Marlene
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Bernadette Dunne
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By:
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C. W. Gortner
About this listen
A lush, dramatic biographical novel of one of the most glamorous and alluring legends of Hollywood's golden age, Marlene Dietrich - from the gender-bending cabarets of Weimar Berlin to the lush film studios of Hollywood, a sweeping story of passion, glamour, ambition, art, and war from the author of Mademoiselle Chanel.
Raised in genteel poverty after the First World War, Maria Magdalena Dietrich dreams of a life on the stage. When a budding career as a violinist is cut short, the willful teenager vows to become a singer, trading her family's proper middle-class society for the free-spirited, louche world of Weimar Berlin's cabarets and drag balls. With her sultry beauty, smoky voice, seductive silk cocktail dresses, and androgynous tailored suits, Marlene performs to packed houses and becomes entangled in a series of stormy love affairs that push the boundaries of social convention.
For the beautiful, desirous Marlene, neither fame nor marriage and motherhood can cure her wanderlust. As Hitler and the Nazis rise to power, she sets sail for America. Rivaling the success of another European import, Greta Garbo, Marlene quickly becomes one of Hollywood's leading ladies, starring with legends such as Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Cary Grant. Desperate for her return, Hitler tries to lure her with dazzling promises. Marlene instead chooses to become an American citizen, and after her new nation is forced into World War II, she tours with the USO, performing for thousands of Allied troops in Europe and Africa.
But one day she returns to Germany. Escorted by General George Patton himself, Marlene is heartbroken by the war's devastation and the evil legacy of the Third Reich that has transformed her homeland and the family she loved.
An enthralling and insightful account of this extraordinary legend, Marlene reveals the inner life of a woman of grit, glamour, and ambition who defied convention, seduced the world, and forged her own path on her own terms.
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A persistent Marquess
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The Mayfair Bookshop
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- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon
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1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.
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Perfectly Voices, Upliftingly Fun
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The Patriots
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Florence Fein grows up in Brooklyn in the 1930s, in a family that is gaining a foothold in the middle class. At City College she becomes engaged politically with the left-leaning student groups, and eventually, in the midst of the Depression, she takes a job with a trade organization that has a position for her in Moscow. There, she falls in love with another expatriate American and has a son. Soon after, Florence is sent to a work camp and her son to an orphanage.
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Point of View of characters, past and present collide
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The Bastard
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Set against the colorful tumult of events that gave rise to our fledgling nation, this novel of romance and adventure introduces Phillipe Charboneau. The illegitimate son of an English nobleman, Phillipe flees Europe and, as Philip Kent, joins the men who set our course for freedom. The Bastard is the first volume in the Kent Family Chronicles, a series of novels that details one family's journey in the early years of the American nation.
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An Amazing Tale
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The Queen of the Night
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Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer's chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all.
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Not my typical choice
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By: Alexander Chee
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Banner O'Brien
- By: Linda Lael Miller
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In 1886, lovely Banner O'Brien overcame every obstacle and won her coveted medical diploma. Still, she longed to escape from Oregon...and the nightmares that left her shaking, screaming one man's name. Banner fled to the Washington Territory to accept a position with Dr. Adam Corbin...arrogant, handsome, and, rumor said, violent. Although Banner respected his skills, she was unnerved by the very nearness of this moody, powerful man.
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narrator great story awful
- By joanie on 11-18-19
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A Little Thing Called Love
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In New York Times best-selling author Cathy Maxwell's new novella, beautiful Jennifer Tarleton has no lack of noble suitors, but the only man who captures her attention is the one her father will never let her marry: Fyclan Morris. He's a brash adventurer, witty, courageous...and Irish! Even worse, her father blames her for their reversal of fortune. And it's a fortune - or, rather, his grandmother the fortune-teller - who foretold that Fyclan would meet "the one", a love prophesied in the stars.
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Wonderful Feel Good Novella
- By Colleen on 10-17-22
By: Cathy Maxwell
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The Marriage Bureau
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In the spring of 1939, with the Second World War looming, two determined 24-year-olds, Heather Jenner and Mary Oliver, decided to open a marriage bureau. They found a tiny office on London's Bond Street and set about the delicate business of matchmaking. Drawing on the bureau's extensive archives, Penrose Halson - who many years later found herself the proprietor of the bureau - tells their story and the stories of their clients.
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Splendid!
- By Nadia on 06-27-20
By: Penrose Halson
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Stars over Sunset Boulevard
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Los Angeles, present day. When an iconic hat worn by Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind ends up in Christine McAllister's vintage clothing boutique by mistake, her efforts to return it to its owner take her on a journey more enchanting than any classic movie.... Los Angeles, 1938. Violet Mayfield sets out to reinvent herself in Hollywood after her dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart, and she lands a job on the film set of Gone with the Wind.
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Pass on this
- By Lulew on 03-24-17
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The Magnolia Palace
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Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, 21-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge
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This isn't my favorite but entertaining
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The Fire Rose
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Accepting employment as a governess after hard times hit her family, medieval scholar Rosalind Hawkins is surprised when she learns that her mysterious employer has no children and only wants her to read to him through a speaking tube.
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Great story, poorly presented
- By Che on 02-26-10
By: Mercedes Lackey
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What listeners say about Marlene
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- James Hoagland
- 09-05-18
Riveting
Wonderful story and presentation by the reader. Really engaging biographical history or not only Dietrich, but of a time in history. Loved the different accents the reader presented and appreciated the honestly about how prevalent LGBT people and experiences were in this age. Bravo.
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- Tivona
- 05-23-22
This was so good...
I rarely get around to posting reviews, but this book really stood out. I would give it 10 stars if I could. I have read many of Gortner's books, and I've loved them all, but this one is solidly my favorite. I almost skipped it, as I thought I would not be interested in someone from more modern history, but oh my gosh. What a fascinating woman she was. And Gortner's retelling is brilliant, rich and so thoroughly researched.
The narrator on this one also really stood out for me. I generally don't get too caught up in whether or not I like a narrator - I typically just get used to any that I find off putting at first. But Dunne narrated in such a natural tone of voice with just a hint of a delightful German accent. Just perfect.
The only downside of this book is that it had to end. I want more!
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- HODGEPODGESPV
- 06-17-16
I didn't want it end! C. W. Gortner, you've done it again!
I remember this actress though I'm not sure a lot of young people will unless they are movie buffs. I always loved her. She was quick, bright, and sharp! She could convey so much with face and eyes!
If you watch AMC, watch out for her!
Bernadette Dunne's reading was right on. I'll be checking to see if I might enjoy any other books she's narrated that I might enjoy.
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- ZacharyKindle Customer
- 06-01-17
MARLENE
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
ONLY IF THEY WERE INTO OLD MOVIES.
Who was your favorite character and why?
MARLENE, OF, COURSE!
Which scene was your favorite?
WHEN SHE MEETS GARY COOPER, "BLUE ANGELS!"
Who was the most memorable character of Marlene and why?
HER PRODUCER, BECAUSE IN THE END THEY ARE REALLY ONE.
Any additional comments?
EASY READ, INTERESTING, IF YOU ARE INTO OLDER MOVIES.
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- clridenhour
- 06-12-17
I felt like Marlene's confidante...
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I understand that this story is presented as a fictional account, but Marlene's voice seemed to be captured accurately, based on everything I've ever read about her. The performance of Bernadette Dunne made it seem as if there were a dozen other people reading this book aloud. Her talent for voices and inflection were spot on and drew me in with very first paragraph. The author's description of Germany just after WWI and leading into WWII seemed so very real and I felt immersed in the atmosphere of smoky cabarets and the boulevards of pre-war Berlin. Marlene's describing of post-war Germany had me in tears. I definitely recommend this book, but only if you are not offended by frank sexual descriptions and same-sex relationships.
What did you like best about this story?
The performance of Bernadette Dunne
What does Bernadette Dunne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Her voicing of Marlene Dietrich is spot on and gives the reader an empathy I might not have had if I had been reading it in my own voice and from my own point of view.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No - I enjoyed chewing on each section after listening. I like how the book was divided into chapters within sections based on the stages of Marlene's life.
Any additional comments?
Best book I've listened to so far on Audible. I am now anxious to listen to more stories by C.W. Gortner and those voiced by Ms. Dunne.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Margaret
- 03-26-18
input from voracious historical novels reader
narrator should have been German accent his novels need to have British accents as well
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- Rimma Rose
- 01-26-18
One of the best books I’ve ever read!!!
This was just an exquisite experience. The writing, the story, Marlene!!!! This was truly one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. And I’ve read a ton!!! The writer is phenomenal. And the heroine is one of my greatest role models!!!
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3 people found this helpful
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- Lana Lee Plum
- 07-04-16
Marlene a famous actress.
Who knew Marlene was a Major? This book was extremely interesting because it traced the beginning of movies and entertainment during 1920 after the first World War through the Second World War. Marlene was a determined person to pursue her entertainment talents to the apex of her profession. The insight into the German mindset that allowed Hitler to take-over Europe and start the world war was fascinating. The fact that she became a movie star and gave more performances than any other star showed the strength that she had to live her life on her terms. Story of a strong woman who learn to succeed in a mans world before women became liberated in the 1960's. Her belief on marriage and family relationships was unique in lifetime.
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- Mary Smiroldo
- 04-01-19
This is a 10!!!
Captured me from beginning to end! Bernadette Dunn is magnificent!
I am very hard to please when it comes to narrators, but Ms. Dunn is one of the best! One of the best books I have listened to this year!
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