Rare Birds

"Bessie tells a great story in his memoir."—Family Tree Magazine

"One hundred and fifty years of American life are illuminated in the delightful family history of film writer, director, producer, and animator Bessie."—Library Journal

"Bessie's fascination with his extraordinary relatives has given life to these vivid family portraits."—Louisville Courier-Journal

"Certainly one of the more colorful collections of folks you'll encounter."—Marietta (OH) Times

"Examines good times and hard times with an understanding eye and an indulgent heart."—Movie Magazine International

"His breathless enthusiasm, sometimes maddening naïveté and flair for irony inform the entire memoir, as do the splendid family snapshots he has painstakingly assembled."—New York Times Book Review

"Spreading untidily across the country, producing capitalist moguls and card-carrying Communists, marrying, divorcing, coming out of the closet, keeping in touch and supporting each other when they chips are down, they remind me of the craziness of my own family and they will remind you of yours."—Prime Time (Santa Fe, NM)

"Bessie portrays his relatives—both famous and not—as striking examples of American individuality, ingenuity and creativity. . . . This heartfelt, warmly intelligent kaleidoscope of intimate portraits never glosses over the rough edges."—Publishers Weekly

"A fetching family history that showcases a multigenerational cast of passionate oddballs."—San Francisco Chronicle