Garbo LaughsThis is a quixotic tale about movie love. Harriet Browning is so saturated with old movies, seen repeatedly and swallowed whole, that she no longer fits into this world. Equally addicted are her three companions-of-the-screen: a son who loves Frank Sinatra, a daughter with Bette Davis eyes, and an earthy sidekick named after Dinah Shore. Breaking in upon this quiet backwater come two refugees from Hollywood, the jaded widow of a famous screenwriter and her movie-expert stepson. They are Harsh Reality. With them come blackouts, arguments, accidents, illness, and sudden death. But what chance does real life stand when we can watch movies instead? In this brilliant, sad-eyed comedy of secondhand desire, movies and movie lovers come first. |
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Page 18
From now until spring , as the snow accumulated , city vehicles would come by in
the dead of night to cart the snowbanks away . Windowpanes would rattle and
eerie blue lights , ricocheting into their room , would bounce off their bed where ...
From now until spring , as the snow accumulated , city vehicles would come by in
the dead of night to cart the snowbanks away . Windowpanes would rattle and
eerie blue lights , ricocheting into their room , would bounce off their bed where ...
Page 250
Neither of them remarked upon the color of the horizon , or the color of the snow .
Today our skis slid over fallen beech leaves bleached to near - ivory by winter ,
and fallen maple keys , she wrote when she got back to her desk . We skied ...
Neither of them remarked upon the color of the horizon , or the color of the snow .
Today our skis slid over fallen beech leaves bleached to near - ivory by winter ,
and fallen maple keys , she wrote when she got back to her desk . We skied ...
Page 414
That week , following the ice storm , the snow military were out in their trucks and
ploughs removing the snow - and - ice banks , and once they were finished , the
street was as broad as a boulevard in Paris . A lesson in narrow and wide .
That week , following the ice storm , the snow military were out in their trucks and
ploughs removing the snow - and - ice banks , and once they were finished , the
street was as broad as a boulevard in Paris . A lesson in narrow and wide .
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - RandyMetcalfe - LibraryThingElizabeth Hay introduces her novel with an epigraph from legendary film critic, Pauline Kael: “We will never know the extent of the damage that movies are doing to us.” That brilliantly sets the ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - ParadisePorch - LibraryThingNot about Garbo, but vintage b&w films play a part. Hay always delivers a good story filled with human insights and poignancy Read full review
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answer asked aunt beautiful began beside better Bill called Cary coffee coming couldn't dark didn't Dinah don't door everything eyes face fall feel felt fern Fiona Frame Garbo gave give glass going gone hair hand happened hard Harriet head hear heard heart interested It's Italy Jack Jane Kenny kids kitchen knew later laughed Leah leave light living looked mean mind morning mother moved movie never night once Pauline person picture play pulled reached remember side sleep smile snow someone sound standing stayed steps stood stopped story street talk tell thing thought told took trees turned voice waiting walk watch week window woman women wonder write wrote