The Letters of Noel Coward by Noel Coward
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Book Reviews of The Letters of Noel Coward
Book Review: Jolly Good History of An Exciting Life in Theater
Summary: 4 Stars
Enthralling bio of one of the English speaking theater's most interesting and influential characters. Wonderful assemblage of letters to and from Coward.Great photos enhance nearly every page.Book Review: The Master comes alive
Summary: 4 Stars
The letters are brittle, brilliant, pure Noel Coward. Having them put into historical context is fascinating.Book Review: Full points for Noel, null points for Barry
Summary: 3 Stars
Coward is a wit, a genius, a joy, a delight to read... Which makes it all the more annoying -- and inexplicable -- to come across the editor's sneering attitude to homosexuallity.
In his introduction he says that Coward believed love was important, but not, "not the homosexual definition of love that can now not only speak but positively shout its name" -- (why, I wonder, the addition of those two words "definition of"?)
Even more obnoxious is the editor's remark towards the end of the book, when he writes how Coward "remained firmly private in his private life, a decision that one wishes today's gay community would honor."
It's true that, like many stars of the day, Coward kept his private life out of the press. But bear in mind that for much of his life homosexuality was actually illegal, at least in the UK.
Considering the content of his plays -- and his letters -- I think it's fair to say he was, in fact, far from private. He was extremely public, but he used code. And it is impossible for the disapproving Mr. Day to say how Coward would or would not have behaved had he lived in more enlightened time. The editor's sour note seems at odds with the gay -- in all senses of the word -- sensibility of Coward's words and life.
Book Review: BUT NOT FOR ME!
Summary: 3 Stars
I loved the idea of visiting the sparkling and witty Noel Coward through his correspondence. However, I was not prepared to peruse every single scrap of paper that ever passed through the man's hands. I cannot really write a review as I was unable to finish the 700 plus pages. The whole thing began to feel like a forced march. From early on (dear Darling old Mummy-snooks) until I gave up somewhere around page 200 (Dear, dear, Noley) the pressure of all of these darlings and dearests weighted heavy. I wish the editor, Barry Day, had taken his task a bit more seriously and cut to the chase. Even the luminaries in Noel Coward's life sometimes wrote less than delicious notes to each other. But, to each his own.
Sign me Dearest old Dearest.
Book Review: Knowing Too Much About Noel
Summary: 3 Stars
This mammoth book of the correspondence of Noel Coward is interesting, but I think the author should have been more selective. It includes many letters that shed little light on Noel's life and little on that of his friends. On the other hand, much of the correslpondence is fascinating. All in all, I think I know more about Noel Coward than I wanted to know.