Julie Crawford's conservative parents in Fort Wayne, Indiana expect her to come home and get married as soon as she graduates from Smith College. Instead Julie takes off for Hollywood, hoping to become a screen writer. Julie gets a room in a boarding house and lands a 'gofer' job at Selznick International Pictures, the studio where producer David O. Selznick is making 'Gone With the Wind' (GWTW) - one of the most famous movies of all time.
While working at the film studio Julie meets Selznick's assistant producer Andy Weinstein, who introduces her to the famous screwball comedy actress Carole Lombard. Julie is soon dating Andy and working as Carole's personal assistant. From this vantage point Julie is a witness to the romance between Carole Lombard and Clark Cable. She's also an occasional observer on the set of GWTW, in which Clark is playing Rhett Butler.
Carole Lombard and Clark Gable
All this might be ideal except that Clark is having trouble wrangling a divorce from his estranged wife; the Nazis are waging war in Europe, and Andy - who's Jewish - is worried about his grandparents in Berlin; and Julie's parents would be appalled by her dating a Jew.
The story is largely about Julie's thorny relationship with Andy and the formidable challenges of making GWTW.
In the beginning Julie is immature and insecure, wanting to know more about Andy's past than he's willing to share. Julie's huffiness about Andy's reticence - and an incident involving anti-Semitic drunks - puts a crimp in the romance....but they carry on.
Working in Hollywood gives Julie the opportunity to meet Frances Marion, a screenwriter who's willing to give other women a leg up. Encouraged by both Frances and Carole, Julie starts writing a movie script. This leads to some job opportunities.....as well as a run-in with the 'casting couch' mentality of a powerful man in the industry.
Meanwhile, the studio is in a constant uproar about GWTW. Selznick is always firing and hiring people; Vivian Leigh - who plays Scarlet O'Hara - is tetchy about her breasts being taped together to give her 'cleavage'; there's disagreement about the movie's ending; and so on.
Vivian Leigh as Scarlet O'Hara
Even worse, racism towards the black actors results in Clark threatening to quit....and the film's black stars are not welcome at the premiere in Atlanta.
As all this is going on the Nazis are storming across Europe, forcing Jews from their homes and putting them in concentration camps.
Nevertheless, Hollywood bigwigs - who distribute movies in Germany - willfully 'see no evil' and refuse to criticize the Führer or the war. This theme runs through the book and drives the behavior of some of the characters.
I liked the relationship between Carole and Clarke, who call each other 'Ma' and 'Pa' and share an irreverent attitude to life. When they move to a ranch Carole decides she needs 50 horses, a tractor, and lots of animals.....though she has no idea what to do with any of them.
As for Julie and Andy, I don't feel like they're a credible couple. Aside from the lust that accompanies new love affairs they don't seem to be on the same wavelength. (I may be completely alone in this opinion. 😎)
Overall I enjoyed the book and thought it made good points about 'old' Hollywood's treatment of black people and its profit at all costs attitude.
I'd recommend the book to readers who like romances and/or historic fiction about the movie industry.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 16th book in the 'Gabriel Allon' series, the Israeli agent is after an ISIS terrorist. The book can be read as a standalone, though familiarity with the characters is a bonus.
*****
In the last few 'Gabriel Allon' books the Israeli agent has been preparing to take charge of his country's spy agency, 'The Office.'
Gabriel's just about to start the top job when ISIS terrorists stage horrific attacks in France and Belgium.
Several Israeli citizens, as well as Gabriel's friend Hannah Weinberg, are among those killed in France. So Gabriel postpones his promotion (once again) to chase down 'Saladin', the ISIS mastermind who planned the bombings.
To get close to the elusive Saladin, Gabriel has to insert an agent deep into ISIS - a very difficult task. To accomplish the feat Gabriel recruits Dr. Natalie Mizrahi, a French-born physician who emigrated to Israel. Natalie - who speaks French, English, and Arabic - is given the secret identity 'Dr. Leila Hadawi', a woman of Palestinian ancestry. As Leila, the new agent works as a doctor in a Muslim neighborhood in France.
She also cruises ISIS sites online, claiming to want revenge against the western murderers who killed her fiancé. After a few months ISIS recruiters approach Leila, and she agrees to work for the Caliphate. This is when the REALLY dangerous part of Natalie's assignment begins.
The ISIS headhunter arranges for Leila to take a month-long vacation in Greece. After a couple of days, however, Leila is spirited off to Syria - where she's interrogated by a top ISIS official. Apparently passing muster, Leila starts training to be an ISIS terrorist. Meanwhile, she keeps her eyes and ears open for information about Saladin.
The rest of the story plays out with plenty of suspense, tragedy, and heroics....plus a teeny bit of romance.
If you're familiar with previous stories in the series - which usually involve people running all over the world assassinating enemies - this book takes a different tack. A large portion of the narrative describes Natalie's training to be an operative.
By the end I almost felt I knew how to be a spy myself (though I'd never in a million years have Natalie's courage).
I enjoyed the book but - to be honest - I prefer the earlier Gabriel Allon tales where he's more involved in the action. Still, this is a good thriller with a minor cliffhanger ending. I look forward to the next book.
Recommended to readers who like espionage stories, especially fans of Gabriel Allon.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, which - during her childhood in the 1950's and 1960's - was one of the most segregated cities in the nation.
Young Condoleezza Rice
Nevertheless Condoleeza's middle-class parents, Angelena - a high school teacher and John - a sports coach, athletic director, guidance counselor and Presbyterian minister made sure their only child suffered few deprivations and exposed her to everything they thought was an educational opportunity. Condoleezza notes: "They were convinced education was a kind of armor that shielded me against everything, even deepest racism in Birmingham and across America."
Condoleezza and her mother, Angelena Rice
Condoleezza and her father, John Rice
Condoleezza's family lived by the credo: "If you were twice as good (as white people) they might not like you but they had to respect you." This probably influenced the Rices' decision to provide young Condoleezza with not only 'good schooling' but also lessons in piano; ballet; gymnastics; baton twirling; typing; and French. Condoleezza's mother loved music and taught her daughter to love classical music and famous composers.
Small dancer
Mom also made sure her little girl watched 'Mighty Mouse' because the hero's theme song, "Here I come to save the day", was a form of opera.... in which dialog was sung.
Mighty Mouse
For his part, Condoleezza's dad loved football, and taught Condoleezza an appreciation for the game. The duo went to high school football games together, watched the NFL on Sundays after church, and studied football magazines purchased at the local newsstand.
Vintage football magazine
Condoleezza was also a Brownie and Girl Scout, though her first camping experience - with hot weather, mosquitoes, and warm Kool-Aid - turned her off outside overnighters forever. 😊
For social activities Condoleezza attended church events as well as 'Tots and Teens' - an organization that provided black kids with the opportunity to participate in parties; field trips; debutante cotillions; volunteer projects; and so on.
'Tomboy' Condoleezza also played several sports, and loved to run around and tumble.....especially on her parents' bed. 😄 Unfortunately young Condoleezza (and other Birmingham children) didn't get the chance to learn to swim because Bull Connor, Birmingham's 'Commissioner of Public Safety', closed swimming pools and other recreational facilities rather than comply with a court order to integrate them. 😕 Thus Condoleezza didn't master swimming until she was 25 years old.
In one of my favorite anecdotes in the book, Condoleezza relates that her family's favorite television show was 'The Mickey Mouse Club.' Condoleezza and her parents watched every day.....and would put on their mouse ears and sing the signature tune: "M I C - see you real soon - K E Y - why? because we like you - M O U S E." Even if they had company, the Rices excused themselves to don mouse ears and sing. LOL 😁💖 When Condoleezza got older, Mickey Mouse was replaced with the Huntley-Brinkley news hour, which the family avidly watched and discussed.
Despite all her parents' efforts, Condoleezza realized that: "As hard as they tried, black parents could only partially succeed in building a fully adequate and parallel social structure. The time would always come when the (black) children of Birmingham had to face the realities of segregation."
For example, black people could only eat at one restaurant in Birmingham, A.G. Gaston's; they were prohibited from using dressing rooms in clothing stores; and they faced discrimination from the department store Santa Claus - who would only put white children on his knee. Moreover, long car trips in the South had to be carefully planned because blacks had little access to roadside eateries or motels. Condoleezza's parents tried to compensate by taking her to Atlanta on occasion, where they had a choice of restaurants and could go to the movies.
Black people in old Birmingham could dine out at A.G. Gaston's restaurant
The time right before The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was especially violent in Birmingham. Dynamite explosions were common and the 16th Street Church bombing, which caught the attention of the entire nation, killed four little girls.
The four girls killed in the bombing (clockwise from top left) Addie Mae Collins (14), Cynthia Wesley (14), Carole Robertson (14), and Carol Denise McNair (11)
This horrific incident hit especially close to home for 8-year-old Condoleezza, who knew one of the victims, Carol Denise McNair. Bombs were also directed at people's homes because the Night Riders and Ku Klux Klan sought to terrify black families. Condoleezza remembers: "Daddy would sit on the porch with his gun in his lap. Men in the neighborhood formed a watch and occasionally fired a gun into the air to scare off intruders." Because of these events Condoleezza is a fierce defender of the second amendment, 'The Right to Bear Arms.'
Night Riders (even the horses are disguised)
The Ku Klux Klan
In time Condoleezza's family moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama - where her father became Dean of Students at Stillman College, and then to Denver, Colorado, where her father took graduate classes and worked at the University of Denver. In Colorado, teenage Condoleezza attended St. Mary's Academy, which had an outstanding college prep curriculum. She also became a serious ice skater, rising at 4:30 AM every morning so her father could drive her to the rink for practice. As if that wasn't enough, Condoleezza - a skilled pianist - continued taking piano lessons at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music.
University of Denver
Condoleezza notes that Denver was more integrated than Birmingham, but still exhibited racism, "perhaps unconscious at times, or unacknowledged." This was shown by teachers' occasional biting comments as well as housing discrimination when the Rice's were looking for an apartment.
In time Condoleezza graduated from The University of Denver with a Bachelor's Degree. She then got a Master's Degree from Notre Dame University, and - later on - a Ph.D. from The University of Denver's Graduate School of International Studies.
Condoleezza and her parents
Condoleezza specialized in political science, international politics, and Soviet Studies.....and learned to speak Russian. In fact Soviet bigwig Boris Yeltsin got a tongue lashing from Condoleezza - in Russian - when he was rude during a visit to the White House. Ha ha ha.
Boris Yeltsin
During and after her graduate studies, Condoleezza experienced one success after another. She was awarded various internships and fellowships; worked at the State Department; became an assistant professor at Stanford University - where she later served as provost; worked on the National Security Council during President George H.W. Bush's administration; was National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, and finally became Bush's Secretary of State. Condoleezza also published many books about her research in international politics.
Condoleezza discusses some of her experiences at Stanford University and in government, and - though she was largely successful - admits that a few of her decisions garnered massive protests and criticism. For specifics you'll have to read her book(s).
Sadly, Condoleezza also experienced tragedy in her life. Her beloved mother got breast cancer, and later on a deadly brain tumor. And her cherished daddy suffered from ill health for many years and - later in life - had two strokes that caused serious brain damage. It's clear that Condoleezza adored her parents and misses them every day.
Many people have asked Condoleezza why she became a Republican, which seems to be an uncomfortable fit with her intense belief in affirmative action and her (more or less) pro-choice convictions. Condoleezza explains her reasons for joining the GOP.....but not really. Perhaps she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps, who became a Republican when a GOP party member let him register to vote and a Democrat party member didn't. (Shame on you vintage Democrats.....and lesson learned I hope.)
Much of the book is devoted to Condoleezza's extremely close relationship with her parents - and to their interests, work, and accomplishments. Angelena and John Rice were indeed extraordinary parents and I tip my hat to them for raising a remarkable daughter.
I enjoyed the book, especially the first half about Condoleezza's early years. The latter part of the book is interesting as well, but is rather dry and reads something like a curriculum vitae.
I'd recommend the book to readers interested in Condoleezza Rice.
Rating: 4 stars
