From James Dean and Humphrey Bogart to Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, who doesn’t love stories of classic Old Hollywood? This highly romanticized era is known for producing popular films like Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Citizen Kane, and The Wizard of Oz. It is a period encompassing the 1930s to 1960s when glitz and glam was at its peak. To this day, these kinds of stories still draw us back to that idealized version of the past and remind us of an era when everything was simpler. So, if you, like me, find yourself sometimes living vicariously through tales of Hollywood’s Golden Age, here are five books that might just be for you!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
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In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to come forth with her story. After a successful 30-year career, Hugo finally agrees to give one last interview with unknown journalist Monique Grant. The starlet’s highly coveted story has been sought after for years, so why did Hugo decide to come forward now? And why does she choose Grant as the one to dictate her memoir?
Described as “a celebration of human frailty that speaks to the Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in us all.”, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the story of a world-famous actress who, after years of defamation and public scrutiny, is finally ready to tell her side of the story. Throughout the book, the legendary actress details her rise to fame, the cost of “making it,” her tales of lost loves, and the darker side of Hollywood unbeknownst to the public. It examines questions like, what is the cost of fame? Is everything really as it seems?
Overall, this is honestly one of my favorite books of all time. I’ve read it three times now, and each time, it breaks my heart more than the last. Hugo’s story is so poignant and harrowing, and this is one of those books bound to leave you reaching for the tissues. It’s a 5-star read from me!
Blood and Oranges
Blood and Oranges tells the story of historic Los Angeles, from the Roaring Twenties all the way to the grunge of the Nineties. This historical novel chronicles how LA came to be the way it is today. Unsurprisingly, along with that comes an examination of the ever-changing film industry, something so ingrained into the fabric of Los Angeles that it is impossible to talk about the city’s culture without mentioning it.
Per the synopsis, “In Blood and Oranges, we follow the City of Angels as it transforms itself over three generations, rolling with the waves that lap its Pacific shores, a place of plazas and orange groves becoming something unrecognizable to those who knew it even a half-century earlier. It is the story with its fingers in the seminal events of a city’s history – the rise and fall of institutions, neighborhoods, citizens, of the very land itself, constantly threatened by the people who call themselves its stewards.” Grab your copy today!
As someone who lives in Los Angeles myself, I am so excited to read this book! I can’t wait to see all the insight I gain into the city, and I’m excited to hopefully gain a newfound appreciation for the city I love so much.
The Hollywood Daughter
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The Hollywood Daughter is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Hollywood in the 1950s. While other books on this list portray a more idyllic version of Old Hollywood, this book is more of a disillusionment story. It centers on a young woman who becomes embroiled in a scandal, which changes her perspective of the industry altogether. The Hollywood Daughter is from author Kate Alcott, who also penned works such as A Touch of Stardust and All the Stars in the Heavens, both of which are historical fiction novels examining similar topics. It appears Alcott has a knack for writing about the scandal and celebrity of Old Hollywood.
Do Tell
Do Tell follows a famous character actress turned gossip columnist during the Golden Age of Old Hollywood. After feeling helpless behind the camera for years, the former starlet decides to reclaim some of her power, forfeiting her showbiz career and instead choosing to focus on exposing the seedier side of the industry. According to Goodreads, “Debut novelist Lindsay Lynch brings the golden age of Hollywood to glittering life, from star-studded opening nights to backlot brawls, on-location Westerns to the Hollywood Canteen. Through Edie’s wry observations, Lynch maps the intricate networks of power that manufacture the magic of the movies and interrogates who gets to tell women’s stories.”
The Girls in the Pictures
The Girl in the Pictures depicts the burgeoning friendship between two of Hollywood’s most popular rising stars. Recurring themes of the novel include female friendship, double standards for women, and how the industry views women in general. For example, despite making a name for themselves entirely on their own, the women still face obstacles from their male counterparts and the public as they grapple with how to best navigate their blossoming careers. No matter what they do, they can’t win; It is a stark reminder that you can’t please everyone.
The book highlights how things are not always what they seem, especially as the women realize the spotlight comes with difficulties of its own. How can they succeed if they are constantly being undermined by the men around them? Can they rise above it all and achieve success?
Conclusion – Viva Old Hollywood!
Whether you’re looking for escapism or want to romanticize the past, these might be the stories for you! Juxtaposing the glamour of Old Hollywood with the scandals that can come along with that, each of these tales is bound to keep you on your toes until the very last page. Be sure to check them out today!
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