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frauleinn8123's review
5.0
A great history about the Golden Age of Hollywood and the conquests of Howard Hughes
pbraue13's review
5.0
Karina Longworth is the film and old Hollywood historian of our time, her podcast being one of the best and most well-researched out there. Initially, seeing this book on the shelf I was excited and wary because I thought I already knew about most of the starlets on the cover/named in the summary on the back mainly due to Karina Longworth's podcast, "You Must Remember This". Luckily, I was not bored. In fact, Longworth takes the sprinkles of what is given in the podcast and expands them, showing them in an all new context.
Howard Hughes was a piece of work, to say the least, and Longworth's approach to his life through the women in his life and the women whose lives he affected (sometimes in grand spectacular ways as well as really dismal and bad ways) is a genius way to explore this somewhat "mad genius" of his time. Doing so allows you as a new reader and as someone who is approaching this, like I did, with preconceived notions about what they think they know about the famed aviator to see it through a lens of exploitation and misogyny. How being a man (a powerful and wealthy one, at that) in Hollywood allowed Hughes and his controlling/inexcusable behavior (often prompted by his severe OCD and mental illness, nurtured and worsened by his mother in his formative years) was permitted and basically allowed to slide. One can clearly make a connection, drawing a thread, from Hughes to Harvey Weinstein. He went from dating established stars like Katherine Hepburn to controlling and seeking to possess young hopeful starlets with promises of fame and stardom, only to be way too controlling and limiting and ruin their chances at any career in the film industry.
While the book is lengthy (it is exhaustively researched) the writing is great and easy to follow and moves at a smooth pace, allowing you to fall into the writing and be absorbed into the story that the author wishes to disclose. 5/5
Howard Hughes was a piece of work, to say the least, and Longworth's approach to his life through the women in his life and the women whose lives he affected (sometimes in grand spectacular ways as well as really dismal and bad ways) is a genius way to explore this somewhat "mad genius" of his time. Doing so allows you as a new reader and as someone who is approaching this, like I did, with preconceived notions about what they think they know about the famed aviator to see it through a lens of exploitation and misogyny. How being a man (a powerful and wealthy one, at that) in Hollywood allowed Hughes and his controlling/inexcusable behavior (often prompted by his severe OCD and mental illness, nurtured and worsened by his mother in his formative years) was permitted and basically allowed to slide. One can clearly make a connection, drawing a thread, from Hughes to Harvey Weinstein. He went from dating established stars like Katherine Hepburn to controlling and seeking to possess young hopeful starlets with promises of fame and stardom, only to be way too controlling and limiting and ruin their chances at any career in the film industry.
While the book is lengthy (it is exhaustively researched) the writing is great and easy to follow and moves at a smooth pace, allowing you to fall into the writing and be absorbed into the story that the author wishes to disclose. 5/5
mjoyced's review against another edition
5.0
As a long-time listener and fan of You Must Remember This, I wanted more of Longworth's storytelling, and this audiobook is exactly what I wanted. The length gives her the ability to tie together stories over a long period of time and go into so many fun details. I was happy to learn more about the people I've been hearing about on her podcast, and will hopefully continue to learn about from her.
mvanhar's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating look at women's life and careers in early Hollywood, with many coming to a tragic end, and often with exploitive contracts and arrangements with studios. I knew little about Howard Hughes starting this book, and the most uniting thread through all these stories is the obsession, control and deceit of women by Howard Hughes. Insane stories of Hughes hunting for pretty actresses, contracting them to his studio RKO only to ensure they don't work and are in his control, and while having his own detective operations to follow, monitor and report on the goings on of women and business partners in his life.
I was never bored, and while I found the book long and meandering around all the various actresses and their tales, I'm glad I read it. It's a totally different look at early Hollywood, and the experience of being an actress. Very relevant tales still today, and the challenges people face in modern Hollywood.
I was never bored, and while I found the book long and meandering around all the various actresses and their tales, I'm glad I read it. It's a totally different look at early Hollywood, and the experience of being an actress. Very relevant tales still today, and the challenges people face in modern Hollywood.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 out of 5. I’ve been a fan of Karina’s work on her podcast You Must Remember This for a while so I was really excited to see that she had a book coming out about Howard Hughes. While I was not shocked that he was a completely gross, creepy, controlling predator, particularly toward very young women of a certain type, I was surprised that he was a really bad businessman and filmmaker (I should have known about the filmmaker stuff, I have seen The Conqueror, do not recommend). For all the glitz and glamour, “classic” Hollywood had a lot of garbage hiding under rocks and Karina shines a very strong light on one particular corner.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The male gaze. Wow. Yuck.
Like many others, I adore Karina Longworth’s podcast You Must Remember This. Well researched and well told, Longworth is effective at dispelling old Hollywood myths while still reminding us about our fascination with these people. It’s unquestionably one of the best podcasts out there.
Here, she turns her knowledge and skill into telling the story of Howard Hughes’ life and the lives of the women he pursued. I knew it was bad with Hughes; his fictionalized James Ellroy character prepared me enough as is. But still…the whole thing just made me feel gross. I get that there were moments of true intimacy with him and some of the women but Hughes, raised by megalomaniacs and lacking the most basic understanding of social interactions, made these women’s lives a living hell. Stalking, obsession, abuse…it’s all there.
But what I didn’t know is how ineffective he was as a movie maker. He had a few hits but by and large, his RKO Studio run churned out mostly garbage. Guess it helps to be a white guy with a big bank account; you keep failing upwards. The magic of the movies.
Anyway, Longworth is a good writer and her storytelling gifts here are well used but much of this book made me physically uncomfortable. I just felt sad for most of those women and the predatory nature of an industry that chews them up and spits them out. Maybe I don’t have the curiosity for old Hollywood that I thought I did. A good book but I’m very happy to be done with it.
Like many others, I adore Karina Longworth’s podcast You Must Remember This. Well researched and well told, Longworth is effective at dispelling old Hollywood myths while still reminding us about our fascination with these people. It’s unquestionably one of the best podcasts out there.
Here, she turns her knowledge and skill into telling the story of Howard Hughes’ life and the lives of the women he pursued. I knew it was bad with Hughes; his fictionalized James Ellroy character prepared me enough as is. But still…the whole thing just made me feel gross. I get that there were moments of true intimacy with him and some of the women but Hughes, raised by megalomaniacs and lacking the most basic understanding of social interactions, made these women’s lives a living hell. Stalking, obsession, abuse…it’s all there.
But what I didn’t know is how ineffective he was as a movie maker. He had a few hits but by and large, his RKO Studio run churned out mostly garbage. Guess it helps to be a white guy with a big bank account; you keep failing upwards. The magic of the movies.
Anyway, Longworth is a good writer and her storytelling gifts here are well used but much of this book made me physically uncomfortable. I just felt sad for most of those women and the predatory nature of an industry that chews them up and spits them out. Maybe I don’t have the curiosity for old Hollywood that I thought I did. A good book but I’m very happy to be done with it.
readuwroteu's review against another edition
5.0
Tell anyone you can, any way that you can!
Stars, they're just like us, amirite? Who hasn't imprisoned a woman in a lavish hotel with guards outside so she can't leave? And who amongst us wouldn't buy the mansion across the street in order to surveil their wife? Go on, cast the first stone...
What I mean to say is, Howard Hughes was mad, and I am mad about Karina Longworth. If you close your eyes, "Seduction," is like a more formal version of her unparalleled podcast, "You Must Remember This." Exhaustively researched and well written, "Seduction," masterfully recounts the experiences of certain women in midcentury Hollywood, using Hughes as the connecting framework. Longworth finds a way to plant her subjects firmly in the past without relegating them to being products of their time. For example, Jayne Mansfield, in many circles considered a second rate Marilyn, gets a passing mention in the book, but in those few paragraphs, Longworth shows her to be a keen observer and a quick wit, ready to jump at the opportunity to shine. In the context of this book, where many young starlets are signed to studios only to be passed around by executives, or to solely garner walk on roles, Mansfield's position and actions are that much better understood.
I feel like "You Must Remember This," was my Hollywood: 101 class, and "Seduction," is the 201... I went into this all with zero knowledge on the subject, and having seen only a handful of movies made before 1960. Now I'm drawing parallels, formulating my own opinions, and have watched several of the films Longworth discusses. After finishing "Seduction," I am only left with one question: Karina, what are doing for the advanced class!?!?!
Stars, they're just like us, amirite? Who hasn't imprisoned a woman in a lavish hotel with guards outside so she can't leave? And who amongst us wouldn't buy the mansion across the street in order to surveil their wife? Go on, cast the first stone...
What I mean to say is, Howard Hughes was mad, and I am mad about Karina Longworth. If you close your eyes, "Seduction," is like a more formal version of her unparalleled podcast, "You Must Remember This." Exhaustively researched and well written, "Seduction," masterfully recounts the experiences of certain women in midcentury Hollywood, using Hughes as the connecting framework. Longworth finds a way to plant her subjects firmly in the past without relegating them to being products of their time. For example, Jayne Mansfield, in many circles considered a second rate Marilyn, gets a passing mention in the book, but in those few paragraphs, Longworth shows her to be a keen observer and a quick wit, ready to jump at the opportunity to shine. In the context of this book, where many young starlets are signed to studios only to be passed around by executives, or to solely garner walk on roles, Mansfield's position and actions are that much better understood.
I feel like "You Must Remember This," was my Hollywood: 101 class, and "Seduction," is the 201... I went into this all with zero knowledge on the subject, and having seen only a handful of movies made before 1960. Now I'm drawing parallels, formulating my own opinions, and have watched several of the films Longworth discusses. After finishing "Seduction," I am only left with one question: Karina, what are doing for the advanced class!?!?!