 18:56:58 -0700 2007 Tue Sep 18 18:39:44 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Sep 08 19:17:30 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 08 19:18:20 -0700 2009
I loved him in Goonies and still love him!!]]> 0 0 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Dec 20 20:49:16 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 20 20:50:49 -0800 2008 1 0 false false Sun Apr 12 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 10:29:31 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 10:30:35 -0700 2009 1 0 false false Sun Jun 07 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 07 13:41:58 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 07 13:43:01 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Thu Jul 31 03:50:37 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 31 03:54:46 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Mon Apr 07 09:22:26 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 07 09:22:26 -0700 2008
Interestin...more...]]> 1 0 true false Sun Jul 20 01:07:28 -0700 2008 Sat Nov 22 06:52:07 -0800 2008 1/2 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=837899