All the Stars in the Heavens audiobook

Kept me turning pages, and I'm torn about the rating, I'm a huge Adriana Trigiani fan. This wasn't my favorite of her many books, More a 3.5 for me. I remember Loretta Young, Clark Gable, and many of the other stars involved, but didn't know about the event that is at the center of this story. I'm intrigued about the research that must have gone into writing this and how much of the story is fiction vs. based on reported facts. Creating dialogue for characters who were real people fascinates me. Can't wait to hear an interview with A.T. to learn more about her process

Reading Adriana Trigiani's newest novel All The Stars In The Heavens feels like watching a fascinating Turner Classic Movies documentary. I felt like putting on my best peignoir, slipping on my feathered mules, applying the reddest shade of lipstick, and mixing myself a martini garnished with olives as I dove into the story-behind-the-story of Loretta Young and Clark Gable's forbidden Hollywood romance while reclining on my bedroom chaise.Loretta Young was a hardworking, well-known young actress when she was cast as the thirteen-years-older Clark Cable's love interest in the movie The Call of The Wild. The movie was to be shot on location in a remote area near Seattle.Young's assistant, the former-almost-nun-until-she-was-told-by-Mother-Superior-that-she-was-not-nun-material Alda Ducci accompanied Loretta. They were among the very few women on the set, so they managed to attract the attentions of more than a few of the men.Clark Gable avidly pursued Loretta, even though he was married. Loretta had just ended a romantic, though chaste, relationship with actor Spencer Tracy and even though she had a reputation for falling a little bit in love with her leading men, she was determined not to do so with Gable.She resisted until she couldn't anymore, and when Loretta and Gable traveled to Seattle to be witnesses to a wedding between Alda and a set painter after a whirlwind romance, she gave in.The affair had long-lasting consequences, and although Gable promised that he was going to divorce his wife to be with Loretta, he strung Loretta along. Loretta had a career to worry about, and home wrecker would not look good in the tabloids or on her resume.There were so many things I loved about All The Stars In The Heavens, it could be a multi-part post, but I will just touch on the highlights.The novel takes real people and a true story and imagines what really happened, and those kind of stories I find irresistible when done well, and Trigiani aims high and hits a home run here. I love Hollywood behind-the-scenes-stories, and to see a different side of have such unforgettable characters as Young, Gable, a young David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy and Hattie McDaniel was thrilling.The scene with Gable and Hattie McDaniel on the set of Saratoga, the 1937 movie where Jean Harlow died on set, made me giddy. We see their bantering and flirting, and now I remember why I loved the scenes between Mammy and Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind so much. (GWTW is my favorite movie!)Women in Trigiani's books are strong women, and always strive to have a career. Here we see that Loretta worked hard to support her mother and sisters, and invested her money in real estate. How many women (or men) in Hollywood were smart enough to do that? Loretta's mother, a single mom, had to raise her four daughters, and built a stellar career in real estate investment and interior design. She was a terrific example for her girls, and Trigiani's protagonists are good examples for women to work hard and follow their dreams to get ahead.I could go on and on, but I'll just tell you that I loved that Trigiani has stepped up her already stellar game in All The Stars In The Heavens, and you will lose yourself in a dazzling Hollywood love story that will have you googling Loretta Young/Clark Cable to find out the story that inspired this gorgeous novel. I give it my highest recommendation.

I have never read anything by Adriana Trigiani before, but I read an excerpt from this book in a preview style galley for fall 2015 fiction, and was hooked. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Goodreads, and I am so glad. "All the Stars in the Heavens" is about the golden age of Hollywood, the age of Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Spencer Tracy, and Loretta Young. Our protagonist is Loretta, who has been in "the business" since she was four. She seems to fall in love with her costars, and the virile Clark Gable is no exception. Loretta Young, circa 1930'sLoretta becomes pregnant with Gable's child, and they both decide to lie and scheme to hide the child, because Gable was still married to No.2 (of 5) wives, and it would cause a scandal and violate codes of conduct mandated by their respective studios. This novel begins as a love story, and evolves into a life story. The focus is on Young, but the supporting characters and background information are just as interesting. 4 stars for a funny, sweet, strong historical fiction. Well done.

4 1/2 starsSee my review and others here: http://onceuponatime-bookblog.blogspo...I was first introduced to Adriana Trigiani a little over two years ago when I read The Shoemaker's Wife. I really enjoyed that book and I loved this one too. I was a bit spectacle to start it - it got somewhat mixed reviews from what I've seen and there has been a lot a negative feedback due to the fact that Loretta Young's daughter-in-law publicly claimed that the birth of Loretta's daughter, Judy Lewis, had been a result of date rape by Clark Gable and that they did not have an affair that had been previously assumed. I believe that this happened in 2015 - shortly before the book came out. Since this is a fictional account of the characters and their lives, I am going to base my review of the book on that and not the accuracy of the events - which I am assume that the author did not know about when the book was being written.This novel was the story of two women - the famous movie star of the 1930s and 1940s, Loretta Young, and her secretary, Alda Ducci. They novel covered several decades of their always intertwining lives. I would have liked to see a little more character development of both women, but what really draw me into the novel was the writing of the setting and the time period - primarily Hollywood in the 1930s. I'm not sure if I would have gotten this as much if I had read the book instead of listening to the audio version, but what I loved most about the novel was the energy. From Loretta's life at home with her sisters and mother to the set of Call of the Wild, I could almost feel as if I were there. The sections focusing on Loretta were also a very interesting contrast to that of Alda - who was involved in show business, but in a much more simple and mostly removed way.I felt for both women, who had their own set of life-long struggles and burdens to bare. And when Judy Lewis was born, I felt for her as well. Even though I understood the circumstances, I felt that it was unfair that she wasn't even given the option to know her father, especially when she grew older. Gable seemed to love Loretta (to an extent) and Judy, but - as the book states many times - he didn't know how to love them. And he knew nothing about how to be a good father or husband, despite the fact that he was married several times. Despite what was true and what wasn't, I really enjoyed this book: the energy, the setting, the characters, and the tragic love stories that I kept cheering on even though I ultimately knew the outcome. And now to go watch some old Hollywood movies :)"Everything was the same. Nothing had changed. Everything but the snow."

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is October 13th, 2015. I have to admit that this story took me a long time to read. This is because I kept stopping to google the characters in the story. I have to be honest, the only one I had ever heard of was Clark Gable and that was only from one movie that to this day I don't believe I have ever seen from beginning to end in one sitting. One downfall of google is that I also knew how the story was going to play out. This story was fascinating in how it depicted the era that was 1930's Hollywood. From all the leading men and woman, the glamorous lifestyles, and the double standards and hypocrisy that was the movies and its players. The stars of this era seem to stand alone as legends compared to the stars of today, perhaps because they are so much more accessible today than back then. I really liked Loretta's spunk and how she cared for those in her life. I did not like how she fell for her leading men as none of them seemed right for her. In fact based on this story none of her choices were good. Although they did have some chemistry, I also didn't really feel Loretta and Clark together. I don't know why, perhaps his womanizing ways, the fact that he was married, or the fact that he just reads slime ball to me. As a side note, did the woman back in the day really swoon for him? I have seen a ton of photo's and he simply does not look like the attractive guy described and also looks like he could use a good shower in all of them. I am glad I have grown up on much better eye candy in show business! That aside, this story was rather tragic. Although there is obviously artistic liberty taken with the storyline, it does outline the storyline of Loretta Young. The details of the story may have been different in real life but the outcome is the same. I enjoyed my time researching all of these characters just as much as reading the story. One last thought. To address the elephant in the room as I have seen some mention in some other reviews. Some information has come to light that the romance between these two was perhaps not what it was depicted and that it was something a lot more dark with unpleasant consequences. This has dampened somes opinion of this story. As there is nobody alive to validate the facts I recommend to treat this story as it is meant to be...a work of fiction. This story could be just as entertaining if the characters had made up names. I enjoyed this one!

It's 1935 and it's the Golden Age of Hollywood. Loretta Young is a young actress living at home with her mother and sisters. She has already been in many successful movies and hires a new assistant named Alda. Alda has just left the St. Elizabeth's Infant Hospital where she assisted many unwed mothers, but has recently been let go, because the nun in charge felt she wasn't the best fit. Instead she set her up with a job as Loretta Young's secretary. It's a good fit, because Loretta is known to be a devout Roman Catholic. Alda's life changes completely as she goes from living a simple life as an almost-nun to living at Loretta's luxurious mansion. The two women hit it off instantly and Loretta introduces Alda to Hollywood. Alda helps Loretta navigate the rough seas of Hollywood, the many failed romances with her leading men, and even accompanies her to the far-off set of The Call of the Wild starring the infamous and utterly charming Clark Gable. What happens on set will change both women's lives forever. Adriana Trigiani's All the Stars in the Heavens is an interesting glimpse into Old Hollywood as well as the star-crossed relationship between Clark Gable and Loretta Young.Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...

Baby, It's Cold Outside: "All the Stars" in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani from the Militant Recommender Book review Blog:http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/Adriana Trigiani's dishy, addictive new book, All the Stars in the Heavens, is a fictionalized look at one of Golden Age Hollywood's great (and sssshhhh... secretive!) love stories! The story of Loretta Young and Clark Gable. Anyone who grew up on the great films of that era in the movies or on TV or maybe on TCM will find this look into their love and lives fascinating and you can imagine those larger than life figures acting exactly the way Ms. Trigiani captures them. Loretta, actually Gretchen, was one of four beautiful sisters raised by a single Mom who was a star in her own right, an interior designer to the stars. These amazing women lived and worked in the early days of the studios, all having jobs in the industry. Loretta was in film from the age of 4 and had made 50 movies by the time she met Clark and starred opposite him in William Wellman's "Call of the Wild". Loretta has been given a secretary in this story. A young woman from Italy who had been hoping to become a nun. Circumstances lead her to Ms. Young's employ and she acts as a witness to the drama unfolding both on and off camera in the wilds of Washington State on the wintery, snowy Mt. Baker. What happened on Mt. Baker stayed on Mt. Baker... to a degree, but you'll be in on the scoop as you follow the story to its moving conclusion. Highly recommended!

I was interested in reading this new Adriana Trigiani book when I read the synopsis. Having read her books, I knew this would be a treat. It reads like a movie itself. It's based on the true story of Clark Gable and Loretta Young's tumultuous love affair, of which I knew nothing about. This books sizzles with glamour, romance, and heartache. It's the Golden Age in Hollywood and beautiful actresses compete for leading roles in blockbuster films among the picks- Loretta, Carole Lombard, Rosalind Russell, and Myrna Loy. This book kept me up late. It's a delightful romp through an unforgettable eraof cinematography. You will laugh and you will cry. Adriana has written another wonderful book.

I've long been a fan of Adriana Trigiani and when one trade review compared my latest book to this one, naturally I had to pick it up! And I must say, I greatly appreciate the compliment. This book is about the affair between Loretta Young and Clark Gable and although it was on the longer side, I was immediately captivated and read it in one day. I liked the angle she took with telling this from the secretary's point of view. A fabulous read for historical fiction fans, especially those interested in Old Hollywood.

Read this book already

This book was incredible -- I knew about the story of Loretta Young and Clark Gable but not in the colourful and vivid way it's told in this book. I also had no idea that the novel would cover as much ground as it does -- it moves from the 1930's right into the 1960's, with so many familiar names and personalities.

It was a different type of book for me, but I really loved the story!

Find my full review at http://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com.Ah, the glitz and glamour of tinseltown! Who doesn't love the exquisite costumes and makeup, lavish set designs and larger than life personalities of the golden age of Hollywood? I've spent many an hour curled up watching old black and white movies, marveling at the splendor on the screen and own a copy of Gone with the Wind - my favorite movie of all time - in every possible format I can get my hands on so I always have it ready to watch wherever I am. But given this perfection and the powerful emotions drawing the performers together, what happened when the cameras stopped rolling and real-life began? All the Stars in the Heavens tackles not only the beauty of Hollywood during this magical time but the very real and very flawed people who inhabited it. The story is told in the third person and jumps relatively rapidly from one person's perspective to the other. While this could be confusing at times, once I got used to it I found it a wonderful way to see inside the lives and heads of a large number of players. While the bulk of the focus is on Loretta Young and her secretary, Alda Ducci, the reader also sees into the hearts of a host of other characters, including some pretty famous names such as David Niven, Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. These characters in particular, along with Loretta's mother, sisters and a few others, are wonderfully developed and the dialogue between them is brilliant and witty and feels right out of one of those wonderful movies these people inhabited. There are a number of other high profile names sprinkled throughout this hefty story that seem more used for background development and name dropping than to actually showcase the people behind the names, but the main characters are all developed into incredibly real, flawed people. And oh how flawed they are! I find it amazing that Adriana Trigiani was able to give me these characters with some serious imperfections in personality and still make me love them. The men are especially selfish and unfaithful - I can't think of one male character, save a few priests, that didn't in fact cheat on the women they were romantically involved with - but somehow their humor, caring hearts and/or their dedication to their careers make them endearing even when you know they are not the type of men any woman would want to marry. The women have their own lapses in judgement and many seem to trade partners and husbands like they might dresses, but their love for family, passions and even religion seemed to shine through the muck they made in their personal lives to make them very real and very endearing. This would include the big "secret" Loretta keeps from most everyone for more years than seems possible and that Alda helps her orchestrate. While I can't say I agree with many of the choices she made her heart was clearly in the right place and she did the best she could given her experiences and the times she lived in. On top of the wonderful characters, my favorite aspect of All the Stars in the Heavens would have to be the great attention and detail given to the development of the settings. Every small detail that went into the making of a movie - from painting and rigging the settings, dressing and making up the stars, filming on locations on and off lots, negotiating contracts, press junkets and fans, and so much more - are shown to the reader so it is impossible to not feel completely enmeshed in the process. The homes and locations, from Italy to California to a snow-covered mountain in Washington State, are all perfectly presented so the reader can see it all right before them. This is the first novel I've read by Adriana Trigiani and I am so glad I started with this one. While there might be almost too much development of the many characters and settings throughout this epic novel, it is all and all a wonderful immersion into a particularly fascinating time and place in American history and culture. I not only feel like I was presented with a wonderful story but a better understanding of what it took to make a movie at the dawn of modern cinema. With as much attention as was given to the many people involved I very much wish the author had included a detailed author note at the end of the novel to help me navigate what portions and people are true to history and what was created to advance the story. Even without this I am now ready to delve even further into the history of this golden age in movies and I look forward to reading more by the author as well.

Loretta Young was a young starlet when the fictional biography began. Loretta had been in 50 films dating back to her first at the age of 4. She and her Mom and sisters and brother all lived together in Sunset House, an imposing house near Hollywood. Loretta's father had abandoned her mother when she was born and her stepfather had also left while she was a child.So it is no surprise that a woman like Loretta, raised by her single mother, would take firm control of her career but also have so many romantic problems. The two great loves of her life were both married men. The first was Spencer Tracey and the second Clark Gable. Although the affair with Tracey was platonic, the brief affair with Gable resulted in a pregnancy. Gable was married and his career may have suffered if he acknowledged the affair. So Young faked an illness and went to to Europe with her assistant, Alda, for most of the pregnancy. Gable never acknowledged the child, Judy. He visited Judy shortly after her birth and again when she was 15. However Judy did not learn of her paternity until she was in her 30s and demanded that Loretta tell her.This book gives an insight into the studio system that controlled the lives of Hollywood actors from the 1930s until the early 1950s. Loretta Young was a major player in that system and was friends with many of the stars of that golden era of Hollywood. As the new medium, television, became popular, an older Loretta Young became one of the first weekly television stars.

All The Stars In The HeavensByAdriani TrigianiWhat it's all about...This book seems to revolve around old Hollywood and movies and long dead actors and long dead actresses. But specifically this book is about Loretta Young and her secretary Alda and the lives they led. I hesitate to say more about this book because it really was a rewarding as well as enlightening book for me. It's based on a true story...true facts and real people. I did not think I would like this book but it was really lovely...and fascinating. Why I wanted to read it...I loved this author's previous books but I did not love the last one. So I was hesitant about reading this one but I was so wrong. I truly loved this book. It was lovely, insightful, and very special.What made me truly enjoy this book...I loved reading about Loretta Young, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard and so many more long gone famous people. Their lives, their loves, their flaws were interesting. I googled almost every person, every movie andevery event and everything was all true! Why you should read it, too...Readers who love "faction" and old Hollywood and the secrets behind the stars...should love this book. The writing is lovely. The players are interesting. This book was so much more than I thought it would be. I loved it!