Introduction

For fans of Christina Baker Kline and Adriana Trigiani, a story that “will enchant until the final page” (Library Journal).

It’s 1938, and twenty-five-year-old secretary Frances Healey is ready for a fresh start. Hoping to forget her painful past, she takes a job working for Hollywood producer Lawrence Merrill. She quickly becomes absorbed in VistaGlen Studios’s biggest project: a movie about Kitty Ridley, the legendary stage actress who disappeared from the public eye in 1895. The movie will be the making of Belinda Vail, a beautiful ingenue hungry for a breakout role (who also happens to be Mr. Merrill’s love interest).

  But the real Miss Ridley has other ideas. Now ninety years old, she writes a scathing letter insisting the studio halt production of the film. Hoping to change her mind, Frances and Mr. Merrill embark on a trip to find the actress—only to land in a Victorian farmhouse in the Napa Valley. But as she learns the truth of Miss Ridley’s life, Frances finds herself confronting the very past she’s been trying to forget. And with the arrival of the ambitious Belinda, loyalties will be tested, bonds will be forged, and Frances will learn where true happiness lies. Set in Hollywood and the sun-drenched Napa countryside, A Golden Life explores friendship, forgiveness, and the power of honoring your own story.

Editorial Review

No Editorial Review Currently Available

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter Two: Frances interviews for the job of secretary to producer Lawrence Merrill

It was a large office, with windows on both sides. Mr. Merrill indicated a seat in front of the huge desk and then seated himself in the leather swivel chair behind it. His hair was brown, lighter than her own, with a hint of gray at the temples. He was tall, over six feet, and had a rather narrow face with brown eyes. He was younger than she had expected: late thirties, perhaps. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1) In any organization, secretaries have a great deal of influence and knowledge. What do you think makes Frances such an effective secretary? Why do so many people confide in her?

2) This is a story about journeys (both physical and emotional), and nearly every main character has one. Which character’s journey did you find most surprising, or most intriguing?

3) This novel immerses readers in the daily life of the 1930s, with all the fashion, entertainment, daily routines, and social expectations of the era. Which aspects of life in 1938 sound appealing? What would have been difficult about living during that time period?

4) Kitty Ridley’s long life contains many hidden and surprising stories. Which stories—about her acting career, or about her personal life—did you find most compelling, and why?

5) What was your opinion of Belinda Vail? Did your feelings about her change over the course of the story?

6) The stay in the Napa Valley “shakes things loose” for Frances and for Lawrence Merrill. What is it about being there that changes them? Have you ever been to a place that got you out of your normal routine and helped you see your life from a new perspective?

7) Kitty Ridley talks about how she spent a lifetime performing for other people, making herself into whatever audiences wanted. Which characters in the novel perform, even when they are offstage? Why do you think they feel the need to perform? By contrast, what are moments in the book when characters show who they truly are?

8) Were you surprised by Kitty’s final decision about the movie? Why or why not?

9) If the story had continued, what do you think the future would hold for Frances?

10) Do you have a favorite “old movie” from the 1930s or beyond? What do you like about it?

Weblinks

»	Author's website
»	Deborah Kalb: Q & A with Author Ginny Kubitz Moyer
»	Kirkus Reviews: Starred review of A Golden Life
»	Parade.com: The 39 Best New Book Releases This Week
»	Hasty Book Club interview with Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of A Golden Life
»	The View From Behind the Camera: My Family and Old Hollywood by Ginny Kubitz Moyer
»	Contact Ginny to Zoom into a book club

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.

Member Reviews

There are no user reviews at this time.
Rate this book