The Man Who Saw a Ghost: The Life and Work of Henry Fonda [Hardcover]

Devin McKinney (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2012

The first major biography of the iconic actor Henry Fonda, a story of stardom, manhood, and the American character.

Henry Fonda's performances--in The Grapes of Wrath, Young Mr. Lincoln, The Lady Eve, 12 Angry Men, On Golden Pond--helped define "American" in the twentieth century.  He worked with movie masters from Ford and Sturges to Hitchcock and Leone. He was a Broadway legend. He fought in World War II and was loved the world over.

Yet much of his life was rage and struggle.  Why did Fonda marry five times--tempestuously to actress Margaret Sullavan, tragically to heiress Frances Brokaw, mother of Jane and Peter? Was he a man of integrity, worthy of the heroes he played, or the harsh father his children describe, the iceman who went onstage hours after his wife killed herself? Why did suicide shadow his life and art? What memories troubled him so?

McKinney's Fonda is dark, complex, fascinating, and a product of glamour and acclaim, early losses and Midwestern demons--a man haunted by what he'd seen, and by who he was.

Editorial Reviews

From Bookforum

The Man Who Saw a Ghost is both a biography and an often-brilliant feat of criticism. McKinney paints Fonda as a performing artist who continues to matter because of his lifelong reckoning with the darkest recesses of American history. ––James Gibbons

Review

"An extraordinary movie-star bio ...  McKinney has a penetrating critical eye and a style at once concentrated and free-flowing. Performances one remembers fondly but dimly, now--dozens of them--are restored to brilliant life and specificity, and the troubled, often chilly character of the man is lent warmth by the author's depth of appreciation." -- Sullivan County Democrat

"Deeply wrought biography of the dark, conflicted, amazingly talented actor, whose personal life was messy, and whose professional life resulted in some of the truly great films--and film performances--in Hollywood history." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

"Those interested in the intimate lives of the stars will appreciate the attention to detail and richness of research. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal (starred review)

"[An] excellent work of biography. In rich, lyrical prose, McKinney deftly honors both the man and the mystery." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"As unusual and intriguing a Hollywood biography as its title suggests ... a unique portrait of an actor who hid so much emotionally but trusted his audience to see what he couldn't show them." -- Associated Press

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 428 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1250008417
• ISBN-13: 978-1250008411
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.5 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Nebraska in 1966, Devin McKinney is an author and critic interested in art, culture, history, and intersections -- between the popular and the secretive, the real and the imaginary, the monumental and the microscopic. He enjoys investigating manifestations of private passions in the public realm, using mainly his intuition and the available records.

Following this line of inquiry, he has written many articles, reviews, and essays both in print and online, and two books, "Magic Circles: The Beatles in Dream and History" (Harvard University Press, 2003) and "The Man Who Saw a Ghost: The Life and Work of Henry Fonda" (St. Martin's Press, 2012).

He lives with his wife and three cats in south-central Pennsylvania, where he also works as an archivist.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent biography of an excellent actor October 25, 2012

By jd

Format:Hardcover

I must respectfully disagree with the review titled "Yuck". Devin McKinney has written a more thorough biography than the usual one on an actor or actress. Sure Mr. Fonda had challanges to overcome in pursuing a public career but the point, as I see it, is that he overcame these challenges to become one of the most iconic and most respected actors of his generation. The prose is excellent and the choice of pictures used in this book are well-chosen as well. I came away more intrigued by Mr. Fonda and have subsequentlyh revisited any number of his films in an attempt to "marry" his performances to the Henry Fonda revealed in this book. I hope Mr. McKinney finds another iconic actor or actress to write about - I will definitely be among the first readers of such a book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasure to read, insightful and memorable October 26, 2012

By reader

Format:Hardcover

This book considers Henry Fonda's legacy in interrelated contexts including his personal life, contributions to theater/film, and how his audience perceived him over a career spanning many historical events of the 20th century. McKinney accomplishes and ties together this ambitious set of aims largely by drawing upon his very close viewing and analysis of Fonda's work as an actor. An extensive range of Fonda's performances are described in the book: While telling about each dramatic work, these descriptions also tell something about Fonda as a man, a professional, and an embodiment of symbols that resonated with his audience at the time (even if only some still do today). Unlike a lot of other scholarly books, the writing style of this one is primarily direct and quick-paced, and it easily maintained my curiosity/suspense as a good story would to the very end. The descriptions of Fonda's performances are incredibly vivid and completely drew me in; some powerfully evocative metaphors in the book were also another of my favorite things about it. All in all, I really loved reading this book, and think several of its insights and images will last in my memory a long time.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A critical examination of the actor in context October 31, 2012

By Jessica Bennett

Format:Hardcover

This is a book that helps the reader see not just who Henry Fonda was, but what his figure on film represented to the American moviegoer. By approaching Fonda primarily through his work, the author says more about his lasting impact than your typical Hollywood bio could ever offer. It's an enlightening and fascinating take on the career of an extraordinary actor.