From the publisher: “The definitive visual biography of Grace Kelly’s unforgettable Hollywood career, chronicled in 400 extraordinary black-and white and color photographs, including many never-before-seen.”

I just discovered Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl last year and had to read and look at it again. This is an over-sized coffee table book chronicling Grace Kelly’s all too brief career in the movies as well as a brief biography of her life in Monaco.

The writing could have been better, a lot better, in fact. The text reads like a magazine article, and nothing untoward about Grace is revealed. It’s as if Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl were authorized by her family, but obviously not because it mentions her frequent affairs with co-stars. This is not a very detailed biography by any stretch of the imagination, just an overview of her life and mostly, her career.

However, the text is not the reason to buy Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl. It is the more than 400 photos, sketches, and press sheets culled for this volume that make it a treasure to look at. There’s a brief look at her life growing up and acting work prior to going to Hollywood. Then there’s a chapter for each movie, some received more attention than others. The movies that got the most print were Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and High Society, all favorites of mine. Then, there’s a chapter on Grace’s life in Monaco and her untimely death.

The Edith Head and Helen Rose sketches are fascinating to look at, as are the various press sheets and advertisements that Grace appeared in. The photos throughout are breathtaking, and they are all printed on heavy glossy paper. No expense was spared making Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl.

Any lover of old Hollywood would appreciate this book.

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