I love opening packages (well, who doesn't? ok, yes, maybe people that has to check if packages contains bombs or other menaces)...anyway, a month ago I decided to order new books about Classic Hollywood. My list was rather large and it was kind of difficult to reduce the number. I knew I really wanted "Love, Lucy" and "Ginger, My Story" (both recommended by Sophie from Waitin' on a Sunny Day). I also wanted to read about Carole Lombard's life, but since I couldn't find a proper bio I bought a novelized biography with great reviews, "Chasing Carole" by Barbara Washburn.
The fourth title kept changing: Maureen's O'Hara ultra recommended autobiography "Tis Herself", then Robert Mitchum's bio, then Errol Flynn's bio...finally I decided to buy a book reviewed by Raquelle from Out of the Past, "Leading Couples, The Most Unforgettable Screen Romances of the Studio Era" by Frank Miller.
The fourth title kept changing: Maureen's O'Hara ultra recommended autobiography "Tis Herself", then Robert Mitchum's bio, then Errol Flynn's bio...finally I decided to buy a book reviewed by Raquelle from Out of the Past, "Leading Couples, The Most Unforgettable Screen Romances of the Studio Era" by Frank Miller.
So finally my books are here. I leafed through "Leading Couples" and it's great, lovely design and great info like this one about Errolivia:
"After years of denigrating her films with Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland saw The adventures of Robin Hood in Paris in 1959 and remarked "Seeing Robin Hood after all these years made me realize how good all our adventure films were." De Havilland was so moved by the screening that she started to writing Flynn a letter, but then she tore it up, afraid he might find her too sentimental. Flynn died a couple of weeks later, and de Havilland later stated that she regretted not having sent the letter."
An useful guide to check. The first bio I started reading is Lucy's. I didn't know her childhood was that difficult, loosing her beloved father when she was only 3. So I'll be reading a lot the next few days. Keep rocking people.
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PS: The poll about your fave director will be closed this tomorrow. Last chances to give John Ford, John Huston or David Lean at least one vote, or trying to tie Wilder with Hitch, or whatever. I don't want you to accuse me of inducing your vote.
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PS: The poll about your fave director will be closed this tomorrow. Last chances to give John Ford, John Huston or David Lean at least one vote, or trying to tie Wilder with Hitch, or whatever. I don't want you to accuse me of inducing your vote.
I love the portmanteau "Errolivia." I also love opening packages. Please do a few reviews after you've finished the books. :)
ReplyDeleteaaaaaaaaaaaaa yo quiero el de Caroleee!!
ReplyDeleteyayyyyyyyyyyyyyy exciting :) I have the Lucy book. I think it's the first of many Lucy-related books I read :D
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I hope that someday you do get Robert Mitchum's bio. It's really good.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, you won't be able to put them down!! ;D When you've read 'Chasing Carole' I'd love to know what you think of it! I've been looking for a Carole Lombard biography, but the only one I could find was 'Carole Lombard: The Hoosier Tornado' and it doesn't seem to be that good :/ I also really want to read the Leading Couples book - it's been on my Amazon wish list for a long time! ;D
ReplyDeleteEnjoy them! :D
JBR: To be honest, I didn't like the portmanteau Errolivia at the beginning, but I got really used to it :) And I definitively will review some of these books after I finish them, especially Carole's, seems that no one has read it :)...Thanks for stopping by ^^
ReplyDeleteRena: Yo ya quiero empezarlo para ver qué tal, ya estoy terminando el de Lucille...te cuento...
Desiree: Really? Please recommend me more books about Lucille to add in my wish list...and, yes, I really want to read Robert's bio, it's probably incredibly exciting :) Thanks for your comment ^^
Sophie: you were so right, I've been reading "Love, Lucy" and I just can't stop, it's so interesting. After I finish it, I'll start with Carole's, I really want to check how good it is...yeah, that bio you mentioned got bad reviews on Amazon, so I decided not to buy it...Thanks for stopping by and many thanks for the recommendations ;)
lol yes, it is, because that man was a very interesting fella! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, okay.... let's see... I've read about 10 books about Lucy, plus a few books just about the show... haha. I don't know if you'd be interested, but Desi Arnaz's autobiography is reallyyy good and an interesting read. Unfortunately, it's kind of rare. If you want to read an actual biography on Lucy, you should try Ball of Fire. Also, the memoirs of Madelyn Pugh & Bob Carroll, Jr. is really mostly about Lucy (and it's a HILARIOUS book)and the memoirs of Jess Oppenheimer (the head writer & creator of I Love Lucy) is great. That one is called Laughs, Luck... and Lucy. In fact, I have about 3 or 4 copies because people keep giving me this book. I should give you one, LOL.
Desiree: OMG, you've read a LOT about Lucille & Desi!! I checked the website I use to import my books (I don't have a credit card, so I just use their services paying at the cashier) and sadly the only books available are the ones by Jess Oppenheimer and "Laughing with Lucy"...Maybe I should put these on top of my list and then try to get someone with credit card to buy the rest from Amazon :) THANKS THREE HUNDRED MILLIONS for all this info, Desiree!!
ReplyDeleteYes, Lucy was my first obsession, and after all, there are soooooooooooooo many books about her!!!!! Do you like Lucille Ball in films or her TV show or how did you get to want to know more about her? And you're very welcome. I'm always excited to share anything like that :)
ReplyDeleteUhm, last month I finished watching "I love Lucy" (all the seasons, the Lucy - Desi Comedy Hour, plus the bonus etc) and it was so terribly hilarious and lovely and unforgettable and etc that I just wanted to know more about them, that's why I bought "Love, Lucy"...And about the movies, I have seen "Stage Door", "Lured", "Easy to weed" & "Dance, girl, dance" and I just like the first 2; and reading her autobiography I can see that she didn't like most of her films either (stupid studios!!)...but I really want to see some of the movies she made with Desi. That was a long comment, sorry :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, it was just as long as one of my previous comments... Oh, that's nice :) You should try seeing The Lucy Show, mostly the first seasons when they still had Vivian Vance. It is really funny, too. Viv is also a favorite of mine and the biography about her is so good. I've reread it many times. I've seen those movies, too. I love Lucy, but she is best on TV, and that's mostly because she was in B movies, not A list movies, sadly. (LONG again!)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I hope that someday you do get Robert Mitchum's bio. It's really good.
ReplyDeleteaaaaaaaaaaaaa yo quiero el de Caroleee!!
ReplyDeleteI love the portmanteau "Errolivia." I also love opening packages. Please do a few reviews after you've finished the books. :)
ReplyDelete