RaveLos Angeles Review of BooksA well-researched work that goes beyond the great Buster Keaton to investigate the cultural milieu that Keaton was part of and helped to create. Stevens has respect for her subject, but it is not a blind love that drives her work. Rather, it is the elusive personality of Buster Keaton that led Stevens into familiar and unfamiliar territories. She plunges into the depths of not only the character of Keaton but also the character of America ... It is impossible for any biographer to present an entire and true picture of the subject, as much as it is to know any person completely. But even Keaton’s stone face, which shows seemingly nothing, becomes more legible as Stevens teases out the interior life of this man.
Robert Gottlieb
RaveLos Angeles Review of BooksSuperb ... A journey into the soul of this mysterious woman. Gottlieb’s writing style is flawless and entertaining, yet he takes his subject very seriously. He maintains a proper distance from Garbo, treating her with care and respect, avoiding any tabloid-like digressions. And there is a great sense of humor in his tone, much like we unexpectedly find in Garbo herself ... It is impossible to know what went on in Garbo’s mind, and how much of herself she was hiding from the view. Actors have reasons unknown sometimes even to them why they wish to be alone. Yet, there are hints that allow us to peer into Garbo’s soul.
