Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters

Book Description

From published author, Michelle Vogel, comes Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters. The letters derive from Ms. Crawford's meticulous attention to her fan base. She encouraged letters from her adoring fans and made the uncanny effort to answer them. What emerges is a chronological biography of filmdom's ultimate movie star. Additionally, the body of work by Ms. Vogel incorporates the letters along with explanatory narrative weaving together the events of a fabulous life and career. And that's not all! Cathy Crawford LaLonde, the sole executor of the Crawford estate, has transmitted written permission to the author for the exclusive rights to publish her mother's words in Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters. Here then is the first "authorized" biography since Mommie Dearest. In reading the letters, with their introspective quality, the reader discovers the unique personality of Joan Crawford which contrasts significantly from the portrait presented in Mommie Dearest. Biography aficionados will eagerly embrace the penetrating in depth aspects into the life of a twentieth century icon.

Customer Reviews:

Proofreaders Wanted.......2007-05-20

I have never read a more poorly written book. The letters themselves are fascinating and well written, but good heavens, Ms. Vogel's punctuation will stop you in your tracks.

It is impossible to follow through an entire paragraph without having to backtrack a bit to figure out what the writer is trying to say.

Try this sentence, regarding the stalker of a male TV star: "Her demands were that he leave his wife for her, if he, didn't she vowed his career would fade away." It's kind of like a good band with a lousy drummer.

There are the usual errors, too, such as referring to one person as "they," and to that one person's qualities as "theirs." There is "she's" for "she has."

As for apostrophes, I could faint. Ms. Vogel's rule seems to be, "If it ends in an 's,' put an apostrophe in front of the 's.'" No exceptions. Butcher's, baker's, candlestick maker's. Oy.

Comically, the author sometimes reports that Crawford received "a" letter from more than one person, making it seem like her high-powered friends got together to write and sign one letter. Maybe George Cukor had the pencil that week.

There are some cute errors, too. The author seems unaware that in a monogram, the first letter of one's last name appears as the second of three letters. When quoting from a letter written during Crawford's marriage to Phillip Terry, she describes the mongrammed stationery as, "JTC - Joan Terry Crawford." If proofreading skills are lacking, can't common sense prevail?

The author does access some interesting first-hand information from Crawford's friends. Even the most devoted Crawfordphile might find a few photos and quotes he hasn't seen before.

This book is essential for us Crawford collectors. However, the mistakes on almost every page ruin the flow of the text. It's like riding a bicycle with a chain that skips.

First class read ! A must have for any Joan Crawford fan !.......2007-02-15

An absolutely fascinating book, which has clearly been thoroughly researched.

What is so different, and sets it apart from other biographies is that it tells of Joan's life from a totally fresh perspective. What better way is there to gain an insight into someone's inner thoughts than through their very own letters.

The way this book has been put together really brings to life a Hollywood legend, with a lot of new material including wonderful candid photo's and even recipes!

Very highly recommended, and a must have for any Joan Crawford fan!

Loved it!.......2007-01-19

Everything Joan said was gold! Loved it!!
It was interesting how professional and business like joan was even with lovers and close friends.
I especially loved how joan would let certain people have it while still giving off the impression of being sweet and professional.
I loved how joan would restate each question or statement someone had made in their letters...and offer her own answer or rebutal.

Great Letters, Great Pictures, Frivilous Commentary.......2007-01-19

I must give this book kudos for its wonderful use of some of Joan Crawford's publicity pictures. Although the photos used were exclusively in black and white, a lot of them displayed Joan in the glamorous depictions we've become acustomed to seeing her in. I also loved the personal insight the various letters gave us a glimps of. Joan was obviously one who cherished her fans.

That said I have to also mention how unprofessional the added commentary was on both the author's part as well as the "contribution" of Joan Crawford's grandson. When reading his portion of the book you get the impression that he knew the star so very well and was a reliable credit source to what the "real" Joan Crawford was like. The only problem is that Joan's grandson, the son of Joan's adopted daughter Cathy, was only five years old when Joan passed away. In the same book entry he mentions how he hardly knows his uncle Christopher (another of Joan's adopted children) as the last time he saw his uncle was when he was five years old. The same age he was when Joan died! Reliable source? I think not. Similarly the author also takes offense to the previously released Christina Crawford book Mommie Dearest several times. Weither you're in the pro Mommie Dearest camp or not, the simple fact remains that fans were not in the Crawford household to witness the things Christina wrote about in her book. Sadly the author didn't take this into account when writing her own book and instead sided with a family member who wasn't present for any significant moments in Joan's life outside of her death.

Letter writing: The Lost Art.......2006-08-19

I purchased this book because I am a fan of Joan Crawford. It is a fun read which covers,(through her letters) most of her career. There are even a couple of her recipes in the book. This is not another biography. It is simply many years of Joan's devotion to her public. Which was one of the reasons her career lasted as long as it did.

Book Description

In the early 1990s anthropologist John Sherry lived with Leroy Jackson and Adella Begaye, leaders of DinÃ© CARE, a Navajo organization dedicated to protecting the environment and its links to Navajo culture. Land, Wind, and Hard Words is his account of the founding, activities, and evolution of DinÃ© CARE, whose original mission was to protect the Navajo forest from the ravages of industrial logging. SherryÂ's intimate account of the daily lives of this group of activists reminds us of the threats facing local communities and the people trying to defend them. Not least among these threats are the many demands of the Â“outside world.Â” From meetings with lawyers or do-gooder environmentalists to the cutthroat world of fundraising, every encounter with outsiders affects the work, draining time and resources away from direct participation with the community and even affecting the way activists think.

Because of his friendship with the Jacksons, Sherry was on the scene during the aftermath of the mysterious death of Leroy Jackson in 1993. His vivid account of the resulting journalistic feeding frenzy and heightened conflict on the reservation adds an unusual dimension to this intimate and unpretentious story.

Customer Reviews:

Compelling and beautiful storytelling.......2005-04-04

This is a beautifully crafted personal account of the early years of the Navajo environmental justice organization Dine CARE (Citizens Against Ruining our Environment), which has worked for more sustainable forestry practices, protested the siting of toxic waste dumps near native communities, and fought for restitution for Navajo uranium miners. The author demonstrates an admirable awareness of the feelings and motivations of the community and individuals he is describing, while remaining conscious of the limitations inherent in his perspective as a white outsider.

"Land, Wind, & Hard Words" interweaves the narrative of how members of this community came together to found Dine CARE (including descriptions of some of their early struggles against government and industries) with excerpts of Navajo legends and more academic commentary on topics such as the disconnect between such grassroots groups and the fundraising system that claims to want to support them.

Anyone interested in the environmental justice movement will find this book a rich source of information on its potential and challenges. Anyone interested in native issues, Navajo history, or the Southwest in general, will find it a compelling story. I encourage everyone to buy this book - all royalties go to support the ongoing work of Dine CARE.

Amazingly accurate and insightful.......2002-05-30

Dr. Sherry's unique humor and his insighful wit made this book a pleasure to read. It's obvious that Dr. Sherry is a man of values, courage, and spontaneity. I applaud Dr. Sherry for his efforts in really bringing to light the activism portrayed in the chronicle. While Sherry's other works were "farcicle," this one has all the makings of a gem.

My only concern is that this book is repetitive and obligatory at times. Dr. Sherry, you might want to be aware of this in future publications.

Dazzling.......2002-05-09

Excellent read on fascinating topic. Kudos to Mr. Sherry on writing a book that is academically rigorous yet accessible at the same time.

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Navajo History in a nut shell!
Interesting, BUT . . .
Navajo history, at last!
A Sweeping History of a Remarkable People

Dine: A History of the Navajos
Peter Iverson
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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The Book of the Navajo
Diné Bahane': The Navajo Creation Story
Navaho Indian Myths
Navajo-English Dictionary (Hippocrene Dictionary)
Dine Bizaad: Speak, Read, Write Navajo

ASIN: 082632715X

Book Description

This comprehensive narrative traces the history of the Navajos from their origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on extensive archival research, traditional accounts, interviews, historic and contemporary photographs, and firsthand observation, it provides a detailed, up-to-date portrait of the DinÃ© past and present that will be essential for scholars, students, and interested general readers, both Navajo and non-Navajo.

As Iverson points out, Navajo identity is rooted in the land bordered by the four sacred mountains. At the same time, the Navajos have always incorporated new elements, new peoples, and new ways of doing things. The author explains how the DinÃ© remember past promises, recall past sacrifices, and continue to build upon past achievements to construct and sustain North AmericaÂ's largest native community. Provided is a concise and provocative analysis of Navajo origins and their relations with the Spanish, with other Indian communities, and with the first Anglo-Americans in the Southwest. Following an insightful account of the traumatic Long Walk era and of key developments following the return from exile at Fort Sumner, the author considers the major themes and events of the twentieth century, including political leadership, livestock reduction, the Code Talkers, schools, health care, government, economic development, the arts, and athletics.

Monty Roessel (Navajo), an outstanding photographer, is Executive Director of the Rough Rock Community School. He has written and provided photographs for award-winning books for young people.

The most complete and current history of the largest American Indian nation in the U.S., based on extensive new archival research, traditional histories, interviews, and personal observation.

Customer Reviews:

Navajo History in a nut shell!.......2007-09-08

Peter Iverson has one of the best ways of delivering the Navajo history to the public. He is a storyteller from way back and relates the History of the Navajos from the beginning to present day (1400's to present). A thoroughly interesting and entertaining way of presenting the Dine' story. If you are interested in Native American History, if you are interested in the History of the Navajo tribe in particular, then this is the book for you. They have a rich history and beautiful culture and it is easy to see (once you read the book) how they have survived and grown to 300,000 people overtime. It is absolutely amazing how they have become the largest Native American tribe in America.

Interesting, BUT . . . .......2007-04-19

This is only readable if one already has some knowledge of Navajo history. The photos are fabulous. The actual text gets more intersting later in the history process, but the first chapter is just impossible unless one is already versed in the history.

Navajo history, at last!.......2007-02-07

A coherent, cogent and lengthy history of the Navajos was much needed. Well worth purchasing and reading. The average American does not know much about our native peoples unfortunately. I wish all schools would really teach more authentic history so that every citizen can bring to bear pressure on Congress to help all tribes with their needs and problems. We are always giving to other people in far away places, while our own are neglected.

A Sweeping History of a Remarkable People.......2003-07-28

"Dine'" is the story of the largest Native American tribe/nation in North America. Peter Iverson's narrative takes us from the emergence of the Navajo in the Four Corners area of the Colorado Plateau to the very recent past. Along the way we learn about the Dine' origin stories, the archaeological evidence for how they may have interacted with the Puebloan peoples that they encountered on the Plateau, and their settlement in the area (Dinetah) bounded by the four sacred mountains. Iverson takes us through the oftimes traumatic interactions between the Dine' and the governments of Spain, Mexico, and the United States. He pays particular attention, as he should, to the Long Walk, when, in 1864, the Dine' were forcibly removed from their land and marched hundreds of miles to the east to Fort Sumner and the miserable "reservation" at Bosque Redondo, where thousands died. Four years later, having signed a treaty with the United States, the Dine' returned to Dinetah, sadly one of the few instances where displaced First Americans were able to reclaim their ancestral homeland.

The balance of Iverson's book involves the key developments that have occurred since the late nineteenth century, in particular the evolution of Navajo tribal government, the often stormy relationship with the United States, and the changes that the Dine' have undergone in the last hundred or more years. One theme that the author returns to again and again is the resilience of Dine' culture, and the ability of the Navajo to incorporate new cultural elements and people into their lifeways.

Iverson is not the most elegant of writers, but he does manage to get his points across. The book is amply illustrated with historic photographs, although it could use a few more maps. The photos by Monty Roessel provide a colorful (literally) counterpoint to Iverson's text, and are arranged in two groups, the first highlighting the land, and the second highlighting the people of Dinetah. This is a worthy volume for anyone interested in the people who are so closely associated with the land and the spectacular landscape of the Four Corners area.

For Our Navajo People: Diné Letters, Speeches, and Petitions, 1900-1960
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For Our Navajo People: Diné Letters, Speeches, and Petitions, 1900-1960

Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Native American | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Cultural | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Reclaiming Diné History: The Legacies of Navajo Chief Manuelito and Juanita

Dine: A History of the Navajos

At the Hems of the Lowest Clouds: Meditations on Navajo Landscapes

Conquest: Sexual Violence And American Indian Genocide

Bighorse the Warrior

ASIN: 0826327184

Book Description

One hundred documents written by DinÃ© men, women, and children speaking for themselves and on behalf of their communities are collected in this book. Discovered during IversonÂ's research for DinÃ©: A History of the Navajos, these letters, speeches, and petitions, almost all previously unpublished, provide a uniquely moving portrait of the DinÃ© during an era in which they were fighting to defend their lands and to build the Navajo Nation.

Six crucial, overlapping subjects are addressed here: land, community, education, rights, government, and identity. Brief introductions to each chapter and each document provide the necessary context, and historic photographs selected by Monty Roessel (Navajo), an outstanding photographer, supplement the words of the people.

Most of the vast literature about American Indians emphasizes the actions and words of non-Indians. Indians become the victims, the people to whom things happen. This volume furnishes a different view of the native past. It shows Navajos making their own history. It demonstrates how the DinÃ© worked to keep their lands, develop their economy, build their communities, educate their young people, affirm their rights, govern themselves, and maintain their heritage while forging a brighter future.

Included are the words of such prominent leaders as Chee Dodge, Jacob Morgan, Tom Dodge, Annie Wauneka, Sam Ahkeah, and Paul Jones, and less widely known but significant spokespersons like Howard Gorman, Scott Preston, Roger Davis, and Lilly Neill. It also presents the words of students at boarding schools, soldiers fighting in World War II, and members of the Native American Church speaking out for religious freedom. This book celebrates the resilience of the DinÃ© and salutes their resolve. It honors the men, women, and children who built the Navajo Nation.

Monty Roessel (Navajo), Executive Director of the Rough Rock Community School, has written and provided photographs for award-winning books for young people.

Using previously unpublished material, this book presents Navajo perspectives on key issues of land, community, education, rights, government, and identity.

Reclaiming Diné History: The Legacies of Navajo Chief Manuelito and Juanita
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Reclaiming Diné History: The Legacies of Navajo Chief Manuelito and Juanita
Jennifer Nez Denetdale
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Native American | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Old West | 19th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Native American Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

For Our Navajo People: Diné Letters, Speeches, and Petitions, 1900-1960

At the Hems of the Lowest Clouds: Meditations on Navajo Landscapes

Conquest: Sexual Violence And American Indian Genocide

ASIN: 0816526605

Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, the first Navajo to earn a doctorate in history seeks to rewrite Navajo history. Reared on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona, Jennifer Nez Denetdale is the great-great-great-granddaughter of a well-known Navajo chief, Manuelito (1816Â-1894), and his nearly unknown wife, Juanita (1845Â-1910). Stimulated in part by seeing photographs of these ancestors, she began to explore her family history as a way of examining broader issues in Navajo historiography. Here she presents a thought-provoking examination of the construction of the history of the Navajo people (DinÃ©, in the Navajo language) that underlines the dichotomy between Navajo and non-Navajo perspectives on the DinÃ© past. Reclaiming DinÃ© History has two primary objectives. First, Denetdale interrogates histories that privilege Manuelito and marginalize Juanita in order to demonstrate some of the ways that writing about the DinÃ© has been biased by non-Navajo views of assimilation and gender. Second, she reveals how Navajo narratives, including oral histories and stories kept by matrilineal clans, serve as vehicles to convey Navajo beliefs and values. By scrutinizing stories about Juanita, she both underscores the centrality of womenÂ's roles in Navajo society and illustrates how oral tradition has been used to organize social units, connect Navajos to the land, and interpret the past. She argues that these same stories, read with an awareness of Navajo creation narratives, reveal previously unrecognized Navajo perspectives on the past. And she contends that a similarly culture-sensitive re-viewing of the DinÃ© can lead to the production of a Navajo-centered history.

The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, People, and History of the Dine Bikeyah (Civilization of the American Indian Series)

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The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, People, and History of the Dine Bikeyah (Civilization of the American Indian Series)
James Marion Goodman
Manufacturer: Univ of Oklahoma Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Atlases | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, Peoples, and History of the Dine Bikeyah (Civilization of the American Indian Series)

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The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, Peoples, and History of the Dine Bikeyah (Civilization of the American Indian Series)
James Marion Goodman
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Atlases | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, People, and History of the Dine Bikeyah

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The Navajo Atlas: Environments, Resources, People, and History of the Dine Bikeyah
James M. Goodman
Manufacturer: Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1989,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OM8R7W

Book Description

The Natural History of Selborne (1789) is the distillation of a lifetime of observing nature, and ranges far beyond White's immediate neighborhood noted in the title. Written during a turbulent time in world history, it is a celebration of the endeavors of both human beings and animals to
survive. White's main aims were to induce readers to pay more attention to the wonders around them, and to advance their knowledge of the variety of life: his success has made this book a classic, and has made his name one of the most revered among British naturalists.

Customer Reviews:

watching nature carefully with great amusement.......2000-07-06

Gilbert White lived the quietest life, but he succeeded in gaining the attention of all the prominent naturalists of the 18th century. His only book was the result of years of observations of his gardens and surrounding countryside of southern England. Written in the form of letters to interested fellow naturalists, White comments on birds, geology, insects, and even a visit to a North American moose that has been imported by a neighbor. As a writer, Gilbert White is astute in combining his observations with a charming delight in everything he sees that makes the reader want to follow him wherever he goes.

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The Natural History of Selborne
Gilbert White
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Gilbert White: A Biography of the Author of the Natural History of Selborne
Timothy, or Notes of an Abject Reptile

ASIN: 0543901645
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Gilbert White: A Biography of the Author of the Natural History of Selborne

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Gilbert White: A Biography of the Author of the Natural History of Selborne
Richard Mabey
Manufacturer: University of Virginia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Scientists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Natural History of Selborne
The Natural History of Selborne (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 0813926491

Book Description

With more than two hundred editions, Gilbert White's The Natural History of Selborne is one of the most published books in the English language. An environmental study of the eighteenth-century Hampshire parish where White was born and later served as curate, the book is distinguished by the author's meticulous observations of plant and animal life--the "minute particulars"--and his uncanny sense of their interdependence. His book is both the definitive expression of the English love for countryside and a cornerstone of all environmental writing.

In this Whitbread Prize-winning biography, Richard Mabey--whom the Times has called "Britain's foremost nature writer"--looks at the life from which the celebrated work grew. This is not an easy task. Although White's findings did not go unnoticed in his own time (much of the Selborne book's contents are in fact letters to Thomas Pennant, one of the era's leading zoologists), relatively little is known about this minor clergyman, who made twenty pounds a year and rarely ventured outside his parish. Mabey visits not only the public and private records but the environs of Selborne, which survive to this day and are remarkably unchanged. A portrait of exceptional detail emerges, and we begin to see very clearly this singular man whose superb scientific eye was complemented by a patient curiosity (he valued observing over collecting) and an emotional investment in his work that still speaks to us. White typifies the eclectic but intense engagement that has nearly vanished in our era of scientific specialization. We recognize in his work a crucial shift in the human perception of nature--as something benign rather than as an adversary.

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