The Art of Being Bill

This is such an amazing compilation of art works centred on one of my favourite actors. From character profiles, to the man himself you’ll be hard pushed to decide which one is your favourite.

😎😎😎😎😎

I feel too cool for school for having receiving an ARC for “The Art of Being Bill: Bill Murray and the Many Faces of Awesome” by Ezra Croft, Jennifer Raiser. Because EVERYONE knows Murray is the coolest 😺 ever! And this fab book? It’s the first illustrated art collection showcasing Bill as you’ve never seen him before: Indian God, Last Supper attendee, and in nearly 150 other fitting tributes.

Just like The Bill Himself, artwork in The Bill Murray Experience is both poignant and funny, with an array of pieces and details about each, inspired quotes, and his incredible film history. This is the ultimate gift book for the Murray addict — and for anyone who just wants to be cool by association. Like me! 5/5

Pub Date 28 Aug 2018

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Race Point Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine!

#TheArtOfBeingBill #NetGalley

What a great book! Not only do you get insight into some of the roles Bill Murray played but the many artist renderings of the man just blew me away. Each portrait was vastly different from the next, much like the roles he has portrayed. I believe this does an excellent job of showing off the many facets of Bill Murray.

What a Happy, fun and colourful book The Art of Being Bill by Ezra Croft, Jennifer Raiser......Warning.......it will make you smile. I loved this book and would look great on my coffee table so others can browse and it will make for a good conversation.
This book gave you a good insight to a lot of his roles he played on the big screen, I didn't realise Bill Murray was in so many good films and I just loved all the artwork, photos etc of him. Each portrait picture of him is so different to the next and shows what a lovely man he is.

Well Done Ezra Croft, Jennifer Raiser and Quarto Publishing Group for a fantastic book.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Race Point Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.

THE ART OF BEING BILL is not only full of Bill Murray artwork, but it also includes behind the scenes tips information about every movie he has starred in.

Living with a huge Bill Murray fan has convinced me that he really shines no matter the role he takes on; Ezra Croft’s introduction reinforces that idea with personal anecdotes that will connect the reader to the information and art within the book.

The stories and the art all show Bill’s lovable, multifaceted personality. The chapter titles even use fabulous adjectives to describe him (the jester, the thinker, the intense, the charming, etc.)

My favorite depiction of Bill is a painting entitled “Dropkick Murray” in which he is wearing all black, leather, and metal, as well as sporting a funky spiky hairdo.

Fun facts:
- Ed Murray, his brother, was an extra in Caddyshack and they started a golf apparel company in 2017
- There is even a Steve Zissou cake by Avalon Cakes!
- His favorite car is a vintage Maserati
and much, much more.

Overall, I really enjoyed browsing the fabulous artwork by all of the various and extremely talented artists. THE ART OF BEING BILL is a great gift idea for the Bill Murray lover in your life!

This is a beautiful book. The art work is inspired and the editorials throughout show the depth of understanding and love from a true Bill Murray connoisseur.

Tons of artwork of Bill Murray, interspersed with movie posters and synopses/history of his films. You’d definitely have to be a huge Bill Murray fan, but if you are, this is a must read!

Call him eccentric, a nice guy, an oddball, a mystery or just misunderstood, Bill Murray is a lovable curmudgeon. This book is a quirky homage filled with artwork portraying Bill in various roles. The authors added a bit of background relating to each film he has appeared in as well as trivia regarding production.
From Meatballs to Ghostbusters to Groundhog Day to Hamlet - Hamlet!!! -you get the lowdown on just how versatile Bill Murray truly is as an actor. (Personally, St. Vincent is one of his finest films in my opinion but Stripes is an enjoyable but of fluff and humor as well. That one and Ghostbusters are the epitome of Bill Murray.)
All told, this is a fun diversion and an amazing display of talent. Perfect for film buffs and artists, this one is a short read that leaves you just feeling happy - which would probably please good ole Bill.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I wasn't expecting the content to be so thin, but the artwork more than made up for the lack of text. There was a short synopsis for each of the movies Bill Murray was in and the authors included an with interesting fact for each.

Bill Murray’s movie career is explored along with various artists’ interpretations of him in numerous media in the Art of Being Bill.

Bill’s life (in movies at least) is broken up chronologically into eight chapters: the Jester, Thinker, Intense, Charming, Exasperated, Melancholy, Complex, and finally Legend. Each of Bill’s movies are described in a one-page movie synopsis accompanied by the movie poster and a short behind-the-scenes’ blurb. Then two to four artists offer their interpretation of Bill at that point in his life and career. Using seeds, pastels, pencils, paints and software, each picture is engaging. At the beginning, Bill was portrayed as a clown, a suave player and even a punk rocker. By the end, the representations became increasing melancholy and regretful—just as Bill appeared in his later works.

The art varies widely in media, style and quality but each are valid interpretations of their subject. The text does a excellent job exploring the experiences of an aging comic actor’s early attempts to be taken seriously (i.e., The Razor’s Edge) to actually being taken seriously later in his career (i.e., Lost in Translation). It is easy to see the same trajectory in other comedians’ lives that did not end as well (i.e., Jerry Lewis and Robin Williams). Overall, the Art of Being Bill is more than just the sum of its wide-ranging artwork and provides a thoughtful reflection on life itself. 4 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, Race Point Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This was a fun little book. It was interesting to see artists give their interpretation of Bill Murray. There were a few pieces I really loved but each one captured his spirit. I also liked that the author also examined his biggest movies and giving some behind the sense look. I also loved the Murray facts sprinkled throughout the book.
If you are an avid Bill Murray fan then this book is for you!

Bill Murray is such a funny, wonderful actor. I love that this book had so many amazing pictures of him. I enjoyed reading about his different roles in his movies.

Who hasn’t loved a Bill Murray movie at some point in their life? This book is a cool combination of Murray-themed artwork and written insight into his many different movie roles. The 150 pieces of art are curated from “The Murray Affair” a traveling Bill Murray art show going around the country. All of the art is fairly good, I especially like the first one depicting him as a knight, and the one of the multiple Bills at a long table, kind of like the Last Supper. Probably best for Bill Murray fans, this art book was fun and decently executed. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, authors Ezra Croft & Jennifer Raiser, and the publisher for my fair review.

Race Point Publishing
Pub: Aug 28th, 2018

This book is a playful, positive examination of the many iconic roles of Bill Murray, from SNL to today. I loved the artistic illustrations throughout the book, and learned many facts and facets of Bill Murray's life. Anyone who stands in awe of this comic actor's talents will enjoy reading this book. Highly recommended!

Who doesn’t know Bill Murray? Everyone had seen at least one of his movies. Either he plays a leading or a supporting role, he makes an unforgettable appearance.

The book is based on an art show, in which various artists contributed with works dedicated to him.

This album is divided in 8 parts, each depicting a trait of Bill Murray, the artist: The Jester, The Thinker, The Intense, The Charming, The Exasperated, The Melancholy, The Complex and The Legend. Under each of these themes, there are some iconic movie roles reviewed by the author and some ‘behind the scenes’ trivia and of course, various works of art, most of them portraits.

Some are good, some not quite, however some are exquisite. It would have been great to see also the story behind the art, what part of Murray’s movies or life was the inspiration, but we are given only the title and the artist’s name.

Among my favorites are Bill’s Last Supper by Tom Carlton and Bill-M by Anna Tombacz (the portrait is made from movie lines, the letters being highlighted more or less)

Even if you are not a fan of his, you’ll like the album. The imagination and skills of some of the artists are amazing. (I would have loved to see them live).

One of a kind; who can define him or capture his essence?

The Art of Being Bill: Bill Murray and the Many Faces of Awesome is endlessly mesmerizing and beautifully evocative of Bill Murray’s many nuanced personalities. While the idea to create an art show spotlighting Murray was simply brilliant, to curate that collection and add the posters and background info for many of his memorable films for our enjoyment and edification creates a synergistic Bill-fest. This book is simply fascinating and fun beyond what it ought to be. I found myself flipping my tablet around many times to get my partner to admire yet another artistic interpretation of Bill Murray.

Overall, the movie info interesting read in and of itself, but it’s the nearly 150 artworks that really make this book truly inspiring. It will never cease to amaze me how art can expand and illuminate a picture beyond the object that it is representing. Like hearing an orchestra or choir render a soulful chorus from Les Miserables with such emotion that we are left with chills and goosebumps running down our spine, The Art of Being Bill, communicates more than the sum of its parts. It is a haunting poignancy at times that inexplicably moves and elevates. While I found a few of the pictures rather mundane, most were brilliantly executed and highlighted the nuances in Bill Murray’s cragged features, including his indelibly soulful gaze, and expressions that range from sorrowful to beatific and from querulous to imperious.

The Art of Being Bill is a unique collection that I hope will be repeated for other memorable character actors. Highly recommended for movie buffs, fans of Bill Murray, and connoisseurs of coffee-table art books. The Art of Being Bill could stand alone to entertain as the life of the party; just add fans.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

The perfect example of how one person can be seen in a completely different way to another. We are many people to many people. Every image is skill fully executed some serious and some funny but all have value. I enjoyed dipping into this book.

This is awesome! I absolutely loved it! As a longtime fan of Bill Murray, it was neat to see a collection of illustrations celebrating him. Someone I love is also a huge fan, and I will be buying this for his birthday. Thanks for the opportunity to check it out early!

This is an essential book for all Bill Murray fans. the book highlights the legend of his craft with pictures and paintings that were featured in art shows. His Mona Lisa Smile has led to a showcase of artwork portrayed in this book that is worth the price of the book alone. The book is organized by the many personalities that define Bill Murray: The Jester, The Thinker, The Intense, The Charming, The Exasperated, The Melancholy, The Complex, and The Ledgend. The co author Jennifer Raiser highlights 24 of his movies with a movies poster and a one page of fun filled information about it......did you know that Scooter, the groundhog, bit Bill Murray twice.

This book was pretty awesome. I'm a huge Bill Murray fan since about 1985 when Ghostbusters hit the scene. I totally recall getting our first VCR and watching this movie. The excitement of it. I can honestly say I've seen several of his movies multiple times.
This book will make you smile. It belongs on your coffee table. I enjoyed the artwork and the little analogies about his film work you might not have otherwise known. A fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group-Race Point Publishing for allowing me to read this book and see it's artwork in an advanced copy. All opinions of the book are my own.

I really enjoyed this fun book, The Art of Being Bill. As a Bill Murray fan this is a great collection of artwork and descriptions of his movies throughout his career. This will be released Oct 9th! The artwork spans over his incredible career from Caddyshack to Ghostbusters to Groundhog Day to all the Wes Anderson films! I highly recommend this book to any fans as the artwork is creative and amusing!
My brother and I were in Chicago this summer cheering on the Cubs and Murray was at the same games that weekend. He is so iconic it was cool just knowing we were at the same place at the same time!

This is such a fun book!

Over the years Bill Murray has become something of a laidback icon of cool. A low-key hipster who marches to a different drummer... Scratch that. There is no drum. Only the intermittent twang of a banjo with one rusty string that only Bill can hear as he meanders about in an impromptu parade with no specific purpose or particular destination. And he seems to be having a blast doing it!

It seems only fitting that the frequently wacky, sometimes bizarre, but always interesting force of nature that is Bill Murray would inspire the artistic creations featured in this book. They feature all different mediums from traditional (paintings, drawings, sculptures) to alternative. Cliche to sublime. Predictable. Unconventional. Beautiful. Bizarre. It's all represented in The Art of Being Bill.

The book is divided into sections that are somewhat arbitrary and really don't matter all that much. Sprinkled throughout the book are posters from the various films that Bill Murray has appeared in accompanied by a brief essay. It really is just an awful lot of fun.

Bottom line: Nobody really NEEDS this book but I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't find it an enjoyable experience.

***Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I love Bill Murray. I have seen pretty much all of his movies and loved him as a child on SNL. This books takes a whole new look at Bill. With over 100 sketches of Bill in many of his roles you get to see a whole new Bill Murray. Even if you are not a huge fan of Bill Murray this book will bring a smile to your face. The sketches put Bill Murray into all kinds of situations like the last supper, there are tidbits about the films depicted, quotes and more. This is a quick read and would make a great gift for any of Bill Murray's fans.

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com and chose to leave this review.

What a fun book! I had never heard of this author before but I'm so glad that I had the chance to read it. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Mur-Reality und Very Murray Moments - das beschreibt dieses Buch unheimlich gut. Sehr vergnügliche Lektüre mit tollen Zeichnungen rund um Bill Murray, angereichert mit kurzen Anekdoten und viel wissenswerten Informationen, die nicht überall zu lesen sind. Die Liebe zum Schauspieler durchdringt jede Seite. Ganz großartiges Juwel!

Most of the book centers around fan art of Bill Murray. And the fans showcase Bill in all sorts of ways. Most of the artwork is very creative and includes many facets of his personality. Some text is also included. There are short introductions to all the movies and some biographical details. The book is a lot fun and I enjoyed it. This books will make a great gift. Enjoy