Delta: Dell. Feb. 2004. c.240p. ISBN 0-385-337704-3. pap. $14. SELF-HELP
Peske and West have collaborated on three previous “Cinematherapy” collections; this one suggests 150 flicks to change mood (or, as the authors rather dramatically put it, to “inspire, refresh, uplift, and reinvigorate your tired spirit”). The chapters are thematically organized (e.g., “Your Soul Mate”) and contain brief entries summarizing movies and postulating why they will help readers. Some of the comments are crude. such as “pour some tequila shots, watch Frida and celebrate your own palette of possibilities,” and though most of the films discussed would be considered chick flicks, occasionally gender-neutral stuff (e.g., Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) surfaces. Recipes and movie quotes are interspersed throughout. Libraries should remember that this was designed as a gift book–it has a limited readership, a brief shelf life, and a lack of the critical perspective needed for a collection tool. Not recommended; consider the many existing alternatives, like Video-Hound’s Golden Movie Retriever, 2004.
This review appeared in Library Journal 129.3, February 15, 2004 on page 147. The galley was recycled on January 9, 2012.
