The Sound of Music Companion

Lawrence Maslon should be thanked and congratulated for offering a concise and informative Sound of Music book. Although there have been a few Sound of Music books written in the past, this book is probably the first of its kind to tell the story in a concise manner. The Hirsch book on the film and the reissued Max Wilk book on the stage show were great books in their own right, but I think this book tops them all. Although the numerous photos are the draw of this coffee-table book, a coffee-table book should offer much more than pretty photographs. For this it certainly delivers. His meticulously researched, well-written text tells us the whole Sound of Music story from Maria's birth to the first Austrian stage production in 2005. This book covers all important stops in the history of SOM up till now, and does not dwell too long on any one time period. An added treat is the inclusion of song lyrics and commentaries on the songs, explaining how they were written and what role they played in the musical. I admit there are a few typo errors in the text, but this well-researched book is jam-packed with facts of the musical. You could literally dip your teeth into it and come out a Sound of Music junkie. I do wish there were also lyrics and commentaries for I Have Confidence, So Long, Farewell and also The Lonely Goatherd. In short, a really great Sound of Music book that makes a splendidd addition to any Sound of Music collection, except that the print tends to be a little too small for the size of the book. Otherwise, a really wonderful book from cover to cover, and a seminal work in the entire world of this well-loved musical. I think this is a book that deserves to be in print forever.

I love this book! It is well written with high quality pictures & nice, thick pages. If you are fan of the movie, this book does it justice.

THE BOOK ARRIVED IN GREAT SHAPE & IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. AND THE PRICE WAS GREAT. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SOURCE!

This is a nice book but I thought they'd delve more into the actual filming experience for Sound of Music and it's really more the history of the Sound of Music from true life to book to musical play to movie. A little disappointing actually.

This book is a must for all Sound of Music fans. It is interesting to read about how the movie was made and details the many behind-the-scenes issues that go into filming on location and in a movie studio. This book also contains many photos of the movie and the filming of many scenes. If you are the type that likes to see what happens when you go 'behind' the making of a movie then this book will help you do that. It also gives information on the Von Trapp family as well as comparisons with the true familie's ways and what the studio wanted to show on the screen. I wouldn't say it has too much Catholicism in it but it does show where Maria came from and a bit of her life inside an Austrian Convent. In between all of that, the movie is quite entertaining and the photography shows one of the most beautiful countries on earth: Salzburg, Austria! You'll be glad you have this in your Sound of Music collection!

If you love Dame Julie Andrews and "The Sound of Music" or the real life Trapp Family Singers, you'll love this book. Here you'll discover the basics of the true story with family photos, the story of the Broadway musical which was based upon their lives and the story of the film itself, with chapters centered around each song. Here you'll find out how they did it, where they did it, and why. Beautiful photographs, maps and personal memories compliment the story.

If you love this film you will love this book. All the info you need although adding the Sound of Music FAQ might be wise. I have them both and I think they both pretty much cover it all. Also Christopher Plummer's auto-bio is really good too. He was far from well behaved (or sober) during this shoot but he is pretty honest about it all.

I have to be the Sound Of Music's BIGGEST fan. I loved the book. It even had some photos I'd never seen before. Having the forward written by Julie Andrews was a delight. Any true fan of this beautiful film will love this addition to their library.

Purchased this in early March and it got here fairly quickly, yesterday, so in less than a month and especially considering I live in another country. It also came in perfectly good conditions, looking as great as I expected it would! That being said, it was also such a great read that I finished in less than than a day, I just couldn't put it down. Definitely recommend it to any fan of the movie or the play!

Lawrence Maslon should be thanked and congratulated for offering a concise and informative Sound of Music book. Although the numerous photos are the draw of this coffee-table book, a coffee-table book should offer much more than pretty photographs. For this it certainly delivers. His meticulously researched, well-written text tells us the whole Sound of Music story from Maria's birth to the first stage Austrian production in 2005. This book covers all important stops in the history of TSOM up till now, and does not dwell too long on any one time period. An added treat is the inclusion of song lyrics and commentaries on the songs, explaining how they were written and what role they played in the musical. I admit there are a few typo errors in the text, but this well-researched book is jam-packed with facts of the musical. You could literally dip your teeth into it and come out a Sound of Music junkie. I do wish there were also lyrics and commentaries for I Have Confidence, So Long, Farewell and also The Lonely Goatherd. In short, a really great Sound of Music book that makes a splendidd addition to any Sound of Music collection, except that the print tends to be a little too small for the size of the book. Otherwise, a really wonderful book from cover to cover, and a seminal work in the entire world of this well-loved musical.

This is an absolute must for all Sound of Music fans. The book provides definitive information about the Von Trapp family, Rogers and Hammerstein, stage plays of the SOM and of course the Movie and has wonderful colour plates. I didn't read it from cover to cover but browsed it occasionally when in the mood for enjoying one of "My favourite things". I enjoyed it so much I felt as though I were, "16 going on 17", which I'm not! "I have confidence" now that I can answer any question at all about the Sound of Music because I have the ultimate information guide at my disposal. We all need a pick-me-up with the recession so don't "Climb Every Mountain" instead treat yourself to, "Something Good" The Sound of Music Companion, it's fab!

Too often books of 'phenomena' are thrown together to capitalize on an all-too-eager fan base and are an utter waste of time (dare I say, incorrigible?). Not so this book. Its print quality, and huge collection of photos tracing the evolution from idea to stage to film deserves all the plaudits alone. Throw in the well-researched tale and you have a magnificent resource for the SoM fan. I would also recommend reading Maria von Trapp's own autobiography which is a lively and fascinating account of what really happened, but that is by the by. If you buy this you won't be disappointed. Adieu...

Exrlent book about the film, history and stars