New York Times Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller • Publishers Weekly Bestseller
People's Book of the Week
Annual Library of Virginia Literary Awards Nominee for Fiction
Adriana Trigiani, the New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster epic The Shoemaker's Wife, returns with her biggest and boldest novel yet, a hypnotic tale based on a true story and filled with her signature elements: family ties, artistry, romance, and adventure. Born in the golden age of Hollywood, All the Stars in the Heavens captures the luster, drama, power, and secrets that could only thrive in the studio system—viewed through the lives of an unforgettable cast of players creating magic on the screen and behind the scenes.
In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town's golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success. With meticulous, beautiful detail, Trigiani paints a rich, historical landscape of 1930s Los Angeles, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen.
The movie business is booming in 1935 when twenty-one-year-old Loretta Young meets thirty-four-year-old Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. Though he's already married, Gable falls for the stunning and vivacious young actress instantly.
Far from the glittering lights of Hollywood, Sister Alda Ducci has been forced to leave her convent and begin a new journey that leads her to Loretta. Becoming Miss Young's secretary, the innocent and pious young Alda must navigate the wild terrain of Hollywood with fierce determination and a moral code that derives from her Italian roots. Over the course of decades, she and Loretta encounter scandal and adventure, choose love and passion, and forge an enduring bond of love and loyalty that will be put to the test when they eventually face the greatest obstacle of their lives.
Anchored by Trigiani's masterful storytelling that takes you on a worldwide ride of adventure from Hollywood to the shores of southern Italy, this mesmerizing epic is, at its heart, a luminous tale of the most cherished ties that bind. Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema's greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making.
Praise for All the Stars in the Heavens:
"Trigiani spins a tale of star-crossed lovers... A heartwarming tale of women's lives behind the movies." - Kirkus Reviews
"A thoroughly entertaining tale that brings Hollywood's golden age alive." -People
"A tinsel-trimmed treat for movie buffs and Trigiani fans alike." -Library Journal
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“Blair Brown’s acting talents are brought center stage in her performance of this fictionalized account of the relationship between Loretta Young and Clark Gable…Woven throughout Young’s story is that of Alda Ducci, an imagined personal secretary for the actress. Underlying Brown’s animated narration is a subtle emotional tension, and the layered performance highlights the laughter and tears, loves and disappointments in Loretta and Alda’s lives. Many famous people appear in the audiobook, and Brown wisely refrains from impersonations, although each character is given a distinct voice, including a believable accent when appropriate. Listeners will be as caught up in Loretta’s lively family and star-crossed romances as they are in Alda’s more down-to-earth perspective.”
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