New York Times BestsellerEdgar Award winner for Best Fact CrimeThe Day of the Locust meets The Devil in the White City and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in this juicy; untold Hollywood story: an addictive true tale of ambition; scandal; intrigue; murder; and the creation of the modern film industry.By 1920; the movies had suddenly become America’s new favorite pastime; and one of the nation’s largest industries. Never before had a medium possessed such power to influence. Yet Hollywood’s glittering ascendency was threatened by a string of headline-grabbing tragedies—including the murder of William Desmond Taylor; the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association; a legendary crime that has remained unsolved until now.In a fiendishly involving narrative; bestselling Hollywood chronicler William J. Mann draws on a rich host of sources; including recently released FBI files; to unpack the story of the enigmatic Taylor and the diverse cast that surrounded him—including three beautiful; ambitious actresses; a grasping stage mother; a devoted valet; and a gang of two-bit thugs; any of whom might have fired the fatal bullet. And overseeing this entire landscape of intrigue was Adolph Zukor; the brilliant and ruthless founder of Paramount; locked in a struggle for control of the industry and desperate to conceal the truth about the crime. Along the way; Mann brings to life Los Angeles in the Roaring Twenties: a sparkling yet schizophrenic town filled with party girls; drug dealers; religious zealots; newly-minted legends and starlets already past their prime—a dangerous place where the powerful could still run afoul of the desperate.A true story recreated with the suspense of a novel; Tinseltown is the work of a storyteller at the peak of his powers—and the solution to a crime that has stumped detectives and historians for nearly a century.
#233238 in Books Bart D Ehrman 2013-03-19 2013-03-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .83 x 5.31l; .60 #File Name: 0062206443368 pagesDid Jesus Exist The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Example of Historical Critical MethodBy CustomerWhether one agrees with the Professor or not on all aspeccts of his findings; it's an excellent presentation of how to methodically come to a historical determination (or maybe plausible estimation) of an event or existence and / activities of an historical person. From a personal perspective; I would have preferred that the author solely presented his view and his historical analysis and then provided his critique concerning other views holding Jesus was mythical. It's much easier to follow someone's logic if they have a single aim. In fact; the argument against the mythists perhaps could have been a repeat book. It was still an excellent historical analysis accompanied by many interesting facts or factual propositions.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Ehrman's books are easy for a layman to understandBy Cat LadyDr. Ehrman's books are easy for a layman to understand . His humor and down- to- earth wording brings big ideas into simple illustrations. He is a giant in his field.3 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Read it; even if you don't believe.By Matthew O'NeilI went from a mythicist; to agnostic on the subject; to believing there was a historical Jesus. Ehrman has a way of explaining things; both to lay and well-educated persons; that just has subjects make sense. Even if it does not fully convince you; it is worth the read to see why a scholar (and an agnostic/atheist at that) still feels we have enough evidence to demonstrate the existence of a historical Jesus.
