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58th out of 74 books
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Clark Gable: A Biography
Clark Gable arrived in Hollywood after a rough-and-tumble youth, and his breezy, big-boned, everyman persona quickly made him the town’s king. He was a gambler among gamblers, a heavy drinker in the days when everyone drank seemingly all the time, and a lover to legions of the most attractive women in the most glamorous business in the world, including the great love of hi...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
September 1st 2010
by Three Rivers Press
(first published 2002)
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Clark Gable: A Biography" isn't a terrible book, but it's not a great one either.
While Harris does an able job reporting on Gable's childhood and acting career and ascent in Hollywood, it seems just that - - reporting, and not a true in-depth examination of the man. Gable, as the King of Hollywood, reigned for thirty years as a celebrated actor, movie star and idol, and yet we don't get much insight into the man. It was refreshing to read of Gable's insecurities as an actor (he hardl...more
While Harris does an able job reporting on Gable's childhood and acting career and ascent in Hollywood, it seems just that - - reporting, and not a true in-depth examination of the man. Gable, as the King of Hollywood, reigned for thirty years as a celebrated actor, movie star and idol, and yet we don't get much insight into the man. It was refreshing to read of Gable's insecurities as an actor (he hardl...more
I read Mr. Harris' book on Marilyn Miller, "The Other Marilyn," and found it interesting and enjoyable. I was thus encouraged when I found that he had written a book on Clark Gable, and hoped that it would provide a similar level of scholarship.
In some ways, this biography does indeed cover Mr. Gable's life in an even-handed and informative way. We learn about his rough and tumble early years (which makes his later miserliness easy to understand), and his early marriages,...more
In some ways, this biography does indeed cover Mr. Gable's life in an even-handed and informative way. We learn about his rough and tumble early years (which makes his later miserliness easy to understand), and his early marriages,...more
I got about 70 pages into it before it had to go back to the library...so far, so good. It's only up to the beginning of Clark's MGM movie career.
I'll be grabbing this one from the library soon so I can finish it.
Update 4-16-08: got it back from the library and will try to get it finished before it has to go back in 4 weeks.
Update 5-20-08: finally finished it. Very good read on Clark Gable's life. It didn't gloss over details like a super-fan's bio might, b...more
I'll be grabbing this one from the library soon so I can finish it.
Update 4-16-08: got it back from the library and will try to get it finished before it has to go back in 4 weeks.
Update 5-20-08: finally finished it. Very good read on Clark Gable's life. It didn't gloss over details like a super-fan's bio might, b...more
a very close look at the stars life, very good
Great book about his life and film.
I enjoyed the subject matter... Clark Gable is a fascinating man. But sometimes the book felt like a list of names, movie titles and dates that added to little to story. I wanted to know more of the tidbits and the quirks and moments that contributed to his life and a little less of the filmography. I also wish more photos had been included in the book.
A fine read for the summer, but more then anything this biography serves as a spoiler to all of Mr. Gable's films. I'd be reading about all the fabulous behind the scenes dish on Clark's rendezvous' and then, BAM, the ending of the movie would be told. Unneccessary, but the biography does lend a helping hand towards understanding the tumultuous, romantic marriage of Clark and his beloved Carole Lombard. Taken away from him all too soon.
As expected and hoped for, I found out tons of stuff about Gable that I didn't know. There is tons of information in this book and much of it is discussed as fact and not opinion. There was maybe too much about Hollywood that I either knew, or didn't care about, but overall if you want to know the King of Hollywood this is an easy and comprehensive biography.
Long overdue Gable bio to supplant the mediocre one Lyn Tornabene did in the mid-1970s.
I've been a huge fan of Clark Gable ever since I saw "Gone With the Wind" back when I was 17. This book filled me in on everything I ever wanted to know about him.
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