Bernhard, Sandra

Confessions of a Pretty Lady with: Ephemera

ISBN: 0060159294
New York, NY, USA: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1988. First Edition. Hardcover. Signed by Sandra Bernhard. "When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, 'What would I be? Would I be pretty? Would I be rich?' Here's what she said to me..." (Doris Day, epigraph). Confessions of a Pretty Lady is a blend of memoir, poetry & prose that offers a candid look at brassy American actress-comidienne Sandra Bernhard's (b. 1955) life and career. It is structured in a semi-confessional manner, allowing readers to witness Bernhard's childhood memories and the transition to her public persona. The narrative is filled with humor, satire, and a mix of fact and fiction, reflecting Bernhard's unique brand of camp and her ability to blend irony with sincerity. Childhood memories of her father, a doctor, and her mother, an artist, are warmly rendered in scenes of the Jewish family amiably accommodating itself to the Christmas season, and of the obligatory communal vacations joined by colorful relatives. The abrupt transition to a flamboyant denizen of "downtowns," Los Angeles or New York, to an existence as a character in the lives of marginal people, is evoked in sharply satirical terms, with monologues akin to those that make Bernhard an icon of pop culture.The book is a testament to Bernhard's influence on pop culture and her ability to critique celebrity and political figures through her performances. In 1994, the BBC would release the documentary "Confessions of a Pretty Lady," with clips from her comedic cabarets, film appearances & family home videos. Overall, Confessions of a Pretty Lady is a compelling read for those interested in the intersection of comedy, performance, and personal narrative. It provides a unique perspective on Bernhard's life and the impact of her work on the entertainment industry. William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) fans will appreciate the subtle reference to his first published book, Junkie: Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict though the themes vary drastically here. See Item No.s 4716, 6403 & 6586 for examplse of our collector editions of Junkie. We have found and retained a thrice folded poster (appx: 8" x 11") in relatively fine-to-very fine condition advertising the book release of Bernhard's "Love, Love, and Love" on Wednesday September 8 from 12:30 - 1:30p.m. at Basset Book Shop in San Francisco, CA (1993). From the library of Brian Jacobs (b. 1969), a most-distinguished author, publisher & educator who attended the fabled Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado during the 1990s, where he was the student of its co-founders Anne Waldman (b. 1945) & Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) & was appointed by Ginsberg as his official assistant in the later period of his attendance. Jacobs has gone on to ever-greater heights as a True Beat Progeny, & we have been privileged to obtain and present this stellar collection. At title page, Bernhard has signed her name in charcoal black ink: "Sandra Bernhard." Hardcover in Dust Jacket: First Edition though not explicated as such at copyright page, second printing as explicated thereon. Book in relatively fine condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing & age-toning mostly to fine edges of front, back covers & spine; very mild bumping to corners of same; debossed Harper & Row insignia at lower right corner of front; mild age-toning & rubbing to text block. Interior fine-to-very fine with mild age-toning mostly to blank margins & fine edges of page leaves; mild age-toning to fine edges of front and back pastedowns. Dust Jacket fine with mild-to-medium age-toning mostly to front and back flaps; mild rubbing, scratching & spot-staining to front, back covers & spine. Fine. [Item #8594]

Price: $60.00