Product Description

"fascinating... meticulously edited..."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85506 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Review
"pure magic... An epistolary classic." --Robert Gwyn Palmer, THE RESIDENT

"illuminating" --THE LIST (SCOTLAND)

Review
'A compelling read... these lovingly composed epistles offer up insights into an extraoridnary life as well as a slice of cinema history.' (INDEPENDENT )

'Outstanding...there isn't a dull paragraph in the book' (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )

'This collection of letters shows him at his witty, waspish best... You'll dig Dirk.' (SUNDAY MERCURY )

'full of energetic misspellings and chaotic grammar that Coldstream has preserved... witty and catty, but also revealing..." (DAILY TELEGRAPH )

'wonderfully entertainnig' (HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER )

KIRSTY LAING, FRONT ROW, BBC RADIO 4
"reveals both his waspish gossipy side as well as his tender one"

Customer Reviews

Thoroughly enjoyable
At first glance I thought this was going to be a difficult book to read, mainly due to the author's idiosyncratic spelling and grammar as well as the plethora of foot notes necessary because of the constant use of nick names, initials as well as, at times, private shorthand - but it really wasn't a problem. The spelling was simply phonetic and the punctuation etc. was immaterial - and the little footnotes became quite enjoyable!
This is (probably) a book enjoyed by the more mature, those who can remember the names dropped - Guilgud,Montand,Signoret,Coward - those who lived in a time when being gay was being happy. If you have read Dirk Bogardes several volumes of autobiography it is even more fascinating as this book reveals the proper names of people that were heavily disguised!
A man who was a compulsive letter writer;these letters show great happiness (his life in France), despair (after his eternity ended with the illness of Tony Forwood) and always so much love ( for the recipient).
Thanks as well to John Coldstream for the editing - he has weeded out the grain from the chaff I'm sure.
Perhaps 6 stars if I could.

Another snapshot of an admired writer and actor
The Bogarde Letters are an additional perspective on John Coldstream's excellent life and cover interesting letters not shared before. They illustrate Bogarde's love of writing and his narrative and descriptive skill, and are often moving and amusing. His honesty,truculence and perceptions are there and the agony of his loneliness after the death of Forward and his appreciation and pride in his books as they dominate the best sellar lists. A must for fans.

Fascinating complex man!
Reading in stages because I don't want it to end. Bogarde was a fascinating complex man, capable of great love and compassion but also wickedly waspish at times. He also comes across as quite "camp" in his letters. The veil is still drawn across his sexuality, of course. The old devil was very astute and careful to protect his image. A great read especially for those of us who followed his screen career and read all his books. Strongly recommended!