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

[minor muppetz]

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

It seems like not much from this book has been sourced onto Muppet Wiki yet. I know that some info regarding Tales of the Tinkerdee has, but otherwise I don't think any info has. And there is a thread on the Muppet Wiki forums about what to do regarding sourcing (for those who ordered digital copies).

 

[LaRanaRene]

I have to say, this book made me feel like Jim was a best friend of mine. Brian Jay Jones is amazing.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

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

Because MuppetWiki is more accurate than the Henson Archives, right?

 

[minor muppetz]

Because MuppetWiki is more accurate than the Henson Archives, right?

Well, the author did interview a lot of people who knew Henson, and it's possible some of the people interviewed misremembered things that we already know.

The books Jim Henson: The Works, Sesame Street Unpaved, Street Gang, and Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street all have their fair share of mistakes, and all those used materials from the Henson/CTW archives (Sesame Workshop does have an archive, besides the CTW Archives at the University of Maryland, right?). Though last years Imagination Illustration had very few mistakes.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

I guess I'm prematurely old fashioned. I'll trust a book before I'll trust the accuracy of a fan-maintained wiki page.

 

[MuppetGeek]

Im getting the book. Should have it next week,i'll tell you what i think when i read it. Looks really good

 

[CensoredAlso]

I guess I'm prematurely old fashioned. I'll trust a book before I'll trust the accuracy of a fan-maintained wiki page.

Now for the most part I absolutely agree with you, lol. But it is also true people's personal recollections are subject to failure from time to time.

 

[LouisTheOtter]

I'm nearly at the "Sesame Street" chapter (and have had to really hose myself down from skipping ahead to it) and so far I'm enjoying this immensely. Jones' writing style alternates between breezy and colourful to detailed and serious when necessary - not unlike his subject matter!

I'm portioning out the biography in an interesting way, partly because of the way it was given to me.

You see, the lovely Mrs. Otter gave me Jim Henson: The Biography and Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journals for my birthday in September (which also featured a day-long Muppet movie marathon). So I've been reading a few sections of the biography and then going to the corresponding Imagination Illustrated pages. What a treat to read about Jim's early work and then shift to colorful photos and sketches of those endeavours - it's like having a living history of Jim for my very own.

 

[Vic Romano]

What I love about the book is how human it makes Jim. It makes me love him more. Very powerful and just an outstanding piece of literature.

 

[muppetlover123]

i cant wait to get it. i will have it soon