What have you read lately?

[Standing Wolf]

I just received a book that I sent away to the U.K. for because I didn't want to wait till October, when it will be published here. 'A Royal Life' is a memoir by Prince Richard, Duke of Kent, who has been near the very center of the British royal family for more than 86 years, while managing to remain relatively unknown to the public. Richard, who is a first cousin of the Queen and whose mother was a first cousin to Prince Philip, is the son of George VI's younger brother, who was killed in a military aircraft accident in 1942, and has been active in service to Crown, government and private charities for his entire life.

[jigglepete]

Yes, it's a puzzle book, the mazes are really intense, top notch (if you like mazes), there are a number of word, and number games that I've never encountered before, and I feel like I'm "building back better" brain cells by doing them. And as an extra added bonus the instructions for the puzzles are incredibly insulting to the reader, which I find to be charming LOL

[Chris]

Lillian Gish: The Movies, Mr Griffith, and Me by Lillian Gish and Ann Pinchot, published 1969. Found hardcover second hand for around $8, the purchaser, a Mrs Gladys M Anderson, signed the font page, dated 1970, but it doesn't seem she even read it as it's in fine condition other than the discolored pages and musty smell of it. It's a delightful story about Lillian, her sister, and her mother traveling the play circuit from an early age. Just finished chapter three where, through their friend, Gladys Smith (Mary Pickford), she is introduced to DW Griffith. In each anecdote she comes through as just a delightful, lovable, and loving woman. If you've seen any of her interviews late in life it's exactly like that. My interest sparked after watching "Broken Blossoms," "Sold for Marriage," and "A Romance of Happy Valley."

[Chris]

Patrick Deneen, Conserving America? Essays on Present Discontents.. An engaging criticism of modern liberal American from a critic who takes a European view where American politics consists of competing conservative and progressive liberals all moving toward greater and greater individual fragmentation and ever more centralized government filling in the gaps left by eliminating the old social order of family, religion, and culture. Some of my recent threads have looked at these essays.

[Chris]

Lillian Gish: The Movies, Mr Griffith, and Me by Lillian Gish and Ann Pinchot, published 1969. Found hardcover second hand for around $8, the purchaser, a Mrs Gladys M Anderson, signed the font page, dated 1970, but it doesn't seem she even read it as it's in fine condition other than the discolored pages and musty smell of it. It's a delightful story about Lillian, her sister, and her mother traveling the play circuit from an early age. Just finished chapter three where, through their friend, Gladys Smith (Mary Pickford), she is introduced to DW Griffith. In each anecdote she comes through as just a delightful, lovable, and loving woman. If you've seen any of her interviews late in life it's exactly like that. My interest sparked after watching "Broken Blossoms," "Sold for Marriage," and "A Romance of Happy Valley."

Here are Lillian and Dorothy Gish in their film debut, 15 minutes of it anyway:

[Standing Wolf]

Lillian Gish: The Movies, Mr Griffith, and Me by Lillian Gish and Ann Pinchot, published 1969. Found hardcover second hand for around $8, the purchaser, a Mrs Gladys M Anderson, signed the font page, dated 1970, but it doesn't seem she even read it as it's in fine condition other than the discolored pages and musty smell of it. It's a delightful story about Lillian, her sister, and her mother traveling the play circuit from an early age. Just finished chapter three where, through their friend, Gladys Smith (Mary Pickford), she is introduced to DW Griffith. In each anecdote she comes through as just a delightful, lovable, and loving woman. If you've seen any of her interviews late in life it's exactly like that. My interest sparked after watching "Broken Blossoms," "Sold for Marriage," and "A Romance of Happy Valley."

The Gish sisters' great-nephew was in my AW'A' School class. He'd been a Boatswain's Mate on subs, but decided to cross-rate to a different job.

The best show business autobiography I've ever read was 'The Actor's Life' by Charlton Heston. It's based on his journals from 1956 to 1976. There aren't a lot of salacious stories or confessions in it - nor would one expect that sort of thing from somebody of Heston's generation and demeanor - although I do recall one or two brief comments about his El Cid co-star Sophia Loren, who wouldn't let the makeup people age her a day, even though the movie's story takes place over several decades. I'll always be grateful that I got to meet him a few years before he passed and get my copy signed.

[stephenpe]

The Gish sisters' great-nephew was in my AW'A' School class. He'd been a Boatswain's Mate on subs, but decided to cross-rate to a different job.

The best show business autobiography I've ever read was 'The Actor's Life' by Charlton Heston. It's based on his journals from 1956 to 1976. There aren't a lot of salacious stories or confessions in it - nor would one expect that sort of thing from somebody of Heston's generation and demeanor - although I do recall one or two brief comments about his El Cid co-star Sophia Loren, who wouldn't let the makeup people age her a day, even though the movie's story takes place over several decades. I'll always be grateful that I got to meet him a few years before he passed and get my copy signed.

I like good autobiographies. I just read Sally Fields and it was excellent. I will chck out this one.......and Ron Howards he wrote with his brother was fascinating.

[Standing Wolf]

I like good autobiographies. I just read Sally Fields and it was excellent. I will chck out this one.......and Ron Howards he wrote with his brother was fascinating.

I've read excerpts from Sally Fields' book that appeared in the press - mostly about the controlling nature of her relationship with Burt Reynolds, and the sexual stuff with her step-father Jock Mahoney when she was little. As a long-time Mahoney fan, to be honest that part is kind of heartbreaking.

Linda Ronstadt's book 'Simple Dreams' is another great read. Some of her stories are amazing - like the casual encounter she had with a member of the Manson family who was out on bail - but mostly the book is about her love of all kinds of music, and she tells it really well.

[Chuck]

Lillian Gish: The Movies, Mr Griffith, and Me by Lillian Gish and Ann Pinchot, published 1969. Found hardcover second hand for around $8, the purchaser, a Mrs Gladys M Anderson, signed the font page, dated 1970, but it doesn't seem she even read it as it's in fine condition other than the discolored pages and musty smell of it. It's a delightful story about Lillian, her sister, and her mother traveling the play circuit from an early age. Just finished chapter three where, through their friend, Gladys Smith (Mary Pickford), she is introduced to DW Griffith. In each anecdote she comes through as just a delightful, lovable, and loving woman. If you've seen any of her interviews late in life it's exactly like that. My interest sparked after watching "Broken Blossoms," "Sold for Marriage," and "A Romance of Happy Valley."

I like reading about the silent era movie industry. The Gish sisters made it into the sound era, at least one of them did, and was indeed an excellent actress. Too bad they didn't get many good roles in the 'talkies'; they were definitely in a league of their own as actors. So was Lon Chaney and Buster Keaton.

[Chris]

I like reading about the silent era movie industry. The Gish sisters made it into the sound era, at least one of them did, and was indeed an excellent actress. Too bad they didn't get many good roles in the 'talkies'; they were definitely in a league of their own as actors. So was Lon Chaney and Buster Keaton.

It's fun, too, watching all those old silent films, especially, now, having read a bit of what went into them. Gish writes about herself till she meets Griffith, then switches to him, his life, and his films and innovations.