Your Thoughts: "Jim Henson: The Biography" by Brian Jay Jones

[Cookie Chris]

So has anybody found any known factual mistakes in this book yet?

I believe in the "Mucking Fuppets" chapter, Brian misspelt the name of the SNL sketch, "Land of Gorch", as "Land of Gortch". Usually, everywhere I read about the sketch it's usually spelled as "Gorch". I may be wrong, though.

Anyway, I checked the book out from my public library nearly three weeks ago, and it was a spectacularly-researched biography about the life of Jim Henson from beginning to end. It definitely provided me an insightful into his personality as well as deepen my knowledge about his flaws through Jones's writing made him more endearing, tragic, and yet human. It definitely took me away from the countless movies, television series, and television specials he and his colleagues created that I commonly associate him with. It was definitely a pleasure to enjoy the involvement and input from his friends and collaborators through reading the quotes and comments from Frank Oz, the late Jane Henson, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Jerry Juhl, Bernie Brillstein, and David Lazer among others. This goes without saying that I loved reading the behind-the-scenes production details of Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, The Storyteller, and The Jim Henson Hour. I'm a sucker for that type of information.

Towards the end, it was depressing reading the gruesome background surrounding his tragic death, but yet so inspiring with the mention of the "Just One Person" song and his enduring legacy. So, all in all, I highly recommend the biography. It's definitely one I've been hungry for quite some time. So, I tip my hat off to Brian Jay Jones for three fruitful years of research!

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

I believe in the "Mucking Fuppets" chapter, Brian misspelt the name of the SNL sketch, "Land of Gorch", as "Land of Gortch". Usually, everywhere I read about the sketch it's usually spelled as "Gorch". I may be wrong, though.

Anyway, I checked the book out from my public library nearly three weeks ago, and it was a spectacularly-researched biography about the life of Jim Henson from beginning to end. It definitely provided me an insightful into his personality as well as deepen my knowledge about his flaws through Jones's writing made him more endearing, tragic, and yet human. It definitely took me away from the countless movies, television series, and television specials he and his colleagues created that I commonly associate him with. It was definitely a pleasure to enjoy the involvement and input from his friends and collaborators through reading the quotes and comments from Frank Oz, the late Jane Henson, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Jerry Juhl, Bernie Brillstein, and David Lazer among others. This goes without saying that I loved reading the behind-the-scenes production details of Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, The Storyteller, and The Jim Henson Hour. I'm a sucker for that type of information.

Towards the end, it was depressing reading the gruesome background surrounding his tragic death, but yet so inspiring with the mention of the "Just One Person" song and his enduring legacy. So, all in all, I highly recommend the biography. It's definitely one I've been hungry for quite some time. So, I tip my hat off to Brian Jay Jones for three fruitful years of research!

Is it a good book?

 

[Cookie Chris]

Is it a good book?

Yes, it is.

 

[minor muppetz]

I believe in the "Mucking Fuppets" chapter, Brian misspelt the name of the SNL sketch, "Land of Gorch", as "Land of Gortch". Usually, everywhere I read about the sketch it's usually spelled as "Gorch". I may be wrong, though.

Actually, it's kinda right. The original scripts and such spelled it as "Gortch" (and there is one segment where Scred gets a package which has that spelling written on it), but most of the official reference books and such have spelled it as "Gorch". I think the more common one is now considered correct due to the fact that that spelling has been used for so many years. I'd prefer the original spelling, but Muppet Wiki uses the spelling that's more commonly out there (while still acknowledging the original spelling).

In fact, The Mighty Favog's name was originally spelled as "Fuvog", but nearly every reference spells it the other way. Though I think the original spelling is used in some Red Book articles as well as Imagination Illustrated.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

Is it a good book?

Street Gang is also a great book.

 

[CanaceErinn]

Yes, it is.

It's extremely good! Very thorough; not too many pictures, though if you want that, I recommend "Jim Henson: The Works," which is a very good coffee-table book. But still, I'm a die-hard Labyrinth fan, and even I learned new things in the chapter discussing the film. The book does not go into every single Henson project, but considering how much of that there is, it's understandable. I enjoyed learning about stuff I never knew much about before, like the initial deal with Disney and how that fell through, and the breakout of Sam and Friends.

Btw, has anyone been able to find the Wonkins and Willkins puppets mentioned at the beginning? Can't imagine how much those would be worth today...

 

[bendpuppets]

I've been listening to the audiobook version while building. Love Kirby Heyborne's read on the manuscript. The thing is 21 hours long. Haven't even gotten to the Muppet Movie yet.

 

[minor muppetz]

Some time ago the Tough Pigs people hosted a panel about the book, and now the event has been posted on YouTube by The Nerdist YouTube channel.

 

[antsamthompson9]

Some time ago the Tough Pigs people hosted a panel about the book, and now the event has been posted on YouTube by The Nerdist YouTube channel.

I love that Prairie Dawn was there. She hasn't been on Sesame Street in so long.

 

[misspiggy5260]

I just got it today. I'm gonna read it later.