This month’s collection update is ALL books. Mid-month I scoped out a used bookstore I’d never been to while visiting my mom and, of course, was able to track down a few film-related books. Later in the month, I visited another used bookstore (an old favorite) and found a whole stack of stuff to bring home. Here’s the list!
- Directed by Vincente Minnelli by Stephen Harvey
1989 Hardcover. Beautiful coffee table book with lots of stills from Minnelli’s films but lots of text, too. Published to accompany an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Forward by Liza Minnelli. - Five Women I Love: Bob Hope’s Vietnam Story by Bob Hope
1966 Hardcover. “Bob Hope” is not a name that I count among my favorite actors, though I have enjoyed several of his films. Couldn’t pass this book up for a few reasons. First, it’s in near-pristine condition despite its age. Even the paper dust jacket is intact, save for one small tear at the top of the front cover and a tiny bit of wear on the edges of the spine. It’s also about more than Bob Hope. Plenty of fellow stars/travelers are sure to be name-dropped and have their stories shared throughout the book. Finally, I don’t think I’ve ever read a first-hand account of what it’s like to perform on a USO tour, so regardless of Hope’s status in my “favorite actors” ranking it should be an interesting read! - Hollywood and the Great Fan Magazines by Martin Levin
1970 Hardcover. I checked this book out from the library once and am excited to have found my own copy! It includes not only beautifully illustrated fan mag cover images, but also full articles from the magazines. Since I collect fan magazines, this is a perfect complement to my bookcase. - Immortals of the Screen by Ray Stuart
1965 Hardcover. The dust jacket is in kind of beat-up shape (poorly laminated) but it’s a cool coffee table book and only cost me a single buck! - On Reflection by Helen Hayes
1968 Hardcover. Helen Hayes was at one time known as the “First Lady of American Theatre.” Finding success on both the stage and the screen, she worked from 1905 through the 1980s in plays, in films, and on television! This is one of three memoirs written by Hayes, the others being A Gift of Joy and My Life in Three Acts. - The Parade’s Gone By… by Kevin Brownlow
1970 Paperback. I’ve had several Brownlow books on my wishlist for a while, so I was very excited to find this one for only four bucks! - Princess of Monaco: The Story of Grace Kelly by Gant Gaither
1961 Paperback. Just a little biography. - Scarlett O’Hara’s Younger Sister: My Lively Life In and Out of Hollywood by Evelyn Keyes
1977 Hardcover. As the book’s title suggests, this is the autobiography of Evelyn Keyes, who played Suellen O’Hara (on-screen sister of Vivien Leigh) in the 1939 classic Gone With the Wind. Keyes also had roles in Union Pacific, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and The Seven Year Itch, with a Hollywood career spanning several decades. - Stars of the Photoplay: Art Portraits of Famous Film Favorites with Short Biographical Sketches
1930 Hardcover. Definitely the most exciting find of the month! The book is in great shape and the portraits are wonderful. - This Life by Sidney Poitier
1980 Hardcover. Didn’t even know this book existed until I ran across it on the bookstore shelf!
The Motion Pictures 