The title tells it all -- a "comprehensive guide." It is my first book purchased on my Kindle and I have yet to watch an episode on DVD and not log into to the book to find out the episode background and get the tidbits on what other TV shows/movies that actors/writers/directors/crew might have done before and after the series. Author Jim Davidson shows he is a true fan by tackling the project and tells you everything about Perry Mason -- books, movies, radio shows, comic strips, print parodies, TV series (the original, the Monte Markham reprise and the subsequent movies) that you could ever want to know. I was especially grateful to read of interviews he did with Arthur Marks who was with the series almost from the very beginning and stayed with it until the end.

I was especially grateful for his detailed writeup, including interviews with Markham, about the reprised series, which was canceled after 15 episodes by CBS in 1974. I tried to be open-minded when the series had its network run but realized that nothing could supplant the Raymond Burr series. The New Perry Mason might have worked if the regulars were playing characters who had other names besides the Mason characters. But, I digress

The book itself is such an immense work that it would only work as a Kindle -- so much would have to be edited out of the book if it were to go to print and the cost would be phenomenal (Amazon Kindle offers it for $4.99!!!)

If you are a Perry Mason fan and you have a Kindle, I highly recommend Mr. Davidson's excellent book, which I have owned for several months. To date, I've found only one mistake and that's when he said that Barbara won her sole Emmy as Best Actress in 1959, when it was for Best Supporting Actress. If that is the only error (and so it seems), that is very minor. Buy it and you'll enjoy it!!!

Outstanding research and reference volume, lovingly created over many years by Jim Davidson. This book contains every conceivable detail about every Mason book, movie, TV episode, and more, with reports of interviews with many involved in the TV show, including private correspondence between Earle Stanley Gardner and Gail Patrick Jackson, among others.

I enjoy reading the synopsis of each TV episode and book before delving in. It helps me keep the story straight--but contains NO spoilers. For the TV show, Davidson describes each "location" used for on-location shots, and describes where virtually every exterior shot was filmed on the Twentieth-Century Fox lot.

Tons of details for the true Mason fan. And at a bargain price.

The only downside is that the book (Kindle) is not adequately indexed. If you want to flip to a particular TV episode, for example, you'll need to know the title, then search for it using the standard Kindle search function. But the episodes are listed in chronological order (even including the date the script was approved, the filming and air dates, and any rerun dates), so episodes are findable. The Table of Contents isn't of much help, listing only "First Season," "Second Season," etc.

I had a difficult time deciding on number of stars. The parts about the books and tv episodes were good although some of the material I skipped over such as the listing of vehicles. Jim Davidson did a tremendous of research, however, at times he seemed to be a gossip columnist. He also could have made the format easier to read by not repeating much of what had already been discussed in other sections. I thoroughly agreed with his praise for some of the actors such as Jeannette Nolan, however, I was surprised at the rigidity of Erle Stanley Gardner when it came to the tv series. He and all of us were fortunate to have the cast of "Perry Mason" for nine seasons.

If you're a Perry Mason and are considering buying this book, stop considering right now and buy it!

As someone who considers himself at least something of an expert on old movies and TV shows, I've been continually annoyed over the years when I pick up an expensive show biz book and within minutes find something wrong.

Whereas this book -- at an almost insanely low price -- gives you a heck of a lot more information than the usual book of its type, and as far as I can tell (as a longtime Gardner/Mason fan), t's all accurate.

It's also not a dry accounting of facts -- Jim Davidson obviously loves the character, the books and the show, and his affection for his subject matter shows. Davidson has obviously done a huge amount of research -- and that might be putting it mildly -- but the book is not an "information dump" but an entertaining account of all the versions of Perry Mason.

This is a first-class job -- and, again, that might be putting it mildly. Bravo, Mr. Davidson.

The book provides a great deal of information and is an example that authors could use to write books about iconic TV series from the 1950s-80s. I purchased this book while watching the compete series on FETV and the book was quite helpful by providing detailed information about the episodes.

The book is for anyone who is a fan of the series and/or viewing the entire series on Family Entertainment TV right now. Watching the Perry Mason TV shows from 2018 eyes remind you he practiced law without the Miranda ruling and allowed his client to be questioned by the police since this was long before the current famous line: I want a lawyer.

It was recently announced that a new TV version of Perry Mason will appear on one of the movie channels this year but it will be set in the 1930s instead of the 1950s. I believe the Mason novels were written in the 1920-30s and the new show might be attempting to follow the novels more closely. Perhaps, it is also to avoid being compared to the 1950s-60s TV show.

Excellent book that thoroughly and comprehensively covers Perry Mason from his first appearance in 1933 (book The Case of the Velvet Claws) up through the made for TV movies in the 1990's. The books, theatrical films, daytime radio serial, both TV shows and the TV movies are discussed in great detail. An excellent reference book for any Perry Mason fan. My e book had some formatting problems on a few pages, but that might just have been my cheapo tablet.

I have been a PM fan since the late 70s when I first saw the series as a pre-teen. Having devoured the series and the Gardner novels since that time, this book has increased my appreciation of the character even more. Mr. Davidson goes into the details of all incarnations, including the rarely discussed comic book and comic strip series. Each section of the book has detailed behind the scenes information drawing upon his interviews with individuals who worked on the series as well as a thorough study of the Gardner papers. For the series, he provides great information about all aspects (creation, writing, directing, producing, etc.). I especially enjoyed the interviews with Karl Held and Lee Miller. Each episode has detailed information regarding the locations, cars, and music used as well as a complete cast list (including uncredited actors). There are over 1,200 footnotes citing sources which gives one an idea of how extensively researched and sourced this book is. The narrative itself is very easy to read and lends itself to marathon reading sessions. I will return to this book again and again as I cycle through the books/series again.

I appreciate the time the author put into this. It’s a wonderful book.

However, I would have preferred that he include the complete plot for each book/show. Instead, he only provides the intro for each story. I get that some people are religious about not providing “spoilers.” But in what is essentially an *encyclopedia* of Perry Mason, I think the full plot should have been provided. A series of 100+ Intro teasers quickly becomes boring.

表紙がレイモンド バーですが、小説版のメイスンをきちんとフォローしています。公式には長編82作、中編2作、短編1作のようです。小説版の解説には、名前の判明している全登場人物リスト、あらすじ、翻案(テレビ・バージョンとの関係など)、注釈があり、注釈にはトリヴィア関係がどっさり。地名が架空の場合は明記され、建物やホテルが実在の場合は詳細が記され、版による「次の事件への予告」の違いや、デラにプロポーズした回数や、ドレイクの秘密ノックの変遷なども記載されています。本書によるとシリーズ中に挙げられた判例や書物は大抵実在のもののようで、法律関係に手を抜いていないガードナーの姿勢が伺えます。テレビシリーズの解説は、本物を視聴していないのでまだ読んでいませんが、スタッフ・俳優などの基礎情報がしっかりしているようです。この本で大抵のペリー メイスン情報は手に入るはずです。(私がアマゾンのレヴューに書いている銃関係のトリヴィアはレミントン ダブル デリンジャーに触れていることを除いて全く出ていませんでしたが…) 英語ですが平明で読みやすいと思います。

This is a reference book for the dedicated Perry Mason fan. It tells us everything we could want to know about Perry Mason: the books, the author, the characters, the TV series, the films, the actors etc.

Davidson is obviously a great fan: he founded a Perry Mason fan club; he has met a lot of people involved in the TV shows (including Raymond Burr); and he has done a massive amount of extremely thorough research.

This is not a book that most of us would read cover to cover. It is something to be dipped into, browsed through, and used to look things up as required. As such, I would have preferred a traditional book that I can flick through, rather than a Kindle version, but it only seems to be available in Kindle form. Having said that, once I found the index and got used to navigating my way around the book, I found the Kindle format to be quite satisfactory.

Erle Stanley Gardner wrote over eighty Perry Mason books and I’ve read about three quarters of them. They are amongst my favourites when it comes to a bit of light, escapist reading. I have found that most are very good, a few are really excellent, and just a few are disappointing.

Davidson acknowledges that critics have said that these books are not great literature. There is not much depth of characterisation; sometimes the plots have weaknesses; and Gardner certainly does not waste any time on the sort of long, descriptive passages that you get in Raymond Chandler’s writing.

But if you want briskly paced page-turners, these are the books for you. They do not feature the grim blood, gore and “darkness” of so much modern crime fiction. Instead they grab our attention and give us enjoyment through Perry Mason’s quick-wittedness and the brilliant and fast-paced dialogues, especially the courtroom dialogues. And despite the alleged lack of depth of characterisation, I feel that I “know” the central characters well.

The early TV series are great entertainment, too. They are different in some ways from the books, but I personally do not have any problem reconciling the Perry Mason, Della Street and Paul Drake of the TV version with those in the books. (The TV Hamilton Burger, though, is quite a different character from the one in the books.) Unfortunately, in Britain at the moment, we can only get the first two seasons on Region 2 DVD, and there aren’t any TV channels that show these old gems. We’re deprived over here!

Phil Webster.