Customer Reviews

Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

John Fricke has really outdone himself! I got this book for a Christmas present and since then have become a HUGE Garland fan. This is a great book for any Judy fan or anyone who is interested in learning more about her. It doesnt go way into her life and talk about one subject for 10 pages. It shows you a more personal side of Judy Garland, coming from those who loved her the most. There are alot of good stories, many told by Margret Whiting,the false teeth story is funny. There are quotes on what people thought of her as a entertainer and as a person. Not only are there great stories and quotes there are magnificent pictures. Pictures you cant find anywhere else. There are some great candids of Judy just throwing her head back in laughter. Very nice concert shots, that just give us a glimpse of her fabulous energy. There are even a few unretouched photos as well. Then there are the pictures of her with her kids, you can just see the love shining in her eyes. The last 10 pages of pictures and quotes are so powerful that I at least have to mention two of the pictures. The one of her rose covered coffin being carried down some street in New York, the reporters, the tons of fans that all lost some one, not just a celebrity but some one they thought of as a friend. Then there is the very last page of the entire book, an audience applauding and Judy getting ready to take a bow. Very powerful last page. This book isnt pne that is going to sit on your bookshelf and collect dust. But it is one that will be sitting on your coffe table. The one you look at almost everyday and never get tired of.

In the spirit of full disclosure (obviously not shared by a couple of the cowardly, anonymous posters above), I am the author of an earlier book on Garland, "Rainbow's End: The Judy Garland Show." Additionally, I have known John Fricke for more than two decades.

After reading two pans for his book here -- one of them inexplicably stating, "This new book is almost too large and too heavy to enjoy" (?) and the other carping that this book presents little new information or material (!) -- I must respond to correct such false claims. It's one thing to have and offer an opinion; it's another to lie.

Anyone familiar with the past-published books about Judy Garland knows that PORTRAIT IN ART AND ANECDOTE is absolutely unique in its approach to reproducing rare art, never-before-seen in any reputable volume -- whether about Garland, M-G-M, Hollywood, or general entertainment history. Over 370 of the 415 pictures herein fall into this category. (And not one of the 415 appeared in Fricke's earlier books on Oz OR Judy Garland.) To make a claim to the contrary is preposterous. I spotted perhaps 20-30 photos from previously published sources; even if they have been seen elsewhere, this book's elegant design, its oversized pages, and top photo stock paper make familiar shots an entirely new experience.

This book doesn't compare with any other Garland book (not even mine!), and certainly not with Schechter's error-laden, self-promotional tome. John's clear-eyed, accessible text -- and the work of designer Ranse Ransone -- make for a masterful job in the illumination of Garland the woman and performer. Fricke's intelligence, sense of balance, insight, and research are second to none; his writing is first-rate. And the dazzling, welcoming layout gives us the most stunning look-to-date at all facets of Judy Garland's life and times.

Someone recently stated that Fricke's previous "World's Greatest Entertainer" focused primarily on her work; this new book stresses Judy as a person while always putting that human being in the context of her professional achievements and astounding workload. PORTRAIT IN ART AND ANECDOTE does an artful job of providing fresh information and perspective for long-time fans and, at the same time, provides the newly-curious with a blueprint of her professional and personal accomplishments: all the pivotal moments, the triumphs, the setbacks, and the challenges faced throughout her life.

This book is nothing less than extraordinary -- and certainly worthy of its subject. To my mind, John Fricke is THE only one to have done it so brilliantly. It's unfortunate that Amazon's casual readers and browsers have to be dragged into the idiocy of envious fandom...but the facts -- on behalf on Fricke, his designer, his coworkers, and his publishers -- need to be spelled out.

Finally, what honest, real enthusiast would actually whine about a book being too big?!

I have been a long time fan of Judy Garland and have collected all of the books written about her. I must admit this one takes my breath away with it's stunning photo reproduction. I have never collected memorabilia such as photos or posters from her movies (nor do I have the time or inclination to do so) which is why I appreciate this wonderful book. Mr. Fricke did all the work for me. I know there are people out there who are obsessed with Judy Garland in a very mentally unhealthy way. There was an article in the local (Tucson) newspaper here a few months back about one such person here in Tucson who obsessively collected Garland items like used pill bottles and worn underwear which I consider to be very sick behavior, and he was proud of his freaky collection which overwhelmed one entire room of his home. Those kind of "fanatics" are scary. Thank goodness Mr. Fricke's book celebrates Judy and her career in a positive and healthy manner. BRAVO Mr. Fricke!

I am not exactly sure how someone could review this book negatively--it is fantastic. As a Judy Garland fan, the amazing surplus of photos and extensive text more than covers the $50 price. The author has great knowledge of his subject and the overall design makes me want to keep picking up this book. I recommend JUDY GARLAND to all lovers of this extraordinary star!

Judy Garland deserves more books like this. It is so lavish and glossy, so sleek, and not in an overbearing way in which the style of the book overshadows the content. The layout and design just shows these photos off beautifully.

Speaking of photos, those chosen are pretty rare, most in color, VERY large (I'm tired of photo books crammed with tiny pictures)and so expressive! If you love behind the scenes candid shots, you're in for a treat.

On to the text. I've always loved reading the glowing tributes that Judy inspires from her contemporaries, and it's great to have so many collected in one book. The text which accompanies the photos and begins each chapter is very insightful and sheds new light on a subject that has had the spotlight thrown on nearly every dark corner. It's a pleasure to read "clear eyed" (to borrow from another reviewer) and objective sentences that focus on the subject and not on the writer. The subtext of some of the other books written by Garland afficianados seems to shout "look at how much I love her! I love her so much more than you could!" Fricke's subtext seems to be "look at why this woman is loved and just see if you don't love her, too."

I have only two negatives to mention about this book and they are very minor.

It would be nice to have an index which focused on the quotes so if you wanted to find out what a specific person had said about Judy you could jump to the index and know it's not leading you to a slight mention of said person.

Second, while most of the content in this book was new to me, many of the quotes are pulled from the previous television biography on A & E. Someone who hasn't seen it over and over again probably wouldn't care about that, though.

The truth is, it's incredibly difficult to bring an entertainer's essence to life in a book. Especially when the entertainer is someone as dynamic and vocally stunning as Judy. This book succeeds in doing that, and it's quite an acheivement. Once you buy this book you'll find yourself pulling it off the shelf again and again to enjoy the warmth, energy and beauty of Judy Garland.

my eyes are still sore from studying all the brand new images that have never been seen before of Judy. i really like the candid behind the scenes shots that capture Judy just being herself. this book is well worth it's weight, and i do mean weight for it weighs a ton, in gold. it is what every one will want on their coffee table this fall. it shows Judy from the 1920's broken up into decades all the way to 1969 when we lost her. but in reading this book i feel that i haven't really lost her at all. she is all there on the glossy glammershot pages and the quite home with the kids pages. i have come to find that anything John Fricke's name is attached to is going to be a HIGH QUALITY product. you can't go wrong with the Fricke name and Garland put together. this book makes me fall in love with Judy all over again. makes me want to put on her movies and listen to her music again. i will forever treasure this book.

I read all the other reviews posted here prior to purchasing this book, and was curious as to how I would respond to this book. I have read everything that has been written or done on Garland, and this far outshines all the others. This is not a tired rehashing of the same old stories. It is a loving tribute that allows Garland's genius to shine through. My partner has always patiently tolerated my love of Judy--after looking through this book, he said that he finally could see what the hubbub is all about. Now THAT's an achievement.

I just received my copy of this wonderful book and it exceeded my expectations! As a graduate student I am used to paying $60, $70, $80 or more for a textbook that I may seldom open again.
At $35.00 this book is an absolute steal! I plan to display this book proudly and browse through it often. It will be a treasured part of my library many years from now. There are some books that people will want to read, and there are other books that people will want to OWN. This book falls into the latter category. While you may want to go to a libary to check out Gerald Frank's "Judy" or Christopher Finch's "Rainbow" for a good read, you may not necessarily want to OWN them. Trust me, this is one book you will want to own, as it contains so many wonderful and rare photos that it would take a lifetime to accumulate them in any other way. Fricke has done the leg work and they are reproduced with great detail. Plus, there is no "author agenda" here, except to celebrate one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived. I gave myself an early Christmas present by purchasing this book, but I plan to give copies as gifts to friends of mine who are Garland fans also. I would give this book 10 stars if I could!

"Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote" is a beautifully written work, and is much more than a welcome addition to this Garland fan's collection. Like many others I have always felt that Judy is a part of my family. As such this is a photo album I will keep out for everyone to see. Especially since so many of these pictures haven't been published before.

Fans know that John Fricke should be heralded for keeping the flame of the only truly timeless diva lit. Lorna Luft's moving forward is a testament to the fact that he is the true authority on all things Garland. Additional Kudos to Ranse Ransone for a gorgeously delicious design.

I tip my proverbial "Get Happy" hat in this creative teams general direction. Thank you for letting me forget my troubles for several hours of reading and viewing pleasure.

This book is by far the greatest tribute ever paid to Judy Garland in book form, and I know because I have every single book ever published on Judy Garland (by a reputable publisher that is, beware of some of the recent fly-by-night publishers with photos that appear to be xeroxed). The only book that even comes close is Fricke's prior work "Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer" which remains the best career retrospective to date. As incredible as it seems Fricke did not duplicate any photos between the two books, so if you have one book you should certainly buy the other one as well. Now as for quality, this book is fantastic! The pages are high quality glossy type with photos that are crisp and clear. On the very first pages I could see the details in Judy's pink and white striped top that she wore on her tv show and at the London Paladium. These details are not visible in any other photograph of her wearing this costume. Judy's entire life is shown here in photos along with quotes from the stars of Hollywood's golden age and popular entertainers from all eras. Judy was a unique and one of a kind talent. John Fricke is probably the only person who could produce a work of this quality. It is superb!! As for an anonymous reviewer who left only one star, well that person is obviously uninformed, any true fan would see the value of owning this book. The price may seem a tad high at first glance, but when my book arrived I could see why it is priced as it is. It is quite heavy and LOADED with photos! The quality of the pages and printing are top notch all the way, they sure as hell didn't skimp on quality here and when your copy arrives you will realize that this book is worth every penny and more. This is truly a celebration of Judy Garland and the best Garland book to be published in years!! John Fricke has just raised the bar for all of those hacks out there who produce cheaply printed, poorly written books. Bypass the others and get this one. Treat yourself! By the way Lorna Luft, Judy's younger daughter has written a very sweet, loving forward to this book. Older daughter Liza Minnelli referred to this book as "spectacular" in a recent article in the Chicago Tribune. She took the "word(s)" right out of my mouth. Give yourself an early Christmas present and buy this book and put on Judy's Carnegie Hall CD while you browse through it. Thank you John Fricke for giving us Garland fans a real treat. To quote Joan Crawford (at Judy's "Star is Born" premiere) "Christmas came early this year!"