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S'està carregant… The Battle for Beverly Hills: A City's Independence and the Birth of Celebrity Politics (edició 2018)de Nancie Clare (Autor)
Informació de l'obraThe Battle for Beverly Hills: A City's Independence and the Birth of Celebrity Politics de Nancie Clare
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Apunta't a LibraryThing per saber si aquest llibre et pot agradar. No hi ha cap discussió a Converses sobre aquesta obra. I received a galley of this book via Netgalley; it won't be released until March 2018. I have been reading a lot about Hollywood in the 1920s of late, much of that revolving around Mary Pickford, in both fiction and nonfiction. Clare's focus is on one particular battle in the 1920s: that of Beverly Hills to maintain its independence from Los Angeles. At heart, the issue was about water. Los Angeles had it in abundance, thanks to its aqueduct, which Beverly Hills could only access if it permitted annexation. But that would have come at a cost: LA was much stricter--and more corrupt--in its policing during the Prohibition. The unusual beauty of Beverly Hills, with its curvy, tree-lined streets, would have likely been forfeit, along with the abundant overuse of waterfalls, fountains, and non-native plants on many of the palatial grounds of the newly-rich stars. About half of the book is about background material: the growing popularity of "flickers," the affair and marriage of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and the incredible sway that had when they combined forces with Charlie Chaplin for a World War I war bonds tour. That same sway was important in maintaining independence for their city, in a contentious debate that included a newspaper office receiving a bomb. Clare makes a case that Pickford's might established how politicians have wielded incredible political clout over the years, citing people from Sonny Bono to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Donald Trump. The latter example feels like a leap to me, but she does raise an interesting point. If Pickford had lost face, if Los Angeles had developed in a different way, how would that have changed the perception of celebrities engaging in politics? I recommend this book to anyone interested in early Hollywood and Los Angeles, or the study of celebrity culture. It's curious to me that several books are coming out right now about Mary Pickford, a century after the "Girl with the Curls" became the world's first star, and I am enjoying the trend. She's a fascinating woman, who lived in a fascinating time. Sense ressenyes | afegeix-hi una ressenya
The untold history of Beverly Hills and how, against all odds, it remained an independent, exclusive, and glamorous enclave through the efforts of Hollywood's film pioneers. If you look at a map of the sprawling city lines of Los Angeles, you'll notice a distinct hole in the middle. That is Beverly Hills, and there's a reason why it remains an island in the sea of LA. It's a tale inextricably linked with the dawn of cinema, a celebrity couple using their reputation to get what they wanted politically, and of course, the age old conundrum of California: water. For film stars who moved out to California in the early 20th century, Beverly Hills was a refuge from tabloid-heavy Los Angeles. It was also a societal blank slate: unlike Los Angeles, saddled with the East Coast caste system, Beverly Hills' developers were not picky about who settled there. It was the perfect place for Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks who both came from mixed-ethnic, impoverished backgrounds. It allowed them to become among the first actors to reach 'superstar status' through hard-work and keen entrepreneurial instincts--and to keep their steamy affair out of the press. Today, listening to a celebrity advocating a cause doesn't raise an eyebrow. But in 1923, it was something new. This is the story of how the stars battled to keep their city free from the clutches of a rapacious Los Angeles and lay the groundwork for celebrity influence and political power. With a nuanced eye and fantastic storytelling,The Battle for Beverly Hillsis an irresistible tale of glamour, fame, gossip, and politics. No s'han trobat descripcions de biblioteca. |
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Google Books — S'està carregant… GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)979.493History and Geography North America Great Basin and West Coast U.S. California Southern Counties Los Angeles CountyLCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:
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Not all Beverly Hills denizens wanted or needed these perks, and developers were dying to put in more housing but needed a good water source to do so. So it was put up to a vote. This was when the first instance of celebrity campaigning took place. Mary Pickford (and others, but she was the main one) took to speaking for remaining a separate city heavily. And it worked. This started the habit of Hollywood stars speaking out for politicians and issues.
The book is fairly short, and if you are into early century southern California history, it is fun. The celebrities, the horribly corrupt LA police force, the development of what Beverly Hills was going to look like; it all made its mark on the area. Well written. Four out of five stars. ( )