Discoveries
I am a fan of old Hollywood films and love a good old-fashioned dish-the-dirt Hollywood biography, particularly if it is written by or about an actor or actress who is largely forgotten about today.
Sure it is a strange and unfashionable habit that is possibly more suited to a gay man or a sad old bloke with a bad toupee (hello Bill Collins) but what can I say - I love the old goss. Even since I read Evelyn Keye's autobiography to escape the horror of a caravan park holiday when I was twelve I had enjoyed this guilty pleasure. Poor old Evelyn called her book Scarlett O'Hara's younger sister for all those in the bookstore who asked the question "Who?"
I had reason to leave Batville this week and travel to the Sticks. One compensation of country travel is the discoveries you can make in second hand bookstores. Imagine my excitement at the following purchases which added up to a grand total of $14.
I have no idea why Stewart Grainger has called his autobiography "Sparks fly upwards" but I am sure I can report on this soon. Strangely if you had asked me last week what I knew about him I would have said bugger all really but I would have guessed that he was married to Jean Simmons (the actress, not the lead singer of KISS). Scanning the book I was able to confirm this. Why did I know this? How did this piece of truly useless information stick in my brain when I can't remember to buy coffee when I run out? Very odd.
As for the other book I have always liked Sheilah Graham even since I saw the movie they made about her and F Scott Fitzgerald Beloved Infidel. Gregory Peck played Fitzgerald very unconvincgly but Deborah Kerr was wonderful in her kind English way as Sheliah.
A weekend of reading bliss awaits.
6 comments:
Hi Ms Batville ~ Thanks for your comments and I am glad you like my blog. It is now merle-3rdtimelucky.blogspot.com/ as I don't use Herons Nest any more. I like the look of your blog too. and have read most of it. I liked your
report on the AFL G.F and I was barracking for Sydney too, as they came from South Melbourne. I also
like old movies and have heaps.
Good luck with your blog, you have
made a good start. Cheers, Merle.
Hey there, nice blog, keep up the good work!
Thanks for the link, I'll link you right back now.
Susanne
P.S. Enjoy your weekend reading! I too am doing a lot of 'reading', but it's uni related, so it's not exactly blissful. :)
Thanks to both of you - it is really nice to get some encouraging words.
Merle - I have updated the link and look forward to reading 3rd try. Nice to find another old movie fan - I think I might have been born in the wrong decade as most of my contemporaries struggle to feign interest if I talk about the movies I love.
Thanks Susanne for my first reciprocal link. Am quite excited by that! Hope the reading goes quickly. I know how you feel - I finally finished a post grad degree at Uni last year and there is now nothing better than being able to read for pleasure without that guilty feeling that I should be studying. Hope you can spoil yourself along the way.
O Ms Batsville! Your blog has brought back some memories! When I was twelve, a great aunt told me I looked just like Stewart Grainger! Just what a little gel wants to hear (I had to look him up!). And twenty years later, I agree with her!!!
Well Meva, as Stewart apparently says "Sparks fly upwards" - whatever the hell that means!
My mother commented today that she always thought he was "dishy", which is such a quaint phrase but one I think I will bring back into circulation.
I'm also partial to a dreamboat, myself.
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