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Literature & Fiction |
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The Groucho Letters: Letters from and to Groucho Marx
written by Groucho Marx
Studio : Simon & Schuster
by Simon & Schuster
Publisher : Simon & Schuster
Released : 2007-08-14
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9781416536031
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 15 reviews)
List Price : $16.00
Our Price : $9.13
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Product Description |
Donated to the Library of Congress in the mid-1960s, Groucho Marx's correspondence was first crafted into this celebration of wit and wisdom in 1967. Reissued today with his original letters and humor intact, The Groucho Letters exposes one of the twentieth century's most beloved comedian's private insights into show biz, politics, business, and, of course, his illustrious personal life. Included are Marx's conversations with such noted personalities as E. B. White, Fred Allen, Goodman Ace, Nunnally Johnson, James Thurber, Booth Tarkington, Alistair Cooke, Harry Truman, Irving Berlin, and S. J. Perelman.To Confidential Magazine Gentlemen: If you continue to publish slanderous pieces about me, I shall feel compelled to cancel my subscription. Sincerely, Groucho Marx |
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Groucho Marks Letterw |
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It was not a favorite. I've Woody Allen stuff and the GL's may be great for a museum but does not create the "meat in comedy" I was looking for. |
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Superior Service |
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This was my first "Jas-store Experience". Like most potential Jas-store users, I was a "nervous Nellie", however, I was pleasantly surprised by the efficient service and the quality of the goods I received. I feel confident to continue using Jas-store, whenever the need arises. |
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Not The Screwtape Letters |
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The biggest compliment I can give this collection is that reading it made me wish I wrote more letters and had more celebrities among my circle of potential letter-receivers. Of course, inherent laziness being what it is (and the fact that I have so far been frustrated in all such attempts to gain the favor of our nation's collection of celebrities), I'll have to be content reading Groucho's correspondence. And, as alternatives go, it's not bad at all. The book is divided into ten sections: "Movie Business", "Private Life", "Touching On Television", "Groucho and Other Men of Letters", "Grouchy", "Broadway and Hollywood", "For Publication", "Friends Abroad", "The Faintly Political Scene", and "Short Shrift". Of course, there's quite a lot of overlap involved; Groucho had a tendency to ramble, so there isn't a simple way to categorize each individual letter. There are many highlights and surprises. Groucho's communications with the Warner Brother's legal division over the title "A Night In Casablanca" is probably one of the better known exchanges in Hollywood, and deservedly so as it's utterly hilarious. (In short, Warner Brothers claimed that the title violated their copyrights; Marx replies with typical nonsense and wit, claiming, among other things, to have a prior claim on the word "Brothers".) In a letter that I found surprising, Groucho chides the President of the Chrysler Corporation, suggesting that the car company paying more attention to safety concerns would be in everyone's interests as well as saving thousands of lives a year. Groucho Marx as a precursor to Ralph Nader? Who would have guessed it? Groucho's public persona was that of a sarcastic and wisecracking character. Naturally, that personality comes through in his letters. A few passages do put some balance on that. While about 90% of the mentions of his daughter are jokes about her annoying him and absorbing his money in vast quantities, there remains a slight 10% where an almost sweet nature comes through. In a similar vein, he writes a heartfelt letter to Jerry Lewis (of all people), imploring him to take a good hard look at whether he really wants to split with his comedy partner, Dean Martin. To Groucho's credit, he writes a follow-up letter a few years later apologizing for his earlier advice. It's hard to describe the bulk of these letters without simply summarizing them, so I will stop doing so, and will confine myself to simply recommending the book. Groucho corresponded with a wild variety of people in his day, and some of the biggest laughs come for people you wouldn't expect to be quite so witty. |
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A must-have for Groucho fans! |
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Groucho's letters (to him and from him) are many in number, and the correspondents he had...wow! Famous authors, politicians, his family, and his numerous friends...it's a huge list, believe me, and the result is a book full of the many moods of Groucho Marx, and his correspondence with some of the most famous people in the world. Don't miss it! |
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This book will cure what ails you! |
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I received this book after major surgery some years back and Groucho's wit really helped pick up my spirits and take my mind off of my body. This was one of the best gifts that I've ever received and I'm pleased to see that it's back in print. If you could have a dinner party and invite any historical figures that you wanted, wouldn't Groucho be on the list? This collection of his intimate correspondence is the next best thing. |
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