The Castle on Sunset

Author: Shawn Levy
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
ISBN: 9781474611848
Category : Celebrities
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Book Description
For nearly ninety years, Hollywood's brightest stars have favoured the Chateau Marmont as a home away from home. Filled with deep secrets but hidden in plain sight, its evolution parallels the growth of Hollywood itself. Perched above the Sunset Strip like a fairy-tale castle, the Chateau seems to come from another world entirely. An apartment-house-turned-hotel, it has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: 1930s bombshell Jean Harlow took lovers during her third honeymoon there; director Nicholas Ray slept with his sixteen-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Anthony Perkins and Tab Hunter met poolside and began a secret affair; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies, once nearly falling to his death; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose in a private bungalow; Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what's happened inside the Chateau's walls has eluded the public eye - until now. With wit and prowess, Shawn Levy recounts the wild parties and scandalous liaisons, creative breakthroughs and marital breakdowns, births and untimely deaths that the Chateau Marmont has given rise to. Vivid, salacious and richly informed, the book is a glittering tribute to Hollywood as seen from the suites and bungalows of its most hallowed hotel.

Life at the Marmont

Author: Raymond Sarlot
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101598697
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 368

Book Description
Raymond Sarlot bought the Chateau Marmont in 1975, but what was originally a business purchase became a love affair as he delved into the hotel's incredible history. From its perch overlooking the Sunset Strip, the glamorous Marmont reigned for decades as the spot for artists, writers, musicians, and actors of every stripe and remains a home-away-from-home for A-listers like Scarlett Johansson and Johnny Depp. Here, Sarlot and co-author Fred E. Basten share a wealth of scandalous and intriguing tales about them all, from the stars of Hollywood's Golden Era like Jean Harlow and Grace Kelly to idols of the sixties and seventies like Jim Morrison and John Belushi (who tragically died there in 1982). Whether your obsession is Hollywood history or celebrity gossip, Life at the Marmont has plenty of gripping, juicy stories to fascinate.

Life at the Dakota

Author: Stephen Birmingham
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
ISBN: 9780815603382
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
This social history describes the lives of the rich and trendy who have lived at the Dakota, a New York apartment house daringly erected in 1884, too far up and on the wrong side of town. The book covers tenants such as the Gustav Schirmers, Boris Karloff, Judy Holliday and Lauren Bacall.

The Blue Castle

Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
Publisher: Aegitas
ISBN: 0369410254
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 204

Book Description
"The Blue Castle" tells the story of a young woman named Valancy Stirling, who lives a dull and uneventful life in the restrictive and judgmental society of the early 20th century. She is unmarried and lives with her overbearing mother and cousin, and has resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood and conformity. However, everything changes when Valancy receives a devastating medical diagnosis that gives her only a year to live. This news acts as a catalyst, prompting Valancy to break free from the constraints placed upon her and start living life on her own terms. She decides to leave her oppressive family environment and embrace her dreams and desires. Valancy's journey takes her to the fictional Blue Castle, a place of love and freedom that exists only in her imagination. In this imagined space, she meets a mysterious man named Barney Snaith, who becomes a symbol of hope and adventure in her life. Through "The Blue Castle," Montgomery explores themes such as self-discovery, the power of imagination, and the importance of living authentically. The novel challenges societal norms and expectations, highlighting the barriers placed on women during the early 20th century. Valancy's transformation from a meek and submissive woman to a vibrant and independent individual is both inspiring and empowering. Montgomery's writing is vivid and evocative, immersing readers in the beauty of the Canadian landscape and the emotions of the characters. Her descriptions of nature and the Blue Castle itself transport readers to a place of enchantment and possibility. The author's knack for creating memorable characters shines through in Valancy's journey, as well as in the supporting cast that includes eccentric family members and quirky townspeople. "The Blue Castle" stands apart from Montgomery's more famous works due to its departure from the author's usual setting of Prince Edward Island. The novel is set in the fictional Muskoka region of Ontario, providing a fresh and captivating backdrop. This change of scenery adds another layer of charm and uniqueness to the story. Overall, "The Blue Castle" is a delightful and heartwarming tale of self-discovery, courage, and love. It portrays the transformative power of embracing one's true desires and finding joy in unexpected places. Montgomery's masterful storytelling and the endearing characters make this a book you won't want to put down.

Hearst Castle

Author: Barbara Knox
Publisher: Bearport Publishing
ISBN: 9781597160698
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
William Randolph Hearst always loved castles. As a child he visited many of the great castles of Europe, and he dreamed of building his own some day. In Hearst Castle: An American Palace, young readers will meet this wealthy and powerful newspaperman, who built a media empire while realizing his dream to create his own castle high in the California hills. Students will learn how this mighty structure was built and furnished with priceless artwork, statuary, and antiques. Full-color photographs, maps, timeline, and a compelling narrative will inform as well as entertain students.

De Niro

Author: Shawn Levy
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307716791
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 626

Book Description
REMARKABLE BIOGRAPHY OF AN ICON There’s little debate that Robert De Niro is one of the greatest screen actors of his generation, perhaps of all time--if not, in fact, the greatest. His work, particularly in the first 20 years of his career, is unparalleled. Mean Streets, the Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, the Deer Hunter, and Raging Bull all dazzled moviegoers and critics alike, displaying a talent the likes of which had rarely--if ever--been seen. De Niro became known for his deep involvement in his characters, assuming that role completely into his own life, resulting in extraordinary, chameleonic performances. Yet little is known about the off-screen De Niro--he is an intensely private man, whose rare public appearances are often marked by inarticulateness and palpable awkwardness. It can be almost painful to watch at times, in powerful contrast to his confident movie personae. In this elegant and compelling biography, bestselling writer Shawn Levy writes of these many De Niros--the characters and the man--seeking to understand the evolution of an actor who once dove deeply into his roles as if to hide his inner nature, and who now seemingly avoids acting challenges, taking roles which make few apparent demands on his overwhelming talent. Following De Niro's roots as the child of artists (his father, the abstract painter Robert De Niro Sr., was widely celebrated) who encouraged him from an early age to be independent of vision and spirit, to his intense schooling as an actor, the rise of his career, his marriages, his life as a father, restauranteur, and businessman, and, of course, his current movie career, Levy has written a biography that reads like a novel about a character whose inner turmoil takes him to heights of artistry. His many friendships with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Harvey Keitel, Shelley Winters, Francis Ford Coppola, among many others, are woven into this extraordinary portrait of DeNiro the man and the artist, also adding a depth of understanding not before seen. Levy has had unprecedented access to De Niro's personal research and production materials, creating a new impression of the effort that went into the actor's legendary performances. The insights gained from DeNiro’s intense working habits shed new perspective on DeNiro’s thinking and portrayals and are wonderful to read. Levy also spoke to De Niro's collaborators and friends to depict De Niro's transition from an ambitious young man to a transfixing and enigmatic artist and cultural figure. Shawn Levy has written a truly engaging, insightful, and entertaining portrait of one of the most wonderful film artists of our time, a book that is worthy of such a great talent.

To the Castle and Back

Author: Vaclav Havel
Publisher: Vintage Canada
ISBN: 0307369420
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 402

Book Description
An astonishingly candid memoir from the acclaimed, dissident playwright elected President after the dramatic Czechoslovakian Velvet Revolution — one of the most respected political figures of our time. As writer and statesman, Václav Havel played an essential part in the profound changes that occurred in Central Europe in the last decades of the twentieth century. In this most intimate memoir, he writes about his transition from outspoken dissident and political prisoner to a player on the international stage in 1989 as newly elected president of Czechoslovakia after the ousting of the Soviet Union, and, in l993, as president of the newly formed Czech Republic. Havel gives full rein to his impassioned stance against the devastation wrought by communism, but the scope of his concern in this engrossing memoir extends far beyond the circumstances he faced in his own country. The book is full of anecdotes of his interactions with world figures: offering a peace pipe to Mikhail Gorbachev, meditating with the Dali Lama, confessing to Pope John Paul II and partying with Bill and Hilary Clinton. Havel shares his thoughts on the future of the European Union and the role of national identity in today’s world. He explains why he has come to change his mind about the war in Iraq, and he discusses the political and personal reverberations he faces because of his initial support of the invasion. He writes with equal intelligence and candour about subjects as diverse as the arrogance of western power politics, the death of his first wife and his own battle with lung cancer. Woven through are internal memos he wrote during his presidency that take us behind the scenes of the Prague Castle – the government’s seat of power – showing the internal workings of the office and revealing Havel’s mission to act as his country’s conscience, and even, at times, its chief social convenor. Written with characteristic eloquence, wit and well-honed irony combined with an unfailing sense of wonder at the course his life has taken, To the Castle and Back is a revelation of one of the most important political figures of our time.

Sea Glass Castle

Author: T.I. Lowe
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 1496440528
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 315

Book Description
From the bestselling author of Lulu’s Café Sophia Prescott is still mending from the embarrassment of a highly publicized divorce from a pro football player, and the now-single mother is back in Sunset Cove, surrounded by the supporting love of her family and the Sand Queens. Sophia doesn’t think there’s any hope for starting over until an unexpected trip to the pediatrician’s office gives her a second chance after all. Dr. Weston Sawyer knows all about lives shattering into millions of pieces. His own all but ended when a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and barreled head-on into his pregnant wife’s sedan, killing her instantly and leaving Wes with a soul so wounded that it has refused to heal. He packed up and left swampy southern Alabama for South Carolina with the hope of fading into the sleepy coastal town of Sunset Cove. Instead, feisty brunette Sophia Prescott will have him braving something different and entirely unexpected. If Sophia and Wes can take the leap to give love another try, they just might find that hope has a way of coming back around and weaving into one’s heart.

Paul Newman

Author: Marian Edelman Borden
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 172

Book Description
This book examines the life of the remarkable Paul Newman—an iconic actor, director, race car driver, political activist, businessman, philanthropist, devoted husband, and father. Paul Leonard Newman was a true Renaissance man who is known worldwide for his performances as an actor and director. His career in the entertainment industry stretched over 50 years, as did his marriage to Joanne Woodward—an unusual and notable achievement in Hollywood. Newman was also a talented race car driver, an influential political activist, a savvy businessman, and a passionate philanthropist who created a food company that has donated more than $280 million to charities. But Newman also suffered many defeats throughout his life; he was human, just as we all are. This biography provides a chronological narrative that documents Newman's long life and myriad contributions. Information regarding his early years in Ohio, his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, his success on the stage and screen, his work with charities and business ventures, and his exploits in auto racing is provided.

West of Sunset

Author: Stewart O'Nan
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101608390
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 278

Book Description
A “rich, sometimes heartbreaking” (Dennis Lehane) novel of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last years in Hollywood, from the acclaimed author of Emily, Alone and Henry, Himself In 1937, F. Scott Fitzgerald was a troubled, uncertain man whose literary success was long over. In poor health, with his wife consigned to a mental asylum and his finances in ruins, he struggled to make a new start as a screenwriter in Hollywood. By December 1940, he would be dead of a heart attack. Those last three years of Fitzgerald’s life, often obscured by the legend of his earlier Jazz Age glamour, are the focus of Stewart O’Nan’s gorgeously and gracefully written novel. With flashbacks to key moments from Fitzgerald’s past, the story follows him as he arrives on the MGM lot, falls in love with brassy gossip columnist Sheilah Graham, begins work on The Last Tycoon, and tries to maintain a semblance of family life with the absent Zelda and daughter, Scottie. Fitzgerald’s orbit of literary fame and the Golden Age of Hollywood is brought vividly to life through the novel’s romantic cast of characters, from Dorothy Parker and Ernest Hemingway to Humphrey Bogart. A sympathetic and deeply personal portrait of a flawed man who never gave up in the end, even as his every wish and hope seemed thwarted, West of Sunset confirms O’Nan as “possibly our best working novelist” (Salon).