Act One

An Autobiography

By: Moss Hart

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Moss Hart's Act One, which Lincoln Center Theater presented in 2014 as a play written and directed by James Lapine, is one of the greatest American memoirs - a glorious memorial to a bygone age filled with all the wonder, drama, and heartbreak that surrounded Broadway in the early 20th century. Hart's story inspired a generation of theatergoers, dramatists, and readers everywhere as he eloquently chronicled his impoverished childhood and his long, determined struggle to reach the opening night of his first Broadway hit. Act One is the quintessential American success story.

©1959 Catharine Carlisle Hart and Joseph M. Hyman, trustees (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Loved it.

After reading this I am now convinced that I was there with Hart as all the great events of his life unfolded.

A permanent favorite !

There are few books I consider favorites this will be one of them. Great telling of an incredible career from the ambitious beginning to first success. I felt like it was someone recounting events to me personally in a most sincere and inspiring dialogue. You could feel the joy with Moss Hart’s first success and understand what to took to achieve it.
This was a book club selection, wise domination. Five stars are not enough.

Are you a theatre person?

If you are, then this is the book for you. If you're NOT a theatre person but love an amazing tale about a climb out of poverty, this is the book for you, too.

I will admit I am old enough to remember many of the people mentioned in this book. It is a first hand account of a different time. I had read about this book, and I had heard people talk about it, but I had never read it, and Audible had it!

Fantastic!

Beautifully written - it feels like a play or a movie! Learned more about the theatre on this book than on my whole life prior to reading! Bravo!

One of my favorite books

I learned about the the unbelievable process of creating a show …these theatre people are so driven and they face so many obstacles. Moss Hart tells a great story and the reader is enjoyable. I read this book years ago and it just gets better.

A classic

One of the finest theatre autobiographies ever written. Beautifully read - with the exception of Bow Bells, which is pronounced Boe Bells, not Bough Bells. Don't producers ever check these things? Oh well. it's still a great book.

Pretty Grim at first

Didnt think I would make it all the way through,with setback and defeat riding high.
The ending however brought it all together.
i have no idea what Moss Hart sounded like, but send high praise to Mr. Meskimen for his performance.
It sounded as if I were listening to the author himself.
I worked 40 years as a Thearical Wardrbe Attendant (Dresser) in Chicago and appreciate the day to day hard- working aspect of being backstage realized by this reading.

Very entertaining and engaging

I understand that there’s been some criticism of the accuracy of this book and I do find a few of its events. I’ve been on the fantastic side, but overall it was very entertaining and an interesting glimpse into the theater world at that time.

Brilliant.

When Broadway was the Great White Way. A must for anyone interested in show business and a joy for those who aren’t.

Pleasure Reading. Superb Narration!

The narration made this book far more interesting than it might have been otherwise. A real pleasure to listen to. Very interesting life story from a man with a beautiful mind who turned barriers into sailboats. This is about a time that otherwise would have been lost for many people to venture into. A time when people really had to hustle without the social nets we have in place today. When people were grateful for work and had to stretch themselves for simple opportunities. A different universe actually. Not a book you will forget you read. Add this to your good memories!