Jim Henson: The Works - The Art, the Magic, the Imagination

I first saw this beautiful book at a Jim Henson exhibit at the Smithsonian, and I really wanted it, but I didn't want to pay $40 for it. I'm so glad I found it here on Amazon for less. Jim Henson: The Works is like having that entire exhibit and then some with you at home. The book goes in chronological order, starting with Henson's childhood, his first TV show, Sam and Friends; his experimental films and other projects; Sesame Street; The Muppet Show; the Muppet Movies; the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth; The Storyteller; Muppet Vision 3D (which I saw in Disney World and loved!); Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, and more. It's fully illustrated, informative and gorgeous! If you only get one Jim Henson book, this should be the one.

Purchased as a gift for my mother and she loves it. Great photography and wonderful stories. A great find for any Muppet fan!

It's hard to believe Jim Henson has now been gone for over 16 years. Christopher Finch's book stands as a great testament to Henson's amazingly prolific work and his larger-then-life existence. Despite Henson's natural shyness and reticence and quiet manner, the thing that strikes you in the book is how many lives this guy touched. He bestowed livelihoods on literally thousands of people. Their gratitude is expressed in these pages time and again in fervent, emotional recollections. To say Jim Henson inspired devotion only begins to get at what this guy meant to his family, friends and employees. My hat is off to Christopher Finch for this wonderful collection, which is still available here as a beautiful and hardily-constructed first-edition hardback. Mr. Finch gets an extra level of respect for the decision (of which he no doubt had a say) to keep his name off the dustcover front. He's graciously stepped aside to let the lights shine warmly on Jim Henson.

My 9 yo son - who is really into making puppets - loves this book. It is super detailed with great pictures. Has an adult-feel but engaging for the young as well.

I bought this for my fiance for Christmas. As a life long Muppet fan I really couldn't have gotten anything better. The book is chock full of gorgeous photos, tons of great stories, and I can't think of a better book to get a fan of Jim Henson's legacy. There were several photos that were so touching and full of love that I couldn't stop myself from crying. I can't recommend this enough. Jim Henson was a genius, pure and simple and this book is a glorious representation of his gifts to the world.

I got this book for my 10yr old. He gave this book 4 stars.

Bought for my daughter for her birthday, and she loves it! I worked once with Jim Henson and loved him!

A nice addition for any Jim Henson fan. Has tons of hidden facts. Definitely more for an adult reader. It was nice to take a trip down memory lane.

Fantastic book!

I was so happy to get this book. I love that it starts from the beginning with the first crudely made puppets that Jim Henson and his wife made to how they progressed through time. It shows how new characters were developed and expanded. Fantasticly photographed all of the way.

I first saw this beautiful book at a Jim Henson exhibit at the Smithsonian, and I really wanted it, but I didn't want to pay $40 for it. I'm so glad I found it here on Amazon for less. Jim Henson: The Works is like having that entire exhibit and then some with you at home. The book goes in chronological order, starting with Henson's childhood, his first TV show, Sam and Friends; his experimental films and other projects; Sesame Street; The Muppet Show; the Muppet Movies; the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth; The Storyteller; Muppet Vision 3D (which I saw in Disney World and loved!); Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, and more. It's fully illustrated, informative and gorgeous! If you only get one Jim Henson book, this should be the one.

Purchased as a gift for my mother and she loves it. Great photography and wonderful stories. A great find for any Muppet fan!

It's hard to believe Jim Henson has now been gone for over 16 years. Christopher Finch's book stands as a great testament to Henson's amazingly prolific work and his larger-then-life existence. Despite Henson's natural shyness and reticence and quiet manner, the thing that strikes you in the book is how many lives this guy touched. He bestowed livelihoods on literally thousands of people. Their gratitude is expressed in these pages time and again in fervent, emotional recollections. To say Jim Henson inspired devotion only begins to get at what this guy meant to his family, friends and employees. My hat is off to Christopher Finch for this wonderful collection, which is still available here as a beautiful and hardily-constructed first-edition hardback. Mr. Finch gets an extra level of respect for the decision (of which he no doubt had a say) to keep his name off the dustcover front. He's graciously stepped aside to let the lights shine warmly on Jim Henson.

My 9 yo son - who is really into making puppets - loves this book. It is super detailed with great pictures. Has an adult-feel but engaging for the young as well.

I bought this for my fiance for Christmas. As a life long Muppet fan I really couldn't have gotten anything better. The book is chock full of gorgeous photos, tons of great stories, and I can't think of a better book to get a fan of Jim Henson's legacy. There were several photos that were so touching and full of love that I couldn't stop myself from crying. I can't recommend this enough. Jim Henson was a genius, pure and simple and this book is a glorious representation of his gifts to the world.

I got this book for my 10yr old. He gave this book 4 stars.

Bought for my daughter for her birthday, and she loves it! I worked once with Jim Henson and loved him!

A nice addition for any Jim Henson fan. Has tons of hidden facts. Definitely more for an adult reader. It was nice to take a trip down memory lane.

Fantastic book!

I was so happy to get this book. I love that it starts from the beginning with the first crudely made puppets that Jim Henson and his wife made to how they progressed through time. It shows how new characters were developed and expanded. Fantasticly photographed all of the way.

If you are a Jim Henson fan this is the best book out there. My husband loves Jim Henson and recently they had a Jim Henson Muppet exhibit at the museum, we went to see it. This book contains everything the exhibit contains and then some. He was so excited to receive this book as a gift he really loves it!!

Beautiful book

Gave to my husband for a birthday present. My child who was about 11 at the time read and memorized it! If you are a Muppets fan this book is a must. Beautiful pictures.

This was a requested birthday gift! My daughter (ADULT) has always loved the Muppets! She tells me she really has enjoyed this book!

I bought this book for my husband for Christmas (he's 27). He recently discovered a love for the Muppets. It's a very interesting and entertaining book whether you just flip through and look at the pictures or even to sit down and read it for awhile.

Interesting details, beautifully illustrated

Everyone can enjoy this fantastic book. Whether it's the pictures, life stories or behind the scenes. I can't imagine anyone giving this less than 5 stars, as i see is the current status... Worth buying while supply lasts.

This is a great book, bought it for my 10 year old who is obsessed with Jim Henson, she LOVED it!

Fabulous. So many other reviewers have expressed the feelings this book gives you so much more eloquently, so I will leave mine with just that one word. Fabulous.

This was a gift for my daughter, a great fan of all things Muppet and Jim Henson. She loves it.

I loved this book. It is full of information on all of Jim Henson's creations and imagination. It's full of amazing pictures that show everything from behind the scenes of the muppet show to labyrinth's secrets to character sketches and designs. I recommend this book to any and all of Jim Henson fans. And everyone else too.

EXCELLENT!

I just bought this as a birthday gift for someone who is a big Henson fan. She really loved it.

Thank you!

Excellent

It was a gift for me adult son. He loved it.

This is a gorgeous book - I had it on my wish list for a long time but "Santa" finally came through this year! Great photos and great insight and info about the man and his creations. Highly recommend.

Got this as a present for my dad and he absolutely loves it

This book is a wonderful insight into the world of Jim Henson. It is worth every cent that I payed for it. I am always amazed at all of his work. Such a phenominal talent! It is certainly a shame he is no longer with us.

Love and miss Jim Henson. Great book.

Wow!! This is a book for everyone and anyone that loves the muppets and its good for all ages, coffee table or for propsmakers. Top choice as a present for muppets lovers

I bought this as a gift for a friend and they called me immediately and told me they loved it!

WHAT is there NOT to love about Jim Henson and his Muppets and their creators!

Great background details

A GREAT book!!

This is a great book for any Henson lover

and my one year old made it her own very quickly. 9 months later its still one of the few things that gets her to sit still. She is fascinated by the pictures. But its not a kids book. Its a very nice catalog of the man's work. We bought one new as a gift for friends who are fans.

thanks

Perfect Condition

I remember the day Jim Henson died. I was in complete shock. In fact, I sat there, first in disbelief and then before I knew it, I was sobbing. Did I know him, personally? No. Not really. I only knew the man through his creativity through his artistry, through what he gave to me as a child, a teenager, and as an adult. It seemed that no matter what age I was, the muppets and Jim Henson were always there. My first introduction to them was through, of course, Sesame Street. My favorite characters were Bert and Ernie. In fact, my dad, to this day, feels as though my whole life has been patterned after Ernie. I did, love Ernie's sense of humor and his willingness to always laugh at himself no matter what he went through. I haven't always done this, but during those times when I took myself and the world too seriously, I always seemed to have "disastrous" results, but during those times where I have approached things with levity and with humor, I always felt as though I was more in control of the situation than instead of the situation controlling me. That's how the Ernie character was. He was always "in control" of things because he could laugh at things...even those things he felt scared of or worried about or frustrated over. Sometimes I watch clips of Sesame Street and I am always amazed at "human" those skits were. Even though they were acted out by muppets, they were things that a child or even an adult might be feeling about certain things. Those skits always had a deep sense of humanity about them. They were never condescending or degrading. They always spoke to the spirit of the individual and that is a very rare thing to be able to pull off and pull off consistently and effectively. Jim Henson seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the human soul. He knew it in its folly and in its wisdom. Kermit the Frog is a character that, I heard, mostly resembles Jim Henson. He seems to be surrounded by craziness and disorder and chaos. But instead of being consumed by it, he deals with it. He makes the most of it. And isn't that really what we are to do in any given situation? I think sometimes we "fight" too hard, when really, maybe what we really need to do is throw up our hands and let the "stream of Life" take us to where we need to go.... Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is but a dream And then there were the Muppet Movies. Even though I was in my early teens when the first one came out, I secretly went to it. I loved Jim Henson's humor. It was gentle and non-abrasive and yet there were, at times, sarcastic undertones. Not that he was being malicious or mean-spirited, but sometimes in our exasperation or frustration, we do get sarcastic because sometimes things are so absurd, so strange, so ultimately crazy, that sarcasm is warranted in that particular situation. Jim Henson left this world at such a young age. I believe he was only 54. But with everything he did, he gave the world all of himself. He never held back, he never skimped out, he always gave each and every production he was involved with, his all. Maybe it's something we can learn to do, as well. To stop looking at how we'll be compensated or reimbursed, but to just start knowing and feeling that the universe will always take care of the details and that we will be compensated many times over if we give the world all of our mind, all of our heart, all of our soul because like the universe itself, our minds, hearts, and souls are connected to that which is Infinite, Inexhaustible, Immeasureable...we are all connected to Life Itself. Jim Henson knew this. Jim Henson lived this. And I thank him from the bottomless bottom of my heart. I know that he is not resting in peace, because that wasn't his style, but he probably has the next life "in pieces" with his humor, his creativity, and his joy for life Itself. Peace and Blessings, Fellow Beings of Light and Love...

I first found this book in my library, where it helped reintroduce me to the wonderful worlds of Jim Henson. Once I'd read it I had to own a copy. I was already familiar with Jim Henson's work with the muppets and to a lesser extent The Storyteller series, but I was unaware of much of his earlier projects. This book covers Henson's impressive body of work, including movies, television series and specials, commercials and experimental films. Readers also get to see behind the scenes work and character bios that would normally not be available, and creative work such as holiday cards that was only done for employees of Henson's companies. Best of all, the book gives details on many lesser known works like Hey Cinderella. While you sadly can't buy these specials, many are available for free on YouTube, giving fans like myself a welcome chance to see some of Henson's early shows that would otherwise be beyond our reach. I count this book as one of my favorites.

A must have gem for any die hard Jim Henson fan. This book is rich and loaded with information and pictures on the evolution of Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson's life. From SAM AND FRIENDS to COMMERCIAL SHORTS (Wilkins Coffee and La Choy Chow Mein) to SESAME STREET. That's not all there's great stuff on THE MUPPET SHOW, including an entire page of small pictures of all 120 Guest Stars with songs and pictures and skits from the shows. From THE MUPPET MOVIE to LABYRINTH to FRAGGLE ROCK to so much more, you will want to read it over and over again. Something to share with your young one's over the years as well. BUY IT, YOU'LL LOVE IT! Rest in peace, Jim Henson! You were THE genius!

I bought this as a gift. Box came fine but the book was in really crappy condition for a gift. Don't have time to return before the birthday, it's tomorrow but hopefully te receipiant will return it!

Great book with nice photographs. Love the muppets!

Everyone who knows me as an adult thinks that I must have been a huge Disney fan as a child. While I've always enjoyed Disney films and shorts, my childhood was focused mainly on three things: Peanuts, Star Wars, and The Muppets. This week's book spotlight is Jim Henson, The Works - yet another of my most prized books in my library. In it, we not only read biographies and histories of the characters that we've grown to love, but we also learn about some of the projects that he would have like to have produced and how much of an artist and visonary Jim Henson really was. The book contains some of the most creative and unique page layout designs that I have ever seen. I especially enjoy the small "Jim Henson: The Early Years" book which is about a quarter of the page dimensions of the rest of the book which is tipped-in to the binding. The entire volume appears to have been assembled as thoughtfully and lovingly as you can imagine Jim doing all of the projects during his life. In a nutshell, I would highly recommend this book-not just to people who are fans of the Muppets, like myself, but to anyone who likes to have a peek into what makes creative people tick, and maybe glean some inspiration in the process. What made me decide to comment on this book-besides seeing it on my bookshelf every day at work-is my recent purchase of The Muppet Show: First Season on DVD. I was a little nervous when I first got it that I wouldn't enjoy the humor as much as an adult as I did when I was a kid, but I couldn't have been more mistaken. It is so nice to see the sophisticated wit in the writing of this show that still makes me laugh out loud. I was also happy to see that my 5 & 7 year old daughters also laughed quite a bit at the show and often ask to watch them over again. The shows still have value today as great entertainment and I would highly recommend them.

This book is absolutely incredible! Every page is bursting with the zany creativity that Jim Henson inspires in us all. This book is well-worth the price for the photos alone -- everything from early obsure works to Sesame Street to my hero, Kermit the Frog. The text is engaging, informative and full of interesting stories behind the movies and tv shows that have made so many of us laugh. If you are part of the Muppet generation like me you will especially appreciate the fond memories this book brings back.

This book was highly influential on me growing up. Jim Henson's work has touched me at various points in my life, and seeing his process early on let me know that anything is possible, and creative expression that touches others is the highest level of creative expression one can achieve. Everyone should have this book.

No Muppet fan should be without this book.Total history of how the muppets began.How the muppets really got started,nothing at all like the way it was portrayed in The Muppet Movie of course.Though it only goes up to the release of A Muppet Christmas Carol,it' still worth it for any major muppet fan,with some of the best behind-the-scenes photographs ever seen.

I grew up on Jim Henson's Muppets as did many, many others. This book shows so much of Henson's life (he was cute!) and the legacy of the Muppets. From Sam and Friends to Seasame Street to Labyrinth and so many other wonderful works. The behind the scene stories are wonderful (I especially like the story of the pipe closet). I also like the pages from The Muppet Show that show every guest on the show. I know this review sounds like a lot of fluff, but this is Jim Henson I'm talking about. I can't imagine my life without his creations.

This book is an incredible collection of wonderful pictures songs and stories about something I grew up with. I totally appreciated being brought back to my childhood. This book is an absolute must read for anyone who grew up loving the Muppets!

I grew up loving Jim Henson projects and so I had to have this book. In additional to Christopher Finch's wonderful and insightful text, there are tons of color photos. Highly recommended.

This book is fabulous. I ordered it from America to come to England as the current exchange rate made it cheaper to buy this book new than to buy it second hand in England, and the wait for shipping was worth it. There are some brilliant anecdotes from people working with Henson, and beautful pictures illustrating everything that ever went on in Jim Henson's studios, right up to unpublished notes that Henson wrote for a book. This book is beautiful, and really interesting in looking at the work of Jim Henson.

Amazing book, it takes you deep into the mind and the heart of Jim Henson and his creativity. It shows you that nothing is impossible and that great friendships can develope in unforgettable characters.

... you will after you read this book! I had this book overdue from the library for a MONTH. I know, I know... but really, it's gorgeous, just looking at the pictures, and the text made me long to work for Jim Henson Productions. You need to read this book, you NEED to learn about this wonderful man.

This book is unbelievable. Its loaded with information things you never knew about Jim Henson and the rest of his company. From "Sam and Friends" to the TV show "Dinosaurs" this book is a sure thing to give you your needed information on the greatest puppeteer ever. Definetely go out and buy it.

This book is a must-read for all Jim Henson fans! This book tells Jim's life story from his early days working on a local puppet show to the Muppet's 3D movie for Disney. Jim Henson had an amazing life and he lives on in the characters he created for us.

This book is really great. It has all kinds of information about Jim Henson and how he got started in puppeteering. If you are a fan of Jim and his work you will love this book.

It's all here! This book is perfect for the Henson fan who wants to learn more about Jim Henson's beginnings or his movies or anywhere inbetween. Full of great pictures and insights. I love this book! The world lost a great one when you died Jim, You are missed. Thank you for all you gave us!

Great book

A great allround book about the works of Jim Henson with a lot of nice pictures. My only complaint: it seems like Fraggle Rock has not had the highest priority in this book.

Great contents, photos and information are all great for big Jim Henson fans. Unfortunately, the corners of the book cover and pages are all a little dented and bent. Wish it had come in better condition.

Arrived early & came in perfect condition. Very pleased with the price and I'm so excited to see my mom's face when I give it to her. Anyone who is a Muppet aka Jim Henson fan should definitely give it a read.

Alles bestens, vielen Dank!

Una pasada, fue un regalo y es espectacular.

My son loved it. He always wanted it but couldn't find it.

This book entitles the reader to free admisión to Jims Henson life I hardly recommend it this delightful book. Thanks