The Life Of Noël Coward
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Yellowed
Markings: Previous owner
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
Few figures in the twentieth century embodied wit, elegance, and creative genius quite like Noël Coward — playwright, actor, composer, director, and the very definition of sophistication. The Life of Noël Coward by Cole Lesley is the definitive biography of this theatrical titan, chronicling his rise from a modest childhood in Teddington to the glittering heights of London and Broadway, where he became the most celebrated entertainer of his age. Written by his devoted personal assistant and lifelong companion, this intimate portrait presents the man behind the mask: his brilliant, restless mind, his fierce loyalties, his private heartaches, and the relentless drive that produced enduring masterpieces such as Private Lives, Blithe Spirit, and Brief Encounter. What distinguishes this biography from mere celebrity memoir is its rare authenticity — Lesley's decades of closeness to Coward grant the narrative an unguarded warmth and precision that no outside observer could replicate. The book illuminates Coward's complex navigation of fame, sexuality, and national identity across a turbulent century, painting a portrait of a man who was simultaneously more vulnerable and more resilient than his unflappable public persona suggested. Lesley's prose carries the same sharp, affectionate wit that characterised his subject, making this an essential volume for anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of the Master's charm — and for those who have yet to discover just how intoxicating that spell can be.
Author: Cole Lesley
Format: Paperback
Genre: Biography
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Yellowed
Markings: Previous owner
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
Few figures in the twentieth century embodied wit, elegance, and creative genius quite like Noël Coward — playwright, actor, composer, director, and the very definition of sophistication. The Life of Noël Coward by Cole Lesley is the definitive biography of this theatrical titan, chronicling his rise from a modest childhood in Teddington to the glittering heights of London and Broadway, where he became the most celebrated entertainer of his age. Written by his devoted personal assistant and lifelong companion, this intimate portrait presents the man behind the mask: his brilliant, restless mind, his fierce loyalties, his private heartaches, and the relentless drive that produced enduring masterpieces such as Private Lives, Blithe Spirit, and Brief Encounter. What distinguishes this biography from mere celebrity memoir is its rare authenticity — Lesley's decades of closeness to Coward grant the narrative an unguarded warmth and precision that no outside observer could replicate. The book illuminates Coward's complex navigation of fame, sexuality, and national identity across a turbulent century, painting a portrait of a man who was simultaneously more vulnerable and more resilient than his unflappable public persona suggested. Lesley's prose carries the same sharp, affectionate wit that characterised his subject, making this an essential volume for anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of the Master's charm — and for those who have yet to discover just how intoxicating that spell can be.