"Half of all marriages end in divorce--and then there are the really unhappy ones." --Joan Rivers Do you suppose that the person who first said "Life is stranger than fiction" might have had Hollywood marriages in mind? Why watch a romantic film starring a leading man and a leading lady when their real-life romances are so much more interesting? It seems that a celebrity's latest film can have a considerably longer life span in the theater than his or her marriage du jour. One would almost think that Tinseltown has come to embrace divorce as an accepted pastime. Some celebrities have seemingly collected spouses over the years, systematically adding notches in their belts of divorces. Cases in point: Zsa Zsa Gabor (nine), Lana Turner (eight), Elizabeth Taylor (nine), and Mickey Rooney (eight). This list appears to make Jennifer Lopez a mere novice with only three marriages, two divorces, and one terminated engagement to date. In The Hollywood Book of Breakups, James Robert Parish looks at scores of hot Hollywood romances that eventually fell apart. From the decade-long union of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to the "just-for-show" nuptials of Rock Hudson and Phyllis Gates to the four-and-a-half-year marriage of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston to the "other woman" divorce of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Parish covers it all--from the burning embers to the fizzling fires of Hollywood breakups. You couldn't make this stuff up--and James Robert Parish doesn't need to. Hollywood writes its own drama when it comes to scandalous breakups.

A history of heartbreak-replete with beheadings, uprisings, creepy sex dolls, and celebrity gossip-and its disastrously bad consequences throughout time Spanning eras and cultures from ancient Rome to medieval England to 1950s Hollywood, Jennifer Wright's It Ended Badly guides you through the worst of the worst in historically bad breakups. In the throes of heartbreak, Emperor Nero had just about everyone he ever loved-from his old tutor to most of his friends-put to death. Oscar Wilde's lover, whom he went to jail for, abandoned him when faced with being cut off financially from his wealthy family and wrote several self-serving books denying the entire affair. And poor volatile Caroline Lamb sent Lord Byron one hell of a torch letter and enclosed a bloody lock of her own pubic hair. Your obsessive social media stalking of your ex isn't looking so bad now, is it? With a wry wit and considerable empathy, Wright digs deep into the archives to bring these thirteen terrible breakups to life. She educates, entertains, and really puts your own bad breakup conduct into perspective. It Ended Badly is for anyone who's ever loved and lost and maybe sent one too many ill-considered late-night emails to their ex, reminding us that no matter how badly we've behaved, no one is as bad as Henry VIII.

Savor the inside scoop on over-the-top superstars "I'm not a paranoid, deranged millionaire. . . . I'm a billionaire!" "Acting is an empty and useless profession." "Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere else." "I'm interested in being provocative and pushing people's buttons." Which screen icons gave us the quotes above? How do stars get away with self-indulgent, unrestrained behaviors-or do they? In The Hollywood Book of Extravagance, longtime industry insider and Hollywood historian James Robert Parish gives you a provocative look behind the scenes at the lavish indulgences and larger-than-life egos of Tinseltown's rich and famous. The featured celebrities range from heartthrobs to industry tycoons, and from yesterday's matinee idols to today's hottest celebs. The stars are grouped according to their excesses: ego, neurosis, partying, power, rich living, and romancing. You'll devour little-known details on the excesses and exploits of notables ranging from Mae West to Madonna, Greta Garbo to Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando, Bela Lugosi to John Belushi, Zsa Zsa Gabor to Paris Hilton, Errol Flynn to Jude Law, and many more.

Shares a different approach to divorce resolution that will help readers better navigate through the emotional and financial devastation of a break-up.

This book traces the extraordinary life and career of Mel Brooks, who has ridden a wave of show business success perhaps unsurpassed by anyone of his generation. Offering many insights into the wacky world of Brooks and his many collaborators, as well as an intimate look into his successful marriage to the brilliant and beautiful actress Anne Bancroft, It's Good to Be the King might just be the most delightful, engaging, and entertaining biography you'll ever read.

Written by a man with extensive experience on the topic, Beyond the Breakup explains how men think about breakups, their ex-girlfriend, and how they perceive her behavior in the wake of a relationship's end. It also explains the implications this has for girls who are going through a breakup: what will and won't have an emotional effect on him, how to maximize your chances of getting him back, how and when you should contact him, what you should (and shouldn't) say, how to deal with seeing him again, and much more. The list of the chapter titles below give a good overview of the content. This book is not written for women with a weak spirit. It isn’t going to tell you how to mitigate the pain you feel in the wake of a breakup, and it isn’t going to tell you that everything is going to be fine. And while it will tell you how to maximize your chances of getting your ex back, it isn’t going to pretend that there are any ‘tricks’ to make that outcome likely. However, it will do something much more important: it will give you a strong insight into your ex’s state of mind and male psychology in general. This will give you the foundation you need to navigate the breakup and – more importantly – propel yourself into honest and successful relationships with the men in your future. Chapter List: Introduction PART I – UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED Men Don’t Fall in Love the Same Way Women Do The Analogy Between Sex and Commitment Why This Always Happens to You Changing Your Perspective Why You Didn’t See It Coming Men Don’t Have “Commitment Problems” The Difference Between Liking You and Liking You Enough Why Men “Fade Out” You Weren’t Dating Him in the First Place The Small Things Didn’t Matter Anyway Why Your Ex (Who Dumped You) Is Still Contacting You Your Ex and Guilt Your Ex and Pride Your Ex and Decisiveness Interpreting His Emotions What’s Going Through His Mind PART II – HOW TO HANDLE THE BREAKUP The Importance of Silence after a Breakup No, You Can’t Be “Just Friends” How to Know If You Should Cut Him Off Why It’s Never Too Late Why You Should Tell Him That You Are Cutting Him Off What to Say Managing Your Expectations When You Should Fight to Save Your Relationship Exceptions to the Rule How to Know If You Should Dump Him First When He Cheats The Anatomy of Missing Him PART III – FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE BREAKUP Making Him Jealous Doesn’t Work Seeing Him at Work Being Connected with Your Ex on Social Media Returning His Things and Getting Yours Back What to Do When He Contacts You When He Says He Wants Another Chance Reason and Distraction Stop Sleeping with Your Ex to Prove He Likes You PART IV – MOVING ON AND REBUILDING You Are Responsible for Your Own Romantic Happiness Stop Letting Him Waste Your Time Know Why You Want Him Back Why Getting Him Back Won’t Help Why Getting Dumped Is a Good Thing The Importance of Emotional Honesty Dating Again Putting the Breakup in Perspective When You Can Contact Him Again Reframing the Future A Final Word

Part of the Encore Film Book Classics series, this is a reprint of the original text to The Hollywood Book of Love: An Irreverent Guide to the Films That Raised Our Romantic Expectations by James Robert Parish. If you're still waiting for bells to ring and sparks to fly, for fireworks to explode, and waves to crash upon the shore every time you kiss that special someone, don't hold your breath: you've been bitten-and brainwashed-by the Hollywood love bug! From start-up to breakup, only on the big screen is romance so unreal, and in this expansive, cheery, and amusing study you'll find enough smooches and schmaltz to take you from here ... to eternity From Bonnie and Clyde to Harold and Maude and from The African Queen to Titanic, this detailed-filled volume gives you all the steam from the screen in its entertaining exploration of Tinseltown's obsession with love, romance, and heartbreak. Inside this unique volume you'll find:* A guide to Hollywood's top tales of romance from "Young Love" to "Marriages on the Rocks" * Funny, fact-filled plot scenarios of a slew of Hollywood's great love stories over the decades* Spirited sidebars that reveal the reality behind the reel* Behind-the-scenes peeks at the love lives of Hollywood's sexiest stars, from Gary Cooper, Charles Boyer, Don Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, to Lupe Velez, Lana Turner, and Madonna