Lillian Gish: A Life on Stage and Screen

Rating:
Summary: A Friend's Appreciation
Review: "A Life on Stage and Screen" is an affectionate tribute to a woman the author clearly much admires. That said, it's still not the authoritative critical biography that Gish's status as an artist deserves. Oderman's writing is functional at best, and he provides little critical perspective on Gish's post-silent career, relying instead on a straightforward "and then she did this, and then that" approach. Even so, it's good at last to have some work in addition to her own memoir by which to gauge Miss Gish's life and works, and the author's personal touch does illumine what he presents as a rather sad off-screen/off-stage life.

Rating:
Summary: A Friend's Appreciation
Review: "A Life on Stage and Screen" is an affectionate tribute to a woman the author clearly much admires. That said, it's still not the authoritative critical biography that Gish's status as an artist deserves. Oderman's writing is functional at best, and he provides little critical perspective on Gish's post-silent career, relying instead on a straightforward "and then she did this, and then that" approach. Even so, it's good at last to have some work in addition to her own memoir by which to gauge Miss Gish's life and works, and the author's personal touch does illumine what he presents as a rather sad off-screen/off-stage life.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Biography
Review: Arguably the most prestigious actress of silent film in the mid-twenties, Lillian Gish was constantly in search of material suited to her singular talents.

The Story of Lillian Gish is like a scrapbook. Scrapbooks are like little time capsules, lovingly pieced together over the years to keep the past alive or record those special moments. But scrapbooks aren't just about pictures anymore; now they're veritable works of art, colorfully created and designed to remain enjoyable for decades. Saving memories is back in vogue, and Lillian Gish is a perfect example.

This is biography at the highest level - I enjoyed and savored every chapter. Arguably the best work on a biography of a film star yet. Well-developed and hard to put down this biography will involve all of your emotions. Though very personal, Oderman's story is universal and his viewpoint optimistic. Even in the pain that is part of the human condition, there is an underlying joy and love and the belief that, ultimately, "no one is ever lost. Nothing is lost." This poignant, insightful work on Lillian Gish is sure to resonate in the heart of every reader.

Mr. Oderman, an acclaimed silent film pianist is also the author of McFarland's Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.

Rating:
Summary: An Amateur Effort
Review: Generally, the best biographies are *not* written by people who were friends of their subjects. Oderman's book is no exception to this rule. A long-time friend of Lillian Gish's, Oderman lacks the critical distance that incisive biography requires. He interviewed many sources, but he seems to have accepted their statements more or less without question, and his analysis, both of Gish and of film, is sketchy and superficial. Stylistically, Oderman's prose suffers from repetition, awkward phrasing, and a disconcerting lack of transitions. If he plans to publish more works with McFarland Press, he might consider asking them to find better copy editors. Typos, apostrophe errors, and usage gaffes such as "did not phase her" abound throughout the text. The most valuable parts of the book are the many quotations from Gish herself and from her contemporaries.

Rating:
Summary: An Amateur Effort
Review: Generally, the best biographies are *not* written by people who were friends of their subjects. Oderman's book is no exception to this rule. A long-time friend of Lillian Gish's, Oderman lacks the critical distance that incisive biography requires. He interviewed many sources, but he seems to have accepted their statements more or less without question, and his analysis, both of Gish and of film, is sketchy and superficial. Stylistically, Oderman's prose suffers from repetition, awkward phrasing, and a disconcerting lack of transitions. If he plans to publish more works with McFarland Press, he might consider asking them to find better copy editors. Typos, apostrophe errors, and usage gaffes such as "did not phase her" abound throughout the text. The most valuable parts of the book are the many quotations from Gish herself and from her contemporaries.

Rating:
Summary: A Very Thorough Study
Review: This book is a very insightful study of a very great lady. I especially enjoyed the textbook format. But I would agree with one other reviewer that it was not proofread as well as it should have been. I had the great fortune to know Miss Gish, having been her and her sister Dorothy's neighbor in 1965 while she was at the Stratford theatre in Connecticut. I have personal photos which I would like to share with Mr. Oderman if he would e-mail me at [e-mail] . I am also fortunate to have several letters (typed with a full signature), a hand writted postcard and a personally written note sent after Dorothy's death. I would not part with them for the world! Miss Gish was a rare treasure and we will not see her like again. Thank you, Mr. Oderman!

Rating:
Summary: A Very Thorough Study
Review: This book is a very insightful study of a very great lady. I especially enjoyed the textbook format. But I would agree with one other reviewer that it was not proofread as well as it should have been. I had the great fortune to know Miss Gish, having been her and her sister Dorothy's neighbor in 1965 while she was at the Stratford theatre in Connecticut. I have personal photos which I would like to share with Mr. Oderman if he would e-mail me at [e-mail] . I am also fortunate to have several letters (typed with a full signature), a hand writted postcard and a personally written note sent after Dorothy's death. I would not part with them for the world! Miss Gish was a rare treasure and we will not see her like again. Thank you, Mr. Oderman!