Garbo: The famous biography, lavishly illustrated

by John Bainbridge

***No cover sleeve available/pages and binding are in very good shape! ***

Genres: Film, Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

John Lakin Bainbridge was an author and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine.

(1913-1992).


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Reviews

[Antonio Fungairino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps too focused on her relationships to keep my interest. It might be a testament to Garbo’s commitment to privacy that there’s just not a lot to say about her following the end of her film career. This book was written in 1955, only 20 or so years into her retirement. An updated biography would feel less tabloid-y, less hyperbolic, and maybe truer to Garbo herself.

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author gushes with a thesaurus, plodding and shallow, lacking any real depth or sense of having got to grips with the main character.

[Loren · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Bainbridge’s 1955 biography is probably the only one published in Greta Garbo’s lifetime that is worth reading. It was re-released in a slightly updated version in the 70s, but since she died in 1990, obviously neither version covers her entire life.

Bainbridge’s book is the first to have any kind of credible stories about Garbo’s childhood in Sweden, her romances, and her personal life, but with no bibliography provided in either the ’55 or the ’75 version (!), you have to wonder how much is actually true. Since it was written during her lifetime, Bainbridge is often overly worshipful, but in 1955 or 1975, when the possibility that Garbo might pick up your book and read it was infinitely greater than it is now…? Can you blame him for being a little ingratiating?

Overall, this biography is a manageable introduction to a fascinating woman, but it shouldn’t be a go-to for research or specific facts.

[Terri]

I found this at an antique and book shop in Delaware. It looks a little scant and perhaps leaning on the author's conjecture, but it's interesting to me because it was written while Garbo was still alive. I'm curious.

[Angela]

Great! Lots of insight.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating biograbhy of Greta Garbo. Well written, interesting and colorful.