[PDF] Ferber: Edna Ferber and Her Circle by Julie Gilbert at Arts-Photography

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Story of Edna Ferber proves how one womans dedication inspires othersBy Lea H. BeckerThis was by far the best biography Ive read in a long time. My interest in this book arose as a result of my fascination with the story of "Giant." and the mystique of Edna Ferber. a pioneer of pioneers in the field of serious literary creations of women. Ms. Ferber pre-dated the explosive feminist growth in the seventies and following. She had the stamina and dedication that few men possessed. Without her unbelievable efforts. would she have achieved such success? Doubtful. Men had the literary world cornered with few exceptions.Ms. Gilbert did a terrific job of captivating Edna Ferbers road to stardom and her difficult path to attain personal gratification. I certainly was inspired to pop out of my bunker and work a little harder at achieving my goals.10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Ferber And Her Circle-An unusual review of an unusual writerBy Robert HolofThis is a biography of an unusually successful and an unusual woman. Though some of her more well remembered works survive through countless productions of Showboat and viewings of the several versions of the movies made from her plays and books like Giant. Cimarron and Stage Door and the endless productions of her plays. she herself is less well-remembered than other groundbreaking female writers like Edith Wharton. Yet. as we learn from this biography. she was probably one of the most successful American writers portraying the grandeur of this vast country. And as she was able to portray the role of women in creating the patterns of American families. she herself was a powerful and independent woman. This biography tells her story from a point of view of an insider. Julie Gilbert writes of her grand-aunt in a way that describes her through the authors personal vision and then goes back to review Ferbers earlier years with outside research and access to intimate personal information that would be otherwise unavailable. Ferbers story is as fascinating as her stories and this biography is fun and informative. It is a must read.17 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating FerberBy labwriterBiography written by a family member or friend so often is mere hagiography. not good biography. But the book by Julie Gilbert. Edna Ferbers great-niece. was the only Ferber biography I could find. so I decided I would start there to learn about Ferber. and Im really glad I did. Is the Gilbert book objective? Of course not. No one writes objective biography.I applaud Gilbert for her courage in presenting Ferber as a real person. exposing the extremes of her personality. Ferber was outsized-she had a benevolent heart coupled with colossal rage: "When Ferber got worked up over an issue. there was nobody who could touch her. She was a dervish of indignation. When she was calm she exuded power; when she was upset she exuded great power." Katherine Hepburn. twenty years Ferbers junior. says: "We were dangerous women. There arent any more of us around."I give the book only four stars for two reasons: One. because I wish Gilbert had included photos. I love the image that Gilbert writes of Ferber and her sister Fan looking together like a Diane Arbus photo: "visually similar and visually sour." A picture of these two together would have added a lot to the book; and two. because Gilbert doesnt include sources. Perhaps most of Ferbers papers are still in the familys control; regardless. I would like to have known where Gilbert found her information.That being said. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Edna Ferber. and also in New York. theater. and party life of the 1930s. Whee. Ferb! Wot a girl!