Customer Reviews

Sir John Gielgud: A Life in Letters

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I think letters make the best autobiographies. By definition, letters by the subject are first-hand. They are convenient, because they are also by nature episodic, which means you can put them down and pick them up when the mood strikes. And John Gielgud's letters certainly prove wrong those who say he never wrote an autobiogrsphy. (As the Washington Post reviewer says here, he must have written two letters to different people every day of his life.)

So, here's not just a life ideally presented, but a life worth knowing about, since Gielgud was one of the three or four greatest English-speaking actors of the twentieth century.

Also, we have the experience of Gielgud's films, which flesh out for us this man of letters (literally and figuratively, since Gielgud was the first actor to receive an honorary doctorate from Oxford.) As was also pointed out in the Post review, Gielgud was not just a great actor but a gifted writer, so we have the treat of beautiful prose, rendered in the service of a rich history: this man knew and had opinions about almost everything and everyone that mattered in the performing arts, especially the stage and screen.

Through these letters, we also end up knowing something about the luminaries of the world Gielgud inhabited and moved about in with complete ease. Gielgud writes conversationally, candidly and competently to and about people we only dream of knowing - Shaw, Coward, Gish, Lunt and Fontaine, Olivier and Leigh, Selznick, Richardson, Guinness, Stravinsky, Brando.... Amazing! And in such a natural, unassuming way that there's not even a hint of name dropping or self-promotion, which is so tiresome in today's celebrity interviews and memoirs.

Here is a great actor, director, producer and impresario, who takes his work seriously and has a glorious time doing it, who loves and is loved and who lives into his 90s. If only everyone could be so lucky. On second thought, it wasn't just luck...

One quibble: The picture selection is very poor. If one didn't know better, they might think that Gielgud was born middle-aged. But this is Gielgud's book, and kudos to John Mangan, whose enormous work of collecting, collating and editing has made it so.

A fabulous, very funny read. If you like tidbits of juicy gossip sprinkled among historical theater commentary, this book is for you. I loved it!

I liked reading this (though I didn't finish it--as I lost interest half way through) because it took me to a time when people had to write letters. Sir John Gielgud was a famous ACTOR...especially on the London State initially...and it's amazing to read about all of the other actors, friends and family that crossed his paths. It's a reminder that over time...a Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie will be nothing but a distant memory and no one in 100 years will really know of them as readily as they do today. Thank God for books...they take us back to another time...and I do want to go back and finish this book ONE DAY...it's just that a better book came along. I nned to stop myself from getting sidetracked. :(

Sir John Gielgud was born in the reign of Edward in 1904 dying

in 2000 with fame, fortune and a reputation as a great classical

actor as his legacy.

The book is a collection of his letters from from his youth

through the rest of his Methuselah long lifetime. Gieguld was

complex with many aspects to his character.

Gielgud was a superb actor of such great Shakespearean roles

as Hamlet, Romeo and Richard III. In later years he was noted for cameos in films (some of the movies were horrid!) winning a

best supporting actor Oscar for his turn in "Arthur" with Dudly

Moore. Along with such British acting legends as Olivier, Guiness, Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft he has brought culture to

millions. His resonant and musical voice will live as long as

there is recorded sound. No wonder a theatre in London has been

named "The Gielgud Theatre." No wonder he was knighted in 1953.

No wonder the many books he wrote have been bestsellers. He was

witty and well traveled. I was tired after learning of all the

climes, times and theatres upon whose boards this seven league

booted vagabond traveled in his long career (He came from the

great Terry acting family and was a born actor!).

Sir John was openly gay. He had a succession of male lovers

throughout his life. In 1953 he was briefly arrrested for solicitation in a public place causing a minor scandal.

Gielgud was prickly and often condescending to folks from the

provinces. He was wont to make snide remarks about Jews and people of color. He was a narcissist who worship himself and his

career though he was at the same time a good and loyal friend.

While at times catty and meanspirited he could also be generous

to others.

I find Gielgud to be a better actor than a man. This book will be boring to anyone not familiar with the actors of an earlier time. It is revealing of a person a theatre/film buff should be

acquainted with in an understanding of 20th century things thespian.