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Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Deitrich was considered one of the most glamorous stars of her day. A determined perfectionist with an incredible ego, her beauty, her style, her sense of the outrageous, made her a star. In this candid, illuminating, and detailed biography full of photographs, her only daughter Maria Riva, tells the incredible, fascinating, story of the star's life and career, loves and hates, hits and misses, as only a daughter can.
787 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
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June 26, 2017
Marlene Dietrich: A Life by Maria Riva is a 2017 Pegasus Books publication.
Recently I read ‘Marlene’ by C.W. Gortner, which falls into the ‘biographical novel’ category. It was well done, for the most part, but I couldn't help but wonder, what parts were fact, what parts were fiction. So, I set out to find a non-fiction biography of the legendary actress, and stumbled upon this one, written by Dietrich’s daughter, Maria Riva. This book was originally released, I think in 1992 or 93, but has been reissued and is also available in digital format.
I put this book on hold at the library, as pre-release, and received a copy much quicker than I expected. I didn’t want to read two books on the exact same subject, this close together, but in this case, it may have worked to my advantage.
Still, I was a bit concerned because this is a book written by Marlene’s daughter, Maria Riva, and not a professional biographer. I’m not crazy about ‘revenge’ books written by embittered children of Hollywood stars. ‘Mommie Dearest’ seemed to start a trend which I found rather distasteful, but people can’t seem to get enough of it.
But, this book was very well received for the most part, so I decided to give it a shot.
So, how did it measure up?
First off, this book draws from so many personal documents, such as diaries, telegrams, letters, and photographs. They are included here, unedited, and speak for themselves, but Riva adds her personal memories of these events, giving the reader an intimate look at the woman behind the legend.
Having some prior knowledge about Marlene did help me navigate through the book a little faster, since I was already familiar with some of the topics covered, but this is a very hefty book and will require a little bit of time to go through. However, I found it to be an easy read, and it appears to confirm much of what was covered in the Gortner book.
Maria did portray her mother in a realistic way, exposing the darker side of growing up with a famous and a glamourous actress for a mother, while paying homage to that incredible era of time, and all those incredibly talented people, trends, and of course, a few scandals.
Some may view Maria’s vision of her mother as harsh in some places, but after having read a little more about Marlene, I would say, she was probably pretty close to the mark. I didn’t take this as anything but an accurate detailing of life with Marlene Dietrich. Did she fudge? Exaggerate? Probably, to some extent, she painted herself out to be put upon by her overbearing and self-absorbed mother. If I had not already perceived Marlene in a less than flattering light, I may have found Maria’s version of events off putting, but I found her to be sincere and believable, despite the uncomfortableness of the situation.
But, nothing here was a shock in my opinion. While Marlene was groundbreaking, unafraid to challenge society’s norms, capitalizing on her uniqueness, and building a reputation around her professional life, that kept her protected from the probing of curious fans who only wanted to believe in the glamorous image of her, willing to look the other way or ignore anything that might challenge that carefully constructed impression.
As the title suggests, the book is primarily about Marlene, but it’s also about Maria, and her experiences and feelings flow through the pages, so that we see her awe, her love of America, her own struggle for independence from her mother’s forceful personality and demands, and the way she managed to create her own identity.
While some may have a different opinion about the tone of this book, I don’t think you can read this book without picking up on Maria’s resentment, but I think she tried to temper it so that she didn’t look like yet another bitter Hollywood child, cashing in on her mother’s success. No doubt, Maria's recollections rankled some big fans of Marlene, who would prefer the 'Hollywood' image over reality, while others will take gleeful delight in seeing Marlene's mythical reputation debunked.
My personal opinion of Marlene is that she was all about her own self, and wasn’t naturally maternal, but she lived life on her own terms and you could either wither under her power, succumb to it, or fight against it, but it made no difference to her one way or the other. She was the way she was, and well, I didn’t feel she was filled with great depth, and was very shallow, and so, this book only deepened that opinion. The one area, Marlene succeeded in giving anything back was the work she did during WW2, which, as far as I'm concerned is the most meaningful contribution she made in her life.
This is an opinion I had formed before I started this book, and I think this book validates that judgement.
Yet, I still admire the contributions Marlene made to film, I loved her image, her style, all the glamour, mystery, and the unapologetic way she approached the stage and film.
But, as they say, Hollywood is mostly smoke and mirrors, and this book will remind you of that old adage, if you ever had any doubts.
Overall, the book is well organized, informative, and while I did know what to expect in some ways, it was still very enlightening, despite the sly 'revenge' factor.
4 stars
4 stars
Recently I read ‘Marlene’ by C.W. Gortner, which falls into the ‘biographical novel’ category. It was well done, for the most part, but I couldn't help but wonder, what parts were fact, what parts were fiction. So, I set out to find a non-fiction biography of the legendary actress, and stumbled upon this one, written by Dietrich’s daughter, Maria Riva. This book was originally released, I think in 1992 or 93, but has been reissued and is also available in digital format.
I put this book on hold at the library, as pre-release, and received a copy much quicker than I expected. I didn’t want to read two books on the exact same subject, this close together, but in this case, it may have worked to my advantage.
Still, I was a bit concerned because this is a book written by Marlene’s daughter, Maria Riva, and not a professional biographer. I’m not crazy about ‘revenge’ books written by embittered children of Hollywood stars. ‘Mommie Dearest’ seemed to start a trend which I found rather distasteful, but people can’t seem to get enough of it.
But, this book was very well received for the most part, so I decided to give it a shot.
So, how did it measure up?
First off, this book draws from so many personal documents, such as diaries, telegrams, letters, and photographs. They are included here, unedited, and speak for themselves, but Riva adds her personal memories of these events, giving the reader an intimate look at the woman behind the legend.
Having some prior knowledge about Marlene did help me navigate through the book a little faster, since I was already familiar with some of the topics covered, but this is a very hefty book and will require a little bit of time to go through. However, I found it to be an easy read, and it appears to confirm much of what was covered in the Gortner book.
Maria did portray her mother in a realistic way, exposing the darker side of growing up with a famous and a glamourous actress for a mother, while paying homage to that incredible era of time, and all those incredibly talented people, trends, and of course, a few scandals.
Some may view Maria’s vision of her mother as harsh in some places, but after having read a little more about Marlene, I would say, she was probably pretty close to the mark. I didn’t take this as anything but an accurate detailing of life with Marlene Dietrich. Did she fudge? Exaggerate? Probably, to some extent, she painted herself out to be put upon by her overbearing and self-absorbed mother. If I had not already perceived Marlene in a less than flattering light, I may have found Maria’s version of events off putting, but I found her to be sincere and believable, despite the uncomfortableness of the situation.
But, nothing here was a shock in my opinion. While Marlene was groundbreaking, unafraid to challenge society’s norms, capitalizing on her uniqueness, and building a reputation around her professional life, that kept her protected from the probing of curious fans who only wanted to believe in the glamorous image of her, willing to look the other way or ignore anything that might challenge that carefully constructed impression.
As the title suggests, the book is primarily about Marlene, but it’s also about Maria, and her experiences and feelings flow through the pages, so that we see her awe, her love of America, her own struggle for independence from her mother’s forceful personality and demands, and the way she managed to create her own identity.
While some may have a different opinion about the tone of this book, I don’t think you can read this book without picking up on Maria’s resentment, but I think she tried to temper it so that she didn’t look like yet another bitter Hollywood child, cashing in on her mother’s success. No doubt, Maria's recollections rankled some big fans of Marlene, who would prefer the 'Hollywood' image over reality, while others will take gleeful delight in seeing Marlene's mythical reputation debunked.
My personal opinion of Marlene is that she was all about her own self, and wasn’t naturally maternal, but she lived life on her own terms and you could either wither under her power, succumb to it, or fight against it, but it made no difference to her one way or the other. She was the way she was, and well, I didn’t feel she was filled with great depth, and was very shallow, and so, this book only deepened that opinion. The one area, Marlene succeeded in giving anything back was the work she did during WW2, which, as far as I'm concerned is the most meaningful contribution she made in her life.
This is an opinion I had formed before I started this book, and I think this book validates that judgement.
Yet, I still admire the contributions Marlene made to film, I loved her image, her style, all the glamour, mystery, and the unapologetic way she approached the stage and film.
But, as they say, Hollywood is mostly smoke and mirrors, and this book will remind you of that old adage, if you ever had any doubts.
Overall, the book is well organized, informative, and while I did know what to expect in some ways, it was still very enlightening, despite the sly 'revenge' factor.
4 stars
4 stars
April 3, 2013
The pretension of writing about Marlene Dietrich is annoying. It's a book about Marlene Dietrich's daughter's love for the USA and struggle to be "American". The attitude Riva has toward any aspect of her mother's character, any conflict in her mother's life, any aspect of her career or a relationship-- predictable with almost complete accuracy based on whether it's something that seems "European" (such as lascivious behavior with other women) and Riva justifying her hatred for her mother based mostly on her father's horrifying abuse of a mistress named Tami (while her father gets away with almost no criticism constantly, because unlike Dietrich he was happy to spoil Riva with gifts of houses) is annoying at best.
When this book isn't Riva presenting yet another time her mother was a European slut while she was a soft American saint, there are a lot of copies of telegrams and letters and some photos, a sense of Dietrich as having an extravagant generosity comes through, kind of slavish devotion to giving people the best when your only resource is your physicality. Which is what makes this attack on Dietrich's image so difficult to read, it sounds like her image was the only thing she really had for herself. Twisted book...
When this book isn't Riva presenting yet another time her mother was a European slut while she was a soft American saint, there are a lot of copies of telegrams and letters and some photos, a sense of Dietrich as having an extravagant generosity comes through, kind of slavish devotion to giving people the best when your only resource is your physicality. Which is what makes this attack on Dietrich's image so difficult to read, it sounds like her image was the only thing she really had for herself. Twisted book...
March 29, 2024
Similar information to the Steven Bach biography of Marlene, but with more details about her early years when her daughter Maria, the author of this biography, was little. There are some incredible anecdotes that can't be found anywhere else (Marlene having Hermes invent the tote bag so she can stylishly bring the black bread her husband Rudi likes to restaurants, Paulette Goddard on having men buy you diamonds, Marlene's collaboration with Travis Banton, Marlene's cabaret years in Berlin and her cross-dressing), but if one is going to read only one Marlene biography, the Bach one is better. The difference is reading a biography by someone who seems to hate their subject (this one) as opposed to someone who loves their subject (Bach). It's also worthwhile if you want to get an insight into the psychodrama between mother and child, with the caveat that it's very one-sided and biased against Marlene, some of it even reading like a Mommie Dearest hit job.
May 19, 2025
Thorough and exhausting.
March 16, 2015
There are great autobiographies or memoirs written by friends of celebrities that consist of personal information and small tidbits that greatly interest readers. Then there are biographies, often more informational and objective than autobiographies. This book is composed of both which makes it one of the best books about a celebrity around.
Maria Riva is the daughter of legend Marlene Dietrich, an androgynous star of the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. One would believe that a daughter would be the most biased person to write a biography but this is not the case with this book. Riva shares personal information but she always cites when she does so as to not confuse fact and observation. She includes diary entries, letters from lovers, and a bevy of other sources including other acquaintances of Dietrich. She reveals things that her mother made up for the press and what her mother really thought about things like films, other stars, and sex.
Riva always remains objective and portrays her mother respectably even in embarrassing or hateful situations because she is aware of the multitude of Dietrich fans. She does not praise simply to praise though; she seems to understand the adoration of the facade Marlene Dietrich showed the world. Riva talks about how she had to trick her mother into being treated for the cancer she swore she didn't have. She writes about her mother forcing her to get fitted for a diaphragm before she traveled overseas to entertain the troops during the second World War. Even when she speaks of when Dietrich told Riva's sons that their mother had stolen them from her, she does not try to persuade readers to hate her mother.
This is an incredible book. Enjoy this jewel of writing.
Maria Riva is the daughter of legend Marlene Dietrich, an androgynous star of the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. One would believe that a daughter would be the most biased person to write a biography but this is not the case with this book. Riva shares personal information but she always cites when she does so as to not confuse fact and observation. She includes diary entries, letters from lovers, and a bevy of other sources including other acquaintances of Dietrich. She reveals things that her mother made up for the press and what her mother really thought about things like films, other stars, and sex.
Riva always remains objective and portrays her mother respectably even in embarrassing or hateful situations because she is aware of the multitude of Dietrich fans. She does not praise simply to praise though; she seems to understand the adoration of the facade Marlene Dietrich showed the world. Riva talks about how she had to trick her mother into being treated for the cancer she swore she didn't have. She writes about her mother forcing her to get fitted for a diaphragm before she traveled overseas to entertain the troops during the second World War. Even when she speaks of when Dietrich told Riva's sons that their mother had stolen them from her, she does not try to persuade readers to hate her mother.
This is an incredible book. Enjoy this jewel of writing.
March 23, 2024
I'm scared of this book, frankly. And I just can't rate it since it's all over the place.
For one thing, a lot of stuff in here should be made up. Right?
For another, I'm not sure how one does make up the stuff that was the end of MD's life (how it was described in here). If at least part of this was true to life, then life was extremely hard for this family. Unnecessarily so.
Once again, I wouldn't want to either publish or get published stuff about things this personal. Not many people would, methinks. So, is this a vendetta against mom dearest or is this a cry for help or is this self-medicating a rotn soul through writing or what?
I guess, I'll just give it 5* and a large warning to go with it. May MD rest in piece and may her next life be better than this one. May she also try and do the best to be a tad less difficult, it would probably do wonders to improve not only the lives of people around but her own as well. Till next time!
For one thing, a lot of stuff in here should be made up. Right?
For another, I'm not sure how one does make up the stuff that was the end of MD's life (how it was described in here). If at least part of this was true to life, then life was extremely hard for this family. Unnecessarily so.
Once again, I wouldn't want to either publish or get published stuff about things this personal. Not many people would, methinks. So, is this a vendetta against mom dearest or is this a cry for help or is this self-medicating a rotn soul through writing or what?
I guess, I'll just give it 5* and a large warning to go with it. May MD rest in piece and may her next life be better than this one. May she also try and do the best to be a tad less difficult, it would probably do wonders to improve not only the lives of people around but her own as well. Till next time!
December 8, 2021
Czytając biografię Marleny Dietrich autorstwa jej córki, Marii Rivy pytałem sam siebie kilka razy czy ja naprawdę nie mam nic lepszego w życiu do roboty? A jednak mnie wciągnęło jak jakaś niebezpieczna używka. Bo tak “prawdą a Bogiem” jest to książka rozwleczona, przegadana, kuriozalna wręcz chwilami. Ale też dzięki temu porywająca.
Riva nie bawi się w żadne nowoczesne narracje, spisuje wszystko, co pamięta (a pamięć ma niezwykłą), szczególnie uważnie przyglądając się relacjom matki z innymi ludźmi, jej umiejętnością manipulowania nimi i własnym wizerunkiem. Dietrich samą siebie traktowała jak produkt, dzisiaj pewnie by się doskonale odnalazła w świecie mediów społecznościowych. Ta olbrzymia biografia to jednocześnie kopalnia tematów dla wszystkich, których fascynuje historia popkultury, filmu, złotej ery Hollywood, jak i oczywiście sama bohaterka.
Jest Dietrich w książce Rivy zarówno wielką gwiazdą, kobietą która nie miała kompleksów wobec mężczyzn (czego nie można powiedzieć o jej stosunku do innych kobiet), była partnerką do dyskusji dla Hemingwaya, a w czasie wojny stała się ikoną walki z faszyzmem, jaki zgorzkniałą, w pewnym momencie osamotnioną kobietą, która wyrządziła wiele zła, zwłaszcza swojej córce. W tej biografii przeplatają się miłość i nienawiść, tworząc fascynującą opowieść ich relacji.
Zobaczcie choćby opis wyjazdu Dietrich do Stanów Zjednoczonych: “Matka pocałowała ojca. Matka pocałowała Williego Forsta. Matka pocałowała Tami. Matka pocałowała całe mnóstwo innych ludzi. Oni wszyscy pocałowali ją. Ja pocałowałam ojca i ścisnęłam Tami. Tami pocałowała mnie mocno, trzymając mnie tak, jakby sprawiało jej to ból, po czym wsunęła mi
w dłonie paczuszkę owiniętą w rosyjski papier ozdobny. Matka wydawała ostatnie instrukcje”.
Tami - Tamara Matul - była opiekunką młodej Marii jak i kochanką jej ojca Rudolfa Siebera, Rudiego. Na wielu zdjęciach można znaleźć ich razem. Marlena prowadziła życie, w którym tylko pozornie nie przejmowała się pojęciem “tradycyjnej rodziny”. Romansowała z mężczyznami i kobietami, lubiła tworzyć wokół siebie atmosferę skandalu, a kochankę męża akceptowała, choć też ją poniżała. Niesamowity był rozdźwięk pomiędzy tym, jak żyła Dietrich a jak chciała, żeby inni jej życie widzieli. “Szarady związane z pozycją Tami w małżeństwie Dietrich-Sieber nie ustały nawet wtedy, kiedy byłam dorosłą kobietą, miałam własną rodzinę i można było spokojnie założyć, że „dziecko już wszystko wie”” - pisze Riva. Tami jest jedną z ważniejszych drugoplanowych bohaterek tej książki, pełnej właśnie takich momentów, które chce się śledzić dalej, sprawdzając przy okazji czy to, co pisze Riva jest oparte na faktach, czy powiela plotki.
Jeśli oczekujecie książki faktograficznej, w której będzie więcej o filmach niż o życiu aktorki widzianym z perspektywy jej córki, to nie jest to książka dla was. Ale to można wyszperać sobie w necie. To, co dostajemy w książce Rivy to kuriozalna, zadziwiająca i dająca do myślenia opowieść, w której fakty są o wiele mniej istotne niż naprawdę udany portret niezwykłej relacji matka-córka. Obudzicie się po kilku dniach pytając siebie - co się stało, że to dzieło was jednak pochłonęło?
Będę pisał jeszcze kilka razy o tym, co u Rivy znalazłem, bo mam pewne obserwacje, którymi chciałbym się podzielić z Wami, ale to za jakiś czas. Póki co - bierzcie i czytajcie z tego wszyscy.
Riva nie bawi się w żadne nowoczesne narracje, spisuje wszystko, co pamięta (a pamięć ma niezwykłą), szczególnie uważnie przyglądając się relacjom matki z innymi ludźmi, jej umiejętnością manipulowania nimi i własnym wizerunkiem. Dietrich samą siebie traktowała jak produkt, dzisiaj pewnie by się doskonale odnalazła w świecie mediów społecznościowych. Ta olbrzymia biografia to jednocześnie kopalnia tematów dla wszystkich, których fascynuje historia popkultury, filmu, złotej ery Hollywood, jak i oczywiście sama bohaterka.
Jest Dietrich w książce Rivy zarówno wielką gwiazdą, kobietą która nie miała kompleksów wobec mężczyzn (czego nie można powiedzieć o jej stosunku do innych kobiet), była partnerką do dyskusji dla Hemingwaya, a w czasie wojny stała się ikoną walki z faszyzmem, jaki zgorzkniałą, w pewnym momencie osamotnioną kobietą, która wyrządziła wiele zła, zwłaszcza swojej córce. W tej biografii przeplatają się miłość i nienawiść, tworząc fascynującą opowieść ich relacji.
Zobaczcie choćby opis wyjazdu Dietrich do Stanów Zjednoczonych: “Matka pocałowała ojca. Matka pocałowała Williego Forsta. Matka pocałowała Tami. Matka pocałowała całe mnóstwo innych ludzi. Oni wszyscy pocałowali ją. Ja pocałowałam ojca i ścisnęłam Tami. Tami pocałowała mnie mocno, trzymając mnie tak, jakby sprawiało jej to ból, po czym wsunęła mi
w dłonie paczuszkę owiniętą w rosyjski papier ozdobny. Matka wydawała ostatnie instrukcje”.
Tami - Tamara Matul - była opiekunką młodej Marii jak i kochanką jej ojca Rudolfa Siebera, Rudiego. Na wielu zdjęciach można znaleźć ich razem. Marlena prowadziła życie, w którym tylko pozornie nie przejmowała się pojęciem “tradycyjnej rodziny”. Romansowała z mężczyznami i kobietami, lubiła tworzyć wokół siebie atmosferę skandalu, a kochankę męża akceptowała, choć też ją poniżała. Niesamowity był rozdźwięk pomiędzy tym, jak żyła Dietrich a jak chciała, żeby inni jej życie widzieli. “Szarady związane z pozycją Tami w małżeństwie Dietrich-Sieber nie ustały nawet wtedy, kiedy byłam dorosłą kobietą, miałam własną rodzinę i można było spokojnie założyć, że „dziecko już wszystko wie”” - pisze Riva. Tami jest jedną z ważniejszych drugoplanowych bohaterek tej książki, pełnej właśnie takich momentów, które chce się śledzić dalej, sprawdzając przy okazji czy to, co pisze Riva jest oparte na faktach, czy powiela plotki.
Jeśli oczekujecie książki faktograficznej, w której będzie więcej o filmach niż o życiu aktorki widzianym z perspektywy jej córki, to nie jest to książka dla was. Ale to można wyszperać sobie w necie. To, co dostajemy w książce Rivy to kuriozalna, zadziwiająca i dająca do myślenia opowieść, w której fakty są o wiele mniej istotne niż naprawdę udany portret niezwykłej relacji matka-córka. Obudzicie się po kilku dniach pytając siebie - co się stało, że to dzieło was jednak pochłonęło?
Będę pisał jeszcze kilka razy o tym, co u Rivy znalazłem, bo mam pewne obserwacje, którymi chciałbym się podzielić z Wami, ale to za jakiś czas. Póki co - bierzcie i czytajcie z tego wszyscy.
July 4, 2013
Truly amazing biography worthy of its reputation. An 800-page examination of the life of a sociopathically narcissistic nymphomaniac from her glamorous forty-year prime through her falling-off-the-stage alcoholism to her final decade (!) spent entirely in bed with a hot plate and a Limoges pitcher to pee in. It's impossible not to feel bad for the daughter who spent her entire life as a servant and punching bag for a glittery, undeniably fabulous monster.
August 18, 2009
Being a huge movie buff/nerd, this book is a really great, though somewhat exhausting chronicle of La Dietrich's life, told from the point of view of her daughter, Maria Riva. Refreshingly, Maria's not coming from a "Mommie Dearest" kind of place, although neither is she shy about showing the not-so-glam points of her famous, sometimes cold and very German mother. Every film she did is chronicled, and it's so fun to learn about the trivia that went into making each one, especially her relationship with her mentor/lover Joseph Von Sternberg. He and Marlene created "Dietrich" as we know her, but eventually she was no longer his, she became her own creation. There are endless tidbits and morsels of info about costuming; she was extremely involved in coming up with the look of her characters, which she felt was more important than the script, her "motivation", her co-stars, or anything else.
The problem I find as I digest this endless trivia is that it IS endless! Maria Riva really must have an amazing memory to remember all of this stuff. It makes for a fun guessing game to try to figure out which unnamed star is the subject of a scandalous or embarrassing story. Still, I'm starting to hanker for this saga to move forward. The tedium of being an extremely famous diva is really shown, along with the excitement. I'm looking forward to the part where WWII starts and she throws herself into the American war effort, touring with the USO and earning the enmity of her German countrymen in the process. And so, onward!
The problem I find as I digest this endless trivia is that it IS endless! Maria Riva really must have an amazing memory to remember all of this stuff. It makes for a fun guessing game to try to figure out which unnamed star is the subject of a scandalous or embarrassing story. Still, I'm starting to hanker for this saga to move forward. The tedium of being an extremely famous diva is really shown, along with the excitement. I'm looking forward to the part where WWII starts and she throws herself into the American war effort, touring with the USO and earning the enmity of her German countrymen in the process. And so, onward!
September 4, 2019
The definitive biography of Marlene Dietrich written by her daughter, Maria Riva, details the discipline, dedication, single-minded determination, ambition and critical acumen that took Dietrich from a young German theater actress to Hollywood and beyond to become a legend of 20th century show business and a timeless image of beauty. She also details the negative effect those very attributes had on her family and friends and how her atrophied sense of "romantic passion" ruined all her relationships and left her isolated, alcoholic, drug-addicted and bed-ridden at the end of her life. Yet her unfailing sense for projecting an image overcame all reality and remained the idea the general public had of her despite all evidence to the contrary. A fascinating and disturbing study of historical image creation. - BH.
December 20, 2017
This book should really be called "Marlene and Me" because it's as much about Riva as it is about Dietrich. The book is definitely entertaining and Riva does have writing talent and a wicked sense of humor (apparently, like her mother had). However, in reading this, I kept making comparisons to Christina Crawford's "Mommie Dearest". Riva describes in detail the emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother (and her father in a different way, but mostly her mother) and paints a demonizing portrait of Dietrich that is clearly highly colored by her point of view. I'm not saying I don't believe most (if not all) of the ills Riva suffered at the hands of her mother (who, without trying to be too psychoanalytical, seems to me to have clearly had some major personality disorders) really happened - I have no doubt that they did. But like many celebrity biographies written by abuse survivors, it has an element of revenge, of wanting to completely break down the idealized image of the Hollywood star that the studio system created, to the detriment of many such stars. While disillusionment can be good, it can also become almost like a fairy tale of a wicked witch, a complete villain that becomes dehumanized. Many other reviews have commented on Riva's unreliable narrative and I tend to agree with this. I accept that Riva creates many dialogues (or, in Dietrich's case, monologues) that clearly could never have taken place word-for-word but I felt that, too often, Riva positioned herself as the martyr, the desired savior of others who fell victims to her mother and father's emotional abuse (like her father's mistress Tami) and there were also areas where it felt almost like Riva's sole purpose was to justify her own actions or what she makes clear that she viewed as her own weaknesses. So if you're looking for a biography of Marlene Dietrich, this is definitely not where you want to look, as it is terribly bias and questionable on facts, despite it being humorous and entertaining.
February 20, 2017
I'd like to spend few words about this book, because I'm appalled by Maria Riva's will to destroy the myth her mother was, and still is, by telling outrageus stories and secrets she'd better have took with her into the grave, the day she'll die. I'm not saying that Marlene was flawless, but I think the role of a biographer is that to write about a human being, about the good and the bad moments this particular human being had lived and actions made, but always with respect of the dead. There are secrets that need to remain untold, even if you, biographer/daughter/son/nephew/et caetera, have been part of, for the sake of those who love the public figure; or at least, if the urge of discrediting the famous figure is too unbearable, just to write them once in the entire book, not every other page. As I thought at the start of my reading, this book is mostly a rant about this oh-so-cruel mother who needed constant nursing throughout her entire life, a child who never grew up, this vitiated snob always craving for more fame, a crazy nymphomaniac until her very last breath.
Luckily enough, I'm not part of those people that get their ideas easily changed, so my enthusiasm for Marlene Dietrich remains alive, after this torture.
I'm awarding this abomination three stars just because of the magnificent cover, for a nice story that made me laugh now and then, and for Marlenah herself.
Future plans: to read another biography about her, lest I live with the heavy memory of this volume for too long.
Luckily enough, I'm not part of those people that get their ideas easily changed, so my enthusiasm for Marlene Dietrich remains alive, after this torture.
I'm awarding this abomination three stars just because of the magnificent cover, for a nice story that made me laugh now and then, and for Marlenah herself.
Future plans: to read another biography about her, lest I live with the heavy memory of this volume for too long.
May 17, 2018
Even if you're not a fan of old Hollywood...
This was an emotional rollercoaster. I went from liking her to admiring her to hating her to pitying her over and over again. Marlene was definitely not a nice woman, in fact she was pretty terrible but the way her daughter writes this biography you can't help but keep turning page after page to see more truth. Also the insights into how old Hollywood worked and how films were done back then in fascinating. I can't stop thinking about poor Tami and the strength that Maria Riva has.
This was an emotional rollercoaster. I went from liking her to admiring her to hating her to pitying her over and over again. Marlene was definitely not a nice woman, in fact she was pretty terrible but the way her daughter writes this biography you can't help but keep turning page after page to see more truth. Also the insights into how old Hollywood worked and how films were done back then in fascinating. I can't stop thinking about poor Tami and the strength that Maria Riva has.
July 31, 2022
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December 7, 2024
I had to read this account of the woman seen through her daughter's eyes. I knew this was no trashy Mommie Dearest act of vengeance, having pored over mainstream reviews. I found Maria Riva's efforts commendable. Marlene was something else, onscreen and off. Imagine a night on the tiles with her, Berlin, circa 1920-something.
Born in 1901 in Schöneberg, now a district of Berlin, Dietrich studied violin, becoming interested in theatre and poetry as a teenager. Her first job, in 1922, was playing violin in a pit orchestra accompanying silent films. She was fired after four weeks.
She instead became a chorus girl, touring with vaudeville-style revues. Also playing small roles in dramas, she initially attracted no special attention. Her film debut comprised a bit part in The Little Napoleon (1923). By the late 1920s, Dietrich was playing sizable screen roles.
In 1929 came her breakthrough role of cabaret singer Lola Lola in The Blue Angel (1930), which introduced her signature song 'Falling in Love Again'. A success, she moved to the U.S. for Paramount Pictures as a German answer to MGM's Swedish Greta Garbo. The rest, as they say, is legend.
In 1999, the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth-greatest female star of all time. Among my favourites of her films were Witness for the Prosecution and Stage Fright. Marlene's middle years were of great interest to this baby boomer:
Approached by the Nazis to return to Germany, she famously turned them down flat. Staunchly anti-Nazi, she became an American citizen in 1939. Dietrich became one of the first celebrities to raise war bonds. She toured the US for most of 1942 and 1943, reportedly selling more bonds than any other star.
During 1944 and 1945, she performed for Allied troops in Algeria, Italy, Britain and France, entering Germany with Generals Gavin and Patton. When asked why she did so despite the obvious dangers, she replied, 'aus Anstand' ('out of decency').
Awarded the US Medal of Freedom in 1945, she said this was her proudest accomplishment. She was also awarded the French government's Légion d'honneur for her wartime work.
Dietrich performed on Broadway twice in the late 1960s, winning a special Tony Award in 1968. In 1972 she received $250,000 to film I Wish You Love, a version of her Broadway show An Evening with Marlene Dietrich, in London. Unhappy with the result, she need not have been.
I have live recordings of her 1960s and 1970s concerts, and what a performer she was. She had no need to sing as such; she was simply a supreme artiste who held audiences around the planet mesmerised.
In her later years, Dietrich's health declined. She survived cervical cancer and suffered from poor leg circulation. A 1973 stage fall injured her left thigh, requiring skin grafts.
'Do you think this is glamorous?' she said in a 1973 interview. 'That it's a great life and that I do it for my health? Well it isn't. Maybe once, but not now.'
After fracturing her right leg in 1974, her live performance career largely ended when the following year she again fell off stage, this time in Sydney, Australia, breaking her thigh.
Her last film appearance was a cameo role in Just a Gigolo (1979), starring David Bowie, in which she sang the title song. That same year her autobiography, Nehmt nur mein Leben (Take Just My Life), was published.
Dependent on painkillers and alcohol, Dietrich withdrew to the seclusion of her Paris apartment to spend her dotage mostly bedridden. For more than a decade she became a prolific letter-writer and phone-caller, before dying aged 90 in 1992.
It is perhaps unnecessary to hear from Maria Riva about her mother's many affairs and sexual fetishes. Fortunately, this does not lower the book's tone, just pads it out needlessly. That is my only criticism.
A good, solid documentation of a screen legend's ways by her frank and not at all nasty daughter.
Born in 1901 in Schöneberg, now a district of Berlin, Dietrich studied violin, becoming interested in theatre and poetry as a teenager. Her first job, in 1922, was playing violin in a pit orchestra accompanying silent films. She was fired after four weeks.
She instead became a chorus girl, touring with vaudeville-style revues. Also playing small roles in dramas, she initially attracted no special attention. Her film debut comprised a bit part in The Little Napoleon (1923). By the late 1920s, Dietrich was playing sizable screen roles.
In 1929 came her breakthrough role of cabaret singer Lola Lola in The Blue Angel (1930), which introduced her signature song 'Falling in Love Again'. A success, she moved to the U.S. for Paramount Pictures as a German answer to MGM's Swedish Greta Garbo. The rest, as they say, is legend.
In 1999, the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth-greatest female star of all time. Among my favourites of her films were Witness for the Prosecution and Stage Fright. Marlene's middle years were of great interest to this baby boomer:
Approached by the Nazis to return to Germany, she famously turned them down flat. Staunchly anti-Nazi, she became an American citizen in 1939. Dietrich became one of the first celebrities to raise war bonds. She toured the US for most of 1942 and 1943, reportedly selling more bonds than any other star.
During 1944 and 1945, she performed for Allied troops in Algeria, Italy, Britain and France, entering Germany with Generals Gavin and Patton. When asked why she did so despite the obvious dangers, she replied, 'aus Anstand' ('out of decency').
Awarded the US Medal of Freedom in 1945, she said this was her proudest accomplishment. She was also awarded the French government's Légion d'honneur for her wartime work.
Dietrich performed on Broadway twice in the late 1960s, winning a special Tony Award in 1968. In 1972 she received $250,000 to film I Wish You Love, a version of her Broadway show An Evening with Marlene Dietrich, in London. Unhappy with the result, she need not have been.
I have live recordings of her 1960s and 1970s concerts, and what a performer she was. She had no need to sing as such; she was simply a supreme artiste who held audiences around the planet mesmerised.
In her later years, Dietrich's health declined. She survived cervical cancer and suffered from poor leg circulation. A 1973 stage fall injured her left thigh, requiring skin grafts.
'Do you think this is glamorous?' she said in a 1973 interview. 'That it's a great life and that I do it for my health? Well it isn't. Maybe once, but not now.'
After fracturing her right leg in 1974, her live performance career largely ended when the following year she again fell off stage, this time in Sydney, Australia, breaking her thigh.
Her last film appearance was a cameo role in Just a Gigolo (1979), starring David Bowie, in which she sang the title song. That same year her autobiography, Nehmt nur mein Leben (Take Just My Life), was published.
Dependent on painkillers and alcohol, Dietrich withdrew to the seclusion of her Paris apartment to spend her dotage mostly bedridden. For more than a decade she became a prolific letter-writer and phone-caller, before dying aged 90 in 1992.
It is perhaps unnecessary to hear from Maria Riva about her mother's many affairs and sexual fetishes. Fortunately, this does not lower the book's tone, just pads it out needlessly. That is my only criticism.
A good, solid documentation of a screen legend's ways by her frank and not at all nasty daughter.
January 27, 2020
Best Hollywood biography ever read. Though with a huge size of 800+ pages, I enjoyed each and every one. You don't have to be a Dietrich fan to get fascinated by the world of hollywood narrated with extraordinary detail by Maria Riva. Dietrich has been a very complex person , obviously not a very good one, but nonetheless has been one of the greatest divas that walked in front of a movie screen. Her daughter has managed to separate the person from the professional and the result is this memorable biography.
February 28, 2009
One of the very best Hollywood memoirs - actually quite well written, full of genuine respect but also packed to the brim with often sordid displays of utter selfishness. Dietrich orchestrated every single moment of her life - there's something very...not human about that. Was Dietrich from another planet!? Conspiracy theory.
January 10, 2021
I never want to hear another word about Marlene Dietrich again.
September 10, 2017
This is an absorbing biography of Dietrich by her daughter, Maria Riva. We are given the star’s life in detail, from her birth until her death. Riva’s life was closely twined with her mother’s from the day she was born- her mother used her as constant companion (who needs school when you can be your mother’s dresser?) and servant- so she was there to see and hear what Dietrich did and said for decades. From an early age, Riva was aware of her mother’s constant sexual escapades- sex and performances are the main themes of the book, along with Riva’s attempts to escape her mother’s life and have a life of her own. Dietrich had no concept of boundaries, and said and did the most atrocious things in front of her daughter, and then her son-in-law (when Dietrich returned from having sex with John Kennedy, she pulled her used panties out of her purse and thrust them to her son-in-law’s nose, encouraging him to smell the scent of the president!) and then even her grandchildren. She lied about her age, which meant she had to lie about her daughter’s age, too. When Riva was in her teens, she was still being dressed as a little girl, to enforce the illusion that Dietrich had only given birth to her a few years before. Dietrich drank heavily (especially late in life) and was her own pharmacist, in the years when amphetamines and downers were easily gotten. As far as I could tell, she never gave a thought to anyone else unless they could do something for her.
But she was beautiful, and could enthrall audiences. She was smart- she learned from wardrobe, lighting people, directors and anyone else and applied what she learned to her art. Josef von Sternberg, the man who made her a star in ‘Blue Angel’ and with whom she had an on again, off again affair for years, taught her the most- mainly, how to light herself for the effects she wanted. Thankfully, most of the people she worked with were willing to take her orders. She was a hard worker; she spent money like it was water- supporting herself, her daughter, her husband with whom she did not live (most of the time), her husband’s mistress, and giving extravagant gifts to her lovers- so she had to work almost all the time. She was strict with herself when working, and had bulimia, which allowed her to eat the rich foods she loved and still lose weight. Sadly, in her old age, she developed some dementia and that, along with her alcoholism and drug use, made her last years sad indeed.
Of course this is the biography of Riva, too. As long as her mother was alive, their lives were entwined. Riva did carve out her own life, though, becoming a television star for many years and raising a family. I was entranced by this biography- I couldn’t stop reading because every time I figured Dietrich couldn’t do anything worse, of course she would!
But she was beautiful, and could enthrall audiences. She was smart- she learned from wardrobe, lighting people, directors and anyone else and applied what she learned to her art. Josef von Sternberg, the man who made her a star in ‘Blue Angel’ and with whom she had an on again, off again affair for years, taught her the most- mainly, how to light herself for the effects she wanted. Thankfully, most of the people she worked with were willing to take her orders. She was a hard worker; she spent money like it was water- supporting herself, her daughter, her husband with whom she did not live (most of the time), her husband’s mistress, and giving extravagant gifts to her lovers- so she had to work almost all the time. She was strict with herself when working, and had bulimia, which allowed her to eat the rich foods she loved and still lose weight. Sadly, in her old age, she developed some dementia and that, along with her alcoholism and drug use, made her last years sad indeed.
Of course this is the biography of Riva, too. As long as her mother was alive, their lives were entwined. Riva did carve out her own life, though, becoming a television star for many years and raising a family. I was entranced by this biography- I couldn’t stop reading because every time I figured Dietrich couldn’t do anything worse, of course she would!
November 8, 2020
This was a fascinating book. It was written by Marlene's only child, Maria Riva, who had access to her mother's diaries and letters, and was present with her during many major events in her career. There's lots of behind-the-scenes gossip and insight into the people her mother had relationships with.
It was also fascinating in that her daughter didn't shy away from exposing Dietrich's monstrous ego. She made a few good films and had some success as a lounge act in Vegas, etc, but nothing worthy of the pedestal she placed herself on.
Marlene was a colossal assh*le, a pathological liar, and a racist, she treated her servants like trash, and expected nothing but constant praise and worship from everyone around her no matter what she did or said to them. She was a thoroughly unlikable woman.
But this didn't come off like a "hit job" in the vein of Mommie Dearest by Joan Crawford's daughter. It's obvious that Maria loved her mom in spite of her being such a horrible horrible person. She just presents Dietrich, warts and all, in a level-headed matter-of-fact manner.
I had a very different idea of who Marlene Dietrich was before reading this. She wasn't who you may think she was!
It was also fascinating in that her daughter didn't shy away from exposing Dietrich's monstrous ego. She made a few good films and had some success as a lounge act in Vegas, etc, but nothing worthy of the pedestal she placed herself on.
Marlene was a colossal assh*le, a pathological liar, and a racist, she treated her servants like trash, and expected nothing but constant praise and worship from everyone around her no matter what she did or said to them. She was a thoroughly unlikable woman.
But this didn't come off like a "hit job" in the vein of Mommie Dearest by Joan Crawford's daughter. It's obvious that Maria loved her mom in spite of her being such a horrible horrible person. She just presents Dietrich, warts and all, in a level-headed matter-of-fact manner.
I had a very different idea of who Marlene Dietrich was before reading this. She wasn't who you may think she was!
January 30, 2014
I'm reading this biography now.. a bird's eye view of Marlene Dietrich as seen through the eyes of her beloved daughter..
I don't know that I'd like Marlene..who knows.. but I can't put the book down.. She didn't seem to care at all for our animal and bird friends except for having their fur and feathers to decorate her body for her films.. and Maria's dogs kept disappearing..
Still, though this is opposed to everything I believe, I read on because of the amazing revelations about this movie star, the film industry and culture in the thirties, forties..etc. Stories about Mercedes De Acosta, Greta Garbo, Josef von Sternberg, Rouben Mamoulian , Maurice Chevalier..etc.etc..
Once I heard a tape of Marlene D. greeting her mother after being unable to speak with her during the years they were separated because of Nazi Germany.. Marlene's voice was so incredibly tender and loving on the tape..I'll just keep that memory with me..
I don't know that I'd like Marlene..who knows.. but I can't put the book down.. She didn't seem to care at all for our animal and bird friends except for having their fur and feathers to decorate her body for her films.. and Maria's dogs kept disappearing..
Still, though this is opposed to everything I believe, I read on because of the amazing revelations about this movie star, the film industry and culture in the thirties, forties..etc. Stories about Mercedes De Acosta, Greta Garbo, Josef von Sternberg, Rouben Mamoulian , Maurice Chevalier..etc.etc..
Once I heard a tape of Marlene D. greeting her mother after being unable to speak with her during the years they were separated because of Nazi Germany.. Marlene's voice was so incredibly tender and loving on the tape..I'll just keep that memory with me..
August 8, 2021
What a juggernaut of a women, and a juggernaut of a life. This should be the benchmark for which other biographies are measured against. Through Riva's intensely earnest, evocative, and beautiful prose on the life of her mother, one feels as if they've lived part of the experience with them; the vivid figures coming and going, old friends and confidents, enemies and peripheral characters all fully embodied and memorable, all individually cared for or condemned. This biography is so able to strike at the heart and examine the artifice of fame and self deception, the whirlwind of a women that sweeps everyone into the hurricane of her presence, and analyses the fragments she leaves in her wake. The book balances carefully looking at Marlene Dietrich as Star, awe-inspiring deity, wrapped in her own myth and equally manipulative, bitter, lonely woman. Imparted from the book though was not Dietrich, but the fierce spirit of Tami, the true heroine.
January 26, 2016
I tried to work myself through that biography, but I could not finish it. My expectation was to get an inside into an icon of the film industry, into a woman who was born in the same city as myself, went through similar experiences as my grandma and created herself to become a diva. We all know the diva, but I was hoping to explore the woman, the human being behind that diva.
Well, this biography is more about the daughter as it is about Marlene Dietrich, which is fine, but the title and the introduction are deceiving.
It gets boring, repetitive, and as one reads along more and more bitter. Was that to get even with her mother?
I closed this book for good on page 200.
Well, this biography is more about the daughter as it is about Marlene Dietrich, which is fine, but the title and the introduction are deceiving.
It gets boring, repetitive, and as one reads along more and more bitter. Was that to get even with her mother?
I closed this book for good on page 200.
July 17, 2007
Truth to tell, I never even saw too many of Marlene Dietrich's movies (I saw Witness for the Prosecution, and Touch of Evil, in which she had a cameo, but that's about it), but this book was a really good time -- full of juicy, bitchy gossip about lots of old Hollywood legends. I don't know how accurate a lot of it is -- Maria Riva has detailed recollections of pedestrian conversations that happened around 60 years previously -- but a lot of the gossip is documented, and man, is it fun to read.
January 8, 2008
this book is so goddamn long it feels as though you've lived life right alongside Marlene! but what a life, eh? she makes me sad with all of the fur she wears, but other than that this book is the height of glamorous entertainment! it's very obvious that her daughter has some deep issues with her, but it isn't overbearing in a trashy "Mommie Dearest" kind of way....even though i love that stuff i know it's not for everybody.
October 22, 2021
As a big Old Hollywood fan, I myself am not a fan of Dietrich, even I can say I really don’t like her drag style and habit sleeping with thousands of men who made her look like a wH0rE covered by glamorousness. But how I love the way Maria conveys her mother’s life in detail and implicitly also explicitly expresses her inner child having a mother like that. Maria Riva was such a smart woman, poetic with good choice of words. Praise her linguistic intelligence.
April 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a great example of what a son/daughter's biography can be. A full review and pictues are on my site: http://hollywoodbibliotheque.com/othe...
June 27, 2012
Eh, this was a bit too fluffy for me, but coming from her pampered daughter, I didn't expect much different.
October 20, 2025
The author of this book, Maria Riva, was the only child of the indomitable and iconic Marlene Dietrich. Riva had complete access to Dietrich’s lifetime of diary entries, begun when she was a child, as well as mountains of correspondence. Riva had spent virtually her entire childhood at her mother’s side, at studio rehearsals, costume fittings, filming, etc., from Germany, to Paris, to England, New York, Hollywood. Dietrich regarded her child as her personal possession, not even permitting her to attend school. Dietrich’s lifelong “husband” was her mate in name only: the two seemed bound by parental connection to their child, and friendship. Husband functioned as a go-fer, personal secretary and errand boy. They mostly lived apart. Dietrich’s conquest of male and female lovers over the years was mind-boggling—from Frank Sinatra to Edith Piaf to Adlai Stevenson to Edward R Murrow to Yul Brenner to Maurice Chevalier to Jack Kennedy (young enough to be her son)—and a great many of the other famous individuals who happened to cross her path.
Beginning even prior to puberty, and continuing throughout her life, her obsession with love and romance, her need for adoration, could never be satisfied. Ironically however it seems that her interest in sex itself was very limited. She particularly disliked intercourse. Much of this book is devoted to Dietrich’s wardrobe, her costumes, her beauty, her appearance. She was the classic narcissist—overbearing, domineering, entitled, lacking in empathy (although financially very generous when it suited her needs), interested only in herself despite her constant professions of “love” for myriad others. This is borne out in her own words in scores of quotations from letters and diary entries. Her beauty was, however, put to good use during WWII when she risked life and limb to entertain ally troops even at the front.
The extraordinary extravagance of her life and her financial support of her family (even during the depression) resulted in the constant need for income. Indeed, she died with a very small estate, excluding her jewels which Riva inherited. Ironically her famous gorgeous legs eventually developed circulatory problems due to smoking and drinking, she refused to follow doctor’s orders and spent her last years bedbound in a squalid room in Paris. She died at 91. Yes, this book is often harsh but her own documented words bear out the harsh judgements. Bottom line: regardless of one’s opinion of the life and priorities of this individual, she was an extraordinary, powerful, gorgeous, force of nature. I strongly recommend the audible version of this VERY long book which captures Dietrich’s voice through her correspondence, diary entries and myriad memorable statements to her daughter.
Beginning even prior to puberty, and continuing throughout her life, her obsession with love and romance, her need for adoration, could never be satisfied. Ironically however it seems that her interest in sex itself was very limited. She particularly disliked intercourse. Much of this book is devoted to Dietrich’s wardrobe, her costumes, her beauty, her appearance. She was the classic narcissist—overbearing, domineering, entitled, lacking in empathy (although financially very generous when it suited her needs), interested only in herself despite her constant professions of “love” for myriad others. This is borne out in her own words in scores of quotations from letters and diary entries. Her beauty was, however, put to good use during WWII when she risked life and limb to entertain ally troops even at the front.
The extraordinary extravagance of her life and her financial support of her family (even during the depression) resulted in the constant need for income. Indeed, she died with a very small estate, excluding her jewels which Riva inherited. Ironically her famous gorgeous legs eventually developed circulatory problems due to smoking and drinking, she refused to follow doctor’s orders and spent her last years bedbound in a squalid room in Paris. She died at 91. Yes, this book is often harsh but her own documented words bear out the harsh judgements. Bottom line: regardless of one’s opinion of the life and priorities of this individual, she was an extraordinary, powerful, gorgeous, force of nature. I strongly recommend the audible version of this VERY long book which captures Dietrich’s voice through her correspondence, diary entries and myriad memorable statements to her daughter.
January 2, 2025
I did not enjoy this book very much. I’m not entirely sure what I hoped to get out of it, probably a view into filmmaking and stage performances through out the eras that Dietrich’s career spanned, but details of that sort are drowned out by so much that I was not interested in.
I shouldn’t be too surprised, but rather than a biography of Marlene Dietrich it is really more of an auto-biography of her daughter. The first half of the book takes place as the author is about 8 years old or younger, but entire conversations are recounted as if verbatim with the author acting as though she understood the mature content of what was being discussed. There are so many scenes and events that I just could not believe actually happened as described. Not that they were totally outlandish, just that they seemed entirely unnatural or intentionally dramatized. I think what is more likely is that these scenes are pieced together not from actual memories but from letters or stories later told and then laid down in the book in this more dramatic form. Presenting things in this way made me quickly lose trust in the author and made me suspicious about whether most of the things being described actually took place or not.
Read this book if your primary interest is in which famous people Marlene Dietrich did or didn’t sleep with over the years.
I shouldn’t be too surprised, but rather than a biography of Marlene Dietrich it is really more of an auto-biography of her daughter. The first half of the book takes place as the author is about 8 years old or younger, but entire conversations are recounted as if verbatim with the author acting as though she understood the mature content of what was being discussed. There are so many scenes and events that I just could not believe actually happened as described. Not that they were totally outlandish, just that they seemed entirely unnatural or intentionally dramatized. I think what is more likely is that these scenes are pieced together not from actual memories but from letters or stories later told and then laid down in the book in this more dramatic form. Presenting things in this way made me quickly lose trust in the author and made me suspicious about whether most of the things being described actually took place or not.
Read this book if your primary interest is in which famous people Marlene Dietrich did or didn’t sleep with over the years.
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