I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Peter Anthony Holder showcases the heart and humanity behind some of our world’s greatest celebrities in the book “Great Conversations”.

The Synopsis

You grew up with Buddy Ebsen, Lindsay Wagner, Cloris Leachman, Yvonne Craig, and Burt Ward in your living room each week. You flew to the moon with astronaut Alan Bean, and you were with Christopher Plummer outrunning the Nazis in The Sound of Music. Now, they speak straight from the heart about their lives, careers, hopes, and dreams, and their two-dimensional images finally take on lifelike proportions.

What do Barnaby Jones (1973), The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), and The Wizard of Oz (1939) have in common? All involved Buddy Ebsen, but did you know that the Yellow Brick Road he traveled sometimes felt like The Lost Highway? See the sides of celebrities you never imagined in the other revelations in Peter Anthony Holder’s new collection of classic conversations.

Come down memory lane with Academy Award winner Karl Malden, and Emmy winners Ed Asner, Michael Moriarty, and Lindsay Wagner. Return to Broadway with Tony winners Carol Channing and Julie Newmar. Adjust the fine tuning knob on the memories shared by Bob Denver, Dick Van Patten, Gary Coleman, and Steve Allen. Liftoff once again with a couple of guys that left their footprints on the moon. You can almost hear their voices in these revealing conversations.

Discover the funny, fabulous, sexy, and sad sides of Gary Coleman, Mary Tyler Moore, Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Alison Arngrim, Dick Van Patten, Montgomery Clift, Jodie Foster, Ronny Howard, Kurt Russell, Richard Thomas, Richard Crenna, Sidney Lumet, Jackie Coogan, Karl Malden, Michael Douglas, Marlon Brando, Steve Allen, Louis Nye, Tom Poston, Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Ray Bolger, Jack Haley Jr., Amanda Plummer, William Shatner, Theodore Bikel, Mary Martin, George Takei, Alan Bean, Harrison Schmitt, Milton Berle, Richard Belzer, Lynn Johnston, Ivan Reitman, Jerry Orback, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Moriarty, Sam Waterston, Adam West, Yvonne Craig, Julie Newmar, Robert Cummings, Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope, Shirley Eaton, Sean Connery, Dirk Bogarde, Thurl Ravenscroft, Carol Channing, Mr. Blackwell, Lindsay Wagner, Tippi Hedren, Alfred Hitchcock, Melanie Griffith, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and Stephanie Zimbalist.

Great conversations may never be so boundless again.

The Review

This was an engaging and memorable read. The author did an incredible job of regaling readers with heartfelt and thoughtful conversations with some of the biggest celebrities of the last century. One thing about the author’s plethora of interviews that stuck out to me was how the author was able to showcase or highlight the humanity and heart behind each of these celebrities, not only talking about their craft and their careers but how they approached the events of their lives and in reality illustrated the strength of their character in the process.

There were so many amazing interviews featured in this book, highlighting the long career of the author himself and utilizing a great wealth of creativity and honesty in the author’s writing style altogether. One standout interview for me was with George Takei, the legendary actor, and activist who has been instrumental in fighting for both Asian American rights and the LGBTQ community’s rights. The heart and passion for which the author spoke on both his breakout roles in Star Trek and the impact his stardom had on young Asian actors around the world, as well as the importance of understanding the history of our world and events such as the internment camps many Asian Americans were forced into during WWII, was a tremendous and impactful thing to read. 

The Verdict

Memorable, thoughtful, and engaging, author Peter Anthony Holder’s “Great Conversations” is a wildly entertaining and insightful nonfiction book of interviews and discussions with some of the brightest celebrities in the world. The heart and depth of the author’s discussions with these celebrities and the author’s ability to bring out their humanity and shed away the glitz and glamour that the world knows them for was truly a remarkable read to behold. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

I am a Canadian broadcast veteran of almost 40 years, who has had the pleasure and opportunity to conduct countless interviews with hundreds of celebrities and others through a long career in radio and television.

For 20 years I was the host of a highly popular radio show in Montreal on CJAD that was later simulcast on a sister station, CFRB, in Toronto. I also spent almost a decade as a television news anchor at Global News in Montreal, plus I’ve hosted and/or reported on a myriad of television shows over the years.

Currently I helm the syndicated one hour weekly radio show, The Stuph File Program.

Over the years many have encouraged me to write about encounters with the stars. I’ve finally acquiesced and the book, “Great Conversations,” is the result. It’s a love letter to the stars because in addition to being a broadcaster, I’m also a fan.

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