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Title: Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star by William J. Mann ISBN: 0-14-027568-1 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: March, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.88 (24 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting read about Haines; but, not the best "study...
Comment: ...of Gay Hollywood"... I enjoyed reading this book. I knew nothing about William Haines's life...And this book tells an interesting story without getting into unnecessary "juicy details", that fill up many other gay people's bios, regardless of whether they are true or not. Nowadays, many authors seem to think that its their duty to write A LOT about sex and to insert every gossip imaginable into every single chapter of their books, when it comes to writing about gay people. I am grateful to Mann for not doing that. Of course, he gives us a fair share of "gay insights" and "outtings" (whether they are true or not, again, it is hard to tell, but none of them is distasteful. He also can not resist the temptation of sounding somewhat "prophetic" and judgemental about gay actors, just like so many other authors do. It is especially obvious, when Mann talkes about Cary Grant. (BY THE WAY, the book says very little about Cary Grant directly in relation to Willaim HAINES, as one of the critics claimed it does). I mean, we do not really get to hear what Haines had to say about Cary Grant ( and about many of his so-called friends, for that matter...). THIS IS WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK. I realize, that it is a bio, not an autobio, but still...If there was not enough credible material about others, why mention them at all? Why not just talk about the main man, Haines? He seems to have been an interesting enough subject to fill three bio book, not just one. Anyway, despite minor shortcomings, this BOOK IS TASTEFULLY WRITTEN, and that in itself, is an achievement among the endless stream of rubbish that is published today.
Rating: 4
Summary: A Look at the Social Swirl of Old Hollywood
Comment: Williams Haines is perfectly suited as a lens through which to examine life, gay life in particular, in old Hollywood when the silents were king and when they first fell. William J. Mann in Wisecracker (The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star) captures this time with exuberance. The author shows the social scene and fills it out with many, many captivating stars and scandals, gossip and gay parties. Williams Haines was young with the movies and it shows. The added bonus of the book is the long portion of William Haines life during which he was not a movie star. There is an emotional resonance to the last third of the book the deepens the fun of the first two-thirds. A wonderful look at a life lived honestly for its time and the story of a love that survived for decades under all of that honesty.
Rating: 5
Summary: Things you can tell just by skimming through it
Comment: This book is very informative and full of eye-opening photographs. It reflects an issue that needs to be addressed much, much more. I already knew much about this silent star, and have learned more just by simply skimming through Mr. Mann's excellent survey. I definitely recommend it as I also recommend another of the author's books, which I am currently reading as well, "Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1910-1969."
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Title: Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969 by William J. Mann ISBN: 0142001147 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: November, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramon Novarro by Andre Soares ISBN: 0312282311 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Split Image: The Life of Anthony Perkins by Charles Winecoff ISBN: 0967282233 Publisher: Lightning Bug Press Pub. Date: 15 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: An Underground Life: Memoirs of a Gay Jew in Nazi Berlin (Living Out: Gay and Lesbian Autobiographies) by Gad Beck, Frank Heibert, Allison Brown ISBN: 0299165043 Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press Pub. Date: 01 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Conversations With Joan Crawford by Roy Newquist ISBN: 0806507209 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: June, 1980 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
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