Thursday, November 11, 2010

Louise Brooks event: Diary of a Lost Girl

I've finished my power point presentation for Sunday's event, "The Diary of a Lost Girl: From book to film," at the San Francisco Public Library. The SFPL page for the event can be found at http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1002352301 The event is set to start at 1 pm, and will be held in the Koret Auditorium (seats about 250).

I plan on giving a 15 minute talk (with a slide show featuring a handful of rare images),  followed by a screening of the 1929 G.W. Pabst film, The Diary of a Lost Girl. Copies of my new "Louise Brooks edition" of The Diary of a Lost Girl will be for sale, and I will sign copies for those interested. This event is free and open to the public.

Today, I received a really nice email from Louise Brooks biographer Barry Paris complimenting me on the book and saying how much he wishes he could be at this special event - which takes place on what would have been Louise Brooks' 104th birthday. (Barry lives on the other side of the country.) I had also hoped that major LB fan Rufus Wainwright would make it. The celebrated singer songwriter is in town for a series of performances with the San Francisco Symphony. However, Wainwright has a flight the afternoon of the event and couldn't make it.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to Sunday. The event got a nice write up in the San Francisco Chronicle, and that piece in turn got picked up by a news site in Flagstaff, Arizona. If anyone makes it from Flagstaff, I will give em a free book! I am also pleased that the Academy of Art University blog featured the event.

Louise Brooks postcard

This vintage postcard of Louise Brooks, issued in England in the late 1920s, is for sale on eBay.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Margaret Livingston

Margaret Livingston, one of the stars of Sunrise, as photographed by Melbourne Spurr. 


Livingston bore a slight resemblance to Louise Brooks, and dubbed the voice of Brooks in The Canary Murder Case (1929). In 1931, she married the band leader Paul Whiteman, and retired from film acting in 1934. This image is for sale on eBay.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Silent pictures

From 2008 - 2010, members of San Francisco bands Mellow Drunk, Dora Flood and Boyskout as well as Los Angeles bands Sky Parade and Gene Loves Jezebel began recording music under the name Silent Pictures.


The band is composed of Alexander Mann (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys, Drums), David Alexander (Drums, Bass, Guitar), Leigh Gregory (lead guitars), Steven Dietrick (drums), Joel Patterson (drums), Rene Perez (backing vocals, electone), andTommy Dietrick (Bass). I have been aware of them for some time - and they obviously have an affection for Louise Brooks, Clara Bow and silent film. 

If you are into Joy Division, Pale Saints, The Magnetic Fields, Wire, Television, Roxy Music, The Church, New Order, Air, Love and Rockets, Bryan Ferry, The Go-Betweens, Cocteau Twins, Brian Eno, Galaxie 500, Luna, Supergrass, Trashcan Sinatras, Tom Verlaine, Japan, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Kinks, Kraftwerk, XTC, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, The Stooges, The Smiths, Pavement, Pixies, Syd Barret of Clan of Xymox (another band with a love of Lulu), then you are sure to appreciate Silent Pictures. More about them at http://www.myspace.com/silentpictures

Saturday, November 6, 2010

More libraries carry Diary of a Lost Girl

A few more libraries have added The Diary of a Lost Girl (Louise Brooks edition) to their collections - including the Margaret Herrick Library (Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences), as well as the Rochester (NY) Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library, Wellesley College (Massachusetts) library, and the University of Arizona Library. 

I am especially pleased that the Rochester Public Library carries the book, as that was the library that Louise Brooks used when she lived in Rochester during the last few decades of her life.

The book is also available at through the University of Nebraska, the Hennepin County Library (Minnesota), the George Eastman House (Rochester, NY) and elsewhere.

Thank you to Gretchen, Julie, Amanda, and Mary for helping this book makes its way out into the world. Don't forget to suggest your local library carry a copy. (Many city and university libraries have a "suggest a purchase" form on their websites.)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Love Em and Leave Em to screen in Rochester, NY

Love Em and Leave Em, the fast-paced 1926 romantic comedy featuring Louise Brooks, will be shown in the Dryden Theater at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York on Tuesday, November 16th at 8:00 pm. 

The GEH announcement states, "This early comedy features Louise Brooks and Evelyn Brent as the dueling Walsh sisters: Brent’s Mame is bookish and considerate, while Brooks’s Janie is a heartbreaking flapper whose morals extend so low as to snag her sister’s betrothed. Their relationship comes under even further trial as Janie finds herself in a financial hole from which only Mame’s sibling devotion can rescue her. Far ahead of its time in sexual politics, Love ’Em and Leave ’Em also exhibits one of Brooks’ rare onscreen dance routines. Live piano by Philip C. Carli."


The Dryden Theatre (where once Brooks herself used to watch films) is located at George Eastman House (900 East Avenue) in Rochester, New York. For further information, call 585.271.4090. A little more on this special event can be found at examiner.com

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Deutsche Welle on The Diary of a Lost Girl

Deutsche Welle, a leading English-language German news site (and television & radio network based in Europe) carried a big article today on the new Louise Brooks edition of The Diary of a Lost Girl.

The Neale Lytollis-penned article, "Forgotten book by Margarete Boehme to be revived in US," can be found at http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6171021,00.html 

The article begins, "Germany has a long literary tradition but names like Goethe and Schiller are likely to spring to mind before Margarete Boehme's. However, her profile is on the rise as one of her most famous works is re-published."

The Diary of a Lost Girl is available for purchase. More information at http://www.pandorasbox.com/diary.html and on the new Facebook page devoted to the book. Please check it out!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

New Facebook page for The Diary of a Lost Girl (Louise Brooks edition)

I have set up a new Facebook page for The Diary of a Lost Girl (Louise Brooks edition). And so far, I have added a bunch of images, with more coming! I also plan on adding background info, announcements, reviews, notice of events, links and more. Also, check out the SHOP NOW tab near the top of the the page. Those who "like" the page receive a 10% discount and free shipping on copies of The Diary of a Lost Girl purchased through Facebook. Check it out!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Louise Brooks makes a brief appearance

Louise Brooks makes a brief appearance in this brand new and rather swell promotional film for the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum.


Along with Bronco Billy, Charlie Chaplin, and early film, the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum also love Louise Brooks! 

This is the same silent film museum where I recently introduced the rarely screened 1926 Brooks' film, Love Em and Leave Em. More than 100 people showed up. The good folk at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum gift shop also stock the recently published Louise Brooks edition of The Diary of a Lost Girl (PandorasBox Press), as well as a bunch of other nifty Brooks related stuff including posters and postcards. If you are anywhere near Fremont, California be sure and check em out.
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