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mcf's review against another edition
5.0
One imagines a memoir written through a Judy Garland lens would almost inevitably be teeth-grindingly awful, but Boyt avoids all the looming pitfalls and manages to produce an affecting, heartfelt, wryly funny, utterly surprising work.
Absolutely glorious.
Absolutely glorious.
erinmp's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this. I really did. I thought the premise was interesting as I've been more than a little starstruck before. But no matter how much I wanted to like it, I just couldn't. It was a struggle to get through it. Maybe in the end it was just that I didn't really care about Judy Garland as much as Boyt obviously does. I did, however, learned all that I could ever want to know about Garland. I also thought that the visit to Garland's final resting place at the end was bittersweet -- it was a lovely, fitting tribute in the end. Overall, I just don't think it was for me.
andysreads89's review
3.0
This book is part Judy Garland biography, part fan love letter and part thesis on the merits of celebrity worship and para social relationships. Anyone who has ever experienced the highs and lows of a fandom, whether it is a favourite actor or musician would be able to relate to many of the author Susie Boyt's thoughts regarding her idol Judy Garland. Even if one is not a Garland fan themselves. As more academic research is being conducted to understand celebrity culture and why people seem to gravitate to certain public figures, this book is a fascinating glimpse into a fan's pysche and how celebrities can be a source of light, comfort and hope even when they are plagued with personal troubles and are long dead.
booketybookstore's review against another edition
4.0
What an undiscovered gem! Totally unexpected fascination comes with this book, Susie Boyt is Judy Garland crazy and the book dissects the parallels between her life and Judy’s. Not a lot of similarities but strangely compelling all the same. Read my very honest review at www.booketybook.com
hiyageorgie's review against another edition
4.0
“Judy Garland has inspired and enriched my inner world.” This quote was one page 1 of the book and I knew from there I would love it and keep a pen by my side at all times when reading it. It was so comforting and relatable and it managed to put into words what and how I feel about Judy. So lovely, so real. Also side note that the questions that are answered by fans are also quite hilarious.
bibliotreasures's review against another edition
4.0
Hands up if you’ve ever obsessed over a celebrity? I imagine pretty much everyone reading this raised their hands just then. I know I did. While I’m no stranger to hero-worship, I did think reading this book that the author takes it to a whole other level. I’m a big fan of Mariah Carey and parts of this book reminded me of some lambs (Mariah’s name for her fans) I know who, while I understand their love and obsession, seem to me to never have left that peak of obsession we reach in our teenage years.
Susie Boyt opens her book talking about her love for Judy Garland and how it helped her when she was a shy, sensitive child. I can relate to that. I’ve always been someone who feels things deeply and like Susie I fell in love with The Wizard of Oz at just three years old. I was instantly obsessed with the film and knew it back to front and inside out. I would quote lines, watch it repeatedly and put on skits acting out scenes with my friends. Of course, I was always Dorothy. But unlike Susie it was the movie and Dorothy I fell in love with, not the actress herself, though I’ve always been a fan from a distance. I can also relate to music and words from someone you admire helping you through hard times. Bad break up - I’d put on Someday by Mariah Carey. A day I’m feeling low - I’d put on Through The Rain. I could probably name a Mariah song for every emotion and situation so I definitely get using that to help you or just to make your day brighter. I’m not going to pull her apart and critique how she hero-worships in detail, and I think there was a lot of positives she has gleaned from her love of Judy, but there were times I thought she seemed a little crazy and I worried about her.
I loved learning more about Judy, including the difficult parts, and she is more interesting to me than ever before. I’ve always been in awe of her talent and admired everything she achieved despite the many obstacles in her way, some of which she arguably put in front of herself. She was a star through and through. But she was also neurotic and insecure. I always saw a sadness to her, like you could tell this was all a bit much for her. All she wanted to be loved without condition other people taking from her and isn’t that what everyone wants after all? The tragedy is she never found it and died while estranged from her family and alone in a bathroom from an accidental drug overdose. That is no way for anyone’s life to end. I did like that her happiness and joy in life is emphasised as much as her difficulties aren’t shied away from. No one is one dimensional. They aren’t happy or sad, good or bad, they are a bit of everything and that changes all the time. This book showed me more of the real person behind the persona and it made me fall in love with her a little more.
But this book didn’t only teach me things about Miss Garland. It also gave great insight into how some fans think and can be affected by an obsession. The author is aware of how far she goes for her idol and often argues the virtues and benefits of such obsession, which I found fascinating. She asks why we’d want to give up the intense, teenage-like obsession when we get such a rush from it. The book contains a lot of psycho-analysis, which is understandable given her family history. All the way through the book it is clear that the author sees her life as having been enhanced by her love for Judy, rather than hindered by it. Though I have to wonder if there are times those around her wouldn’t necessarily agree.
An intriguing book that at times felt a little messy and strange, My Life With Judy Garland is honestly like nothing I’ve ever read before. And it is a book I won’t forget.
Thank you to Virago books and Ann Cater at Compulsive Reader Blog Tours for my copy of this novel.
Susie Boyt opens her book talking about her love for Judy Garland and how it helped her when she was a shy, sensitive child. I can relate to that. I’ve always been someone who feels things deeply and like Susie I fell in love with The Wizard of Oz at just three years old. I was instantly obsessed with the film and knew it back to front and inside out. I would quote lines, watch it repeatedly and put on skits acting out scenes with my friends. Of course, I was always Dorothy. But unlike Susie it was the movie and Dorothy I fell in love with, not the actress herself, though I’ve always been a fan from a distance. I can also relate to music and words from someone you admire helping you through hard times. Bad break up - I’d put on Someday by Mariah Carey. A day I’m feeling low - I’d put on Through The Rain. I could probably name a Mariah song for every emotion and situation so I definitely get using that to help you or just to make your day brighter. I’m not going to pull her apart and critique how she hero-worships in detail, and I think there was a lot of positives she has gleaned from her love of Judy, but there were times I thought she seemed a little crazy and I worried about her.
I loved learning more about Judy, including the difficult parts, and she is more interesting to me than ever before. I’ve always been in awe of her talent and admired everything she achieved despite the many obstacles in her way, some of which she arguably put in front of herself. She was a star through and through. But she was also neurotic and insecure. I always saw a sadness to her, like you could tell this was all a bit much for her. All she wanted to be loved without condition other people taking from her and isn’t that what everyone wants after all? The tragedy is she never found it and died while estranged from her family and alone in a bathroom from an accidental drug overdose. That is no way for anyone’s life to end. I did like that her happiness and joy in life is emphasised as much as her difficulties aren’t shied away from. No one is one dimensional. They aren’t happy or sad, good or bad, they are a bit of everything and that changes all the time. This book showed me more of the real person behind the persona and it made me fall in love with her a little more.
But this book didn’t only teach me things about Miss Garland. It also gave great insight into how some fans think and can be affected by an obsession. The author is aware of how far she goes for her idol and often argues the virtues and benefits of such obsession, which I found fascinating. She asks why we’d want to give up the intense, teenage-like obsession when we get such a rush from it. The book contains a lot of psycho-analysis, which is understandable given her family history. All the way through the book it is clear that the author sees her life as having been enhanced by her love for Judy, rather than hindered by it. Though I have to wonder if there are times those around her wouldn’t necessarily agree.
An intriguing book that at times felt a little messy and strange, My Life With Judy Garland is honestly like nothing I’ve ever read before. And it is a book I won’t forget.
Thank you to Virago books and Ann Cater at Compulsive Reader Blog Tours for my copy of this novel.
tamaraepps's review against another edition
4.0
I am not a fan of Judy Garland but that wasn't an issue reading this book - it is partly a biography but is also the writer's own memoir. Well written, I found myself drawn to it until I had finished it and by the end felt I really knew something of the author. Would recommend this to anyone who understands what it's like to be obsessed by someone famous, or who wishes to understand these obsessions.
lisabreads's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Random Things Tours and the author for including me in the book tour for the reissue of My Judy Garland Life by Susie Boyt.
My Judy Garland Life is an interesting mix of memoir and biography, with the author inserting her own hero worship and thoughts into some history and details of Judy Garland’s life. I loved the addition of many historical photos amongst the book. I did not know much about her history as a child star either.
Mixing in some of the author’s obsession is an interesting way to do a memoir. I am not sure it was exactly my favourite mix of genres but if you occasionally shy away from the genre because it can be a little dry, this was an intriguing way to humanize the facts a little bit.
My Judy Garland Life is an interesting mix of memoir and biography, with the author inserting her own hero worship and thoughts into some history and details of Judy Garland’s life. I loved the addition of many historical photos amongst the book. I did not know much about her history as a child star either.
Mixing in some of the author’s obsession is an interesting way to do a memoir. I am not sure it was exactly my favourite mix of genres but if you occasionally shy away from the genre because it can be a little dry, this was an intriguing way to humanize the facts a little bit.
mcf's review against another edition
5.0
One imagines a memoir written through a Judy Garland lens would almost inevitably be teeth-grindingly awful, but Boyt avoids all the looming pitfalls and manages to produce an affecting, heartfelt, wryly funny, utterly surprising work.
Absolutely glorious.
Absolutely glorious.
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