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A review by bookhero6
Marlene by C.W. Gortner
4.0
I admit I wasn't sure about this book at first. The chapters on Marlene as a child didn't really grab me. Told in the first person, and maybe young Marlene was harder to inhabit than adult Marlene. But adult Marlene was very compelling, and passionate, and where the young Marlene chapters felt like an author writing about her, the adult Marlene chapters felt like the author becoming her.
I grew up watching AMC and TCM when all they played pretty much was movies from the 30's and 40's. And those are still some of my favorite movies. I was more bedazzled by Ginger Rogers and Betty Grable than by Marlene Dietrich, so my understanding of her going into reading this book was of an acting great from Hollywood's golden age. With this book I really feel like I got to know her as a person.
She certainly had a colorful life. I had no idea how active she was in the USO during World War II, or how close she was to the Nazi horrors. In this book Marlene comes across as so human and normal despite her extraordinary life. Passionate and hard-working, aware of her flaws but not hindered by them. I ended up enjoying this book very much. And now I want to go watch as many Marlene Dietrich movies as I possibly can.
Included in the back are various non-fiction works about Marlene the author used for reference. I think I might have to check them out too. Sometimes a novelization of a real historical figure makes me wish I'd just read a biography. But this book feels like it belongs on a shelf with her memoirs and biographies.
I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. I'm ashamed to say it took me over a year to get around to reading it. What was I thinking?! This book is so good! Can't wait to read more by C.W. Gortner.
I grew up watching AMC and TCM when all they played pretty much was movies from the 30's and 40's. And those are still some of my favorite movies. I was more bedazzled by Ginger Rogers and Betty Grable than by Marlene Dietrich, so my understanding of her going into reading this book was of an acting great from Hollywood's golden age. With this book I really feel like I got to know her as a person.
She certainly had a colorful life. I had no idea how active she was in the USO during World War II, or how close she was to the Nazi horrors. In this book Marlene comes across as so human and normal despite her extraordinary life. Passionate and hard-working, aware of her flaws but not hindered by them. I ended up enjoying this book very much. And now I want to go watch as many Marlene Dietrich movies as I possibly can.
Included in the back are various non-fiction works about Marlene the author used for reference. I think I might have to check them out too. Sometimes a novelization of a real historical figure makes me wish I'd just read a biography. But this book feels like it belongs on a shelf with her memoirs and biographies.
I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. I'm ashamed to say it took me over a year to get around to reading it. What was I thinking?! This book is so good! Can't wait to read more by C.W. Gortner.