by Juliette Fay
Acknowledgments
Heartfelt gratitude to the many people who helped me learn so much about the fabulous and gritty world of early silent filmmaking. At the Los Angeles Public Library, Eileen King in the Art, Music, Recreation, and Rare Books Department found countless resources for me and unearthed more books from deep in the stacks than I could ever have found myself. Then she sent me down to microfiche to read the newspapers of the day, which were full of the Fatty Arbuckle scandal, Hollywood gossip, movie premieres, and advertisements for everything from sock garters to automobiles “at prices never before seen on this planet!” My stint in LA was hosted by my dear friend Sandy Kiley, who joined me to tour the Hollywood Heritage Museum and “research” nostalgic dining at Musso & Frank.
The Flagstaff, Arizona, leg of the journey was graciously hosted by Kristen, Keiji, Tea, and Lucas Iwai. Brianna Fay was patient and kind enough to spend hours poking around the old train depot, Weatherford Hotel, and Orpheum Theatre with me. Mike McAllister, the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway property manager, offered lots of interesting facts about the depot, and Bob McGill at the Orpheum gave me the nickel tour and let me peek around backstage.
Deepest appreciation to Paul Kuppinger, who is a whiz at finding photographic documentation and creates wonderful albums for me. His generosity with his time and research skills is such a gift.
After the research comes the writing and, as always, I’m enormously grateful to early readers Megan Lucier, Cathy McCue, Kristen Iwai, Brianna Fay, Tom Fay, Randy Susan Meyers, Kathy Crowley, Liz Moore, and Nichole Bernier. Without them I’d never find my way from that tangled first draft to something presentable.
My agent, Stephanie Abou, always seems to have the right advice at the right time, goes to bat in just the right way, and has the perfect blend of frank honesty and good humor. Editor Lauren McKenna digs deep to get the best out of every last character and story line, and this novel is far better for her dedication and editorial wisdom. I’m so grateful to have these two smart, savvy, hard-working women in my corner.
Special thanks, gratitude, and love to my husband, Tom Fay, who is, as the saying goes, the cat’s pajamas.
CITY OF FLICKERING LIGHT
Juliette Fay
This readers group guide for City of Flickering Light includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
Introduction
When Irene Van Beck jumps off a moving train to escape her harrowing life in burlesque, she sets in motion a series of life-changing events for herself and her friends Millie Martin and Henry Weiss. The unlikely trio has high hopes of making it big in Hollywood, but the road to stardom is arduous. The friends have only one another to turn to as they face brutality, poverty, and near hopelessness in an unfamiliar city. In the end, all three create lives that are rich in success and modern flair, but not before they learn invaluable lessons about love, loyalty, and self-acceptance.
Topics and Questions for Discussion
1. Irene, Millie, and Henry each have their own particular shortcomings to grapple with over the course of the story. How do they compare to those of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz? Are they able to overcome these difficulties in the end, and if so, how?
2. Each of the main characters has been separated from their families in some hostile or tragic manner. Though they don’t know one another well at the beginning of the novel, Millie claims Henry with the words “you are ours” by its end. How were they able to create this unconventional “family” so quickly and securely? How do you think this bond will impact baby Ivy as she grows up?
3. When Millie is raped in Chapter 13, Irene ponders how she was raised to think that it only happens to “bad girls.” Neither Millie nor Irene ever considers reporting it. Did this aspect of 1920s Hollywood life surprise you, or was it expected? Do you think Millie and Irene handled the situation as best as their status allowed? What might you have done differently?
4. Were you surprised by Eva Crown’s statement in Chapter 34 that “there are a lot of women directors,” given that there are relatively few today? It’s true that women did enjoy more power in the industry’s early days than they currently do. Do you think there could ever have been a Hollywood #MeToo movement in the 1920s?
5. In Chapter 16, when Agnes offers Millie heroin, did this humanize Agnes for you or make you dislike her even more? Does her pain explain her behavior? Were you surprised by the easy availability of drugs?
6. The road to success is harrowing, yet even in the darkest moments of the story there are glimmers of humanity, such as when Eva Crown gives Irene the book on screenwriting. What are other examples of hope and generosity you find in the novel? In the end, does the portrayal of 1920s Hollywood feel optimistic? Do you think it’s easier or harder to break into filmmaking today?
7. Henry’s sexual orientation isn’t revealed until halfway through the novel; in fact, he tries to hide it even from himself. Was he able to hide his sexuality from you, the reader, or did you guess early on that he might be gay? How does Henry eventually come to terms with being in love with another man?
8. Each chapter in City of Flickering Light features a quote from a famous silent film star, director, cameraman, or screenwriter. One of these is John Barrymore’s: “Happiness often sneaks through a door you didn’t know you left open.” How does this quote serve as a theme for the novel as a whole? Which was your favorite quote and why?
9. Which character did you identify with the most? Which character did you like the most? Are they the same?
10. Which stars of today remind you of characters in the novel?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. Host a movie night with your book club and watch a silent film together. A few suggestions:
Beyond the Rocks, starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks
Stella Maris, starring Mary Pickford (written by her friend Frances Marion)
The Kid, starring Charlie Chaplin
Hell’s Hinges, starring William S. Hart
The Sheik, starring Rudolph Valentino (See what made women swoon!)
Have each person make up a silent film star name for themselves. You could also watch the thirteen-part documentary Hollywood to learn more about this bygone era, but that will take multiple nights!
2. In Chapter 28, Dan offers Irene greenthread tea, a traditional Navajo beverage, to soothe her. The simplicity and kindness of this act, coupled with Dan’s patience and quiet strength, contributes to Irene’s falling in love with him. Purchase some greenthread tea for your book club (available online at various sites, including https://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark-item/greenthread-tea). Over tea, talk about a simple gesture or moment that made you feel loved.
3. Read The Vanishing American by Zane Grey, the popular novel that sparked the fight between Irene and Dan. Then watch the silent film version with Richard Dix. Does this help you better understand why Dan had such a strong reaction to Irene’s script?
4. Talk about the novel with the author! Juliette Fay is happy to discuss the novel by Skype or other video format with groups of five or more, subject to availability. To schedule, contact her at www.juliettefay.com/for-book-groups/book-group-chat-request/.
More from the Author
The Tumbling Turner…
About the Author
KRISTEN DACEY LWAI
JULIETTE FAY is the bestselling author of five novels, including The Tumbling Turner Sisters, a USA Today bestseller and Costco Pennie’s Pick. A graduate of Boston College and Harvard University, she lives in Massachusetts. Visit her at JulietteFay.com.
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Also by Juliette Fay
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Gallery Books
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2019 by Juliette Fay
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition April 2019
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Interior design by Alison Cnockaert
Cover design by Laywan Kwan
Cover photographs of women and man on car by H. Armstrong Roberts/Getty Images
Photograph of Hollywood sign by Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Border © Shutterstock
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Fay, Juliette, author.
Title: City of flickering light / Juliette Fay.
Description: First Gallery Books trade paperback edition. | New York : Gallery Books, 2019.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018026340 (print) | LCCN 2018027306 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501192951 (ebook) | ISBN 9781501192937 (trade pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781501192944 (hardcover library edition : alk. paper)
Classification: LCC PS3606.A95 (ebook) | LCC PS3606.A95 C58 2019 (print) | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018026340
ISBN 978-1-5011-9293-7
ISBN 978-1-5011-9295-1 (ebook)