As the title suggests, the book tells the life story of Doris Eaton. Born in 1904 and still alive when Redniss' book was published, Doris lived to the ripe age of 106 and, if Century Girl is to believed, danced right up until the end.
The book isn't a traditional literary biography. It doesn't try to get into the mind of it's central figure and tell the story from her perspective in minute detail. Rather, what it does is give an overview of the exciting and unbelievable life Doris Eaton lived, from Broadway to the movies to unemployment and dance-school teaching, and featuring a host of famous figures from years gone by.
The book was a reaffirming read: Doris Eaton has certainly had a fascinating life. More than this though, Lauren Redniss has brought the book to life too with photographs and artwork, making it not only an amazing story but a beautiful object.
Reading each page becomes an activity you savour, as you take in all the details, the narrative, the documentation; look over the images of Doris, her family, her closest and most famous companions; and you do all this with wonder.
The book enthrals us as much as Doris' life does. In telling Doris' story in this artistic mutlimodal way, Redniss forces her readers to marvel at it all at once.
2 comments:
This looks most interesting, both her story and the way it's told. Can I borrow it sometime?
Yes, though you'd of course have to take very good care of it and return it! :o/
I've also just got Redniss' most recent book *Radioactive*, which will also be beautiful, and I'll post on here in due course!
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