All the Stars in the Heavens: A Novel

One of my favorite writers, simply perfect

I loved this book. Some years ago I was watching TV whilst in Florida, and saw an interview with the secret daughter of Loretta Young and Clark Gable. She was a strikingly pretty middle aged woman somewhere between 40 & 50. She bore an amazing resemblance to both parents. I felt very sorry for her because she only met Gable once, when he came to her family home, and it had been set up that she would meet him alone for a few minutes. This meeting is recorded in the book although not quite as it happened. She was a young school girl at the time.This novel is faction, and one does not know where fact/fiction end, but no matter it is thoroughly entertaining, and paints a sympathetic picture of Young, Gable and everyone involved. I liked the character of Alda, the young nun banished from the convent because she let a young unmarried mother hold her child. She later works as secretary to Loretta, keeps the stars secret, and sadly cannot have her own family. The author has done her research well on the 'Golden Years of Hollywood' as it came to be known, and it is fascinating to read the other household names of that time that flit through Loretta's story.I will keep this book to read again eventually, something I normally never do, and certainly read more books by this author. A sad footnote, in the interview 'Judy' Young said she never knew who her real father was during his lifetime, and her mother dropped the truth on her one day when she was driving her somewhere. She would have been in her 40's I think, although this is not the version in the novel. I remember feeling so sad for heras she told the story, the irony being she could have found out at any time. All she had to do was look in the mirror and smile. Rhett Butler would have been smiling right back.

Seriously, I couldn't put this book down. It was long, yeah, but I was in withdrawal when I finished reading it. I just became so involved in the story. There was a bit of controversy about some of the facts that came to light after the book was written, but even with those facts, I still really enjoyed the book. This would make an awesome movie!I kept going back and forth to learn about the different actors on the internet and even watched "Call of the Wild"! Way to go Adriana! :D

Finally, a novel based on the West Coast! I loved this novel for so many reasons. Adriana Trigiani took the romantic story about Loretta Young and Clark Gable, which I'm sure many knew about, along with her usual inter-winding of tales and characters from her family treasure box, and created a beautiful novel of love unavailable. Alda, a young novice from Italy, failed to measure up to the standards of Mother Superior, where she assisted in a home for unwed mothers in San Francisco. She lacked not being a person of no compassion for a young mother who didn't want to give up her baby. But she had her own life story, and related. Mother Superior saw qualities in Alda, but not enough to qualify for her final vows, so she arranged for Alda to be sent to the household of Loretta Young, an arrangement made through a parish priest. While there, she would work as a secretary, as well as, through the guidance of Loretta Young, her mother and sisters, learned how to dress. She became a member of their household. Not long after her arrival, Loretta Young was sent to Northern Washington to film Call Of The Wild, a film in which she costarred with the ever so handsome Clark Gable. Young took her secretary, Alda with her. Gable, who was unhappily married soon became smitten with Young They fell madly in love, and a child was created. While working on the set, Alda also found love, and met a handsome Italian American scene artist name Luca. They fall in love, and get married while working in Washington. Towards the middle of the book, the novel goes into the birth of the child, and the relationship that followed between Gable and Young. The novel goes into Alda and Luca's relationship, and how they were involved with the famous duo.Before I wrote my review, I looked at the other reviews. One mentioned this novel was during the Great Depression, and nothing was mentioned. If you saw any of the films of that era, Hollywood was producing "feel good" films to lift America's spirits. The movies and movie magazines provided an escape to many during get era. Also, I saw someone mention the characters should have been fictional. I've seen this done before in other books, mostly as in a cameo manner, though. Author Tony Piazza did with his latest book, a1930s murder mystery, in devoting a chapter to William Powell. Powell was mentioned in Trigiani's novel, as was Carole Lombard, Spencer Tracey, Myrna Loy, David Niven, just to name a few. The only distraction I found was I was googling the stars mentioned. The only criticism had was there were no recipes, as she provided in her other novels, as her description of the meals they cooked made you want to try them in your own kitchen.Again, I compliment Author Adriana Trigiani in providing another excellent book. The storyline, along with her writing style, and signature description of clothing, interior decor, gardens, and foods. I loved the way the novel began, and ended. Trigiani has provided another excellent novel.

is this fiction or biography, who cares it was a good story