Michael Musto, columnist for The Village Voice and Out, author of Downtown and Manhattan on the Rocks (both out of print), and frequent commentator for E!, selects his favorite books on show business.
All About “All About Eve” by Sam Staggs (St. Martin’s Press, $19.96). The best book ever about the best movie ever. A fascinating glimpse behind this legendary Bette Davis film’s woolly wit, swiveling hips, and tossed cigarettes. Fasten your seat belts.
The Studio by John Gregory Dunne (Bantam Books, $11.20). In the late ’60s, Twentieth Century Fox almost destroyed the movie musical—and itself—with two colossal bombs, Star! and Dr. Dolittle. Dunne was there and remembers every lousy memo and dumbheaded decision—brilliantly.
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Not Since Carrie by Ken Mandelbaum (St. Martin’s Press, $13.56). A clearheaded, compelling journey through Broadway’s biggest floperettas—from Ankles Aweigh to Zenda—and what made them horrible. The misbegotten musical version of Carrie is rightfully held up (down?) as the most fascinating of the worst of the rottenest.
You Can’t Do That on Broadway! by Philip Rose (Limelight Editions, $20). Rose produced A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking 1959 play about the black struggle, against all odds. Today it’s a classic, and this inspiring behind-the-scenes remembrance deserves similar status.
My Story by Marilyn Monroe (Cooper Square Press, $18.36). Ditzy blond Marilyn hereby reveals herself to be a smart, sensitive cookie who knew exactly what buttons she was pushing. You want to hug her and make the big, bad world go away.
We’re Going to Make You a Star by Sally Quinn (Simon and Schuster, out of print). In the ’70s, Washington Post reporter Quinn was plucked to co-host The CBS Morning News and nothing good came out of it except for this shrewdly written tell-all. It saucily skewers TV as an empty, disposable medium (which I still want to be on).
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Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
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Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytellingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
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Elizabeth Gilbert’s favorite books about women overcoming difficultiesFeature The author recommends works by Tove Jansson, Lauren Groff, and more
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Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
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Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
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Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious charactersFeature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
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Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War IIFeature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
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Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short storiesFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
