Galley Talk

Thomas Gladysz, The Booksmith, San Francisco, Calif.

by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 7/31/2006

Louise Brooks (1906–1985) is best known for playing Lulu in the silent 1929 German film Pandora's Box. Critics called her "an astonishing actress endowed with an intelligence beyond compare" and "the most seductive, sexual image of woman ever committed to celluloid." Peter Cowie's new book, Louise Brooks: Lulu Forever (Rizzoli, Oct. 31), emphasizes the dual nature of the actress's brains and beauty appeal. In telling the story of her rise, fall and eventual rediscovery, Cowie quotes from the witty and often frank letters he received from the actress and writer. Equally alluring are the dozens of beautifully printed portraits and film stills that fill the book. To mark Brooks's centenary, there are new DVDs, museum exhibits, a silent stage play and screenings taking place. Cowie's new book is a fitting, even fascinating literary tribute to an actress whose popularity today rivals that of her more celebrated contemporaries. It is a valuable addition to film history. It is also what the actress's many fans have long waited for.