The books that Louise Brooks read and / or owned

For more than a few years now, I've been keeping lists of book that Louise Brooks either owned, read, or is know to have owned and / or read. Brooks never kept a list herself, so what I have compiled is gathered from a number of sources -- such as the archive at the George Eastman Museum (to whom Brooks gifted her film books) and the archive at Wichita State University (who have her personal books). Other books are referenced in both vintage and contemporary newspaper and magazine articles, in Brook's letters, in the Barry Paris biography, etc....

I have handled a few books over time, and currently own two. The one I have owned the longest is The Twenties in Vogue, by Carolyn Hall and a foreword by Gloria Swanson. (This first edition hardback was published in 1983 by Harmony Books. For those interested, inexpensive used copies can be found online, including amazon.) My copy includes a few handwritten annotation by Brooks. The half-title page has three annotations (as shown) including a notation mentioning that the book was a gift from the New Yorker editor William Shawn received on September 27, 1983. Below it, the actress signed her name, and added "Rochester, N.Y." (Shawn edited the essays in Lulu in Hollywood, and wrote that book's original foreword.)

Louise Brooks gave away many of her books, even valuable ones, and said so. There is, as well, a notation on the title page. "To Marge - all my love - Louise - September 28, 1983." This notation suggests Brooks gave the book away the day after she received it, and seemingly after recording that her picture (the Edward Steichen portrait) appears on page 89 and her name (in the index, now underlined) on page 158.

On page 104, Brooks also wrote the name of George Gershwin next to a portrait of the composer. And as well, on pages 134 and 135, in the chapter "New Books for Your Morning Room Table", Brooks checked off a number of titles. They were A Passage to India by E.M. Forester, Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley, An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, and Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh. I would guess these were books Louise had read. Not checked off were Fiesta by Ernest Hemingway, The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, Anna Livia Plurabelle by James Joyce, and Living by Henry Green. (I am pretty sure Brooks had read other Hemingway.)

I'll guess and say the "Marge" to whom the book is dedicated was the neighbor upstairs who is prominently mentioned in the Paris biography. They were close, and Marge helped the then elderly Brooks on a number of occasions. 

[For those wondering, I purchased this book on-line some years ago -- likely from someone who got it from Marge or her estate.] Here are a few scans from my copy.

 

The other book I own which once belonged to Louise Brooks is Best Stories to Tell Children by Sara Cone Bryant. It is inscribed on the first free end-paper "To Louise Brooks from Momma Xmas 1912". This book was given to Brooks when she was just 6 years old. It too is a first edition, having been first published in 1912 and priced at $1.25.) I can imagine little Louise reading the book, or having it read to her.

Out of curiosity, I did a little research on the author. Sara Cone Bryant was a once well known American lecturer, teacher, and writer. She wrote children's books in the early 20th century. She also supported and took a leadership role in women's suffrage. (That latter fact, I feel, is interesting in view of the fact that Brooks' mother was the person who likely found this book at a local Cherryvale store. I wonder if Louise's mother, Myra, knew of Sara Cone Bryant. To learn more about this author, check out her Wikipedia page. And to check out or even read the book itself, check out its Internet Archive record.

[For those wondering, this book was recently gifted to me by the Estate of Louise Brooks after it having sat in a Wichita, Kansas attic for decades.] Here are a few scans.

 

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original content copyright © 2026. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Lulu in Hollywood, by Louise Brooks, released as an e-book for the first time

The first ever e-book edition of Lulu in Hollywood by Louise Brooks is set to be released on February 3, 2026 by the University of Minnesota Press. The print edition has just recently been re-released with a bold new front and back cover, shown below. For more, visit this page HERE.

I am pleased to report that both the e-book edition of Lulu in Hollywood and its re-release as a print edition has come about through behind-the-scenes efforts of Thomas Gladysz and the Louise Brooks Society.

The book description on amazon.com, where the book is for sale, reads:

"Essential writings by this icon of the silent era―rereleased in print and now available as an e-book 100 years after Louise Brooks arrived in Hollywood. 

Lulu in Hollywood is an intimate collection of eight autobiographical essays by Louise Brooks, silent film darling and icon of the flapper era. Ranging from her childhood in Kansas and her early days as a Denishawn and Ziegfeld Follies dancer to her friendships with Martha Graham, Charles Chaplin, W. C. Fields, Humphrey Bogart, William Paley, G. W. Pabst, and others, Brooks’s writing offers a rare glimpse into her extraordinary life. Including her revelatory “Why I Will Never Write My Memoirs,” Lulu in Hollywood also features Kenneth Tynan’s 1979 essay “The Girl in the Black Helmet,” which revived interest in Brooks’s work and was the best discussion of her film work to appear in her lifetime."

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The publication of Lulu in Hollywood was very important to Louise Brooks. It was her testament to the world. Notably, Brooks’ own copy of the book was on her night table next to her bed at the time of her death in 1985.  

the 1982 edition

The book sold steadily, but sometime in the mid-to-late 1990s, Lulu in Hollywood fell out-of-print. In the year 2000, aided in part by a grass-roots campaign led by the Louise Brooks Society, Lulu in Hollywood was republished in an expanded edition by the University of Minnesota Press. The copyright page of this new edition reads, “The University of Minnesota press gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Thomas Gladysz, director of the Louise Brooks Society, in the publication of this book.” Happily, for fans everywhere, it has remained in print since, and has now been rereleased an e-book.

The University of Minnesota edition was given a new look, with a redesigned front and back cover. It was also revised. The now eight essays included in this most recent edition are “Kansas to New York,” “On Location with Billy Wellman,” “Marion Davies’ Niece,” “Humphrey and Bogey,” “The Other Face of W. C. Fields,” “Gish and Garbo,” “Pabst and Lulu” and, additionally, “Why I Will Never Write My Memoirs.” The original William Shawn introduction was replaced by Kenneth Tynan’s acclaimed New Yorker profile, “The Girl in the Black Helmet”. Retained in the new edition was the original afterword by Lotte H. Eisner, “A Witness Speaks”, as well as the condensed filmography and the various illustrations.

the 2000 edition

Someday, I hope to get an annotated edition released, but that might have to wait seven years. 

Read and learn more about Lulu in Hollywood on the Louise Brooks Society website. A page about the book can be found HERE. The LBS also hosts a BIBLIOGRAPHY of reviews and articles, as well as a GALLERY page of international editions. 

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original content copyright © 2026. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.   

Louise Brooks movies and books make for great gifts

Louise Brooks movies and books make for great gifts! For a complete and up-to-date selection of recommended releases, be sure and check out the Louise Brooks Society GIFT SHOP. 

There, you'll find a curated selection of Louise Brooks related merchandise, items which most every fan will want to own for themselves. Displayed on the page is an assortment of movies and books recommended by LBS director Thomas Gladysz. This selection fulfills through Amazon.com (unless otherwise noted) and includes both new and used items, as well as a few rare, out-of-print, and hard-to-find collectibles. Your purchase through this page benefits the Louise Brooks Society. As an Amazon Associate, the LBS earns a very small amount from qualifying purchases. 

Here are a couple of items to temp you.

Lulu in Hollywood (expanded ed.) - the 2025 re-release
by Louise Brooks
purchase via amazon

 Pandora’s Box (Criterion Collection) - the 2K restoration
by G.W. Pabst
purchase via amazon

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original content copyright © 2025. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.    

Peter Cowie's new memoir Flashbacks: A Passion for Film features Louise Brooks

Every Louise Brooks fan should know the name of Peter Cowie. He is a highly regarded film critic, film historian, publisher, and biographer, a longtime friend of Louise Brooks, and, he is the author of the gorgeous 2006 pictorial, Louise Brooks: Lulu Forever. It is a book that belongs on the shelf of every Brooks' fan. Find out more about Cowie's new book HERE.

Cowie has just published a memoir which I am excited to get my hands on. It is titled, Flashbacks: A Passion for Film, and it has just been released. (I just ordered a copy, as September 1st is its publication date.)

The publisher description reads, "In Flashbacks, Peter Cowie tells his story with the same clarity, curiosity and quiet authority that have made him one of cinema's most respected chroniclers. From his postwar childhood in the English countryside to decades spent in screening rooms, studios and film festivals around the world, Cowie reflects on a life shaped by cinema, and a career that has shaped how cinema is remembered, written about and understood. Along the way, he draws vivid portraits of the filmmakers and actors who left their mark on his life and work, including Ingmar Bergman, Alain Resnais, Orson Welles, Francis Ford Coppola, Louise Brooks, and a host of others. Flashbacks doubles as cultural history and personal meditation, on how a passion became a vocation - Sight and Sound declared that Cowie's Tantivy Press, which he acquired from his parents in 1963, "put film publishing on the map" - and fueled a lifelong conversation with the moving image. From the moment Bergman's The Seventh Seal first seized his imagination as a teenager, in 1959, Peter Cowie has been a significant force behind the way we watch and think about film."

And here is something about the author: "Peter Cowie lives in Switzerland. He is the author of more than 30 books on film, including Ingmar Bergman: A Critical Biography (1982), Coppola (1989); The Godfather Book (1997), Revolution! The Explosion of World Cinema in the Sixties (2004), Louise Brooks - Lulu Forever (2006) and God and The Devil: The Life and Work of Ingmar Bergman (2023). At the Tantivy Press from 1963 to 1981 he commissioned and published more than 70 books on film and film-making. From 1993 to 2000, he was International Publishing Director for Variety. For the Criterion Collection, he has contributed audio commentaries and essays for more than 40 releases. He has been a consultant to Dolby Laboratories and on the Main Competition jury at the Berlin Festival, the Caméra d'Or jury at the Cannes Festival, and the Opera Prima jury at the Venice Festival."

Peter Cowie's Flashbacks: A Passion for Film is 332 pages and is published by Sticking Place Books. More info HERE.

I hope to blog more about this book in the coming months. Stay tuned.

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original content copyright © 2025. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  

My copy of the new Japanese version of Lulu in Hollywood just arrived!

Just before the tariffs were set to go into effect, I ordered a copy of the newest version of Louise Brooks' Lulu in Hollywood, which was published in Japan in 2023. I don't read Japanese, but as a completest, I had to have a copy! Despite the fact that shipping to the United States was as much as the cost of the book (which was ¥3,520), I am glad I ordered a copy, as being able to flip through the book was an informative pleasure. For those of you who may be curious, I purchased the book through Amazon Japan. See the link HERE.

On the left is the book itself, while the image to the right
is the book with its wrap around paper band.

This newest edition of Lulu in Hollywood was published by Kokusho Kankokai on April 10, 2023. It is a handsomely designed 340 page hardback book. Here is the publisher's description: 

完全なる幻影、夢の女……ハリウッドの反逆者……悪女の誘惑……ミューズの蠱惑……アンチスターの肖像……魔的な美、堕ちた天使……エロスの化身……

サイレント期アメリカ映画界で活躍し、グレタ・ガルボ、マレーネ・ディートリッヒと並び称され、今もハリウッド黄金時代のミューズとして多くの人々に愛されている伝説の女優、ルイズ・ブルックス（1906-1985）。〈自由な精神の権化〉たる自らの人生を軽やかに語り、40年の長きにわたって読み継がれている自伝的エッセイの傑作がついに登場（1982年刊）。
すべての男女を破滅に導く“宿命の女”ルルを演じて神話的存在となった代表作『パンドラの箱』ほか、『人生の乞食』『淪落の女の日記』などの主演映画の舞台裏、W・C・フィールズ、ハンフリー・ボガートなどのハリウッド・スターやウィリアム・ウェルマン、G・W・パプストなどの監督との交友、そして魑魅魍魎が跋扈するハリウッド・バビロンの〈天国と地獄〉を歯に衣着せぬ闊達な文章で綴る。
序文＝ウィリアム・ショーン　解説＝ロッテ・H・アイスナー、ケネス・タイナン

＊原書刊行時に寄せられた絶賛評

〈辛辣で、威勢がよく、饒舌。機知や悪口が小気味よく飛び交う。『ハリウッドのルル』でブルックスは、ともに生きた僚友たちの、彼女の鋭い目が射貫いたありのままの姿を共感こめて描いている。その前では多くの映画解説者の神秘めかした物言いはカビ臭く聞こえてしまう。ここでのルイズ・ブルックスは、香に包まれ、花の冠を戴いた清浄の女神ではなく、皮肉な警句を飛ばす生きのいい話相手であり、通俗やもったいぶった感傷癖とは正反対のところに身を置いている〉　ジェイムズ・ウォルコット「エスクワイア」

〈無駄のない奔放な文体で書かれた、時代の証言たり得るこれらのエッセイは、アメリカ映画に関する文章で私がこれまでに読んだ最高のもののひとつだ……22歳のルイズ・ブルックスは“ルル”を映画史に刻み込んだ。75歳の彼女は『ハリウッドのルル』でもうひとつの至芸を見せた〉ジョン・ラー「ニューヨーク・タイムズ・ブックレビュー」

〈深い洞察とめくるめく自在な語り口――ダイヤモンドの切れ味を持った文章は爽快で、その美しさは表現の正確さに裏打ちされている〉　「フィルム・コメント」

【目次】
序文　ウィリアム・ショーン
第１章　カンザスからニューヨークへ
第２章　『人生の乞食』のロケ撮影
第３章　マリオン・デイヴィスの姪
第４章　ハンフリーとボギー
第５章　W・C・フィールズのもうひとつの顔
第６章　リリアン・ギッシュとグレタ・ガルボ
第７章　パプストとルル
エピローグ　なぜ私は回想録を書かないか
私の見たルイズ・ブルックスーー目撃証人は語る　ロッテ・Ｈ・アイスナー
黒ヘルメットの女　ケネス・タイナン
ルイズ・ブルックス　フィルモグラフィー
訳者あとがき
索引（人名・映画題名）

The text (including captions) is entirely in Japanese except for the copyright page, which tells me this version is based on the original 1982 version published by Knopf - except that it isn't. Not quite. 

Here is what I found:

As with the original 1982 edition, the foreword is by William Shawn. The Kenneth Tynan essay, "The Girl in the Black Helmet," which served as a foreword to the expanded University of Minnesota Press edition published in the year 2000, has been moved to the back of the book alongside the Lottie Eisner piece, "A Witness Speaks," which serves as an afterword and appears in both editions. Also included in this recent Japanese edition is an eighth essay, "Why I Will Never Write My Memoirs," which had also been added to the University of Minnesota Press edition.

In effect, this Japanese edition is a sort of hybrid of the two prior American editions. Besides the addition of illustrated end papers, the selection and arrangement of images seems to be the same as the two prior American editions. The image quality is very good. The translation was done by Takaharu Miyamoto, who has translated a handful of other works of film history into Japanese including Kevin Brownlow's The Parade's Gone By.

As I don't read Japanese, I can't comment on the quality of the translation. (The book has received a rating of 4.8 out of 5, with one individual commenting, "I wonder if Louise Brooks was what they call a 'beautiful writer,' because the translation was not particularly pleasant to read. But I was very happy just to have a book with so many precious photos of Louise Brooks . As a woman myself, I almost sighed at the thought that such a beautiful person once existed.")

Nevertheless, this recent Japanese edition is a vast improvement on the prior "edition" of Lulu in Hollywood which was published in Japan by Chuokoron-Sha Inc. in 1984. It is pictured below with its wrap around paper band.

 

This earlier Japanese edition of Lulu in Hollywood is radically different in its design, its selection of text, and its selection of images. Edited by Shohei Ooka and titled Ruizu Burukkusu to “Ruru” (or Louise Brooks to “Lulu”), this edition is a 116-page, heavily illustrated, Japanese language book "about" and by the actress; it contains Brooks’ “Gish and Garbo” and “Pabst and Lulu” along with a filmography and the images contained in the original Lulu in Hollywood.

If you want to learn more about Lulu in Hollywood, be sure and check out the small grouping of pages dedicated to the book on the Louise Brooks Society website. There is a page on the book itself, an illustrated page devoted to the various international editions, and an annotated bibliography surveying the books many reviews. Each page has been updated in the last few months. Complimentary to the three LBS website pages is the books' Wikipedia page, which I authored last year following the outcry of a fan who "insisted" I create one since one did not exist. 

I wonder, how many fans would like to see an expanded edition of Lulu in Hollywood, which brings together some of Brooks' uncollected writings? Or how about an annotated edition?  Or how about an edition that does both?

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2025. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.   

New Book - Louise Brooks: A Life in Pictures

Just out is Louise Brooks: A Life in Pictures, by Bill LeFurgy. This new book was published by ‎ High Kicker Books on November 17th of this year -- just one month ago. More information can be found on amazon HERE.

About the book: the publisher text on amazon.com reads... "Louise Brooks: A Bold and Defiant Icon of the Jazz Age

A silent film actress known for her bold bob haircut, captivating beauty, and magnetic presence, Louise Brooks continues to enchant audiences nearly a century later.

Arriving in New York City from Kansas at fifteen, she became a Broadway showgirl with the Ziegfeld Follies. Signed to a movie contract at nineteen, she starred in over a dozen films during the height of the Jazz Age. Her unforgettable role as Lulu in Pandora’s Box redefined acting, blending innocence, sophistication, and hedonism with remarkable naturalism.

As the author of the acclaimed memoir Lulu in Hollywood, Brooks offered rare insights into Hollywood love, career struggles, and the life of a career woman during Hollywood’s golden age.

This book showcases a stunning collection of photographs capturing Brooks’ timeless beauty and natural elegance. It is perfect for fans of classic cinema, books about old Hollywood stars, or anyone intrigued by the lives of rebellious, 'difficult' women in Hollywood.

Beyond her dazzling looks, Brooks’ life story reveals a fascinating blend of intelligence, wit, and resilience. Her journey through Hollywood was marked by triumphs and challenges, including relationship struggles that deeply shaped her personal and professional life. Rediscovered by cinephiles in the 1950s after decades of obscurity, she remains a symbol of grace and uncompromising individuality."

Front and back of Louise Brooks: A Life in Pictures

About the author: "Bill LeFurgy is a professional historian and archivist who has studied the gilded glamor and seamy underbelly of urban life. He has put his years of research experience into writing gritty historical fiction about Baltimore, where he lived for over a decade. It remains his favorite city.

While working at the Library of Congress, Bill headed a national program to preserve digital cultural heritage materials. In addition, he toured the world to speak to hundreds of libraries, archives, and museums about digital cultural heritage.

Before the Library, Bill served as Manager of the Modern Records Program at the National Archives and Records Administration and as Baltimore City Archivist. He also worked as Manuscript Archivist at the Maryland Historical Society.

Bill has a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University and graduate degrees from the University of Maryland. In addition to his Sarah Kennecott and Jack Harden Historical Mysteries Series, he has published many nonfiction books and articles about Baltimore history and other topics."

A short write-up: This 8.5" x 11" book is a 119 page pictorial, with many, but not all, of its more than 100 black and white and color / tinted images reproduced as full page or near full page illustrations. (Notably, the color images are authentic - as none seem to have been colorized.) Each photo is captioned; there is a three page introduction, a list of Brooks' films, and suggestions for further reading. Otherwise, there is little here that any devoted Louise Brooks fan will not have already seen. According to the introduction, most all of the images included in this indie press book were sourced from Wikipedia Commons, an open access digital media repository.  

There is a sentence in the introduction which stands out, and left me thinking: "While Brooks was undeniably beautiful, there is something else at play in her photographs (as well as in her best films)." I couldn't agree more.... Louise Brooks: A Life in Pictures should serve as a pictorial introduction to any film buff unfamiliar with the actress.

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2024. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Books about Louise Brooks from the Louise Brooks Society

Want to learn more about Louise Brooks and her life and films? Looking for something interesting to read, or the perfect holiday gift? To date, the Louise Brooks Society has published five books. Each is the product of considerable research, and each features dozens of images. The books shown below may be purchased online (via amazon.com, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, etc…). More about these and other publications of the Louise Brooks Society may be found on the acclaimed LBS website.

Additionally, autographed copies of each of these titles may be ordered directly from author Thomas Gladysz, the Director of the Louise Brooks Society. To place an order for a signed book, please send an email to louisebrookssociety AT gmailDOTcom  Thank you for your interest. Your purchase helps support the Louise Brooks Society™. 

The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond
by Thomas Gladysz
(softcover) published in 2023

— The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond is a deep dive into the history of a single film – its literary source, its making, its exhibition history, critical reception, and, most surprising of all, its little known legacy. This 380 page book tells the story of the Louise Brooks’ first film in rich, historical detail. As it also shows, this forgotten gem is exemplary of film making & film culture in the mid-1920s. Along with vintage clippings and unusual images – including rare production stills and location shots, this book features all manner of historical documents including the short story on which the film was based, the scenario, a rare French fictionalization, newspaper advertisements, lobby cards, posters, and more.

 

This film, considered a provocative stab at realism, was described as “strange” and “startling” at the time of its release. The Street of Forgotten Men was directed by Herbert Brenon, who is best known for Peter Pan, The Great Gatsby, Beau Geste and other early classics. The film was shot by Harold Rosson, one of the great cinematographers whose credits include Gone with the Wind and Singin’ in the Rain. And, it features a stellar cast (Percy Marmont, Mary Brian, Neil Hamilton) which includes a future screen legend at the very beginning of her career (Louise Brooks). The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond includes dozens of illustrations and images and features two forewords; one is by noted film preservationist Robert Byrne, whose restoration of The Street of Forgotten Men saved it from undeserving obscurity. The other, by acclaimed film historian and Academy Award honoree Kevin Brownlow, is an appreciation of director Herbert Brenon which reveals little known details about the movie drawn, in part, from his correspondence with Louise Brooks.

 

Buy The Street of Forgotten Men: From Story to Screen and Beyond online from Amazon (USA, UK, and around the world) | Bookshop.org |  Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

 

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Louise Brooks, the Persistent Star
by Thomas Gladysz
(softcover) published in 2019

— This 296 page book brings together 15 years work by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society. Gathered here are a selection of articles, essays, and blogs about the silent film star. The actress’ best known films — Beggars of Life, Pandora’s Box, and Diary of a Lost Girl — are discussed, as are many other little known aspects of Brooks’ legendary career. These pieces range from the local (“Louise Brooks, at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and 16th Street”) to the worldly (“Making Personas: Transnational Film Stardom in Modern Japan”), from the provocative (“A Girl in Every Port: The Birth of Lulu?”) to the poignant (“Homage to George W. Lighton of Kentucky, idealistic silent film buff who perished in the Spanish Civil War”), from the quirky (“Louise Brooks’ First Television Broadcast”) to the surprising (“A Lost Girl, a Fake Diary, and a Forgotten Author”). Also included are related interviews with actor Paul McGann, singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, and novelist Laura Moriarty, author of The Chaperone…. with dozens of illustrations.

“Historian Thomas Gladysz has put together a number of his articles and essays from the past 15 years for the book Louise Brooks: The Persistent Star. Gladysz is the director of the Louise Brooks Society, and his detailed essays will be fascinating reading for any fan of the iconic actress.” — Lea Stans, Silentology

“… this (fully illustrated) book proves that ‘the persistent star’ is a perfect accolade.” — Tara Hanks, author of The Mmm Girl and Wicked Baby

Buy Louise Brooks, the Persistent Star online from Amazon (USA, UK, and around the world) | Bookshop.org | Powells | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million
 

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Beggars of Life: A Companion to the 1928 Film
by Thomas Gladysz
(softcover) published in 2017

— This first ever study of Beggars of Life looks at the film Oscar-winning director William Wellman thought his finest silent movie. Based on Jim Tully’s bestselling book of hobo life — and filmed by Wellman the year after he made Wings (the first film to win the Best Picture Oscar), Beggars of Life is a riveting drama about an orphan girl (screen legend Louise Brooks) who kills her abusive stepfather and flees the law dressed as a boy. She meets another tramp (leading man Richard Arlen), and together they ride the rails through a dangerous hobo underground ruled over by Oklahoma Red (future Oscar winner Wallace Beery). Beggars of Life showcases Brooks in her best American silent — a film the Cleveland Plain Dealer once described as “a raw, sometimes bleeding slice of life.” With more than 50 little seen images, and a foreword by William Wellman, Jr. A must read for every fan, and the perfect companion to the KINO DVD

“I can say (with head bowed modestly) that I know more about the career of director William A. Wellman than pretty much anybody … but there are things in Thomas Gladysz’s new book on Wellman’s Beggars of Life that I didn’t know. More important, the writing is so good and the research so deep that even when I was reading about facts that were familiar to me, I was enjoying myself hugely.” — Frank Thompson, author of Nothing Sacred: The Cinema of William Wellman

“This highly readable book will deepen your enjoyment and understanding of a silent Hollywood classic.” — Pamela Hutchinson, author of Pandora’s Box (BFI Film Classics)

Buy Beggars of Life: A Companion to the 1928 Film online from Amazon (USA, UK, and around the world) | Bookshop.org | Powells | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

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Now We’re in the Air: A Companion to the Once Lost Film
by Thomas Gladysz
(softcover) published in 2017

— I helped with the preservation of this once-lost Louise Brooks film, and wrote this book afterwords. This companion to the once “lost” 1927 film tells the story of the film’s making, its reception, and its discovery in Prague by film preservationist Robert Byrne. This 130 page book includes two rare fictionalizations of the movie story, more than 75 little seen images, detailed credits, trivia, and a foreword by Byrne. Also considered is the surprising impact this otherwise little known movie has had on Brooks’ life and career. (Did you know that a promotion picture from Now We’re in the Air is shown in Pandora’s Box?) A must read for the discriminating fan. [This WorldCat page shows libraries that carry this title.]

 

“The absolute final word on the film from the world’s foremost expert on Louise Brooks. Thoroughly researched and expertly written, oh, and did I mention lavishly illustrated? If you love silent film and if you love Louise Brooks (and who doesn’t) you really should pick up a copy for your library.” — amazon.com review

 

Buy Now We’re in the Air: A Companion to the Once Lost Film online from Amazon (USA, UK, and around the world) | Bookshop.org | Powells | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

 

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The Diary of a Lost Girl “Louise Brooks edition”
by Margarete Bohme (author) and Thomas Gladysz (editor, introduction)
(softcover) published in 2010

— The 1929 film, Diary of a Lost Girl, is based on a controversial and bestselling book first published in Germany in 1905. Though little known today, it was a literary sensation at the beginning of the 20th century. By the end of the 1920s, it had been translated into 14 languages and sold more than 1,200,000 copies – ranking it among the bestselling books of its time. Was it – as many believed – the real-life diary of a young woman forced by circumstance into a life of prostitution? Or a sensational and clever fake, one of the first novels of its kind? This contested work – a work of unusual historical significance as well as literary sophistication – inspired a sequel, a play, a parody, a score of imitators, and two silent films. The best remembered of these is the oft revived G.W. Pabst film starring Louise Brooks.

This corrected and annotated edition of the original English language translation brings this important book back into print after more than 100 years. It includes a long introduction by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society, detailing the book’s remarkable history and relationship to the 1929 silent film. This special “Louise Brooks Edition” also includes more than three dozen vintage rare illustrations. [This WorldCat page shows libraries that carry this title.]

“In today’s parlance this would be called a movie tie-in edition, but that seems a rather glib way to describe yet another privately published work that reveals an enormous amount of research and passion.” — Leonard Maltin

“Gladysz makes an important contribution to film history, literature, and, in as much as Böhme told her tale with much detail and background contemporary to the day, sociology and history. This reissue is long overdue, and a volume of uncommon merit.” — Richard Buller, author of A Beautiful Fairy Tale: The Life of Actress Lois Moran

Buy The Diary of a Lost Girl online from Amazon (USA, UK, and around the world) | Bookshop.org | Powells | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2024. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A new book and a new Louise Brooks cover

A new book featuring Louise Brooks on the cover has just recently been published in The Netherlands. This 2024 book by Dorian D'Oliveira is titled In de schaduwen van de toekomst, or In the Shadows of the Future. The book is published by Uitgeverij Aspekt Aspek, and is available on amazon around the world, including amazon.com in the United States.

In translation, the Dutch description reads: "This collection of essays discusses various expressionist films. The visually enchanting Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari is used as a starting point. The dark M by Fritz Lang serves as the conclusion of In the Shadows of the Future.  

Between the lines, the reader sees Louise Brooks dancing seductively. The Polish actress Pola Negri suddenly appears as a ferocious mountain cat. Moreover, Hertha Thiele's tears keep streaming down the words as soon as Mädchen in Uniform is mentioned.  

The battle between Berlin and Hollywood was settled in the 1920s in favor of the latter dream factory. Directors such as Ernst Lubitsch, Paul Leni and Friedrich Murnau were bought away. European actresses such as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich only became stars in the United States. As true goddesses from Hollywood, they then made cash registers ring worldwide.  

For a long time, expressionist films were mainly understood in relation to the two great wars that ravaged the European continent. In the new millennium, these films form the backdrop to a frenzied culture war. Woke scholars resolutely criticize Western civilization in their film interpretations. In a sense, these princely paid academics are at the front every day. All of this is described in detail in this paperback."

Dorian d'Oliveira is a cultural philosopher. In 2018, he published his first film essay in the magazine Bühne. He made his literary debut with Nachtengeltjes en driedriekjes (Aspekt 2018). After that, it was time for Lulu in Leiden: A women's history (Aspekt 2020). Films play a major role in both novellas. His essay on the American actress Barbara Stanwyck was included in the collection Markante vrouwen (Aspekt 2023).

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And here is the book's description in its original Dutch: "In deze bundeling essays worden verschillende expressionistische films besproken. Het visueel betoverende Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari wordt benut als beginpunt. Het duistere M van Fritz Lang dient als sluitstuk van In de schaduwen van de toekomst.

Tussen de regels door ziet de lezer Louise Brooks verleidelijk dansen. De Poolse actrice Pola Negri verschijnt plots als woeste bergkat. Bovendien biggelen de tranen van Hertha Thiele langs de woorden aldoor naar beneden zodra Mädchen in Uniform ter sprake komt.

De strijd tussen Berlijn en Hollywood werd in de jaren twintig van de vorige eeuw beslecht in het voordeel van laatstgenoemde droomfabriek. Regisseurs als Ernst Lubitsch, Paul Leni en Friedrich Murnau werden weggekocht. Europese actrices zoals Greta Garbo en Marlene Dietrich groeiden in de Verenigde Staten pas uit tot sterren. Als echte godinnen uit Hollywood lieten ze vervolgens wereldwijd de kassa's rinkelen.

Geruime tijd werden expressionistische films vooral begrepen in relatie tot de twee grote oorlogen die het Europese continent teisterden. In het nieuwe millennium vormen deze rolprenten het decor van een bezeten cultuurstrijd. Woke geleerden hekelen in hun filmduidingen gedecideerd de westerse beschaving. In zekere zin staan deze vorstelijk betaalde academici dagelijks aan het front. Dit alles wordt in deze paperback uitgebreid beschreven.

Dorian d'Oliveira is cultuurfilosoof. In 2018 publiceerde hij zijn eerste filmessay in tijdschrift Bühne. Zijn literaire debuut maakte hij met Nachtengeltjes en driehoekjes (Aspekt 2018). Daarna was het tijd voor Lulu in Leiden. Een vrouwengeschiedenis (Aspekt 2020). In beide novelles spelen films een grote rol. Zijn essay over de Amerikaanse actrice Barbara Stanwyck werd opgenomen in de bundel Markante vrouwen (Aspekt 2023).

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Very soon, I will add this title to the newly revamped Louise Brooks Society 250+ page website, in particular the page titled, "Louise Brooks - Contemporary Books Covers II (nonfiction)", a companion page to "Louise Brooks - Contemporary Books Covers I (fiction)".

THE LEGAL STUFF: The Louise Brooks Society™ blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society  (www.pandorasbox.com). Original contents copyright © 2024. Further unauthorized use prohibited. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.