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Three: An Unfinished Woman, Pentimento, Scoundrel Time
An Unfinished Woman, Pentimento, Scoundrel Time by Lillian Hellman.
726 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1979
3 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Lillian Hellman
78 books205 followersLillian Florence "Lilly" Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American dramatist and screenwriter famously blacklisted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) at the height of the anti-communist campaigns of 1947–52.
Hellman was praised for sacrificing her career by refusing to answer questions by HUAC; but her denial that she had ever belonged to the Communist Party was easily disproved, and her veracity was doubted by many, including war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and literary critic Mary McCarthy.
She adapted her semi-autobiographical play The Little Foxes into a screenplay which received an Academy Award nomination in 1942.
Hellman was romantically involved with fellow writer and political activist Dashiell Hammett for thirty years until his death.
(from Wikipedia)
Hellman was praised for sacrificing her career by refusing to answer questions by HUAC; but her denial that she had ever belonged to the Communist Party was easily disproved, and her veracity was doubted by many, including war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and literary critic Mary McCarthy.
She adapted her semi-autobiographical play The Little Foxes into a screenplay which received an Academy Award nomination in 1942.
Hellman was romantically involved with fellow writer and political activist Dashiell Hammett for thirty years until his death.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 4, 2012
Mary McCarthy famously and wittily said of Lilian's 3 volumes of autobiography
:"Everything she said is a lie even "and" and "the".
Well, I'm here to tell you they're the most entertaining set of lies you're ever likely to read.Even on second and third readings!
"Scoundrel Time" tells of the effect of McCarthyism (not Mary's!) on her life and career and that of her partner DashiellHammett.
A bit difficult to lie about this.
"Pentimento" was made famous by the film "Julia" with Jane Fonda as Lilian and Vanessa Redgrave as her anti-Nazi friend Julia. Go to Lil's biographies to read about the huge dispute about "the facts". You'll find it hard to trust ANY writer after that.But you'll be ABSOLUTELY fascinated all the same."What is Truth?" said Pontius and boy, was HE onto something!!!
And "An Unfinished Woman"?
Lil's childhood and career.
Compare it with Mary Mc's "Memories of a Catholic Girlhood".
Both are still among my all time favourites.
And how true are they??
How the Hell would I know, I wasn't there .
I just read the books!!!!
And YOU do the same, or you're gonna die incomplete.
:"Everything she said is a lie even "and" and "the".
Well, I'm here to tell you they're the most entertaining set of lies you're ever likely to read.Even on second and third readings!
"Scoundrel Time" tells of the effect of McCarthyism (not Mary's!) on her life and career and that of her partner DashiellHammett.
A bit difficult to lie about this.
"Pentimento" was made famous by the film "Julia" with Jane Fonda as Lilian and Vanessa Redgrave as her anti-Nazi friend Julia. Go to Lil's biographies to read about the huge dispute about "the facts". You'll find it hard to trust ANY writer after that.But you'll be ABSOLUTELY fascinated all the same."What is Truth?" said Pontius and boy, was HE onto something!!!
And "An Unfinished Woman"?
Lil's childhood and career.
Compare it with Mary Mc's "Memories of a Catholic Girlhood".
Both are still among my all time favourites.
And how true are they??
How the Hell would I know, I wasn't there .
I just read the books!!!!
And YOU do the same, or you're gonna die incomplete.
August 9, 2011
Of the three novels that make up this book, I've only read Pentimento so far. Loved it. This is an autobiography. I felt as though I were sitting and listening to Ms. Hellman tell me all of these wonderful stories about her life.
"Old paint on canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent. When that happens it is possible, in some pictures, to see the original lines: a tree will show through a woman's dress, a child makes way for a dog, a large boat is no longer on an open sea. That is called pentimento because the painter 'repented,' changed his mind. Perhaps it would be as well to say that the old conception, replaced by a later choice, is a way of seeing and then seeing again.
That is all I mean about the people in this book. The paint has aged now and I wanted to see what was there for me once, what is there for me now."
"Old paint on canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent. When that happens it is possible, in some pictures, to see the original lines: a tree will show through a woman's dress, a child makes way for a dog, a large boat is no longer on an open sea. That is called pentimento because the painter 'repented,' changed his mind. Perhaps it would be as well to say that the old conception, replaced by a later choice, is a way of seeing and then seeing again.
That is all I mean about the people in this book. The paint has aged now and I wanted to see what was there for me once, what is there for me now."
June 30, 2014
I did not know that all of these were memoirs when I started them. I loved the voice of them and how they threw you into the time (30s, 40s, 50s). Sometimes it got a little name-dropp-y but i didn't mind very much. The reported dialogue was super witty and sharp and fast like in old movies. I never knew much about the McCarthy trials but there was some really interesting stuff in here from her perspective since her and Dashiell Hammett went through so much stuff. Loved all three.
June 5, 2012
Go to Hell, I say. A favorite scribbler among the
iggynorants. Her MEMS are almost entirely fictions.
Or fantasies. She deemed it her mission to lie for
Stalin and the CP. What can you do with such people?
Well, Lil deserved a cyanide enema.
iggynorants. Her MEMS are almost entirely fictions.
Or fantasies. She deemed it her mission to lie for
Stalin and the CP. What can you do with such people?
Well, Lil deserved a cyanide enema.
May 3, 2014
Lillian Hellman is an articulate, intelligent woman with an unconventional story. She is strong and honest in her life and her words. I found the story of her life to be inspiring and her inner voice to echo the inner voice of the strong woman in me. A great read for a woman in her late twenties.
July 18, 2009
One of my most prized possessions is a collector's edition of "Three" signed by Lillian herself. I love this woman.
February 15, 2022
Read Pentimento so many times and the others less so. Though Hellman was proven to be a somewhat unreliable memoirist, something she states repeatedly in her own memoirs, she writes beautifully.
March 27, 2013
If you like Lillian Helman's writing - or if you are unfamiliar with her other than through her prize-winning plays - this compilation is a must read. "An Unfinished Woman" is a fascinating autobiographical trip through a remarkably interesting life and time. "Pentimento" recounts Helman's reminiscences of a lifelong friendship - and was the inspiration for the movie "Julia."
But the Hellman story I recommend to friends most often is the slim volume "Scoundrel Time," which is a vivid account of the 1950s Congressional witch hunt of, primarily, intellectuals and artists who are suspected of being Communists or Communist symnpathizers. Anyone who enjoys politics or is interested in this shameful chapter in American history, should enjoy this intimate expose of people who did and did not "name names." My favorite quote of hers: "I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions." She did NOT name names when called before Congress. Also, you can buy just "Scoundrel Time" in paperback.
But the Hellman story I recommend to friends most often is the slim volume "Scoundrel Time," which is a vivid account of the 1950s Congressional witch hunt of, primarily, intellectuals and artists who are suspected of being Communists or Communist symnpathizers. Anyone who enjoys politics or is interested in this shameful chapter in American history, should enjoy this intimate expose of people who did and did not "name names." My favorite quote of hers: "I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions." She did NOT name names when called before Congress. Also, you can buy just "Scoundrel Time" in paperback.
May 10, 2009
I sought out this book after seeing the movie "Julia" starring Vanessa Redgrave & Jane Fonda. I was fascinated with Scoundrel Time and Hellman's famous statement in her letter to the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the McCarthy era - "I cannnot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions." I admired her courage in standing up for what she thought was right, even at the risk of going to jail, which she never actually had to do as others did. What a gifted playwright and yet a flawed individual in that some of her stories about herself (e.g., Julia)later appeared to be lies.
Want to read
August 12, 2015I definitely want to read the first two of these, and by that point, y'know. (Really think I'll get separate volumes, though.)
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Still combing through the 500 Great Books By Women book list, which got set up as a Goodreads group, and tracking the demographics via spreadsheet (and so can yoouuu).
.
Still combing through the 500 Great Books By Women book list, which got set up as a Goodreads group, and tracking the demographics via spreadsheet (and so can yoouuu).
December 8, 2008
This edition combines all three of Hellman's memoirs with additional commentary from the author. Although each book is enjoyable on its own, I prefer this combined and annotated edition.
Read
May 4, 2009Great reads by a great American author
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews