FICTION

Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures

by Emma Straub
Riverhead: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2012. c.320p. ISBN 9781594488450. $26.95. F
COPY ISBN
Born into a rural Wisconsin theater home in 1920, Elsa Emerson catches the acting bug at age nine. A family tragedy cements her determination to hit the silver screen, propelling her, eight years later, to marry fellow actor Gordon and head to Hollywood. An early pregnancy benches Elsa until she is discovered by powerful move executive Irving Green. He changes her name to Laura Lamont and remakes her image. The result? Stunning success. Not surprisingly, her marriage to Gordon runs its course, and soon she becomes, happily so, Mrs. Irving Green. Through the eyes of the kind, low-key Laura, who is more lucky than cutthroat, more trusting than wise, the reader is treated to a view of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
VERDICT With this debut novel, following publication of her first short story collection in February (Other People We Married), Straub offers a charming tale spanning 50 years. Her strength is an ability to foster originality by turning her back on the stereotyped assumptions of the lives of movie stars whose backstories feed the magic. [See Prepub Alert, 3/12/12.]
Reviewed by Beth Andersen, Ann Arbor District Lib., MI , Jul 01, 2012
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Until Our Time Comes: A Novel of World War II Poland
by Miller, Nicole M
FICTION

Her Part To Play
by Erlingsson, Jenny
FICTION

The Song of Sourwood Mountain
by Gabhart, Ann H
FICTION

A Run at Love
by Shiloh, Toni
FICTION

Meet Me at the Starlight
by Hauck, Rachel
FICTION

Wives Like Us
by Sykes, Plum
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?