about ‘queenie’
Maybe this is not a book that inspired me to travel, but it is definitely a book that inspired me to read in English! I am a native German speaker (Swiss) and was on my first long (3 months) trip to Australia. I did bring some German books to read, but they did not last long.
As it is (or was then in 1990) nearly impossible to find German books in Australia, I had to start reading English. The first book I graped in a backpackers was called Queenie by Michael Korda and it was BIG – 650 pages! I had no idea what it was about, but I was in desperate need of reading, so I started it. The book was so exciting, I didn’t want to stop reading, I nearly stopped travelling to finish the book!
Here is a short review I found in amazon.com – they could be my words (but they are Martin Boucher’s words!):
“Michael Korda’s fictionalized account of Anglo-Indian actress Merle Oberon’s claim to fame in Hollywood’s golden era is a delight from start to finish. Naming her Dawn Avalon and putting her at risk when she is wrongfully accused of murder, Dawn flees India to London where, as Queenie Kelley, she becomes a superstar of the stage and screen, while trying her best to stay incognito. Effectively narrated, Korda’s story takes you back to a time when studio kings were enthralled by their star pets, as Queenie Kelly was by many, but especially by writer/director David Konig. Their union during the making of his movie is as enchanting and as riveting as the entire novel itself. Glamorous to the core, with colorful characters and edge-of-your-seat intrigue, Queenie is a perfect example of great escapist fiction.”
Happy reading!
Iris Fischer
Books for the backpack:
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