Book Description
With her astounding beauty and enigmatic persona, Greta Garbo is the ultimate Hollywood icon. Though many books have tried to unlock the mystique of the "Swedish Sphinx" by focusing primarily on her personal life, Greta Garbo: A Cinematic Legacy is the first to pay serious attention to what made her an icon-her 24 Hollywood films.

Celebrating the centenary of her birth, the book draws extensively on interviews, letters, and newly accessible M-G-M production files to chronicle Garbo's career from her American debut in 1926 to her self-imposed retirement in 1941 at the height of her popularity. A wealth of film stills, production photographs, and portraits-many previously unpublished, all beautifully reproduced from pristine prints-combine with Mark Vieira's engrossing text to bring vividly to life the actress who inspired the critic Kenneth Tynan to declare: "What, when drunk, one sees in other women, one sees in Garbo sober." AUTHOR BIO: Mark A. Vieira is a photographer, film historian, and the author of Abrams' acclaimed Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits, Sin in Soft Focus: Pre-Code Hollywood, and Hollywood Horror: From Gothic to Cosmic. He lives in Los Angeles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

superb tribute
U nusually informative survey of Garbo's career with background material on her artistry rather than just her personal life
wonderful pictures

Buy it!
Any book put out by Abrams has my vote and a place on my book shelf. This book on Garbo is no exception. Without reading a word her story is told through the fabulous photographs. A must for fans of classic film, Garbo (obviously!) and photography buffs!

Amazing!

Garbo Fans will want to be "alone" with this beautiful book!
The Swedish Sphinx Greta Garbo (1905-1990 was "an enigma wrapped up in mystery" to most people. However, in this out-
standing book you will come to know her for what she is best
remembered for: her movies!
Viera analyses each of Garbo's films from her first silent
feature "Torrent" through to her last talkie "Two Faced Woman."
In between these two films you will:
a. Have a in-depth analysis of each of the films
b. See the secrets revealed of such masters of photography as
William Daniels, Hurrell and Bull who lit Garbo to perfection.
c. Learn of Garbo's torrid and tortured affair with John Gilber
d. Learn about her great director Stiller and her work with such American directors as Clarence Brown and others.
e. Explore the business side of her relationship with MGM
as she dealt with moguls such as LB Meyer and boy wonder Irving
Grant Thalberg,
Viera is a photographer and film historian who makes the life
and career of Garbo come alive after all these years. I have enjoyed his earlier: "Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits" and "Sin in
Sof-Focus" always profiting from the enjoyable hours spent in his
company.
This is an essential book for any Garbo or movie fan of the golden era of Hollywood! A true delight!

Absolutely fantastic
This is yet another book for the ultimate Garbo fan.The pictures are absolutely radiant and clear, and even more photos of Garbo that have never been seen before.Vieira's take is an extremely interesting one - taking a close look at each and every film through Garbo's growth of her own true art while intertwining more of the studio politics involved from documentation during the time of every single one of her films.The way he appreciates her for her acting ability is refreshing for any Garbo lover.This book is like the newest drug that makes you even more addicted to watching her movies.
Vieira does have interesting speculations about what was really happening during certain peculiar abscences in her time at the studio, what were the real causes for conflict with Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer, etc., based on letters and documents that were found ornot found during his research.Even though you may not be completely swayed some of his suggestions, they are still very intriguing discoveries about her life during her film career and keep the mind wondering about the wonderful and mysterious Garbo.
This book is a must have for anyone even remotely interested in Garbo or this time period of film.Vieira also adds bits of information throughout about cameras and photography from the silent to the sound era - very interesting technical facts woven in about what equipment people working in a large studio at the time were dealing with - not boring in any way shape or form.Thank you Vieira!I highly recommend his other books, too. ... Read more

Book Description
Famously elusive, Greta Garbo only had her picture taken when a contract required it. She shunned publicity, kept her private life a secret, and rejected the spotlight. Though ambivalent about fame and her public image, Garbo saved all of her favorite portraits, carefully archiving original prints by Clarence Sinclair Bull, Arnold Genthe, Ruth Harriet Louise, Edward Steichen, and Cecil Beaton, among others.
Published here for the first time are these portraits–impeccably reproduced in tritone, one more beautiful than the next. In addition, the book features family pictures, candid photographs, and letters previously viewed only by her closest friends and relatives.
Scott Reisfield provides an intimate portrait of his great aunt, spanning well beyond her career in the public eye–from the earliest days in Sweden when she would sneak through the back door of the theater to see actors rehearse, to her later years in New York when she traveled exclusively through back entrances, side doors, and secret elevators.
Co-author Robert Dance’s essay traces the evolution of the image of Garbo–from the ingénue of her first publicity shots to the icon that she became–while an illustrated film production history documents all the still photography and portraiture of her entire career.
Long treasured by her immediate family alone, this collection of photographs, and the essays that accompany them, form a spectacular tribute to Garbo, the woman and the myth, on the eve of her centennial. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

not all that great
Bottom line: I was disappointed.

I am a huge Garbo fan and looked forward to owning this book as soon as the public announcements came out - over 4000 photographs that Garbo personally kept. What pictures did she think enough to keep for herself?

One publicity blurb touting the book was accompanied by a candid photo of Garbo on the set of 'Two-Faced Woman' peering into a hand mirror while patting her hair into place - if that was an example of what the book had to offer, I DEFINITELY wanted it. That photo is not in the book.

There are over 200 photographs, and all of them except two I have seen before and are in print in other Garbo books I own. All of the photos have been 'antiqued' in burnished duo-tone, that I personally did not care for - I would have preferred the sharp black and white contrast of her MGM films.

Because all but two of the photos are unknown to me (and most likely you) and because they were printed in duo-tone I did not give the book five stars - only because it was Garbo did it get three. As a fan I am glad I own the book; as a general photography book of a classic Hollywood star, I own superior books, with superior photos of Garbo.

Excellent gift for any Garbo fan!!!!
I gave this book as a gift to a good friend.She enjoyed the book's pictures and information very much.The pictures are from one of Garbo's relatives, so these pics are not common.I was looking for a good informative piece with accurate Garbo memories, and I found them in this book.I would suggest this book if you're looking for something for a Garbo fan.

Photos nice, personal insights disappointing.
As a Garbo fan or really a Ms. G. fan. As she would say there is all the difference. With the thousands of pictures available this selection was o.k., not great. Good quality. Seems they could have been more creative, personal. Got the impression of a clever quick buck. The so called writing? Disappointing. Fluff, lacking detail, personal depth. Makes an attractive decorative addition to book collection.

Anatomy of Illusion
Garbo - Portraits from her Private Collection

Anatomy is the operative theme in Garbo's story. It has been said she had the ideal facial structure. To me, the most important thing to know about her is her will to excel. And her will to resist being dominated by the male chauvinist pigs who ran the studios of her era. Her story, then, is the anatomy of a woman who left her mark on a generation. Show business chews up those who aren't strong, then spits them out after sucking out their lifeblood. Women get terrible roles in films. Stereotypes. Vamps. Dumb. Home wreckers. Greta Garbo had, within the first few years of starting her career in America, effectively taken control of her films, getting the leading men she wanted, the cinematographers, directors, still photographers, costume designers.

Her films grossed two to three times as much revenue as the average film of her day. She represented about fifteen percent of MGM's revenue at one point. She was unique. She projected a sultry sexuality, an hauteur, a weltschmerz, an intelligence, an ability to resist love - then give in to all its pain. She represented everything men thought they wanted in a women, and represented for women everything they wished they were.

Some of the early still photos from the late 1920's are striking in their revelation of how captivating a woman's face can be. And for years after her film career effectively ended in 1941, the public was occasionally treated to photos which revealed how gracefully she aged from 1950 onward to her death in 1990 at age eighty-five in New York. She is buried in Stockholm, her home. A credit to two nations, she helped British intelligence during world war two by identifying NAZI sympathizers in Sweden.

Her grand-nephew knew her as Kata. The world knew her as Mata Hari, or Queen Christina. It was said she had no enemies in Hollywood. A bold statement about that venomous town. She was professional, dependable. Mayer, the head of MGM, said her word was better than any contract. The last forty years of her life she llived in the anonymity of New York, respected and liked by neighbors, shopkeepers, and her circle of friends.

She was frugal. She invested her money wisely. A good idea for a woman who, around 1935, had the highest salary of anyone in America. She lived her retirement years in comfort. She traveled, hobnobbed with Aristotle Onassis, Jackie Kennedy, John F. Kennedy - who gave her a piece of scrimshaw from his collection as a spontaneous act of appreciation of her. Within ten days, he was dead in Dallas. It was November, 1963, don't you know.

Frankly, most of the photos in the book don't do her justice. But then, she was a living woman. Only cinema could begin to show to advantage the characters she played. Only those who knew her personally could know what a fine, principled, truly lovely individual she was - that's true beauty. That's the real anatomy of a successful life. To be an inspiration to those who love you. Rest in peace, Kata.

Garbo : Portraits from her Private Collections
What a beautiful book this is, when I realised that they were releasing yet another 2 coffeee table books on Greta Garbo (GG.), I was a little apprehensive about buying them as I already own most of the published books on her and most have been rather overall a let down, full of the same quotes and background stuff, I thought that her life story before, during, and after her acting career was over had been fully explored. But I ordered them anyway, and I have to say this is a keeper.Its not too heavy on the bio side but has been published by the Reisfields ( her family) so it is the nearest to the real GG were ever going to find. And the rest of the book is simply STUNNING is full off quality photos of GG throughout her life, nearly all never released before, and some are quite breathtaking, I have been collecting GG stuff for years and have to say that this is the best book I have ever seen on her.BUY THIS BOOK YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED, its massive and very heavy ( God, Ilove super-saver as would have cost a fortune for this to be delivered from U.S.)and is now the gem of my collection.I am away to buy a spare as, no doubt this will be out of print soon, and will have to remorgage to buy it again, trust me its that good. ... Read more

Book Description
Greta Garbo (1905-1990) is as famous for her reclusiveness as for starring in such enduring classics as Flesh and the Devil, Grand Hotel, Queen Christina, and Ninotchka. In this richly illustrated volume, renowned biographer Barry Paris offers the definitive biography of this fascinating and complex woman-from her hardscrabble childhood in Sweden to her arrival in Hollywood at the age of nineteen, from her meteoric rise to stardom to her unintentional retirement from filmmaking at the height of her fame, from the new life she crafted for herself to her surprising, and failed, plans for a comeback. Drawing on hitherto unavailable material, including one hundred hours of tape-recorded conversations, fifty years of correspondence, and interviews with Garbo's surviving friends and family, Paris reveals the real woman behind the enigma.

"Barry Paris has crafted a magnificent, moving biography-a feast of rare, delicious facts, exploded myths, and compassionate observations. Surely it will be the final word on this most-fantasized-about movie idol." Liz Smith, New York Daily News

"A witty, clearheaded correction to all the misinformation that has become part of the Garbo legend." Julie Salamon, Vogue

"Magnificent, literate, detailed, and scrupulous. This is a book that at last solves the riddle of the Sphinx." Hugh Leonard, Sunday Independent (London)

"A substantial work exploring the enigmatic life of one of the twentieth century's most famous icons, a book notable above all for its humanity and compassion." Robert Sklar, Newsday

"This strong, rich biography has sweeping detail, a huge cache of photos, and a satisfying grip on Garbo's character. . . . Paris offers what is likely to be the standard life of Garbo-handsomely made, a gripping must-read." Donald Newlove, Hollywood Reporter

Barry Paris is an award-winning biographer, film and music critic, and journalist who is the author of Louise Brooks (Minnesota, 2001). His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, American Film, and numerous other publications. He lives in Pittsburgh. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

one of the best
I completely enjoyed this book.But then I am a devoted Garbo fan.
It is almost like a game trying to piece her life together to be able to understand her. I have read many books about her and this is one of the best for being able to inform people of her inner thoughts.

Thank You
Cathy

Outstanding.A great read.
The best writing available on Garbo. The most comprehensive. Engaging. I was sorry there was not more info on her family. Her relationship with them. The people themselves. Some of it you can research to fill in the blanks. With G.G. though some of her enigma will always remain. Conversations and Recollections with Garbo, by Raymond Daum is also strongly recommended. This book was very thought provoking. Kata was an original. No were near as mysterious as the illusion/persona she crafted. If your anykind of armchair pychologist or avid researcherthese books will be alot of fun. Thank you Mr. Paris. Rest in peace, Ms. G.

A top-notch bio
This biography is just as well-written and meticulously-researched as Mr. Paris's biography on Louise Brooks, which I had read prior to reading this one.He's a great celebrity biographer; he really does his homework, doesn't really get into the sleazy, sensational, and speculative trap that a lot of other celebrity biographers too often fall into, has a clear respect for his subject without fawning all over her, sugarcoating less than perfect aspects of her life, or holding her up as some sort of demigoddess, and clearly distinguishes between fact, outright fantasy and falsehood, and rumor and speculation that could go either way.This professional approach is keenly felt when he's writing about Garbo's relationships with men and women; there were some affairs of hers that were well-substatiated by outside evidence (most particularly her affair with Jack Gilbert), but other than that one can't really say how many relationships she may have had, or even that she were actively bisexual, though she clearly felt more comfortable emotionally with women.She wasn't entirely asexual either; though she did seem more comfortable alone, with no one invading her privacy and personal territory, she didn't go through life completely celibate either.And of course, Mr. Paris makes this topic one of only many covered in the book, since what she did or didn't do with anyone she may or may not have had a relationship with isn't really any of our business.

What makes this book, and its subject, so fascinating is the fact that the majority of Garbo's life was not lived on-camera.She had her childhood and adolescence, her years of acting in Sweden, Germany, and America in the Twenties and Thirties, and then retired from the screen in the early Forties (though there was a strong possibility she could have had to return to the screen in 1948, and many other times before and since).Mr. Paris even points out that, of the relatively small amount of films she was in, not a whole lot of them would be considered great cinematic works of art or classics.To paraphrase the old saying, she was rarely in a picture that was as good as she was.However, the force of her personality, her riveting screen presence, her unique and androgynous beauty, and her acting talent elevated these films beyond formula pictures, made one watch them in spite of the not always great scripts.Particularly interesting are the chapters on Garbo's life post-acting.Mr. Paris brings these years of retirement to vivid life, showing us that just because she had willingly dropped out of public view didn't mean she had ceased to live a fascinating life; in fact, in some ways her post-acting life was even more colorful and interesting.He also chronicles the real story of her famous desire to be alone, or to be left alone, and how the truth was more complex than just a shy recluse or a former moviestar who shunned most human contact.She led a very full and active social life during those nearly 50 years off-screen, and had friendships with a lot of high-profile and fascinating people, pursued a lot of diverse interests, had a lot of interesting thoughts, and generally lived a very interesting life.He also examines the truth behind why she never married; on the one hand, there's ample evidence to suggest that she just preferred to be alone, didn't want to be made vulnerable by intimacy, would feel invaded or violated by such intrusion, was never really cut out to be the stereotypical traditional wife and mother; but on the other hand, some of her close associates felt that perhaps she could have been happy with a partner who knew and understood her need to be alone and the fact that she would never be a housewife or conform to the traditional gender role assigned to women in Western society, and even said she sometimes voiced regret she had never married or had a family.Whatever the case, she was always very much her own person with her own identity.

However, even in a bio this meticulous and even-handed, there are bound to be some errors.The major one I noticed was Mr. Paris's statement that 'The Kiss,' Garbo's final silent, was also the last silent released in America but for Chaplin's last stands, 'City Lights' (1931) and 'Modern Times' (1936).'The Kiss' came out in mid-November 1929, but there were still some theatres in America not wired for sound, and some artists who were still releasing silents they had made earlier that year, such as Laurel and Hardy's final silent, 'Angora Love,' which came out in December of 1929.Additionally, some of the more minor studios did release silent pictures in 1930, so to say that this was the final American silent picture is kind of dishonest.It would have been better had he said it was the last *major* American silent.Another error I noticed was when Mr. Paris referred to Natacha Rambova (whose forename he didn't even spell correctly) as a lesbian.This seems to be just one of those old unfounded rumors that just won't go away.The reader also might disagree with some of his opinions or conclusions about some of her films, or certain aspects of them, but the beauty of opinions is that we're all entitled to our own and aren't forced to agree with someone else's.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this famous and elusive enigma and to go beyond long-time rumors and speculation to find out the facts.

garbo in private
Very comprehensive, but some detail missing.
Not much information about her neice and sole heir, Gray Reisfield, for example.

Garbo? Garbo who?
It is probably the case that more often than not the people who produce biographies of film stars hold themselves to a lower standard than other authors. After all, most of these are trite recitations of scandals both real and imagined in which they are paired in any number of combinations.

Happily this is not the case with this book by Barry Paris. Mr. Paris brings a unique and scholarly approach to this work on the enigmatic silent and talky film star.

Frequently what compels people to write these kinds of books is the assurance that a film star's fan base will be sufficient to provide a ready made audience.In the case of Garbo's career, as Mr. Paris cites time and time, it was her skill as an actress that enabled her to raise the quality of a work to greater levels time and time again.

Garbo's personal life was something else.It is clear that while probably a pleasant person to intimates, she did not suffer fools or intrusions gladly.In the final analysis as Mr. Paris points out, Garbo had two things going for her, her remarkable talent as an actress and the lengths she would go to to avoid unwanted contact. Otherwise she led a perfectly ordinary life with ordinary needs, sometimes carried almost to the level of excess in the case of Garbo's numerous quest for shoes. Still this mixture of the banal and rarified is the stuff of real life.

I would suggest that anyone reading this book might also enjoy the TCM collection of Garbo movies that came out last year in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of her birth.This wonderful set also includes a copy of "Flesh and the Devil" with commentary by Mr. Paris. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Best Garbo Bio
Paris truly has an affection for Garbo, which sprung from researching his subject matter.The most entertaining bio of Garbo, honest, but not trashy.

Excellent Biography
Paris has done a great job in shedding light on the reclusive Garbo. It probes into her life, but is not needlessly intrusive. Endlessly fascinating.

Truly extraordinary biography.
Barry Paris' life of Greta Garbo is an extraordinary biography in many ways.First, it tells the story of one of Hollywood's most enigmatic and legendary icons without resorting to hyperbole or the sort of highblown psychobabble so many other, lesser writers would have stooped to.Second, it is meticulously researched and tells Garbo's story honestly, responsibly and thoroughly, including her mysterious days as New York's Most Famous Recluse.Finally, it delves deep into the heart of what made, and continues to make, Garbo one of the enduring figures in 20th century popular culture.Paris reveals the woman behind the dark sunglasses--and she turns out to be much more interesting than one might think.Garbo, it seems, was a woman of vast contradictions, who ultimately became the victim of both her own compulsive need for privacy and her vast emotional ambivalence.This is the biographical art at its finest, and highly recommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a wonderful book
I can't understand the previous reviewer's disappointment with this book. I have read many, many movie related books, essays and biographies of all kinds, and found this volume perfectly readable, extremely informative, carefully written, well-balanced and entertaining.

...and fleecing her fans.
This book offers indispensable source material for anybody interested in the love-life of Cecil Beaton,but his diaries are not entirely trustworthy since he was tinkering with his own legend. To give you an idea: Mauritz Stiller is dismissed as unimportant, John Gilbert, the man who really love Garbo is only mentioned marginally and always in an insulting way, Mercedes de Acosta and George Schlee would hardly feel flattered either, and Garbo herself emerges from this book as a , er, bore..."Loving Garbo" is just a morcel thrown at those fans who want to read every line ever written about their idol. For the main menu turn to BARRY PARIS: GARBO. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

The Divine Garbo
One of the reasons I love these paper dolls by Tom Tierney is that they capture the magic and star quality of Greta Garbo.The book is clearly aimed at adult customers, whether they be Garbo fans, paper doll enthusiasts or students of costume design.
As someone who fits into all three categories, I loved the portrayal of Garbo.There are three dolls showing her at different times during her career, and the first two in particular are very life-like.I also enjoyed seeing the development and growing sophistication of costume design from the silent era until the early 1940-s.The costumes from "Mata Hari" and "Camille" are especially lovely.
My only complaint is a small one.I would have liked to see more than just one costume each from two of Garbo's greatest roles:"Queen Christina" and "Anna Karenina".

MYSTERY LADY CAPTURED BY TIERNEY
OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF COSTUMES OF THE FIRST GREAT SCREEN ACTRESS.HER EXTENSIVE SILENT FILM CAREER IS WELL REPRESENTED BY THE BEST COSTUMES BY EARLY DESIGNERS."FLESH AND THE DEVIL"COSTUME IS EXCELLENT, DOLLS ARE TERRIFIC."GRAND HOTEL" BALLARINA DRESS IS ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT. A DELIGHT FOR ANY COLLECTOR OF MOVIE MEMORABILIA. ... Read more

Amazon.com
A Life Apart is the apt subtitle of this scrupulously researched biography of the star as legendary for her fiercely guarded privacy as for her haunting beauty and luminous acting in such films as Camille and Ninotchka. Entertainment writer Karen Swenson delineates a unique personality considerably earthier than Greta Garbo's screen image: shy yet blunt, devoted to her craft but indifferent to fame, sexually magnetic to both men and women, a loyal friend who mercilessly punished disloyalty. The author meticulously fact-checked the often unreliable memories of companions and lovers such as Cecil Beaton and Mercedes de Acosta to comprehensively document Garbo's long life (1905-90). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Although interesting but...
Although the book is interesting taking into consideration its factographic side, it is written in a very pretentious manner trying unnecessarily to colorize the biography and therefore making it trivial and sometimes even pathetic. Just to mention: usage of such expression like "Turkey's great metropolis" in order not to call it Istanbul or Canstantinople seems to be quoted from an essay composed by some sixth-grade pupil.
I still consider "Garbo" by Barry Paris the best Garbo's biography.

A Bio Apart
Swenson conveys an understanding of and respect for her subject as few biographers have.Not that anyone can know too much about Garbo, Swenson dug deep and this bio is full of pictures and information to make any Garbo fan's heart flutter into cardiac arrest! The Best!

Read Swenson if you want to be alone with Greta Garbo!
Karen Swenson is to be commended for a fine biography of Greta Garbo. Garbo is an enigmatic star more closely resembling a lonely sphinx camping out in the Sahara than a glitzy glamorous star in Hollywood's Golden Era.
Swenson delineates the Garbo career from the Swede's girlhood in a poverty stricken home in Stockholm to the extremely wealthy recluse she became in New York following her 1942 retiriement from the silver screen. (Her last flick was a bomb called "Two Faced Woman."Garbo had at least two faces in real life. The athletic outdoor woman she was could be kind and cruel as her moods were quicksilver in the soul of this Viking child of the North.
Barry Paris's book on Garbo contains more pictures and is, on the whole, better written.I did, however, enjoy Swenson's work
on the screen legend devouring the biography in huge portions of time.
Garbo was a great talent who lit up the screen with her peerless beauty and style.Costumes by Adrian and the magic of MGM camermen aided her in the climb to the top but she was herself unique for her aura of lonely beauty.
I appreciate the work of Karen Swenson.I hope you the reader do as well.If you read only one book on Greta Garbo you could do worse than selecting this excellent biography to fillyou in on the Swedish queen of film.

Garbo: A Life Apart
Garbo: A Life Apart is a modern biographical masterpiece. I got started and could barely put it down. It was filled with great information. I have been following the life of Greta Garbo for about 7 years and have a collection of memorabillia to show for it! I have to say this is a MUST for any fan or collector of Garbo material!!! BRAVO Karen Swenson!!

Fascinating and believable...
This wonderful story, about a wonderful woman, combines a selection of rare photos with startling new information about her childhood, her career, tumultuous relationships with lovers and friends, and her life after Hollywood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Divine
Cahill's book is a feast for the eyes.The collection of pictures of Garbo are crystal clear and prove why she was "The Face of the Century".A must have for fans or a great introduction to the Golden Age of Garbo! ... Read more

Product Description
Beautiful auction catalog in slip case. Many illustrations in color. Includes index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Poor!
Up to now I've been enjoying Baxt's Hollywood mysteries, but this particular one was written extremely poorly.It was disjointed and made no sense.And Garbo seemed like a cardboard cutout - there was no life to her at all.The premise was a good one - espionage in Hollywood after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, but it went absolutely nowhere.It was so unmemorable that I don't even remember the names of the lead characters who were at the heart of the conspiracy.I do hope that the others remaining in the series get back to the old format that the first four books had.

ridiculous rubbish
I have never understood why some authors choose to write about historical figures and time periods without doing extensive research beforehand.Although this is supposed to be a historical mystery novel it reads morelike a confusing, ridiculous piece of fantasy.Why must author George Baxtinclude Peter Lorre and Erich von Stroheim as characters in his novel ifhe's not in the least interested in finding out what these men were reallylike?Baxt's description of Mr. Lorre and Mr. Von Stroheim is degradingand offensive. It's too bad the author doesn't have more respect for thesecharming and extremely talented men, who incidentally were both AustrianJews, not Germans.As for the whole Nazi spy plot -- well, I've readplenty of better-written, more realistic, WWII-era mystery novels.Pass onthis one.

another oddie but goodie
This is another George Baxt mystery that, perhaps, is a bit too full of spies.It was the very first I read, and I may have a soft spot for it, but I would recommend it to almost anyone.This is a very good book forsomeone who is willing to pay close attention to all the characters andplot details, not for a person that just sees the confusing mess (and itgets a bit messy at times, I'll confess).Still, it is quite a ride, andit makes one wish they'd actually met these people.Still more hurrays forBaxt- and, of course, Greta Garbo. ... Read more