Customer Reviews

The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville:

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What a spectacular book! This will be the starting point for all future researchers of the subject. It's not your typical, dry encyclopedia text. I read it from cover to cover, and found every page enjoyable, fascinating reading. Slide presents beautifully written articles on hundreds of topics, individuals and locations -- and with a wealth of footnotes and resource lists. There's even a small but exquisite selection of photos. I've been researching vaudeville for years, and I learned more from this one book than any five others on the subject. Anyone interested in vaudeville owes Slide a genuine debt for this one. Wherever you are, Mr. Slide, three cheers!

Those of us with a love and fascination for vaudeville, but who were just born too late, owe a real debt to Anthony Slide. This book, while a little light on the stories so near and dear to my heart (though I suppose you can get those from "All My Best Friends" by George Burns) is still an absolutely invaluable reference piece. I'm sure there are others out there (you know who you are!) who wish they could have been there- to see a young Eddie Cantor run around the stage for eight shows a day with total abandon; to witness W.C. Fields as he originally performed, as a silent juggling clown(!); to watch the Ziegfield spectacles; to see, quite simply, the GREATEST ENTERTAINER THAT EVER LIVED, Al Jolson. This doesn't put you in the front row of the Palace, but it sure helps. Even if you're not a fan of this truly American artform, you should be proud that a resource like this exists (and in nigh-indestructible library binding, to boot!) Not cheap, but well worth it.