Reviews
These two entertainment writers team up to bring a candid, no-holds-bar glimpse at Joan Crawford the person. Their individual knowledge of film (Quirk being an author of many film books and a friend of Ms. Crawford, and Schoell's entertainment writing and honest review stylings) helps to bring Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography to life in a way that was not only engaging but fascinating. It's an intimate look at Ms. Crawford both professionally and personally, which became merged as a reaction to the studio system at that time. Quirk and Schoell don't paint her with glowing strokes, instead, allow her truth to be the fever behind the stories. It's a true retelling of all the good and bad elements of one's life. The readers are hooked from page one, entranced as you go on a journey to unravel the complexity of the life of an early film star., "Expert.... The woman who emerges from these pages was tough, demanding, self-obsessed, horny, generous, and loyal.-- Bay Area Reporter" -- Bay Area Reporter, Tells the whole saga, from difficult childhood to wanton chorus girl and starlet days (lots of juicy tidbits included)--blind ambition, Mommy dearest--it's all here, together with a complete filmography., A tough-minded but fair and immensely readable analysis of this legendary lady's colorful life and, especially, career. Lawrence J. Quirk knew Crawford and, with colleague William Schoell, writes with understanding but clear eyes. The result: the smartest, most absorbingly detailed and valuable work yet on a woman who was far more than a Mommie Dearest--one of the great stars of the 20th century., Authors Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell knew Crawford personally and they make it clear that their objective is to shift the public and media focus from Joan's troublesome personal matters to her extraordinary oeuvre. And the book has achieved that.... Every paragraph oozes her extraordinary persistence in the quest of achieving the status of a decent actress at the feet of a very gate-kept system. By the end, as a reader, I thought this was a very humane, heartfelt story about a girl who "dreamed of going on the stage herself someday and garnering applause.", "Quirk complies the biographical links, recounting in an objective manner Crawford's progress from studio call girl, her multiple marriages and extensive list of lovers." -- Charleston (SC) Post & Courier, "Tells the whole saga, from difficult childhood to wanton chorus girl and starlet days (lots of juicy tidbits included) -- blind ambition, Mommy dearest -- it's all here, together with a complete filmography." -- Copley News Service, Just when you though you'd heard the last work on Joan Crawford, here comes another bio aimed straight at you, the gale male Crawford fan., Quirk complies the biographical links, recounting in an objective manner Crawford's progress from studio call girl, her multiple marriages and extensive list of lovers., "This work makes a strenuous effort to clear Crawford's name of the child abuse cloud that has hung over her image since the publication of Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest and the fabulously out-of-control movie that book spawned." -- Liz Smith, "Joan Crawford was a sexual dynamo who used her bedroom prowess to seduce Hollywood's biggest starts -- both male and female." -- The Globe, "A tough-minded but fair and immensely readable analysis of this legendary lady's colorful life and, especially, career. Lawrence J. Quirk knew Crawford and, with colleague William Schoell, writes with understanding but clear eyes. The result: the smartest, most absorbingly detailed and valuable work yet on a woman who was far more than a Mommie Dearest -- one of the great stars of the 20th century." -- Doug McClelland, "This bio covers her entire career -- a career that could only have been possible because of Joan's magnitude to listen and improve herself as she climbed higher and higher on the Hollywood ladder." -- Buzz Magazine, "Unique in its scrupulous analysis of Crawford's entire body of work. Schoell and Quirk move beyond the myths and misconceptions to look at her film work, which in many respects was Crawford's life.-- Pink Pages" -- Pink Pages, An entertaining read... especially in the scene where a persevering Quirk tries to convince the legend that gay men have a special thing about her--which she won't believe on any account., "These two entertainment writers team up to bring a candid, no-holds-bar glimpse at Joan Crawford the person. Their individual knowledge of film (Quirk being an author of many film books and a friend of Ms. Crawford, and Schoell's entertainment writing and honest review stylings) helps to bring Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography to life in a way that was not only engaging but fascinating. It's an intimate look at Ms. Crawford both professionally and personally, which became merged as a reaction to the studio system at that time. Quirk and Schoell don't paint her with glowing strokes, instead, allow her truth to be the fever behind the stories. It's a true retelling of all the good and bad elements of one's life. The readers are hooked from page one, entranced as you go on a journey to unravel the complexity of the life of an early film star." -- The Entertainment Section, "Unique in its scrupulous analysis of Crawford's entire body of work. Schoell and Quirk move beyond the myths and misconceptions to look at her film work, which in many respects was Crawford's life." -- Pink Pages, "Just when you though you'd heard the last work on Joan Crawford, here comes another bio aimed straight at you, the gale male Crawford fan.-- Adelante Magazine" -- Adelante Magazine, "This most welcome book goes a long way toward restoring the reputation of the most glamorous star to emerge from the Hollywood dream factory.-- The State (Columbia, SC)" -- The State (Columbia, SC), Expert.... The woman who emerges from these pages was tough, demanding, self-obsessed, horny, generous, and loyal., Joan Crawford was a sexual dynamo who used her bedroom prowess to seduce Hollywood's biggest starts--both male and female., "A thoroughgoing, evenhanded review of Crawford's life and work, which in tone is neither academic nor gossipy but rather confessional, as if they are eager to set the record straight." -- Library Journal, This bio covers her entire career--a career that could only have been possible because of Joan's magnitude to listen and improve herself as she climbed higher and higher on the Hollywood ladder., This most welcome book goes a long way toward restoring the reputation of the most glamorous star to emerge from the Hollywood dream factory., "Just when you though you'd heard the last work on Joan Crawford, here comes another bio aimed straight at you, the gale male Crawford fan." -- Adelante Magazine, "Quirk complies the biographical links, recounting in an objective manner Crawford's progress from studio call girl, her multiple marriages and extensive list of lovers.-- Charleston (SC) Post & Courier" -- Charleston (SC) Post & Courier, "Tells the whole saga, from difficult childhood to wanton chorus girl and starlet days (lots of juicy tidbits included) -- blind ambition, Mommy dearest -- it's all here, together with a complete filmography.-- Copley News Service" -- Copley News Service, "An entertaining read... especially in the scene where a persevering Quirk tries to convince the legend that gay men have a special thing about her -- which she won't believe on any account." -- Sight & Sound, An intriguing read, Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography offers a fine portray of Crawford's life and career, highlighting key moments both on and off-screen in her life., "An entertaining read... especially in the scene where a persevering Quirk tries to convince the legend that gay men have a special thing about her -- which she won't believe on any account.-- Sight & Sound" -- Sight & Sound, "This most welcome book goes a long way toward restoring the reputation of the most glamorous star to emerge from the Hollywood dream factory." -- The State (Columbia, SC), "Expert.... The woman who emerges from these pages was tough, demanding, self-obsessed, horny, generous, and loyal." -- Bay Area Reporter, "A tough-minded but fair and immensely readable analysis of this legendary lady's colorful life and, especially, career. Lawrence J. Quirk knew Crawford and, with colleague William Schoell, writes with understanding but clear eyes. The result: the smartest, most absorbingly detailed and valuable work yet on a woman who was far more than a Mommie Dearest -- one of the great stars of the 20th century.-- Doug McClelland" -- Doug McClelland, "Unique in its scrupulous analysis of Crawford's entire body of work.-- McCormick (SC) Messenger" -- McCormick (SC) Messenger, Unique in its scrupulous analysis of Crawford's entire body of work. Schoell and Quirk move beyond the myths and misconceptions to look at her film work, which in many respects was Crawford's life., "A thoroughgoing, evenhanded review of Crawford's life and work, which in tone is neither academic nor gossipy but rather confessional, as if they are eager to set the record straight.-- Library Journal" -- Library Journal, This work makes a strenuous effort to clear Crawford's name of the child abuse cloud that has hung over her image since the publication of Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest and the fabulously out-of-control movie that book spawned., "This work makes a strenuous effort to clear Crawford's name of the child abuse cloud that has hung over her image since the publication of Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest and the fabulously out-of-control movie that book spawned.-- Liz Smith" -- Liz Smith, A thoroughgoing, evenhanded review of Crawford's life and work, which in tone is neither academic nor gossipy but rather confessional, as if they are eager to set the record straight., "Joan Crawford was a sexual dynamo who used her bedroom prowess to seduce Hollywood's biggest starts -- both male and female.-- The Globe" -- The Globe, "This bio covers her entire career -- a career that could only have been possible because of Joan's magnitude to listen and improve herself as she climbed higher and higher on the Hollywood ladder.-- Buzz Magazine" -- Buzz Magazine
