Sydney Ladensohn Stern, a New York–based freelance writer, has contributed to the New York Times and many other publications. She is author of Toyland: The High-Stakes Game of the Toy Industry, a Book of the Month Club pick, and Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics, and Mystique.
Beautifully researched and deftly structured. . . . This model
biography tells a story of two gifted brothers, only one of whom
exceeded expectations. But underneath the surface wit and brio, The
Brothers Mankiewicz is a harrowing tale of subtly lethal sibling
rivalry that ultimately strangled them both.--Scott Eyman "The Wall
Street Journal"
If you want to know everything there is to know about the Golden
Age of Cinema, as seen through the eyes of two amazing siblings,
read The Brothers Mankiewicz. Herman wrote Citizen Kane, while Joe
wrote All About Eve and wrote and directed Liz Taylor in
Cleopatra--that's just for starters. Sydney Ladensohn Stern has
done a terrific job writing about the public and private lives of
these remarkable men who both became legends. It's a generous,
knowledgeable, fascinating account--I couldn't put it
down.--Patricia Bosworth, author of biographies on Montgomery
Clift, Marlon Brando, and Jane Fonda, and contributing editor at
Vanity Fair
Given the overlapping arcs of their careers, a dual biography of
the two men makes perfect sense, and Sydney Ladensohn Stern, author
of The Brothers Mankiewicz: Hope, Heartbreak, and Hollywood
Classics, proves far more than equal to the formidable technical
challenges of writing it. She succeeds in keeping the narrative
strands of their lives sufficiently separate to make for easy
reading while simultaneously illuminating the instructive
similarities in their personalities, both of which come through
with lively clarity. Above all, she tells their tightly entwined
stories thoughtfully and well, with a sympathetic but honest
appreciation of their talents--and limitations.--Terry Teachout
"Commentary"
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
