"Not So" Throwback Thursday: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

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Author: Cary Elwes, Joe Layden, Rob Reiner (Foreword) 
Publisher: Touchstone
Date of publication: October 2014

From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.

The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to never-before seen photos and interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets, backstage stories, and answers to lingering questions about off-screen romances that have plagued fans for years!

With a foreword by Rob Reiner and a limited edition original poster by acclaimed artist Shepard Fairey, As You Wish is a must-have for all fans of this beloved film. 

I know it's not a true "Throwback" book, but seeing as how it's a book about a movie from the 1980s, I thought it seemed fitting to review it today.  I am a HUGE fan of The Princess Bride.  I think I have seen the movie hundreds of times and only recently shared it with my own children.  My husband and I were very pleased to see that our kids (11 & 9) found the movie just as funny as we did.  If you haven't seen the movie, I urge you to watch it before reading this book.  I'm not sure it can be fully appreciated by someone who isn't familiar with the movie. 

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride was such a wonderful book.  I ended up listening to the audio book which I highly recommend.  It is narrated by Cary Elwes with the voices of several of the actors narrating their own comments that appear in the book.  I thought that Mr. Elwes did an amazing job of capturing his wonderful experience while on the set of this amazing film.  His anecdotes and stories had me laughing on more than one occasion.  It was so cool to hear him talk about being star struck as he was really just kind of starting out in films.  It makes you realize that all big actors started somewhere.  I think one of my favorite stories was when he talked about working as a production assistant on the movie Octopussy and having to  drive Roger Moore to the set  each day.

You can also tell from this book that it was a very special and unique experience for all of those involved in the movie.  Mr. Elwes shows true affection for all of his fellow cast and crew members and that really comes across in the book.  The only thing that I missed from the listening to the audiobook was not having the photos to look at, but I will be seeking out the book to remedy that.  I can't say enough about this book and think that everyone should read it!  I know now that I will watch the movie with new eyes.