Blessings in Disguise - Hardcover

Alec Guinness

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 024113725X ISBN 13: 9780241137253

Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Ltd, 1996

Synopsis

Physical description: xii, 238 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., ports. ; 25 cm. Subjects: Guinness, Alec 1914-2000. Biography.

About this title

From the Publisher:

The cast list of distinguished actors who have become distinguished authors is short, and indeed as far as my own reading goes, I can¹t think of anyone who rivals Sir Alec Guinness as both an actor of the utmost distinction and a writer of uncommon literary achievement. Blessings in Disguise, which was originally published in 1986, is Sir Alec¹s autobiography. It is a profoundly rich, subtly delineated series of sketches of self and others (among the latter, internationally famous British actors such as Gielgud and Richardson). With an Introduction by Piers Paul Read.

From Library Journal:

Already a bestseller in England, Guinness's memoir is less autobiography than fond recollections of the many friends ("blessings") he has accumulated in his long theatrical career. In loosely organized chapters, most centered around one of the major influences in his life (e.g., Sybil Thorndike, John Gielgud), Guinness wanders back and forth through time. The threads of Guinness's own career, marriage, and religious searching wind through these chapters in an amusingly self-deprecatory way. He describes his career as a naval officer during World War II as "the best performance I have given," in a chapter full of hilarious and hair-raising episodes. Sharp imagery and marvelous word portraits make this a charming book of English theatrical lore. Marcia L. Perry, Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Ltd
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 024113725X
• ISBN 13: 9780241137253
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 246