Today's book review and recommendation is my first installment of the Summer Reading Challenge that I am participating in with Out of the Past blog. My first selection is a book by Judy Lewis called Uncommon Knowledge.
The author, Judy Lewis was the hidden daughter of silver screen stars, Loretta Young and Clark Gable. I say hidden because after her mother bore Judy in secret she placed her in an orphanage only to "adopt" her 19 months later. Judy, who resembled her father a great deal had no knowledge of this truth. Thing is, everyone else seemed to know but her. At the age of 23, her future husband was the one who informed her. It wasn't until Judy was 31 years old that her mother, Loretta Young finally confessed the truth. Hence the title, Uncommon Knowledge.
You will literally want to read this book from the very beginning and then painfully have to let it go at the very end. Judy takes you on this incredible journey filled with great amounts of pain but done so with even greater amounts of love and forgiveness. What an incredible woman she was. I say this because sadly Judy Lewis passed away in 2011. Judy lived one heck of a life though. Even though she often felt alone, confused, unloved, hurt, and ignored, she created one heck of a life for herself. She raised a daughter named Maria and from Maria gained two beloved grandsons. She took all that knowledge and experience from that deception and used it for a greater good. She became a licensed family and child counselor in 1992, and was a practicing psychotherapist as well.
Judy Lewis gifted us fans of Old Hollywood a rare glimpse into a a world that was filled with glitter and gold. And yet she manages to sift through the glamour and illusion and share with us the true story behind such a large secret. An example of this can be seen when she goes into detail about her mother's life and her background. The way she does it only made me feel her deep love and respect for her. She manages not to make monsters of Young and Gable. I think when we go through the pain honestly and maintain a kindness, we can find the peace that we long for. I hope Judy felt that after she wrote her book.
This book is a treasure. When I found out of Judy's passing my first thought in my mind was, "thank you". I am sure it wasn't easy for her to share so much of her life and her family's life with the public but I could only feel as though it was a gift. Thank you again, Judy Lewis.
Thi sounds like a fantastic book! I know a little bit about Judy Lewis but I'd love to dive into her book. I love what you said about how the book is a glimpse of the glitter of Hollywood but also we get to see what's behind the illusion. Thanks for the fantastic review!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Raquel! Judy's story is one that will stay with you. Let me know how you like it! xox
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