Get Happy

The Life of Judy Garland

By: Gerald Clarke

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

She lived at full throttle on stage, screen, and in real life, with highs that made history and lows that finally brought down the curtain at age 47. Judy Garland died over 30 years ago, but no biography has so completely captured her spirit - and demons - until now.

From her tumultuous early years as a child performer to her tragic last days, Gerald Clarke reveals the authentic Judy in a biography rich in new detail and unprecedented revelations. Based on hundreds of interviews and drawing on her own unfinished - and unpublished-autobiography, Get Happy presents the real Judy Garland in all her flawed glory.

Here are her early years, during which her parents sowed the seeds of heartbreak and self-destruction that would plague her for decades...the golden age of Hollywood, brought into sharp focus with cinematic urgency, from the hidden private lives of the movie world's biggest stars to the cold-eyed businessmen who controlled the machine...and a parade of brilliant and gifted men-lovers and artists, impresarios and crooks-who helped her reach so many creative pinnacles yet left her hopeless and alone after each seemingly inevitable fall.

©2000 Gerald Clarke (P)2020 Tantor

The Brightest Stars Burn Out the Fastest

Judy remains a legend, and she paid dearly for that place in history. All her life she seemed to desperately need so much, but she gave with her voice even more. Had she been assured of love, acceptance and consistency at home, most likely she wouldn’t have suffered as she did later on. She tried to overcome so much. I pray that she is at peace now and singing to her hearts content. She won’t ever be forgotten.

GOODNESS!!!

So much I didn’t know. She was, is and will always be a true inspiration and SUPERSTAR!!!

Get happy

Such a sad life. Poor choices over and over…Judy was so dependent….never seemed to get the addiction help she truly needed.

Very well done

Disturbingly accurate and comprehensive portrayal of a troubled, abused & mentally I’ll woman who learned to pay it all forward.

Hard to believe- couldn’t stop listening!

Wow. I never knew the half of it! She was my idol when I was a little girl and I was OBSESSED with the Wizard of OZ. Unbelievable and tragic for everyone involved. RIP Judy.

The best full story of a legend.

This audible should be listened by all Judy Garland fans, it's a an. eye 0pener, of what this legend went through throughout her, tragic life.

Beautiful and heartbreaking.

Incredibly in-depth account of Judy Garland. Breathtaking heartbreaks with inspiring moments. Wonderful, powerful and tragic.

Enjoyed it.

It took a minute for me to get used to the voice. This is not a first person narrative. However after I adjusted the audio book was very good. I did not know anything about Judy Garland. I only became Interested after watching "Judy" on TV. I did not know that Liza Minnelli was her daughter. I learned a lot and it was sad like so many other great artists.

A white hot mess of a life

Gerald Clarke excels at writing thoughtful and clear-eyed biographies of tormented souls; his biography of Truman Capote made me eager to read his book on Judy Garland and it did not disappoint. I thought that I knew all the details about her tragic life, but this book was a revelation. Without casting her as a helpless victim, misunderstood genius or drug-addled lunatic, Gerald Clarke presents a life of a woman with severe mental illness and addictions whose problems were exacerbated by bad luck, bad decisions, bad men and bad timing. At the same time, she was a brillant performer and was lost when one professional door after another closed on her, largely because of her addictions and possible bipolar disorder. The trajectory of her life and career was even more heartbreaking than I'd thought, and I ended the book understanding how she wore out and alienated the people who cared about her, and attracted people who were out to use and exploit her. It's sad that the kind of resources that are available now weren't available during her lifetime. The narration was perfect.

Compelling biography

Clarke did a masterful job of weavung together the many elements making her star rise so brightly. The narration was top rate! I appreciate Judy's talent even more for having read it and am grateful this honest telling was unflinching but never uncaring.