DL Book Club: "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" by Lee Israel

I posted a long reply but it was rejected. I forgot that we can't use the last name of Lee I.

She wrote a profile of Elaine Stritch in the NY Times - June 23, 1968 "Stritch: She Got Raves in 'Private Lives' (And Was Out of Work a Week Later)"

Stritch calls Lee I. "one hell of a writer" and she referenced her in AT LIBERTY, her one-woman show.

r1 - I had the same problem and had to rewrite the post.

Lee WAS one hell of a writer. Given her memoir, though, I have to wonder how much of the Bankhead and Kilgallen biographies was fiction.

She supposedly hangs out at Julius in the West Village.

I used to see Lee at 4X12, now The Cubby Hole.

She's a liar, forger, and thief and seems almost proud of all that she put over on other people. By publishing this book she's being rewarded for her criminal activities.

Some of her forgeries were included in a collection of Noel Coward letters published in 2007. She's pleased with that fact. Now, people researching Noel Coward won't know that those letters aren't the thoughts and words of Coward.

It's not a surprise that Stritch would call her a hell of a writer. Half of everything Stritch claimed about her life was fiction, so Lee probably built on that fiction when she wrote about Stritch.

I read it and enjoyed it. But I do think this part of your post was hilarious:

[quote] Alcoholic, lesbian, vicious -- but not without talent and wit.

As though "lesbian" is just one more in a series of insults. And this on a "supposedly" gay board.

It seems the headlines are uncensored.

[quote]It seems the headlines are uncensored.

And it seems to be the same for author.

However, R0chelle (as in the infamous Dav!da R0chelle) doesn't work in the author box. It turns into {...}

[quote]Months later she saw his assistant in the street, leaving his apartment with a dog on a leash.

When I read that, I froze, because OP had called her a sociopath, and anticipated the end of the story would feature the corpse of the dog or something.

What she did was horrible, but not sociopathic.

Sounds like a horribly fascinating story, but I won't be contributing to her literary crimes by buying the book.

[quote]As though "lesbian" is just one more in a series of insults. And this on a "supposedly" gay board.

Sorry, r6 -- you're right. I meant "but not without talent or wit" to modify "vicious," but the way it was written it also was counterpoint to "alcoholic" and "lesbian." It was unintentional and I apologize.

"When she was in danger of being caught, she switched tactics -- she'd go to libraries and archives to "examine" rare letters, then make her own copies, come back, and switch them out for the originals, which she'd sell to antiquarians. She was finally discovered, and after a long legal process sentenced to house arrest and probation."

If you're going to take up crime, take up white-collar crime, because it's practically legal!

If I start forging meso-American artifacts and sell them to wealthy collectors, will a judge give a shit?

So why give her any publicity at all? Are you shilling her book? She clearly doesn't deserve to be financially rewarded. Ignore.

The book came out more than 6 years ago. It's a good, fast, entertaining read. I took it out from the library and read it when it was first published.

It's not even in print any longer in print form. It's worth reading and it's in most public libraries.

Trailer for Melissa McCarthy's movie adaptation.

I knew her. She was sneaky, couldn't look me in the eye. SHe would complain about the Kilgallen book, she thought it would set her up for life- what with a movie, reprinting, etc etc. Didn't happen, she spent money she didn't have.

In her own one woman show, Elaine Stritch said Lee Israel was “a well regarded writer.” I never had the impression that Elaine Stritch was a liar. She seemed very honest about her life, her mistakes and her regrets. She was open about her alcoholism, her fears and vulnerabilities. R5, do you have proof that Elaine Stritch was a liar?

Aside from this, Lee Israel was a brilliant writer. Her biography of Tallulah Bankhead was one of the finest ever written.

Interesting little story.

I love the idea that Stritch's opinion of a writer's reputation has to be correct, because someone who never knew Stritch had the impression that she was not a liar.

And even if she was right about the regard Israel was held in, that would somehow mean she was a good, accurate biographer who operated with a level of integrity.

I have to admit, I also wondered about the veracity of Israel's biographies after reading her memoir.

By the way, I knew Strictch and she was a liar about big things and small ones.

israel

Lee Israel

I have a signed copy of CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME. Wonder if it's a forgery!

Lee Israel was everything you've said, but she was a fascinating New York character - I would have loved to have known her. Not been a close friend, just a dinner companion now and then.

I'd say even the Kilgallen bio was disappointing as Lee couldn't get Dorothy's familly, friends and former WML colleagues to cooperate and sit down for interviews.

I would have LOVED to hear what Arlene had to say.

I used to see her at Julius. So weird they made a movie about her. Nasty old unhappy woman - but a classic old Village character. Didn’t know who she was but as one of the few women regulars, very memorable. It’s why I love Julius. One of the few remnants of old school Village. But also a reminder of how alcoholism can make for an unhappy life.

I liked the movie and Lee's character (and her, of course). Something of a genuine person. I thought Melissa's portrayal was mesmerizing.

Is Melissa convincing as Jewish? I can't see that.