What do you think?
Rate this book
Living With Miss G
Many books have been written about the fascinating public and private life of Ava Gardner, one of the most famous and beautiful film stars of all time-but none can compare to this one by Mearene "Rene" Jordan. While some biographers had to rely on second-hand knowledge and newspaper and magazine articles that were often unreliable or deliberately inaccurate, Jordan (whose nickname is pronounced "Reenie") was on the scene for countless real-life Gardner episodes that rivaled any fiction. It is a must-read for classic movie enthusiasts and also for those who need a reminder of what true friendship is.
252 pages, Paperback
First published August 24, 2012
49 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 7, 2014
This memoir is a perfect combination of some of my reading interests: part Hollywood memoir, part travelogue, part servant/below the stairs memoir. It's a lucky thing for both Ava and Rene that they found each other. Ava, a poor sharecropper's daughter from the deep South, had no need for a traditional ladies maid. She did, however, still need someone on her side. Rene quickly morphed from lady's maid to drinking buddy/babysitter/confidante. Eventually Ava didn't even keep up the pretense anymore that Rene was a servant and hired other people to actually cook and clean. Rene was really more of what people would nowadays call a personal assistant. Basically she ran interference for Ava Gardner. She booked plane tickets & hotel rooms, she made sure Ava was where she was supposed to be, she ran lines with Ava, she hid liquor bottles in dressing rooms for Ava, at one point she even helped Ava escape the clutches of the psychotic George C. Scott (shudder).
Rene wisely keeps the focus on Ava. Because that's what we are all reading this memoir for - to get a different view of Ava other than the traditional viewpoint of biographers and journalists. Of course, Rene talks a bit about her life. Enough for us to realize that she did, in fact, have a life outside of Ava's orbit. I read the memoir of Queen Elizabeth & Princess Margaret's nanny and she really did not have any life at all until her charges were in their twenties. Eek. Same with the memoir I read of Mrs. Astor's ladies maid. Anyone who has watched Downton Abbey sees how hard it is for a servant like that to have a personal life(ok, Anna & Bates manage, but no one else really).
Rene has a lot of great stories. Frank Sinatra comes off fairly well. Unlike a lot of Hollywood people who were racist and rude to Rene, Frank was polite and kind to Rene. Sammy Davis Jr, it turns out, is a douchebag. Lena Horne and her husband are wonderful. Same with John Huston. Robert Taylor was a big horndog who badmouthed Barbra Stanwyck behind her back. Gregory Peck was a gentleman. Louis B Mayer was a bully. Howard Hughes was a big, big, big weirdo. Just lots of insider Hollywood stuff which I adore.
I was especially fascinated by Rene's stories of bigotry and racism back then. She was in an odd position. I've read other memoirs of black people from that time period and they write a lot about what life was like for the typical black person. But Rene was not living a typical lifestyle. As Ava's BFF, she went with her to fancy clubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. But not as a star like Lena Horne or Dorothy Dandridge. Rene occupied a weird no man's land between white, wealthy & famous and black, poor & not famous. I was surprised to read about how poorly Rene was treated in Vegas in the 50s. I don't know, I had just figured that since it was a new city and filled with "sin" that people would be more accepting. Hoo-boy, was I wrong. Apparently those Italian mobsters were wicked racist. It got so bad that Rene had to leave Ava and go back to LA. Paris, on the other hand, was far more accepting of Rene. She tells a great story of going out clubbing with Ava, Omar Sharif and Omar's valet/BFF - also black like Rene. The four of them had a lot of fun - A LOT.
I'm glad I discovered this memoir. It was an enjoyable read. Two thumbs up.
Rene wisely keeps the focus on Ava. Because that's what we are all reading this memoir for - to get a different view of Ava other than the traditional viewpoint of biographers and journalists. Of course, Rene talks a bit about her life. Enough for us to realize that she did, in fact, have a life outside of Ava's orbit. I read the memoir of Queen Elizabeth & Princess Margaret's nanny and she really did not have any life at all until her charges were in their twenties. Eek. Same with the memoir I read of Mrs. Astor's ladies maid. Anyone who has watched Downton Abbey sees how hard it is for a servant like that to have a personal life(ok, Anna & Bates manage, but no one else really).
Rene has a lot of great stories. Frank Sinatra comes off fairly well. Unlike a lot of Hollywood people who were racist and rude to Rene, Frank was polite and kind to Rene. Sammy Davis Jr, it turns out, is a douchebag. Lena Horne and her husband are wonderful. Same with John Huston. Robert Taylor was a big horndog who badmouthed Barbra Stanwyck behind her back. Gregory Peck was a gentleman. Louis B Mayer was a bully. Howard Hughes was a big, big, big weirdo. Just lots of insider Hollywood stuff which I adore.
I was especially fascinated by Rene's stories of bigotry and racism back then. She was in an odd position. I've read other memoirs of black people from that time period and they write a lot about what life was like for the typical black person. But Rene was not living a typical lifestyle. As Ava's BFF, she went with her to fancy clubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. But not as a star like Lena Horne or Dorothy Dandridge. Rene occupied a weird no man's land between white, wealthy & famous and black, poor & not famous. I was surprised to read about how poorly Rene was treated in Vegas in the 50s. I don't know, I had just figured that since it was a new city and filled with "sin" that people would be more accepting. Hoo-boy, was I wrong. Apparently those Italian mobsters were wicked racist. It got so bad that Rene had to leave Ava and go back to LA. Paris, on the other hand, was far more accepting of Rene. She tells a great story of going out clubbing with Ava, Omar Sharif and Omar's valet/BFF - also black like Rene. The four of them had a lot of fun - A LOT.
I'm glad I discovered this memoir. It was an enjoyable read. Two thumbs up.
December 11, 2012
I love Ava Gardner and have read practically every biography on her and this one is wonderful probably the best because Rene lived it and has experiences that are personal. Clearly she loves Ava and doesn't judge even when she knows Ava is making poor choices but she does mention the times. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes certainly Ava did but she sure lived her life. Also Rene has an amazing life too! She is a very interesting person!
August 19, 2020
I truly enjoyed finding out some more information about one of my old Hollywood favorite actresses, Ava Gardner. Mearene Jordan, one of her housekeepers though most of Miss Gardner's career, told a lot of things that I had never heard about Ava Gardner before. It is a good read and a must for film buffs. Enjoy!
October 26, 2012
Delightful account of Miss Jordan's years in the employ of Ava Gardner. The book reflects both the personal and private lives of both women and the friendship they forged--Miss Jordan and Miss Gardner were not just employee and employer, they became "family" and looked out for one another. While many of the stories related in the book are told in other accounts of Miss Gardner's life, Miss Jordan adds a personal account that other books lack, and thereby the reader gets just a little more insight into Miss Gardner the actress, but more importantly, the reader gets to know just a bit more about Miss Gardner the person.
May 24, 2021
I gave this five stars for the love and honesty (with only a bit of sanitising, out of love and respect for family and friends, I suspect) of the book. The author created an intelligent, informative book, while honoring the memory of a dear friend. The events described are at times difficult to read and understand, but the author showed how accepting she was (mostly) of the complex character of her friend.
A journalist in another book about conversations with Ms. Gardner showed how she suffered from something like bi-polar disorder for most of her adult life, self-medicating as many people did then with alcohol and sex. Only mid-life was she prescribed an anti-depressant. Many of the wild manic times are documented in this book, as well as many of the depressions. There were also complex sexual issues that made Ms. Gardner gravitate to men who abused her.
There are others who had secret conversations with Ms. Gardner during the same period, and some have shared them in articles here and there. I read one in which she is quoted at length about her bi-sexuality, which she had to keep hidden from the studios, authorities, her family, her husbands, and the public. That could well have contributed to the depressions, sadly.
Those affairs are not in this book, likely to protect people close to Ms. Gardner who were still alive at the time of publication who would have found it difficult to accept. But Ms. Gardner said that none of her husbands (or male lovers) satisfied her. She only found that with women. What a different, happier, life she might have had if living today, when she could have been (a bit ?!) more honest about who she was.
This is a sad book, but one filled with love and anecdotes from a life that could be called tragic, or could be called amazing. I'm not sure which word is right to use.
A journalist in another book about conversations with Ms. Gardner showed how she suffered from something like bi-polar disorder for most of her adult life, self-medicating as many people did then with alcohol and sex. Only mid-life was she prescribed an anti-depressant. Many of the wild manic times are documented in this book, as well as many of the depressions. There were also complex sexual issues that made Ms. Gardner gravitate to men who abused her.
There are others who had secret conversations with Ms. Gardner during the same period, and some have shared them in articles here and there. I read one in which she is quoted at length about her bi-sexuality, which she had to keep hidden from the studios, authorities, her family, her husbands, and the public. That could well have contributed to the depressions, sadly.
Those affairs are not in this book, likely to protect people close to Ms. Gardner who were still alive at the time of publication who would have found it difficult to accept. But Ms. Gardner said that none of her husbands (or male lovers) satisfied her. She only found that with women. What a different, happier, life she might have had if living today, when she could have been (a bit ?!) more honest about who she was.
This is a sad book, but one filled with love and anecdotes from a life that could be called tragic, or could be called amazing. I'm not sure which word is right to use.
June 18, 2018
As a young girl, I always found actress Ava Gardner to be a fascinating person. She had beauty and chrisma. "Living With Miss G', by her housekeeper Mearene Jordane gives very good insight into Ava as a person. Ava Gardner reminded me of a Lepard. She led an unconventional life. She was a person who could not be tamed. Author, Mearene Jordan, writes about Ava's marriages, love affairs and movies. The actress and author had many travels and adventures together. I found this biography kept my interest at all times
July 18, 2015
3.5 stars
April 4, 2016
Great read . My have things changed ....
September 27, 2017
#86 of 120 books pledged to read in 2017..
April 26, 2018
Ava Lavinia Gardner as she was
Beautiful, hard drinking, liked men as much ad they liked her & a much better actress than she thought. Recommended.
Beautiful, hard drinking, liked men as much ad they liked her & a much better actress than she thought. Recommended.
December 9, 2018
Unique, chatty look at the life of Ava Gardner.
April 26, 2023
Wow, the end had me in tears. I absolutely adored this book. Very educational and uplifting for any modern single woman, too. Ava was not married, nor had any children for the majority of her life. Also very funny!! Laughed out loud many times. I think Ava's autobiography, "Ava: My Story," is even funnier, but this one fills all of the plot holes with more sage wisdom and compassion and more detail, and there appear to be even more memories, adventures, and more descriptions in this book. But if you want comedy, go for Ava's. I was laughing so hard I was crying!! I absolutely adored seeing the memories from both perspectives, and both books are wonderful in and of themselves. Because they are written by two different perspectives, they are not copies of each other by any means, in spite of many shared memories, and I rather liked getting that glimpse into memories from the two different points of view.
April 13, 2025
The Real Ava Gardner
I have read several biographies of Ava Gardner and her autobiography. I must say that Ms. Jordan's was fascinating,funny and informative. In some other writings,I noticed the tone was to be provocative and to formulate a picture of difficult behavior but although Ms. Jordan wrote about many of the same experiences,she made Ms. Gardner seem human and gave interesting personal accounts that only she would have known. She made her subject real but not tragic
This was a pleasant book to read. The ending,of course,was a bit sad because you could feel Ms. Jordan's sadness in losing her life long friend. This was a wonderful read. I highly recommend it to all Ava Gardner fans and all who love biography as I do.
I have read several biographies of Ava Gardner and her autobiography. I must say that Ms. Jordan's was fascinating,funny and informative. In some other writings,I noticed the tone was to be provocative and to formulate a picture of difficult behavior but although Ms. Jordan wrote about many of the same experiences,she made Ms. Gardner seem human and gave interesting personal accounts that only she would have known. She made her subject real but not tragic
This was a pleasant book to read. The ending,of course,was a bit sad because you could feel Ms. Jordan's sadness in losing her life long friend. This was a wonderful read. I highly recommend it to all Ava Gardner fans and all who love biography as I do.
November 24, 2020
If this were a movie, I'd want it to be remade. It's a fabulous story with enough Hollywood insider gossip to make any classic movie fan's heart palpitate a bit, and it's all told through the lens of a Black woman in America. I'd want this remade, naturally, to hear more of Rene's life story and to clean up the grammatical issues. Super fun book that I need to own.
June 1, 2024
Brilliant book
I really enjoyed reading this book and also liked reading about Renee s life too i didn't want the book to end i think fate brought miss G and renee together and they were meant to be best friends and there for each other such a lovely book
I really enjoyed reading this book and also liked reading about Renee s life too i didn't want the book to end i think fate brought miss G and renee together and they were meant to be best friends and there for each other such a lovely book
May 2, 2025
A class by herself. Ava Gardner was one of the great ones!
The story being told by someone who really knew her makes it special. A peak behind the curtain of Ava Gardner was very entertaining. She lived. Such extraordinary beauty inside and out. I was enthralled throughout!
The story being told by someone who really knew her makes it special. A peak behind the curtain of Ava Gardner was very entertaining. She lived. Such extraordinary beauty inside and out. I was enthralled throughout!
August 22, 2020
I've read it many times!
Very interesting insight into the life of a beautiful women. Ava lived her life on her terms. Worth a read.
Very interesting insight into the life of a beautiful women. Ava lived her life on her terms. Worth a read.
August 27, 2021
INTIMATE LOOK OF AVA GARDNER
Excellent writing, of a look at the private life of Ava Gardner as told by her confidential partner in crime.
Excellent writing, of a look at the private life of Ava Gardner as told by her confidential partner in crime.
December 4, 2022
Padded and many boring bits, but still enjoyed the interesting parts
June 11, 2023
This book should be a major motion picture! Thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Rene's accounts. They were true friends until the end. 😊🥰
July 6, 2021
Wow. This book was damn near excellent. There were several chapters here that touched me deeply. The ones that hit me hard were where The Racism was damn near beating her to a breaking point. I really enjoy the one where Ava was acting like a Diva and Miss Jordan had to pull arm and go "I ain't going to stand any of this Diva Shit" (my words not hers) I learned that George C Scott was a full blown Alcoholic piece of shit. but yeah This was one of the best Books on Ava Gardner next to maybe her own.
July 25, 2013
This is the memoir of Ava Gardner's longtime maid and close friend, Mearene Jordan. I enjoyed her anecdotes, and especially the chapters about The Night of the Iguana. Other parts seem stilted, perhaps ghostwritten. But overall, an interesting read for diehard Ava fans.
Read
November 24, 2015The life of Ava Gardner, told by her assistant and lifelong friend.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews