Amy Poeppel examines allure of Broadway in ‘Limelight’
Connolly reimagines comedian Laurel in ‘He’
By Lincee Ray
imelight” by Author Amy Poeppel examines the allure of Broadway and New York City in her second novel, “Limelight”. The heartfelt story follows Texas transplant Allison Brinkley after moving with her husband and three children to the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. The Brinkley clan must navigate new jobs, different schools, a tiny apartment, adolescent mood swings and the anxiety that comes with change.
No one seems to be handling the transition well, but Allison is determined to make life in New York as fulfilling as it was in Dallas. Keeping that optimistic attitude proves to be a challenge when her job falls through. Luckily for Allison, fate decides to show up the exact same day.
Allison finds herself in the posh penthouse of pop megastar Carter Reid after a minor fender bender. The brooding teenager is entitled, hung over and unsupervised. In a comedy of errors, Allison’s maternal instincts kick in and she finds herself cooking meals and running errands for Carter. He may be a spoiled brat, but the fact that this kid is entirely on his own is unacceptable to Allison. Plus, it’s really good money and relatively easy work that
(Emily Bestler Books), she’s already used to doing for her own children. How bad can it be?
Carter is as rotten as they come because he’s never been taught basic etiquette and boundaries. After going on a bender and firing everyone in his life, Allison is the only one who refuses to let him act like a fool. Slowly but surely, she earns his respect.
The Broadway show “Limelight”, featuring Carter Reid, is slated to be a huge hit, thanks to an all-star cast. Unfortunately, Carter doesn’t want to put in the work. The director and the producers know it and it’s clear to Allison that Carter’s reputation is on the line. She makes it her personal responsibility to help him with his lines, make sure he gets to rehearsals and understands the thrill and power of live musical theater. The time for undisciplined behavior has passed. It’s time to take this megastar to the next level.
“Limelight” is a unique blend of the audacious celebrity lifestyle and the challenges of modern-day mothers. It’s clear that Poeppel is passionate about her love of Broadway and life in New York City, but above all, the story takes the spotlight off the stage and points to the importance of a strong family unit — no matter how that may look.
“He: a Novel”
(Quercus), by
Although never referred to by name, the he of the eponymous “he” is comedian Stan Laurel, who with Oliver Hardy, was half of Laurel and Hardy, one of the most successful and beloved comic teams in the early 20th century. With only the pronouns of he or him, author John Connolly reimagines Laurel in both abstract and three-dimensional ways, getting to the soul of Laurel, the comic, the multi-married, forever-indebt-with-alimony and alcoholic.
“He” has no plot and is written as a memoir and with a stream-of-consciousness approach with short chapters, some only a couple of paragraphs long, as Connolly looks at Laurel’s life and career, showing the man’s flaws and foibles. “He” also is a story of Old Hollywood when the medium of movies was just gearing up, a story of gossip, of myth and of what makes a legend. “He” is gracefully written and maintains its lyrical look at the comic, despite being a bit too long.
“He” alternates between Laurel’s last days in a Santa Monica apartment to his career that began around 1906 when the 16-year-old made his first appearance at a London music hall. Those early years were tough, noted for long hours and little pay. Along the way, Laurel met Charlie Chaplin, who long before he became a Hollywood star showed his genius, inspiring awe and jealousy among his fellow comics. “Chaplin is different, touched by a god, but which god? There is discipline in Chaplin’s anarchy ...” Traveling on the same ship as Chaplin, Laurel finds the United States a series of cold flats and performances in sleazy theaters on the vaudeville circuit until he stumbles into the burgeoning movie industry.
Laurel and Oliver Hardy, affectionately known as Babe, both had careers in Hollywood before their accidental partnership. The Laurel and Hardy team was kismet for both comics, with more than 100 movies featuring their slapstick comedy from the late 1920s through the mid-1940s. The two men were genuinely fond of each other, and after Babe died, Laurel never again performed. Their careers were controlled by the early studio system, especially under manipulative producer Hal Roach, “a colorful man trapped in a black and white world” who staggered their contracts so neither could quit at the same time.
Connolly’s meticulous research touches on unfair contract negotiations, how sound changed the business and the treatment of actors and especially young actresses as disposable commodities. The unusual “He” also showcases Connolly’s varied talents.
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Bill O’Reilly’s next “Killing” book will be set during World War II.
“Killing the SS” is scheduled to come out Sept 18, Henry Holt and Co confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday. The publisher was responding to a query from The Associated Press after the new book was listed on Amazon. com, where it’s described as an “epic saga of the espionage and daring waged by self-styled ‘Nazi hunters’.”
Co-written by Martin Dugard, “Killing the SS” is O’Reilly’s second book in his blockbuster “Killing” series since he was forced out of Fox News amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment. His previous work, “Killing England”, came out in September 2017. According to NPD BookScan, it has sold 489,000 copies, an enormous number for virtually any nonfiction author, but well off million sellers such as “Killing Lincoln” and “Killing Kennedy”. (NPD tracks around 85 percent of physical book sales.)
Holt has defended O’Reilly even as other publishers have distanced themselves or dropped authors facing harassment allegations. Earlier this year, Penguin Random House cut ties with “Maze Runner” novelist James Dashner. (AP)