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I am an enormous historical fiction fan. It is pretty difficult to get me to read anything else unless the book is very attractive and provoking.
I came across this book on Amazon right after I saw the film “To Catch a Thief” with my friend and became curious about Grace Kelly.
Her face is classically beautiful and easy for me to recognize as the former Princess of Monaco, but other than that, I had no idea about her life.
“True Grace” did a wonderful job outlining a lovely American woman who lived a fascinating, but somewhat sad and unusual life.
Author Wendy Leigh did her homework, getting first person interviews with scores of people who knew Grace Kelly personally.
I felt like I was getting a truthful, perhaps less varnished, view of her. I liked that the events of her life are not presented in chronological order, but rather grouped by content.
One of the most interesting facets of her life for me was her relationships with President John F. Kennedy and Frank Sinatra.
During her ascension as a sought-after Hollywood starlet, Grace Kelly seemed to be continually looking for a love that would last.
She often fell in love with her co-stars, most of whom were the most elite of male film stars. The sheer list of their names is somewhat scandalous and very intriguing.
The photo section in the center of the book was helpful to keep names and faces straight. I think Wendy Leigh profiles Grace Kelly unstintingly, showing the glamour and the heartache, both her wisdom and questionable choices.
I only wish she would have written more about the accident that ended Grace Kelly’s life.
All in all, “True Grace” is an appealing book, easy to read and thought and conversation provoking.
