Films of Endearment
A Mother, a Son and the '80s Films That Defined Us
by Michael Koresky
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Pub Date May 04 2021 | Archive Date Jun 04 2021
HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) | Hanover Square Press
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Description
A USA TODAY Best Book of 2021
“A lovely and loving book.”—Will Schwalbe, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club
"I'm not sure I have ever read a book about movies that is as tender and open-hearted as Films of Endearment."—Mark Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Mike Nichols: A Life
A poignant memoir of family, grief and resilience about a young man, his dynamic mother and the '80s movies they shared together
Michael Koresky's most formative memories were simple ones. A movie rental. A mug of tea. And a few shared hours with his mother. Years later and now a successful film critic, Koresky set out on a journey with his mother to discover more about their shared cinematic past. They rewatched ten films that she first introduced to him as a child, one from every year of the '80s, each featuring women leads.
Together, films as divergent as 9 to 5, Terms of Endearment, The Color Purple and Aliens form the story of an era that Koresky argues should rightly be called "The Decade of the Actress."
Films of Endearment is a reappraisal of the most important and popular female-driven films of that time, a profound meditation on loss and resilience, and a celebration of the special bond between mothers and their sons.
Advance Praise
"Films of Endearment is a lovely and loving book, a son's tribute to his remarkable mother and to the 1980s films and actresses that gave the two of them a common language and timeless bond. Koresky creates a marvelous tapestry that weaves fascinating stories about the making of these films with tales from his mother’s life and from his own, growing up gay in an extraordinary, ordinary American household. When mother and son decide to rewatch the movies from this era that they most love, they discover a powerful truth: that the greatest gift parents and children can give one another at any age is to share their true selves.”
—Will Schwalbe, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club
"Michael Koresky brings us on a nostalgic, incisive, and deeply moving journey through the films of the 1980s, a decade when unlikely leading ladies delivered performances of a lifetime. Koresky's mother gets top billing above Jane Fonda, Sigourney Weaver, and Shirley MacLaine, and deservedly so: A force in her own right, she is the unsung hero from whom he inherited a life-altering love of movies. Written with clear eyes and compassion, this book is film criticism at its finest and most personal."
—Erin Carlson, author of I'll Have What She's Having and Queen Meryl
"A spellbinding journey through the cinema of the 80s and its remarkable female protagonists as seen through the eyes of a mother and son. Leslie, the New England working woman and mother who instilled a passion for movies in her child, is no less remarkable in her way than the heroines of Working Girl, 9 to 5, Aliens, or The Fabulous Baker Boys. Superb evaluations of the films lead seamlessly into portraits of family life, reflections on loss and secret yearnings, that are a testimonial to the way films nourish and connect us."
—Molly Haskell, author of Frankly My Dear: “Gone With the Wind” Revisited
“A masterful blend of memoir and movie appreciation. Through their shared language of 80s film, a son seeks to unlock the backstory of his number one leading lady – his mom. A much needed tribute to the strong female characters on screen and in our homes, whose love and badassery shape the people we become.”
—Meredith May, author of The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781335773791 |
| PRICE | $27.99 (USD) |
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