Bøger af Marion Meade

Nathanael West was a comic artist whose insight into the brutalities and absurdities of modern life proved prophetic. He is famous for two masterpieces, " Miss Lonelyhearts "and the most penetrating novel ever written about Hollywood, "The Day of the Locust." Eileen McKenney, accidental muse and literary heroine, fled Cleveland in search of romance and adventure, inspiring her sister s humorous stories, "My Sister Eileen," which led to stage, film, and television adaptations.

In her exuberant new work, Marion Meade presents a portrait of four extraordinary writers-Dorothy Parker, Zelda Fitzgerald, Edna St.Vincent Millay, and Edna Ferber- whose loves, lives, and literary endeavors embodied the spirit of the 1920s. These literary heroines did what they wanted and said what they thought, living wholly in the moment. They kicked open the door for twentieth-century women writers and set a new model for every woman trying to juggle the serious issues of economic independence, political power, and sexual freedom. Here are the social and literary triumphs and inevitably the penances paid: crumbled love affairs, abortions, depression, lost beauty, nervous breakdowns, and finally, overdoses and even madness. A vibrant mixture of literary scholarship, social history, and scandal, Bobbed Hair and Bathtub Gin is a rich evocation of a period that will forever intrigue and captivate us.

"Buster Keaton (1895--1966) was a brilliant comedian and filmmaker who conceived, wrote, directed, acted, and even edited most of his ten feature films and nineteen short comedies, which are perhaps the"

In thirteenth-century France, a female poet endures the chaos of the Albigensian Crusade in this novel by the author of Eleanor of Aquitaine. A holy war is sweeping France, razing cities and destroying the peaceful lives of those considered heretics. Sybille d'Astarac, born to pampered luxury, is a gifted female troubadour. But her poems grow dark as the Catholic crusade seeks to eradicate her sect. In the face of massacre, can Sybille survive the Inquisition? Will her love songs? A work of stunning historical fiction,Sybilledisplays Marion Meades pitch perfect understanding of strong women facing the harsh realities of life in medieval times. As Robin Morgan, author ofThe Anatomy of Freedom, writes, this book is ';an inspiration for women and an illumination for all readers.'

Based on the true story of tragic love in twelfth-century France, this ';garrulous, bustling' novel offers ';the grand old tale, updated for feminist focus' (Kirkus Reviews). In twelfth century France, two of Europe's greatest minds met and fell in love. It was a love forbidden by the world around them and eventually they were torn apart from each other. But the spark of it remained smoldering inside the lovers until their death and beyond. Heloise and her tutor, Peter Abelard, share a devotion passionate in its depth and beautiful in its thoughtfulness. They marry, and Heloise bears a son whom she names Astrolabe. However, all of this must be done in secret, for Abelard is forbidden to wed by the church, which considers him a cleric. When the truth of their relationship is exposed, they are separated and punished both in body and soul. Marion Meade weaves history and fiction together inStealing Heaven, an epic story of one of history's most tragic love affairs. With facts pulled from Heloise's actual love letters, Meade creates a poetic and sensual tapestry of France in the twelfth century. Heloise and Abelard lived beyond their punishment in quiet contemplation of life and GodAbelard as a monk and Heloise as a nun and the founder of a convent. Her story is one of a brilliant woman, trapped within the confines of her society. But it is also the story of an inspiring love that has lived on throughout history.

Victoria Woodhull is a historical figure too often ignored and undervalued by historians. Although she never achieved political power, her actions and her presence on the political scene helped begin to change the way Americans thought about the right to vote, particularly women's suffrage, and she set the stage for political emancipations to come throughout the twentieth century.Woodhull was a product of and a revolutionary within the socially conservative Victorian era, which predominated in the United States as much as it did in England. She was an anomaly within her time, an unlikely and unconventional woman. She came from a background of poverty and her careers prior to entering politics included fortune telling, acting, being a stock broker, journalism, and lecturing on women's rights. She ran for president of the United States in 1872. At that time, she had twice been divorced and she outraged even the feminists of her day by refusing to confine her campaign to the issue of women's suffrage. She advocated a single sexual standard for men and women, legalization of prostitution, reform of the marriage and family institutions, and ';free love.' She shocked a nation largely because her plain speaking was designed to expose the endemic hypocrisy of ';respectable' people in society.Marion Meade has created a vivid picture of the colorful figure that was Victoria Woodhull, but she also fully portrays the era in which she lived, in all of its truest and often most unflattering colors. She makes the 1870s read in many ways like the 1970s, not just because Victoria Woodhull was far ahead of her own time but also because many people in the present era are still culturally behind the times.

In the early 1970s, the national conversation regarding feminism was very different. Public discussions of womanhoodsingle life, marriage, workplace harassment, rights, gripeswere often channeled through movement spokeswomen and always refracted through the lens of talking to men about men. Little was shared about the chats happening behind closed doors where everyday women talked to women without the threat of men listening in. But, all that changed with the bookBitching.Originally published in 1973,Bitchingis journalist and author Marion Meade's deep and insightful investigation into the real dialogue happening inside coffee klatches, consciousness raising groups, and therapist's sessions. Using excerpts from real taped conversations, Meade presents the frustration, anger, resigned acceptance, and scathing humor that make up the female experience from birth to grave.For the first time, male chauvinist behavior goes fully examined and unexcused, and the roles men force upon women get broken down to their sometimes ridiculous component parts. A snapshot into a key time in the feminist movement, this book is a must read for anyone interested in how far we have come . . . or how much we have stayed the same.

';A psychologically nuanced, tough-minded portrait' of the New York filmmaker and his relationships with Mia Farrow and Soon-Yi Previn (Publishers Weekly). Writer, director, actor, humorist. Woody Allen stands as one of our era's most celebrated artists. Starting in the 1950s, Allen began crafting a larger than life neurotic persona that has since entertained and enlightened millions. In his films, widely thought to be autobiographical explorations of his own comic fears and fixations, Allen carefully controlled the public's view of him as a lovable scamp. But that all came crashing down the day Mia Farrow found a Polaroid on her mantle. What followed was a flurry of sensational headlines and legal battles. His relationship with Soon Yi Previn, thirty-four years his junior and the step daughter of his longtime girlfriend, caused shockwaves in the public's perception of the director, yet few biographers and journalists have explored what happened and why. In this, the first deep investigation of Allen's life and the events surrounding his split with Farrow, biographer Marion Meade tracks down dozens of friends, actors, neighbors, and film historians. They open up with insights and details rare in the world of wealth and celebrity. What results is a fascinating portrait of a flawed genius, as adept at constructing his own image as he is at crafting films. Rereleased and updated, this is an unauthorized biography that neither Woody Allen's fans nor his detractors will be able to put down. The revised and updated edition was reviewed in theWall Street Journalin 2013 by Carl Rollyson, in a roundup of the five best Hollywood biographies.

Marion Meade portrays Eleanor of Aquitaine as a woman of great intelligence and titanic energy who lived in a passionate and creative age.