I heard the author interviewed on NPR, who said Kay Thompson (well-known as the author of the Eloise books) was not widely appreciated for her impressive influence on singing styles and singers of the 40's and 50's. She was vocal coach and mentor for Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, Andy Williams and countless others. And she created a nightclub act that was widely regarded as one of the best ever. She also had substantial impact on fashion shows. She was a true eccentric, extremely talented, and not all that nice a person. This book is fun to read, with all kinds of insider info and show-biz gossip - but it wasn't exactly gripping. Let me know if you want it, and I'll give it to you for Christmas! Otherwise, the library gets it.
I just read a very light but enjoyable book of historical fiction that had some action set in Berlin during the 1936 Olympics - among other things, it featured Leni Riefenstahl, the famous film director, actress and personality, who was reviled for placing so much talent at the disposal of the Nazis (Triumph of the Will). Anyway, she's drawn larger than life in the book I read, in a way that reminded me a lot of the personality of Kay Thompson!
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