cover image As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of ‘The Princess Bride’

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of ‘The Princess Bride’

Cary Elwes, with Joe Layden, read by Cary Elwes. Simon & Schuster Audio, 6 CDs, 7 hrs., $29.99 ISBN 978-1-4423-8345-6

Elwes shares his experience as one of the lead actors in The Princess Bride—from his initial meetings with director Rob Reiner to the 25th-anniversary screening of the film. He includes trivia about the production, and the various challenges he faced personally and professionally throughout. Elwes peppers the memoir with interviews of various people involved with the production of The Princess Bride, including Reiner, Robin Wright, Christopher Guest, and Wallace Shawn. Some of them, such as Reiner and Wright, even narrate their contributions in the audio edition, effectively conveying their excitement about the film. The absence of the voices of some of those interviewed leads to an imbalance, however, with Elwes narrating their sections. Even so, his voice is light and energetic, and it’s clear that he is smiling throughout the production. An S&S/Touchstone hardcover. (Nov.)