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Judy Garland: A Biography
Praised as undoubtedly the best of the many books on Judy Garland by no less a critic than John Lahr (the son of Bert Lahr, the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz), Anne Edwards s biography attempts to present a complete picture of the late actress, and not just the boozing, drug-addicted caricature of a woman that is central to lesser biographies. From Edwards's account we learn, for example, that Garland saw it as her duty to provide for her family financially, a generosity that her mother Ethel exploited with disastrous results. A student of great poets Shelley, Keats, and Browning in particular she often tried her own hand at verse; surviving poems are reproduced here. Above all Judy Garland sought to please, whether it was an audience or a studio head, and therein lies her powerful and heartbreaking story.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 26, 2024
I freely confess that I have loved Judy Garland since I first watched the Wizard of Oz on my grandparents’ small black and white. I was four. I was mesmerized and smitten with that voice, that vulnerability and her loveable companions.
(imagine my surprise to learn they weren’t too nice to their young co-star... )
This is the second biography I’ve read about Judy Garland—while this was good, I’m not sure it was as unbiased as it could have been. It’s respectful yet detailed. The time line can be tricky but I’ve no doubt that some of the anecdotes were real.
What I didn’t appreciate was the author playing armchair psychologist when faced with Garland’s often manic, manipulative or downright self-destructive behavior. Several reviews blamed the author for making excuses or covering up Garland’s less than acceptable or even unimaginable behavior.
I disagree— there were plenty of awful anecdotes of both her victimization by those who sought to make a living off the “Judy Garland” machine but also in subtle ways, when portraying her own victims— her three children.
I’m not sure anyone writing about a mega-force of talent and vulnerability like Garland can keep from picking a side.
What draws all ages from all generations to Judy— is it Dorothy? Is it any of her other performances that often feel enhanced by her crazy, manic, victimized life away from the camera? I don’t know but it was hard to look away from what becomes inevitable— a tragedy that surely shouldn’t have been allowed to happen!
Who is to blame? Mayer and his MGM-machine that demanded perfection, box office gold, svelte figures and 18-hour days from his stars? The relentless ambition of a stage mom? A string of husbands, some of whom may have had the right intentions but grew tired of Garland’s baggage (be it pills, debts, breakdowns or endless cycles of career ups and downs).
Eventually everyone chooses a side— and it’s rarely Judy’s, although for some (Minnelli), I cant blame them. No judgment— by her early 20s, I don’t think anyone could have fixed what was broken inside Judy Garland.
This book made me sad for her, disgusted with her (I might have shook her myself) and at times angry at her inability to take control— to say, No!! But always I was fascinated by her... she gave these luminous performances (films, concerts, TV shows and albums) despite the back stage drama, hospital stays and endless pill popping over the decades.
As she aged, she became a witty conversationalist and consummate performer. She transformed songs and made them so uniquely hers that they will forever be synonymous with the legend “Judy Garland.”
Has anyone ever really sang “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” in the same achingly melancholy manner? Or found the jazzy notes of tunes showcased in other films— A Star is Born or Summer Stock? The list goes on and on... therein lies the fascination. Star performances given by a truly broken soul.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow remains both her anthem and a reminder that we can always hope. Regardless, when I hear her sing that song, I am once again a 4-year-old enchanted by a girl longing for more up on a small 12-inch screen.
That’s the image of Judy Garland I choose to keep in my heart!
(Reviewed 1/15/20)
(imagine my surprise to learn they weren’t too nice to their young co-star... )
This is the second biography I’ve read about Judy Garland—while this was good, I’m not sure it was as unbiased as it could have been. It’s respectful yet detailed. The time line can be tricky but I’ve no doubt that some of the anecdotes were real.
What I didn’t appreciate was the author playing armchair psychologist when faced with Garland’s often manic, manipulative or downright self-destructive behavior. Several reviews blamed the author for making excuses or covering up Garland’s less than acceptable or even unimaginable behavior.
I disagree— there were plenty of awful anecdotes of both her victimization by those who sought to make a living off the “Judy Garland” machine but also in subtle ways, when portraying her own victims— her three children.
I’m not sure anyone writing about a mega-force of talent and vulnerability like Garland can keep from picking a side.
What draws all ages from all generations to Judy— is it Dorothy? Is it any of her other performances that often feel enhanced by her crazy, manic, victimized life away from the camera? I don’t know but it was hard to look away from what becomes inevitable— a tragedy that surely shouldn’t have been allowed to happen!
Who is to blame? Mayer and his MGM-machine that demanded perfection, box office gold, svelte figures and 18-hour days from his stars? The relentless ambition of a stage mom? A string of husbands, some of whom may have had the right intentions but grew tired of Garland’s baggage (be it pills, debts, breakdowns or endless cycles of career ups and downs).
Eventually everyone chooses a side— and it’s rarely Judy’s, although for some (Minnelli), I cant blame them. No judgment— by her early 20s, I don’t think anyone could have fixed what was broken inside Judy Garland.
This book made me sad for her, disgusted with her (I might have shook her myself) and at times angry at her inability to take control— to say, No!! But always I was fascinated by her... she gave these luminous performances (films, concerts, TV shows and albums) despite the back stage drama, hospital stays and endless pill popping over the decades.
As she aged, she became a witty conversationalist and consummate performer. She transformed songs and made them so uniquely hers that they will forever be synonymous with the legend “Judy Garland.”
Has anyone ever really sang “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” in the same achingly melancholy manner? Or found the jazzy notes of tunes showcased in other films— A Star is Born or Summer Stock? The list goes on and on... therein lies the fascination. Star performances given by a truly broken soul.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow remains both her anthem and a reminder that we can always hope. Regardless, when I hear her sing that song, I am once again a 4-year-old enchanted by a girl longing for more up on a small 12-inch screen.
That’s the image of Judy Garland I choose to keep in my heart!
(Reviewed 1/15/20)
September 10, 2011
This is the most unreliable Judy biography I have read. The author is biased toward feeling sorry for her, which interferes with the facts at times. The level of detail is also disappointing, and other works on Judy's life are more comprehensive, like the one by Gerold Frank.
December 7, 2022
This book wasn’t great from the start. The author continually tells us what Judy or her husbands were thinking at specific moments…like not even “maybe they felt/thought this way.” Really? Did they tell you that?
Anyway, then I got to the part when it said: “She wasn’t plump. She was fat, weighing over 150 pounds—the fat devouring her tiny frame, distorting her features into a gargoyle caricature of herself.” And that was the moment I knew I was done trying with this book. And I don’t even feel bad for not finishing it. Avoid this book.
Anyway, then I got to the part when it said: “She wasn’t plump. She was fat, weighing over 150 pounds—the fat devouring her tiny frame, distorting her features into a gargoyle caricature of herself.” And that was the moment I knew I was done trying with this book. And I don’t even feel bad for not finishing it. Avoid this book.
July 8, 2025
This book changed me when I was a senior in high school. It truly was one of the reasons I entered show biz. Judy's life is so fascinating and beautiful and tragic all at once. Anne Edwards has triumphed in telling Judy’s story in this way. Everyone should read this book!
January 5, 2021
A truly heartbreaking story. I would have given this a 4 star rating if it weren't for some things. First, I noticed the author omitting her affair with Joe Mankiewicz. Secondly, some accounts of Judy alone with her thoughts were overly fictionalized. And lastly, I despised it when the author was calling her fat or bloated, describing in detail how her double chin stood out from one dress or another. It is completely unnecessary and it defeats the purpose of the book. By those descriptions one might think that she was morbidly obese but if you care to look up pictures of her from that period you can see she is just more plump than usual. This stupid standard on women's bodies to look as thin as possible is what led to Judy's addiction in the first place, so why the hell is it also in this book??
February 17, 2012
Abysmal. It's not the writing and certainly not the subject matter because I adore Judy. It's the wrong facts. There are wrong facts run amok that it became unreadable. The final straw was Tyrone Power running away with Judy to Mexico. I went in search of a better Judy biography that at least had the facts straight. I'm now reading Frank Gerold's book and within 100 pages, it's true and excellently written. And it's been endorsed by many Judy fans who want to see her life written truthfully. If had to give a positive, Anne Edwards does write in a way that's captivating. Which is why it's a shame she couldn't get things right.
February 4, 2023
Devastatingly heartbreaking.
August 21, 2016
I enjoyed this book, I have read many books on Judy as I am a big fan and I enjoy the different perspective each brings to her life.
As with everything, each of us brings a different lens to our experiences and this is the same with this book. In my opinion Anne Edwards was respectful of the difficulties in Judy's life and I appreciated this.
As with everything, each of us brings a different lens to our experiences and this is the same with this book. In my opinion Anne Edwards was respectful of the difficulties in Judy's life and I appreciated this.
May 24, 2020
An okay biography, but the kindle version has typos. A little dry.
April 21, 2020
A well-documented and insightful look into the life of America’s greatest entertainer. Born Frances Ethel Gumm as the third daughter in a middle-class family, the girl who would become Judy Garland was the embodiment of her mother’s unrealized aspirations. Once the tyrannical and domineering Ethel realized young Frances’s potential to be a great star, she left the two older daughters (once performing as a group of two and then three when Frances was born) with their father Frank while she and Frances hit the road. Ethel pulled every string and curried every favor to push her young daughter on the stage. She withheld love from her when she failed to perform to her mother’s exacting and unreasonable standards, forever leaving Frances with the feeling that she had to earn love.
When she landed her MGM contract and started attracting the notice of the viewing public, her life quickly spiraled out out of control. Not yet a teenager, she was given “uppers” to keep her on her feet and “downers” to knock her out. Under the orders of studio boss Louis B. Mayer, the commissary on the lot would only give her chicken soup to eat in an effort to curb her weight. Her mother, Louis B. Mayer, and an unforgiving press became the Unholy Trinity that prevented Judy from ever finding lasting happiness.
Desperate for love, she entered into ill-advised marriages with a series of men, but they all fell apart. She wanted to be the best mother she could be, but her substance abuse issues and emotional volatility often created role reversals for first Liza (her daughter with Vincente Minnelli) and later, Lorna (her daughter with Sid Luft). These men controlled her finances, her career, and her access to the wider world. They denied her any sense of agency and then blamed her for lacking control of her own life.
For longtime fans of Judy Garland, this heartbreaking book will reveal the truth of the woman behind the curtain, the woman who managed to propel us all over the rainbow even when she couldn’t get there herself.
When she landed her MGM contract and started attracting the notice of the viewing public, her life quickly spiraled out out of control. Not yet a teenager, she was given “uppers” to keep her on her feet and “downers” to knock her out. Under the orders of studio boss Louis B. Mayer, the commissary on the lot would only give her chicken soup to eat in an effort to curb her weight. Her mother, Louis B. Mayer, and an unforgiving press became the Unholy Trinity that prevented Judy from ever finding lasting happiness.
Desperate for love, she entered into ill-advised marriages with a series of men, but they all fell apart. She wanted to be the best mother she could be, but her substance abuse issues and emotional volatility often created role reversals for first Liza (her daughter with Vincente Minnelli) and later, Lorna (her daughter with Sid Luft). These men controlled her finances, her career, and her access to the wider world. They denied her any sense of agency and then blamed her for lacking control of her own life.
For longtime fans of Judy Garland, this heartbreaking book will reveal the truth of the woman behind the curtain, the woman who managed to propel us all over the rainbow even when she couldn’t get there herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2021
Most people know about the tragic life of Judy Garland, but if you don't know, this book tells you more than you could ever want to know.
Judy grew up Frances Gum to a mother who set almost unattainable expectations for Judy. The only way she could be what her mother, and later managers and producers expected her to be, was with pills, which she was being fed by the age of 14...diet pills to make her conform to the shape and size they thought she should be, sleeping pills to put her to sleep long enough so that later, speed was given to her to keep her going at an unreasonable pace. Judy would struggle with these addictions for the rest of her life, and I believe it was this that ultimately killed her at the age of 47. When I think of her, I wonder what more she could have done with her life if things could have been different, but we'll never know.
This book talks about the rest of her life, too, though. It's not all gloom and doom, although the older she got, the harder it was for her to bounce back. She had one daughter from one marriage and a daughter and son from another. She was married for the final time just a few months before she died.
Judy was the type of person who wanted others to tell her what to do. She needed to be managed. She spent her whole life with a childlike dependence on others for the major decisions in her life, and it was this dependence that allowed her to be talked into aborting her first child. This, along with the addiction she struggled with, was the most tragic part of her life I thought.
I've always had a fascination with Judy Garland, and this book was a fascinating read.
Judy grew up Frances Gum to a mother who set almost unattainable expectations for Judy. The only way she could be what her mother, and later managers and producers expected her to be, was with pills, which she was being fed by the age of 14...diet pills to make her conform to the shape and size they thought she should be, sleeping pills to put her to sleep long enough so that later, speed was given to her to keep her going at an unreasonable pace. Judy would struggle with these addictions for the rest of her life, and I believe it was this that ultimately killed her at the age of 47. When I think of her, I wonder what more she could have done with her life if things could have been different, but we'll never know.
This book talks about the rest of her life, too, though. It's not all gloom and doom, although the older she got, the harder it was for her to bounce back. She had one daughter from one marriage and a daughter and son from another. She was married for the final time just a few months before she died.
Judy was the type of person who wanted others to tell her what to do. She needed to be managed. She spent her whole life with a childlike dependence on others for the major decisions in her life, and it was this dependence that allowed her to be talked into aborting her first child. This, along with the addiction she struggled with, was the most tragic part of her life I thought.
I've always had a fascination with Judy Garland, and this book was a fascinating read.
July 20, 2025
I rate this 3.5 stars. I have no way of knowing how accurate Edwards' details are or how credible her sources, but this book has been a critically acclaimed autobiography, so I wanted to try it. It certainly fed my lifetime fascination with Judy and satisfied my curiosity about her, but it also left me very angry because of what it reveals.
If the book is true, Judy Garland (nee Frances Gumm) was an enormously talented woman who was gradually and systematically destroyed by nearly everyone around her, beginning when she was a child when her mother used her to apparently gratify her own desire to be in show business. The next--and probably biggest--villain in her life was Louis B. Mayer, who got her hooked on both amphetamines and sleeping pills, an addiction that lasted her entire life and ultimately caused her death. And in between were all the people who either bled her dry for their own selfish reasons ($$$$$, mostly) or didn't raise a single digit to try to stop her downward spiral: her managers, handlers, so-called "friends," doctors, and husbands--most egregiously her last one, Mickey Deans, who failed to get her medical attention when it was clear to everyone that she was seriously ill. There may have been fellow victims in her life--I'm thinking of her three children--but there were zero heroes, as far as I can see. Why didn't anyone even try to save her?
What a waste. What a stupid, tragic, criminal waste.
If the book is true, Judy Garland (nee Frances Gumm) was an enormously talented woman who was gradually and systematically destroyed by nearly everyone around her, beginning when she was a child when her mother used her to apparently gratify her own desire to be in show business. The next--and probably biggest--villain in her life was Louis B. Mayer, who got her hooked on both amphetamines and sleeping pills, an addiction that lasted her entire life and ultimately caused her death. And in between were all the people who either bled her dry for their own selfish reasons ($$$$$, mostly) or didn't raise a single digit to try to stop her downward spiral: her managers, handlers, so-called "friends," doctors, and husbands--most egregiously her last one, Mickey Deans, who failed to get her medical attention when it was clear to everyone that she was seriously ill. There may have been fellow victims in her life--I'm thinking of her three children--but there were zero heroes, as far as I can see. Why didn't anyone even try to save her?
What a waste. What a stupid, tragic, criminal waste.
January 8, 2018
Judy Garland is missed by one more person now.
I've never been a true fan of Judy Garland, I enjoyed her voice and the movies I had seen but never was a devoted follower of her Hollywood career like I had those of some of her peers. I certainly never knew the tragic story behind that immense talent only recently becoming aware of the fact that she died at such a young age (47). This book tells the story of how she was used by so many people in her life, people who should have been looking out for her, people who were duty bound to keep her safe but failed to do anything more than exploit her talent. Throughout her life her self worth was based on her ability to perform in front of audiences and cameras, her studio got her hooked on pills at a young age, an addiction that slowly wore her down, destroyed her, and killed her. Even as she was weakening at the end she was continually forced to perform, "just one more show" an empty promise of endless last shows. She died too young after too sad a life. Judy Garland's life is a true tragedy.
I've never been a true fan of Judy Garland, I enjoyed her voice and the movies I had seen but never was a devoted follower of her Hollywood career like I had those of some of her peers. I certainly never knew the tragic story behind that immense talent only recently becoming aware of the fact that she died at such a young age (47). This book tells the story of how she was used by so many people in her life, people who should have been looking out for her, people who were duty bound to keep her safe but failed to do anything more than exploit her talent. Throughout her life her self worth was based on her ability to perform in front of audiences and cameras, her studio got her hooked on pills at a young age, an addiction that slowly wore her down, destroyed her, and killed her. Even as she was weakening at the end she was continually forced to perform, "just one more show" an empty promise of endless last shows. She died too young after too sad a life. Judy Garland's life is a true tragedy.
April 9, 2022
The only reason I made myself finish this awful excuse of a book is so I could be thorough in my review.
There is no word to describe this book that is more fitting than distasteful. I have read several Judy Garland biographies, and I was absolutely appalled at how incredibly distasteful this one is. The author makes shocking assumptions about Judy’s state of mind/stream of consciousness throughout the entirety of this book. She is an unreliable narrator. She doesn’t cite her sources at any point.
In one chapter near the book’s end, she makes a comparison of Judy’s frail appearance to a concentration camp survivor and my jaw dropped.
Additionally, this book was full of inaccuracies and because it was published so soon after Judy’s passing, doesn’t have the chance to include several pieces of information found in any other Judy Garland biographies.
Don’t waste your time on this book.
There is no word to describe this book that is more fitting than distasteful. I have read several Judy Garland biographies, and I was absolutely appalled at how incredibly distasteful this one is. The author makes shocking assumptions about Judy’s state of mind/stream of consciousness throughout the entirety of this book. She is an unreliable narrator. She doesn’t cite her sources at any point.
In one chapter near the book’s end, she makes a comparison of Judy’s frail appearance to a concentration camp survivor and my jaw dropped.
Additionally, this book was full of inaccuracies and because it was published so soon after Judy’s passing, doesn’t have the chance to include several pieces of information found in any other Judy Garland biographies.
Don’t waste your time on this book.
September 27, 2021
Poor Judy
I’ve always been a fan of Judy Garland. As a little girl, I loved Meet Me in St Louis, Summer Stock and all of her other musicals. I was always in awe of her talent.
Then just recently I saw the movie ”Judy” with Rene Zellweger and was very shocked by how they portrayed Judy Garland in the movie. The movie was very good but I was saddened by the fact that she took so many drugs.
Then I read this book. First I felt very sad for her and then I got angry because I felt that she was weak. And then by the end of the book I was heart broken for her. What a terrible time she had. She was used by so many people in her life. She was so very strong and courageous. This book is so well written and it shows the tragedy of her life. Judy Garland was an amazing women and Anne Edwards did a wonderful job telling about her.
I’ve always been a fan of Judy Garland. As a little girl, I loved Meet Me in St Louis, Summer Stock and all of her other musicals. I was always in awe of her talent.
Then just recently I saw the movie ”Judy” with Rene Zellweger and was very shocked by how they portrayed Judy Garland in the movie. The movie was very good but I was saddened by the fact that she took so many drugs.
Then I read this book. First I felt very sad for her and then I got angry because I felt that she was weak. And then by the end of the book I was heart broken for her. What a terrible time she had. She was used by so many people in her life. She was so very strong and courageous. This book is so well written and it shows the tragedy of her life. Judy Garland was an amazing women and Anne Edwards did a wonderful job telling about her.
April 1, 2020
I found this to be a very even handed biography with much interesting info. I disagree with another review that implied it was too sympathetic. Garland went through a lot of hardship--my opinion is that MGM and Mayer nearly ruined her life by giving her almost no choice but to be addicted to pills with the routine they forced her to endure. Her mom didn't do her any favors either. It also seems that her mother and Sid Luft basically stole money from her. I am grateful that the world has her recordings as she was a fabulous entertainer, yet without question she paid a high price for fame. I hope she experienced much love during her life because it seemed she was a sweet and sensitive soul. I would recommend this for Garland fans!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2023
I usually like this author because she delves into the subject so thoroughly. But this time her biography seemed rather small and left something to be desired.
Judy had such a demanding life filled with heartache, work, relationships, etc. that I believe the author could have written a lot more and still leave the readers wanting. As it was, the author touched (and I mean touched) on several interesting events in Judy's life but others seemed to be skimmed over.
Still, if you don't want to delve into a biography of an individual's life that you are interested in, then this book is for you. For those who want more information about Judy Garland told in a relatable way, find another author and book.
Judy had such a demanding life filled with heartache, work, relationships, etc. that I believe the author could have written a lot more and still leave the readers wanting. As it was, the author touched (and I mean touched) on several interesting events in Judy's life but others seemed to be skimmed over.
Still, if you don't want to delve into a biography of an individual's life that you are interested in, then this book is for you. For those who want more information about Judy Garland told in a relatable way, find another author and book.
October 12, 2024
I found this book to be very interesting. The way women are treated in Hollywood has been historically disgusting and this is just one more victim. I am not saying she was easy to work with but nobody should go through what she did. The amount of drugs this woman was fed, yes fed, is hard to fathom. By a young age Judy seemed to be suffering from severe mental illness, unfortunately times were way different back then and she seemed to be just continually pushed and pushed to no end. I did enjoy to read about how talented she was and how much love she recieved from her fans. Oddly, when Judy passes away at the end of the book, I felt an actual sense of relief that her insane suffering was over.
February 16, 2021
With such a tragic story, it’s hard to enjoy what you’re reading. With true stories you’re still hoping what you read will somehow change and you root for Judy the entire time. I would have enjoyed hearing more of Judy’s voice. Which I don’t think any biography will be able to encapsulate that due to Judy not being able to finish her life in words. Judy was easily influenced and never mentally stable. This caused her to continue to make poor decisions of the people she kept around her. Watching her movies after knowing a bit more about her adds a bit more magic now.
January 9, 2024
Would have given 6stars if i could
Really enjoyed reading this biography although im not from the era of judy garland i always loved the wizard of oz as a child as most people would i have also seen the play about judy garland in theatre and liked it but actually preferred reading this as is obviously more detailed and interesting she seemed to have led an amazing and fascinating life but also a very troubled and sad one i hope she has found peace and happiness over the rainbow bless her
Really enjoyed reading this biography although im not from the era of judy garland i always loved the wizard of oz as a child as most people would i have also seen the play about judy garland in theatre and liked it but actually preferred reading this as is obviously more detailed and interesting she seemed to have led an amazing and fascinating life but also a very troubled and sad one i hope she has found peace and happiness over the rainbow bless her
October 9, 2021
Overall found this to be an interesting read, but in desperate need of an edit (lots of typos in the Kindle edition). Also if I was taking a shot everytime the author mention Judy's weight - whether it be that she was skinny or fat at that time - I would have been drunk halfway through the book. We get that she had problems relating to eating and staying thin but it was tiring to keep reading about her weight.
February 28, 2017
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if the author wasn't so clearly biased toward "poor Judy". I even wondered if the author had been part of the "Judy Cult". There were facts and opinions that I learned from other sources that the author left out or got wrong (maybe the book was written before the facts came out), and the drama became repetitive.
January 21, 2019
This books was not well structured. In fact it was very repetitive. However, I walked away with a new found respect and sadness for Judy. Her life was hard and she was never really given a chance at a happy life. I think the beginning chapters were strong, I just didn’t enjoy the writing at the end and skimmed the last few pages.
June 26, 2020
A remarkable biography of a true legend. One may think they know Judy, but this reveals an intimate side to her. This book and her story will stick with me forever. One thing holds true, Judy Garland may be the hardest worker to ever navigate the red carpets or Hollywood. Her perseverance and strength is like no other.
December 28, 2020
It’s possible that some of the things I got tired of in this book had nothing to do with the author and everything to do with Judy’s real story. It seemed that Judy was constantly giving her best performance, more tired than ever, more desperate for love than ever, on her way to a comeback… Over and over and over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2023
I’ve recently had an interest in old movies and came upon this book. My goodness, this poor woman. She died at 47 but if you look at pictures of her she looked 70. This book gives a pretty thorough view of her life as a victim of her own mother, MGM studio, and her many poor choices in husbands. I’ll never watch one of her movies the same way again.
March 15, 2023
A book whose subject was so mistreated as a child and so misguided as an adult, it is hard to actually enjoy this read even as the pages turn. Like Elvis and Prince after her, the adoration of her public and the ruin of her private life almost doomed her to an early death. And yet she's a legend, while other, happier lives, are forgotten.
May 10, 2019
Took me forever to slog through this book. Despite being written about one of entertainment’s most radiant and luminous stars, it is dry and not very entertaining. Kept hoping it would get better. But no. There are better Garland bios out there.
July 3, 2021
I think is the arguably the best biography of Judy Garland. Rich in detail and written with sympathetic understanding yet deep honesty it reveals the greatness of Judy Garland despite her ups and downs and the sometimes almost impossible problems she encountered.
August 24, 2021
It's an interesting book but it didn't make me "feel" Judy's voice. I am not a fan of her not having hear she sing or act beside The Wizard of Oz but I love old Hollywood. The writer is a good researcher but still I was not emotionally involved in the story. Something was lacking. A pity.
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