The long-awaited republication of this captivating account of the star's life. Louise Brooks left Wichita, Kansas, for New York City at age fifteen and lived the kind of life of which legends are made. From her beginnings as a dancer to her years in Hollywood, Berlin, and beyond, she was hailed and reviled as a new type of woman: independent, intellectually daring, and sexually free. In this widely acclaimed, first and only comprehensive biography, Barry Paris traces Brooks's trajectory from her childhood through her ...
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The long-awaited republication of this captivating account of the star's life. Louise Brooks left Wichita, Kansas, for New York City at age fifteen and lived the kind of life of which legends are made. From her beginnings as a dancer to her years in Hollywood, Berlin, and beyond, she was hailed and reviled as a new type of woman: independent, intellectually daring, and sexually free. In this widely acclaimed, first and only comprehensive biography, Barry Paris traces Brooks's trajectory from her childhood through her fall into obscurity and subsequent "resurrection" as a brilliant writer and enduring film icon.
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Seller's Description:
Near Fine. Book. 8vo-over 7¾-9¾" tall. Softcover. Clean, tight, and unmarked. Bibliography, notes, abbreviations, index. A sound and handsome copy, very neat.
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Good. Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
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Good. 8vo-over 7¾-9¾" tall. 1st Printing. Good to very good with some scuffing to covers and slight defect in lamination near upper corner of front cover. No markings, flat spine with no cracks or creases..
A long, thorough, well-researched and incredibly detailed biography of Louise's life. Especially beneficial for understanding the early years in film, the transformation from silent to sound, and the flapper days of the 20s.
drednm
Oct 22, 2007
The Amazing Louise Brooks
Barry Paris meticulously recreates the life of famed silent-screen actress Louise Brooks, who is remembered now for a handful of films and for being one of the most beautiful yet self-destructive figures in Hollywood history. That said, this is not an easy book to read just because the woman was so damned unhappy. But Paris faithfully and lovingly portrays Brooks as a misguided spirit whose life just goes wrong. Paris shows us Brooks' Kansas family and girlhood (she grew up on the same street in Cherryvale as Vivian Vance), her forays into modern dance, Broadway, Hollywood, European films, and her dismal return to Hollywood and eventual oblivion. Nurtured by a progressive mother Brooks pursues and career in dance and lands a job at 15 touring with the Denishawn company. She became a favorite of Ted Shawn and starred in many dance numbers with the "father of modern dance." But Brooks was restless and chafed under the tight rules of the Denishawn company. She left the company and headed for Broadway where she had a short career as a showgirl before landing small parts in films that were shot in Astoria and Long island. The beautiful Brooks had no trouble getting larger parts and catching the attention of Hollywood. At Paramount Brooks was launched in a series of flashy supporting roles in a number of hit films and finally seemed on the verge of stardom in her own right. Important roles in BEGGARS OF LIFE and THE CANARY MURDER CASE seemed sure to set Brooks on equal footing with Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, and Colleen Moore. But talkies were about to take over Hollywood and Brooks was already getting bored with filmmaking (and chafing under the tight morality rules the studio set) so she bailed and headed for Europe where she caught the eye of G.W. Pabst. When Paramount called her back to reshoot scene in CANARY as a talkie, she refused. Paramount cancelled her contract and she went to work for Pabst in her most famous film, as Lulu in PANDORA'S BOX. The film caused a sensation in Europe (but was little seen in the USA) and led to other European films. When Brooks was ready to return to Hollywood on her own terms, Hollywood turned its back. She landed a series of small roles in B films and ended up in a few cheap Westerns. By the end of the 30s she was all washed up. Decades later Brooks was discovered working in a department store in Rochester, NY. James Card, who worked at Eastman House, rescued the aging Brooks and started her on a minor writing career. Brooks wrote essays about "old Hollywood" and the people she had known. The book LULU IN HOLLYWOOD caused a critical stir for its essays on the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Greta Garbo, W.C. Fields, and Marion Davies. But even in old age Brooks remained a nasty and unpredictable woman. She eventually lashed out at Card as well as her doting bother, Ted. The final scenes of the rediscovered Brooks (still in Rochester) and her consistent inability to deal with success (or life) are heartbreaking. To the end Brooks repulsed anyone who tried to get close to her. Still, the cinematic image of Brooks and her enigmatic character of Lulu remain Hollywood icons for the silent era. The Brooks biography is a story about a woman out of control, a woman devoted to sex and booze and drugs, and ultimately about a woman who threw away every golden opportunity given her. The story of Louise Brooks is as fascinating at it is tragic.
