Brian Jay Jones's Blog, page 11

Father Christmas

[image error]

Who’s the original Father Christmas? Why, Washington Irving, of course, who beat Clement Clarke Moore to the punch by 11 years:

“…and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings yearly presents to children…And when St. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hat-band, and laying his finger beside his nose…he returned over the tree-tops and disappeared.”

— Washington Irving, A History of New York (1812 edition)

Have a warm and safe and happy holiday, everyone!

Central Podcasting

One of the really great joys of being the biographer of Jim Henson was having the opportunity to know the legion of devoted Jim Henson/Muppet fans. And it’s exactly the same way with George Lucas. Whether it’s discussing the prequels, arguing whether Han shot first, exploring Lucas’s influences, or debating the merits of CGI, George Lucas has one of the most active, vocal — and, frankly, fun — fanbases. It’s been a true pleasure appearing on so many podcasts and having the chance to converse with so many well-informed fans on pretty much everything.

Here, then, are links to my appearances on Coffee With Kenobi, Star Wars 7×7, and Star Wars Underworld.  And my thanks to Dan Zehr, Allen Voivod, and Dominic Jones (and his gang) for having me on.

“Great, Kid! Don’t Get Cocky!”

George Lucas: A Life finally comes out this Tuesday — and I can’t wait for this one to get into your hands and hear what you think. So far, those who’ve had an early look at it seem to like it.  Kirkus Reviews — as reported back here — gave it one of their coveted starred reviews, as did Booklist.  I was also thrilled to learn that Kirkus named it one of their Best Books of 2016 — you can see Lucas and Threepio anchoring the front cover of Kirkus‘s December issue over there at right. All in all, pretty nice.

Oh, and it’s also been nicely reviewed in The Washington Post and BookPage, selected as a Book of the Month by Amazon, spotlighted in USA Today, Parade, the San Francisco Chronicle, the London Daily Mail, and featured on websites like Bustle and Cultured Vultures. Thanks for the kind words, folks.

Lots more to follow in the coming days — I’ll be at the Louisville Free Library on December 13, and having fun on podcasts like Channel Star Wars, Star Wars 7×7, and Coffee With Kenobi, for instance — and I’ll do my best to keep you posted.  Thanks for your enthusiasm so far. I appreciate it.

“Great Kid! Don’t Get Cocky!”

George Lucas: A Life finally comes out this Tuesday — and I can’t wait for this one to get into your hands and hear what you think. So far, those who’ve had an early look at it seem to like it.  Kirkus Reviews — as reported back here — gave it one of their coveted starred reviews, as did Booklist.  I was also thrilled to learn that Kirkus named it one of their Best Books of 2016 — you can see Lucas and Threepio anchoring the front cover of Kirkus‘s December issue over there at right. All in all, pretty nice.

Oh, and it’s also been nicely reviewed in The Washington Post and BookPage, selected as a Book of the Month by Amazon, spotlighted in USA Today, Parade, the San Francisco Chronicle, the London Daily Mail, and featured on websites like Bustle and Cultured Vultures. Thanks for the kind words, folks.

Lots more to follow in the coming days — I’ll be at the Louisville Free Library on December 13, and having fun on podcasts like Channel Star Wars, Star Wars 7×7, and Coffee With Kenobi, for instance — and I’ll do my best to keep you posted.  Thanks for your enthusiasm so far. I appreciate it.

Two Weeks To Go…

. . . until publication of George Lucas: A Life.  I got mine from my editor the other week (and it’s a beaut); there’s still plenty of time for you to pre-order yours. (Click here to order from the bookseller of your choice.)

Many Bothans died to bring you this message.

Unboxing

John Parsley — my crack editor at Little, Brown — e-mailed me yesterday with this pic attached, letting me know that George Lucas was in the building. Apparently he stuck one of these in the mail to me. Now I’m eyeing our mailbox every twenty minutes, with “Please Mister Postman” running through my head.

George Lucas, Now Starring in Booklist As Well

The November issue of Booklist will review George Lucas: A Life — and I was thrilled to get a peek at their starred review. Here’s a quick look:

“Maestro biographer Jones tackles another brilliant entertainer. The world knows George Lucas as the filmmaker who brought us Star Wars, one of the most iconic Hollywood franchises in history, but as Jones’ in-depth, fascinating, and even gripping exploration reveals, Lucas is much more than a gifted storyteller . . . Jones digs deep to limn the highs and lows of Lucas’ career and life, capturing his drive and innovation in crisp, sparkling prose. Masterful and essential for film and pop culture enthusiasts.” 

That’s an awfully nice review. And if I walk around the rest of the day looking like this, you’ll know why:

Once it’s available, I’ll post a link to the full review.

“Nerds unite!”

Fellow nerd (and mega bestseller) Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer — yeah, that Brad Meltzer, the author of tons of bestsellers (The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate), cool comics (the Eisner Award-winning Identity Crisis), gorgeous, inspirational kids’ books like the upcoming I Am Jim Henson, and a card carrying fellow nerd — was given an advance copy of George Lucas: A Life, and had this to say about it:

“Like the famous opening shot of the very first Star Wars, George Lucas: A Life is sweeping, humbling, and instantly transports you into the world of the mad dreamer. Fellow nerds unite! Finally, we get a book that examines the history of a titan who really changed our lives. Beautifully obsessive and relishes every detail. Just like us.”

I’m so flattered and appreciative of his kind words — especially since I’m a big fan of him and his work (I once waited in line nearly an hour to have him sign my copy of Identity Crisis…).  But then, you’re probably a fan, too — and you should definitely go visit his website and see all the neat stuff at www.bradmeltzer.com.

Eighty.

“When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who makes a difference in this world. My hope still is to leave this world a little bit better for my being here.” — Jim Henson

Happy Birthday to Jim Henson, who would have been 80 years old today. Celebrate his life by doing something silly, just because you can. Jim would approve.

Here’s one of my very favorite images of Jim, taken in the late 1980s. This one actually hung in the National Portrait Gallery for a while.

Have fun today, and think of Jim for a little bit while you do it.

Happy Birthday, Jim. We still miss you.

George Lucas, Now Starring in Kirkus

As someone who’s had the Kirkus Reviews bottle smashed over their head — then been rolled gleefully in the broken glass — I always hold my breath when I hear their review is coming down. This time, I’m thrilled to be able to tell you that George Lucas: A Life was not only well-reviewed, but received a starred review, no less — my first one ever.

The review will appear in the October 1 magazine, but it’s available on the website starting today, so I can quote you a bit of it:

“A sweeping, perceptive biography . . . extensively researched . . . [Jones] lays out in luscious detail the path Lucas took to become one of film’s most successful directors . . . This in-depth portrait of the ‘modest and audacious’ Lucas, a ‘brilliant’ and ‘enigmatic’ technological wizard, and those who were crucial to his success . . . is never less than fascinating. Masterful and engaging: just what Lucas’ fans and buffs, who love the nitty-gritty of filmmaking, have been waiting for.” 

If you want to read the review in its entirety, you can see it on the Kirkus website.