Judy Garland - by Scott Schechter (Paperback)

About the Book

Judy Garland, written by the world's premier Garland authority, is based on decades of unprecedented research; on hundreds of interviews with family, friends, show-biz colleagues, and other insiders; and on Judy's own thoughts and insights. This day-by-day account of the legen...

Book Synopsis

This day-by-day account of the legend's life-the first of its kind-succeeds in the daunting task of tracking Judy's myriad professional pursuits, the personal crises she triumphed over, and her many accomplishments.
Lavishly illustrated with eighty rare photos, this volume contains new information to enthrall even the most knowledgeable Garland fan. For those just encountering Judy, this book provides the perfect introduction, an engrossing narrative bursting with information: her performance dates, concert set lists, and recording session schedules; the evolving critical reception to her work; the many celebrities that came into contact with and adored Judy, from the Beatles to Elvis to Sinatra; her filming itineraries and guest appearances; excerpts from rare interviews and press conferences; and much more.
Here is Judy Garland as never viewed before, in a way that allows readers to see her whole life on a daily basis and come to their own conclusion about what her life was really about. They will encounter a survivor, parent, friend, and one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever known, who overcame one obstacle after another in order to devote forty-five of her forty-seven years to delighting her fans. From her debut performance as a Gumm Sister at age two to her final day, Judy Garland is the definitive chronicle of this remarkable icon.

Review Quotes

[Schechter] insinuates himself into the text only when it might be necessary to clarify a point. This book cuts to the chase-only the facts, ma'am ... Physically, this book is a delight. The photos are beautifully reproduced; the text is user friendly; the index profuse. Book lovers, Garland fans or not, will appreciate the publishing job.

An impressive mass of minutia: a paean to Garland's professionalism and talents. It is beautifully produced and sure to thrill Garland's evergreen fans.

It is sure to have enormous appeal as a reference tome and have multiple uses for trivia buffs.

It may be preaching to the choir, but it makes a joyful noise.

Rarely has a biographical text been so thoroughly and extensively researched ... A stunning literary monument. Anyone who loves Judy Garland will treasure this new classic.

Scott Schechter's book proves how hard she worked to overcome obstacles ... Exhaustively researched.

Staggeringly thorough.

The evidence of long, hard work is there, as Scott Schechter's book illustrates to a fault. (The book) represents an incredible archival work by the author, and offers a lot of fascinating nuggets along the way.

You say you want to know what Judy Garland was doing every single day of her life? This exhaustively researched (and lushly illustrated) history of the diva's life will make any reader a posthumous stalker.

Almost overwhelming in its detail, Schechter's research is as thorough as a Nobel scientist ... It's the most complete retrospective yet published on a celebrity.

About the Author

Scott Schechter is an award-winning author and producer, who has consulted on and written for a multitude of media projects on Judy and her family, including the CDs Judy at Carnegie Hall: Fortieth Anniversary Edition, Liza Minnelli: Complete Capitol Collection, the Judy box set, Judy Garland: The Capitol Years 1955-1965, Liza Minnelli: Ultimate Collection, and The Judy Garland Show: The Show That Got Away, along with DVDs of Garland's TV series. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed book on Minnelli's career, The Liza Minnelli Scrapbook.