Charlie Chaplin and His Times

by Kenneth S. Lynn

Book Overview

With his trademark bowler hat, baggy trousers, and impertinent mustache, the Little Tramp dazzled audiences and catapulted Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) to an incendiary degree of fame and international iconography. This astute biography of Chaplin's life and times delves into his childhood, career, and often controversial relationships with four wives and a slew of mistresses to illuminate his elusive genius and cinematic output, as well as his sometimes...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068480851X
• ISBN13: 9780684808512
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 604 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful look behind the eyes of Chaplin

Lynn's book was a great view at the historical record of who Charlie Chaplin really was. There is no doubt Chaplin was the most talented and most influential man in the history of film, but there was so much more to him. Thanks to Kenneth Lynn for his terrific look at the man behind the Little Tramp.

Placed in real historical context of the times

This is an amazing book, very different from the majority of biographies that I have read. The reason for this difference is that is was written by an honest, first class history professor and not by a journalist or professional writer that graduated with a C in History 101. The reader will discover rarely publicized facts about the life of the famous "Tramp". As a rare premium, the reader will get facts about those difficult times that followed Word War I, when people were fascinated with all kinds of social engineering experiments like communism and its younger sisters fascism and nazism. This fascination persisted even when information about millions murdered by these criminal "social scientists" were made public. One of the funniest stories in this book that you really have to read is about the rich, spoiled Charlie Chaplin lecturing the British Labour Party Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald about economics. Mind you, Charlie never gave much money to charities, but loved social engineering. There are a lot of such rarely discussed facts throughout the book. That's why contemporary followers of ideologies based on mass murder are attacking or dismissing this book. Treat yourself to this gem

Great Biography But A Tad "Historic"

Lynn's is the best bio I've ever read. But, when the title says "And His Times", he really means it. During many of the episodes in Chaplin's life, the author spills into historical dialog, some of which does'nt really have to do with The Tramp at all. In other words, instead of coming in at 544 pages, it should have been about 480. There is a lot of detail and regardless of how much you think you knew about Chaplin, you will still find it facinating. Even if you don't care for Chaplin but have an interest in the roots of American filmmaking, I highly recommend it.<BR