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MEMORIES FOR THE FUTURE

Name: MEMORIES FOR THE FUTURE
Author: Thomas C. Clarie
ISBN: 978-1934582244

A HISTORY OF PALM BEACH'S ROYAL POINCIANA PLAYHOUSE

by Thomas C. Clarie ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2010

An impressive compendium that could nevertheless be formed into a more compelling story.

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As a theater for the performing arts faces destruction at the hands of a commercial developer, friends of the theater join forces to preserve it for future generations in this work of historical nonfiction.

For theater buffs and fans of Palm Beach, Fla., this book is a veritable treasure trove of information. Tracing the history of the Royal Poinciana Playhouse from the late 1800s to the present, Clarie’s research covers every detail from the original development of the land by railroad baron and famed hotelier Henry Flagler to the theater’s current state of limbo as competing forces vie for control over what is arguably the most desirable piece of land in all of Palm Beach. Some of what Clarie (A Lighthouse for Alexandria, 2009) reveals is fascinating. For history enthusiasts not familiar with Palm Beach’s rise from a tropical backwater to its present status as one of the most affluent communities in the United States, this book provides a thumbnail sketch of the men and women who turned their vision for the area into a reality. Showman and entrepreneur Frank Hale seems a character type endemic to America—a humble immigrant who parlayed a flair for song and dance into a cultural empire that catered to the rich and famous. Beautiful socialites, pampered actors, presidents and movie stars roam every page and Clarie never fails to drop a name if the opportunity presents itself. It is, after all, part of the theater’s lasting allure that luminaries from Edie Adams to James Whitmore to Christopher Plummer (who wrote the book’s preface) have graced the Poinciana’s stage. But therein also lies the downside to what could have been an entertaining frolic among the stars; Clarie doesn’t so much tell the story of the Poinciana as create a series of lists that include the dates and names of anyone who has ever been associated with the theater. The result is a book that could have been engaging but is instead disappointingly dull, despite a bevy of photos and artwork. This is regrettable, given the book’s clear design to inspire support in favor of saving the Poinciana.

An impressive compendium that could nevertheless be formed into a more compelling story.

Pub Date: April 15, 2010

ISBN: 978-1934582244

Page Count: 427

Publisher: Back Channel

Review Posted Online: June 2, 2011

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.