To start with the good, the final chapter on Envelopegate is a riveting read. Beyond that, there are some things to know. The book is not a survey of Oscar history, but rather picks and chooses its moments. Unfortunately, the moments that interested me only occasionally aligned with the author’s. The chapter on the red scare and Hollywood blacklist was more politics than movie business, and it was a slog to get through (I almost didn’t). I would have liked a chapter on the Godfather movies, but these garnered hardly a mention. Many chapters involve three stories told in a round robin fashion, which I find more suitable to fiction. A good editor would have broken this down into parts with each story getting its own chapter. Although there is a bibliography, there are no footnotes, and at times it seemed like the author was just lifting long quotes from celebrity memoirs. If one is looking for a breezy read with a good dose of celebrity gossip, this is not that.

A very unique way to look at Hollywood’s history filled with great anecdotes and fun facts. Each chapter is interesting in its own right. I couldn’t put it down. As an Oscar buff myself, this book was a revelation and totally recommendable for anyone who loves Hollywood.