Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters [Paperback]

Michelle Vogel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2005

From published author, Michelle Vogel, comes Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters. The letters derive from Ms. Crawford's meticulous attention to her fan base. She encouraged letters from her adoring fans and made the uncanny effort to answer them. What emerges is a chronological biography of filmdom's ultimate movie star. Additionally, the body of work by Ms. Vogel incorporates the letters along with explanatory narrative weaving together the events of a fabulous life and career. And that's not all! Cathy Crawford LaLonde, the sole executor of the Crawford estate, has transmitted written permission to the author for the exclusive rights to publish her mother's words in Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters. Here then is the first "authorized" biography since Mommie Dearest. In reading the letters, with their introspective quality, the reader discovers the unique personality of Joan Crawford which contrasts significantly from the portrait presented in Mommie Dearest. Biography aficionados will eagerly embrace the penetrating in depth aspects into the life of a twentieth century icon.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Author Michelle Vogel bursts a few (Crawford) myths." -- Liz Smith - NEW YORK POST - June 7th, 2005

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Wasteland Press (May 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933265469
• ISBN-13: 978-1933265469
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,032,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michelle Vogel is an Australian-born author and noted Hollywood historian. Her book topics cover the lives and careers of silent actors as well as iconic stars of the Golden Age. Check out her popular blog for updated information on anything new on old Hollywood as well as upcoming book releases and interesting interviews. Personally signed bookplates ($5 including shipping anywhere in the world) are now being offered via her blog. Get one for your Michelle Vogel book today!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars So disapointing!, June 21, 2005

By 

Audio "Love biographies of entertainers, gene... (kennebunk, ME, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters (Paperback)

I was terribly disapointed in this book. I have read just about every book about Crawford, and a new one had me very excited - especially when it was about her legendary "letters".

The first issue I had with the book was the fact that the author has so many facts wrong - from the profession of Joan's father (he was NOT a "baker", LOL) to even simple technical information like the name of her first role in a film (which could have easily been checked at any number of websites in about five seconds).

That's also the second issue - the book has tons of material that has been on the Internet for quite some time. Many of the letters in this book I had read before on Joan websites that catalog them. It was disapointing that it didn't feel like the author had gone beyond visiting websites and copying them down into a book.

The only highlight really was the brief introduction by Casey LaLonde, Joan's grandson; hopefully we will hear more from him and his family in the future - I only hope that next time they collaborate on a more meticulous work with an author that includes facts, research, and proofreading that this book seems to lack.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Buyer Beware, July 5, 2005

By 

Avid Reader (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters (Paperback)

Buyer Beware

Before you spend your money buying this book you should know that:

1) It [appears that it] has not been proofread
2) There are inaccurate facts sprinkled throughout the book that any fan of Joan Crawford will recognize immediately (what fan doesn't know the name of Joan's first picture?)
3) A great many of the letters are available for free viewing at more than one fan website, and can be seen in their entirety, rather than transcribed portions

If historical accuracy, original material, and literate writing are important to you, you will be disappointed.

If, as a fan of Joan Crawford, owning copies of these freely available letters in book form overrides mis-typed words and facts that you know are wrong, then you will not be disappointed.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The author should study English composition, July 8, 2005

By 

Lzyblyzzet "Muddie" (Niantic, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters (Paperback)

I gave this book one star for the following reasons. When I buy a book, I expect that its author will have had the respect for his or her readers to have put out an edited and proofread product. This book has far more than a few typos (not "typo's"). It is rife with incomplete sentences and inconsistent and/or incorrect punctuation. Language, grammar, words, sentence structure, spelling, etc., are a writer's tools of trade, so it's a puzzle why this book is such a mess. Even self-published books must meet some standards. Joan Crawford's letters prove that she used and respected the rules of literate writing and, if she was the perfectionist she was reputed to have been, I can only believe she would scorn this book. It baffles me how her ardent fans can condone it. Surely they should demand better for their beloved Joan Crawford.