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John Wayne: The Genuine Article
Fans of Hollywood and Americana will be eager to own the authorized photographic account of John Wayne, cinema legend.
John The Genuine Article provides readers a rare glimpse into the life of one of the most iconic movie stars of all time through a treasure trove of memorabilia, stories, and interviews. This definitive book includes John Wayne Enterprises' collection of never-before-seen letters and telegrams as well as incredibly compelling text from Wayne's unfinished memoir. Important milestones in the Academy Award-winning actor, director, and producer's life are also well documented here through anecdotes, photos, and visually rich ephemera including boots, hats, and saddles. The story of John Wayne's rise, reach, and influence in American culture is alive and well in this brilliant opus. With a foreword by Jimmy Carter and a preface by his son Ethan Wayne, John The Genuine Article presents the complete story of how an ordinary man became a top box office draw for six decades, and a larger-than-life Icon known simply as the Duke.
John The Genuine Article provides readers a rare glimpse into the life of one of the most iconic movie stars of all time through a treasure trove of memorabilia, stories, and interviews. This definitive book includes John Wayne Enterprises' collection of never-before-seen letters and telegrams as well as incredibly compelling text from Wayne's unfinished memoir. Important milestones in the Academy Award-winning actor, director, and producer's life are also well documented here through anecdotes, photos, and visually rich ephemera including boots, hats, and saddles. The story of John Wayne's rise, reach, and influence in American culture is alive and well in this brilliant opus. With a foreword by Jimmy Carter and a preface by his son Ethan Wayne, John The Genuine Article presents the complete story of how an ordinary man became a top box office draw for six decades, and a larger-than-life Icon known simply as the Duke.
- GenresBiography
160 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 30, 2015
John Wayne: The Genuine Article is an easy to read biography, obviously aimed at the millions of Wayne fans around the world. Although I enjoyed reading it, I never felt that I got behind the public persona. I had the sense of speaking to a guarded friend, who was letting me know just what he wanted others to know about him and nothing more. Wayne fans will love it, I'm sure, but as a genuine biography, I think it falls short of the genuine article.
March 27, 2023
A nicely presented hardcover book that highlights aspects of John Wayne’s professional and personal life using quotes, stories, letters, photos and inserted reproductions.
Through his relationships with family members, friends and colleagues (many very famous), personal staff and business partners, ‘The Genuine Article’ reveals Wayne’s dedication to his craft and those around him. Importantly, each piece of content from Wayne’s own hand adds greater insight regarding his exact thoughts about issues of importance, and builds a broader appreciation of his character, outlook and values.
Although some of the inserted documents are a little dull, this book is an interesting compilation recording key components of the real man behind the screen personality. Featuring numerous photos from film sets, events, and home/holiday activities, there’s something here for both long-time fans and those who know little about this American legend.
Through his relationships with family members, friends and colleagues (many very famous), personal staff and business partners, ‘The Genuine Article’ reveals Wayne’s dedication to his craft and those around him. Importantly, each piece of content from Wayne’s own hand adds greater insight regarding his exact thoughts about issues of importance, and builds a broader appreciation of his character, outlook and values.
Although some of the inserted documents are a little dull, this book is an interesting compilation recording key components of the real man behind the screen personality. Featuring numerous photos from film sets, events, and home/holiday activities, there’s something here for both long-time fans and those who know little about this American legend.
November 26, 2017
Very cleverly done. Being able to look at his personal letters from previous presidents, his driver's license, and such as well as his great American quotes. What a guy!
December 27, 2019
John Wayne: The Genuine Article
Extensive collection of treasured letters, documents, photos and stories
..
Extensive collection of treasured letters, documents, photos and stories
..
February 2, 2021
Interesting little tidbits about his life and family
May 16, 2024
Really great glimpse into the life and character of The Duke. Refreshing to hear some positive instead of all the negative that gets focused on in current year. Worth the read.
January 7, 2022
From a life long John Wayne fan. This book is beautifully done and obviously thoroughly researched. A great perspective of what seems to be a bygone era. The book doesn’t really open any new doors or reveal any details that ardent JW fans haven’t already been subjected too over the years, but this book seems to tell the same story with a great passion for the man and the legend and with better taste for the subject. This is a welcome addition to any Wayne collection, and hopefully will continue to inspire future generations. The book is thoughtful and feels like a great tribute. 5 stars ad would recommend.
March 29, 2017
I had this book on my Christmas list and received it. I am a huge John Wayne fan and just wanted this book for my collection. I didn't realize what a gem it really was until Istarted reading. This is not a biography and you really won't find any "new" information here. It mostly contains excerpts from correspondence, to and from Duke, and sometimes whole letters, telegrams, etc.
The best part is that there are inserts, flaps that you can lift to reveal more info, and envelopes. The envelopes contain copies of letters, notes, and telegams. They are printed on nice, thick paper. These notes are from people such as Jimmy Stewart, Frank Sinatra, and various Presidents of the United States.
My favorite is a Thank You letter from Katharine Hepburn. I knew from reading other books that Duke was well-loved and respected by most people he knew and had worked with but these letters really bring it home.
If you're a fan of John Wayne or a film aficionado, this is a treasure of a book and most certainly leaves one wanting more.
The best part is that there are inserts, flaps that you can lift to reveal more info, and envelopes. The envelopes contain copies of letters, notes, and telegams. They are printed on nice, thick paper. These notes are from people such as Jimmy Stewart, Frank Sinatra, and various Presidents of the United States.
My favorite is a Thank You letter from Katharine Hepburn. I knew from reading other books that Duke was well-loved and respected by most people he knew and had worked with but these letters really bring it home.
If you're a fan of John Wayne or a film aficionado, this is a treasure of a book and most certainly leaves one wanting more.
July 9, 2013
What an excellent book! This isn't a detailed biography, it's more an account of what sort of man John Wayne was. It has lots of removable facsimiles included with this large coffee table book, like a copy of his passport, school diploma, hunting and fishing licenses, marriage certificate and lots of letters written by him to various people, including his long time friend and mentor, the director John Ford. It also has copies of letters and telegraphs written to him by people like Richard Nixon (which he signed Dick Nixon) John Ford and Jimmy Carter, to name a few. I think my favorite facsimile in the book is a copy of a hand written letter from John Wayne to his daughter, Aissa. This is a perfect copy, down to the yellowing of the school type, ruled and margined paper he used. Its a very nice letter, he ends it with "affectionately, Daddy". This is a must read for every fan of Wayne, a very superior book......
May 21, 2014
Well, I really didn't plan to read this book cover to cover; rather I thought to flip through it and kind of take a brief looksee to see what was what.
However, that's not what happened. I ended up devouring this wonderful book about The Duke told through stories and memories by the people who knew him best!
A marvelous tribute! As a librarian I hope he would have been pleased by the treatment & design of the book -- leather bound in a rugged-cowboy way, the insides include copies of a driver's license, passport, envelopes of letters, cables and more. Plus, there are tons of pictures with captions. Also, just the way the book is laid out -- text & pics -- Excellent!
I cannot say enough good things about this book and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loved John Wayne!
However, that's not what happened. I ended up devouring this wonderful book about The Duke told through stories and memories by the people who knew him best!
A marvelous tribute! As a librarian I hope he would have been pleased by the treatment & design of the book -- leather bound in a rugged-cowboy way, the insides include copies of a driver's license, passport, envelopes of letters, cables and more. Plus, there are tons of pictures with captions. Also, just the way the book is laid out -- text & pics -- Excellent!
I cannot say enough good things about this book and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loved John Wayne!
March 29, 2014
An excellent book about the Duke. I particularly enjoyed the foreward by Jimmy Carter and the preface by Ethan Wayne. The pictures were also amazing. I'd seen several of them before, but there were many more that I'd never seen.
October 11, 2015
This is an excellent book about John Wayne the person. Jimmy Carter wrote the foreward and Ethan Wayne wrote the preface. My father worked on a lot of his movies at Republic Studios as an extra and a horse rider. He said he met John Wayne and what a nice guy he was.
November 30, 2013
I really just skimmed through his book to look at the photos. It contained so many interesting copies of memorabilia. Fun to look through. A worthwhile coffee table book for the die hard fan.
May 12, 2014
This is a must read/own for any John Wayne fan! Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews