Beauty and the Brain (The Dream Maker) [Paperback]

Duncan Alice (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821768794
• ISBN-13: 978-0821768792
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,888,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In an effort to avoid what I knew I should be doing with my life (writing'it sounded so hard), for several years I expressed my creative side by dancing and singing. I belonged to two professional international folk-dance groups. Dancing made for a lousy living, but it was certainly fun. I also sang in a Balkan women's choir. I got to sing the tenor drone, for the most part. My first book, ONE BRIGHT MORNING, was published by HarperMonogram in 1995. What's more, it won the HOLT Medallion for Best First Novel. It was a good start, but my career has been . . . rocky, is the best word for it, I guess. Publishing's a brutal business, but I've got more persistence than brains so the publishing gods haven't killed me yet, although they seem to be trying awfully darned hard, curse them. In September of 1996 my herd of wild dachshunds and I moved from Pasadena, CA, to Roswell, NM, where my mother's family settled fifty years before the aliens crashed. We love it here. No smog, no crowds, no money, but I had no money in California, either, and you don't need so much of it here.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun romantic romp, April 27, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beauty and the Brain (The Dream Maker) (Paperback)

In 1907 San Bernardino Mountains, California, Peerless Studio movie director Martin Tafft begins filming Indian Love Song. One of the stars is Brenda Fitzpatrick, a beautiful woman who hides her above average intelligence so she can make it as an actress. Martin's research assistant on the movie picture is Boston College graduate Colin Peters a hunk who hides his devastating looks behind nerd glasses so he can make it as an intellect.

However, Colin becomes disenchanted with the blatant errors that the film contains as Martin brushes off his feedback for the most part as unnecessarily unimportant. Colin finds himself attracted to Brenda, but believes the brainless beauty could never fall for a civilian like him. Brenda finds herself attracted to Colin, but believes a brilliant brain could never fall for an actress.

BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN, the second Dream Maker novel (see COWBOY FOR HIRE), is an entertaining historical romance that brings to life a bygone fascinating era of Americana history. The story line contains tidbits of early Hollywood (on location) through a lovable cast. The lead couple is fun to observe as sparks fly, but neither can see beneath the mask of the other although both Brenda and Colin sense something off kilter. The secondary characters augment the intriguing plot with a feel for the period and propel the story line forward. Alice Duncan's homage to the silent screen is another triumphant novel.

Harriet Klausner

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreams do come true -- Very highly recommended, June 11, 2001

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beauty and the Brain (The Dream Maker) (Paperback)

The silent motion picture industry once again provides the fascinating backdrop for Alice Duncan's BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN. For readers who enjoyed COWBOY FOR HIRE, the second novel of The Dream Maker series proves to be as equally entertaining as the first.

Peerless Studios begins filming I in the San Bernadino Mountains in 1907. Martin Tafft, the man in charge of the film's production, assembles a fascinating crew for the filming. As his responsibilities to Peerless escalate, Martin hires Colin Phillips as his assistant for the summer.

Unfortunately, Colin has spent most of his life with his head inside various schools and universities. As much as he understands facts, Colin is not equiped for emotions. A child protege and now an assistant professor, the summer job with Peerless Studios allows him to learn more than this new and booming industry. Fascinated by motion pictures, he's not prepared for the necessity of sacrificing accuracy for completing production.

Brenda Fitzpatrick abandons Broadway to accept the lead female part in Indian Love Song. Although she loved the stage, her financial responsibility to her family dictates that she accept the high paying salary associated with motion pictures. Brenda makes her living with her looks, masking her intelligence in an eye-pleasing package that belies her intelligence. She's never minded men assuming that she has no brains, at least, until she meets Colin. Although she's not aware that her accent labels her an unlettered booby in Colin's eyes, she does quickly realize that he does not believe in the sincerity of her questions. Indeed, Colin scoffs at her dream of being a librarian rather than an actress, and does not appreciate the sincerity of her desire to retire with a room full of books and the leisure to enjoy them.

BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN is a refreshing, light-hearted novel that underscores the foolish assumptions lovers make. The classic case of not understanding the opposite sex, or even one's self, makes for a lovely conundrum. Further, the film industry background, sandlot baseball, and gently mentioned social commentary result in a vividly realized, fabulously entertaining read. BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN comes very highly recommended.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreams do come true -- Very highly recommended, May 29, 2001

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beauty and the Brain (The Dream Maker) (Paperback)

The silent motion picture industry once again provides the fascinating backdrop for Alice Duncan's BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN. For readers who enjoyed COWBOY FOR HIRE, the second novel of The Dream Maker series proves to be as equally entertaining as the first.

Peerless Studios begins filming I in the San Bernadino Mountains in 1907. Martin Tafft, the man in charge of the film's production, assembles a fascinating crew for the filming. As his responsibilities to Peerless escalate, Martin hires Colin Phillips as his assistant for the summer.

Unfortunately, Colin has spent most of his life with his head inside various schools and universities. As much as he understands facts, Colin is not equiped for emotions. A child protege and now an assistant professor, the summer job with Peerless Studios allows him to learn more than this new and booming industry. Fascinated by motion pictures, he's not prepared for the necessity of sacrificing accuracy for completing production.

Brenda Fitzpatrick abandons Broadway to accept the lead female part in Indian Love Song. Although she loved the stage, her financial responsibility to her family dictates that she accept the high paying salary associated with motion pictures. Brenda makes her living with her looks, masking her intelligence in an eye-pleasing package that belies her intelligence. She's never minded men assuming that she has no brains, at least, until she meets Colin. Although she's not aware that her accent labels her an unlettered booby in Colin's eyes, she does quickly realize that he does not believe in the sincerity of her questions. Indeed, Colin scoffs at her dream of being a librarian rather than an actress, and does not appreciate the sincerity of her desire to retire with a room full of books and the leisure to enjoy them.

BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN is a refreshing, light-hearted novel that underscores the foolish assumptions lovers make. The classic case of not understanding the opposite sex, or even one's self, makes for a lovely conundrum. Further, the film industry background, sandlot baseball, and gently mentioned social commentary result in a vividly realized, fabulously entertaining read. BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN comes very highly recommended.