Judy Garland: The Other Side of the Rainbow

Judy Garland: The Other Side of the Rainbow (2010) by Michael Freedland. This biography of Judy Garland covers all the bases pretty well, but seems to me to have nothing much new to offer. It's not very well written, and Freedland's sources are mostly several steps removed from the late movie star/singer/stage performer. Garland's troubles with alcohol and prescription drugs are well documented, and Freedland covers the ground pretty well in this book. As an Englishman, Freedland seems to lack some crucial understanding of what it is like to be an American star, born in America. This is the first book I've read about Garland, so for me it was all pretty fresh, but I've got a feeling this ground has been covered before, and probably better. Grade: B-