Reviews

This is what you would get if you asked the Hollywood gossip reporter played by Bill Murray on Saturday Night Live to write a research guide for Woody Allen scholars. For example, an entry in the annotated bibliography at the end contains this observation: ``Speaking of photos, I think the front-cover photo of Mia is one of the nicest ever taken, and that on the back one of the worst. Go figure.'' Elsewhere, in regard to a recording of Allen's standup material, Spignisi confesses that his copy was so bad that he couldn't hear part of it. He even says he would be grateful if someone sent him a better one. Throughout he refers to Allen by first name, continually punning on it. The author claims only to have written this book for fans, and for them he provides exhaustive information (though much of it in idiot savant fashion). For serious Allen fans the book can't not be recommended.-- Brian Geary, West Seneca, N.Y.