Judy Garland in Books

Judy Garland Books

There are tons of books out there about Judy Garland, ranging from the terrible to the sublime. The following are what I consider to be the "best" books on Garland - - with a few "fun/odd" books thrown in for good measure.

Some of these books are out of print, but you can still find them in used book stores or at online auctions sites such as eBay. Libraries are good sources for out-of-print books as well.

	JUDY GARLAND THE DAY-BY-DAY CHRONICLE OF A LEGEND By Scott Schechter For even more detailed timelines than you'll find here in The Judy Room, check out this great book. This book is not a "biography" but exactly what the title says: "A Day-by-Day Chronicle" of Judy's life. With access to the Arthur Freed archives in the UCLA Library, as well as a multitude of other sources, Scott picks up where the old Judy Room timelines leave off as he provides even more detailed information than you'll find here. Great pictures too. A fantastic resource for any fan of Garland or any fan of the old Hollywood. If you enjoy raw data this is the book for you! A definite "must have". Click here to purchase.

	THE WIZARDY OF OZ By Jay Scarfone and William Stillman Originally published in 1999, this 2004 expanded edition is nothing short of amazing. All about the making of the classic film, the book is lavishly illustrated with rare photos and tons of information. I highly recommend this book for any fan of the film and/or classic Hollywood. Click here to purchase.

	A STAR IS BORN - The Making Of The 1954 Movie And Its 1983 Restoration By Ronald Haver The late Ronald Haver's fantastic and detailed account about the making of Judy's great film. Plus the fascinating story about the restoration of the film by Mr. Haver and the American Film Institute. A great book for any film buff. For more information about A Star Is Born, check out the comprehensive A Star Is Born page here in The Judy Room. Click here to purchase.

	RAINBOW'S END - THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW By Coyne Steven Sanders Judy's failed TV series (now regarded as a classic) is detailed here with stunning accuracy. Tons of information make this a neat peek into the world of television in the early 1960's. Go to the DVD Page for more info about the shows and their release on DVD. Out of print, but available to purchase here.

	JUDY GARLAND - WORLD'S GREATEST ENTERTAINER By John Fricke Garland hagiographer Fricke gives tons of facts (and pictures) about Judy's entire career. This book doesn't delve into Judy's personality (get RAINBOW listed above), but it is a good source for factual information. Click here to purchase.

	JUDY GARLAND - A PORTRAIT IN ART AND ANECDOTE By John Fricke Another book from Garland hagiographer John Fricke, this time it's a lovely coffee-table sized book full of wonderful photos and basic information about Judy's career. However, the theme of "art and anecdote" is on display throughout via quotes about Judy life and her art, from Judy's contemporaries as well as Judy herself. Even recent celebrities such as Whoopi Goldberg give their thoughts (Whoopi: "When she sang, God spoke"). Another "must have". Click here to purchase.

	THE JUDY GARLAND COLLECTOR'S GUIDE By Edward R. Pardella Another great reference book, lavishly illustrated with photos of everything from costumes to sheet music to 78rpm record albums, and of course, The Ruby Slippers! Another "must have" for Garland fans. Click here to purchase.

	RAINBOW - THE STORMY LIFE OF JUDY GARLAND By Christopher Finch A wonderful book, covering Judy's entire career with lots of great pictures as well as insight into Judy's personality. Heavy on information about her MGM years. A definite "must have" for Judy fans! Click here to purchase.

	JUDY By Gerold Frank The first comprehensive biography written about Judy. This book really gets into Judy's personality and psyche. Although it's generally overlooked by many Garland "purists" today, it's still a wonderfully written biography, and Mr. Frank was granted interviews with many of Judy's contemporaries and family members who hadn't previously (or since) granted interviews. This book is out of print, but can be found on eBay.

	JUDY - PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN LEGEND By Thomas J. Watson & Bill Chapman Released prior to John Fricke's "World's Greatest Entertainer" this is pretty much the same thing: A complete overview of Judy's entire career with great pictures and written with obvious love and affection for Judy by the authors. This book is out of print, but can be found on eBay.

	LITTLE GIRL LOST - THE LIFE AND HARD TIMES OF JUDY GARLAND By Al DiOrio, Jr. Another loving tribute to Judy. This book was one of the first biographies about Judy after her death. Difficult to find these days, but worth looking for on eBay or other auction sites.

	YOUNG JUDY By David Dahl & Barry Kehoe Another of the early Judy biographies. This one deals with Judy's early career up through her audition and first few months at MGM. Though widely considered to have inaccurate information, it is still a wonderfully detailed and well researched account about this relatively unknown part of Judy's life. A great peek into the Vaudeville world of the early 1900's. Out of print, but worth getting from eBay or other auction sites.

	JUDY - A LIFE IN PICTURES By Basil Nestor Nicely compiled picture book with brief biography and lots of fun photos! This book is out of print, but can be found on eBay.

	JUDY By David Melton A slight book of poems in tribute to Judy. Obviously written and illustrated with much love. This book is out of print, but can be found on eBay.

	JUDY GARLAND By Brad Steiger This is a truly interesting and strange book about Judy. Forget the biographical stuff and check out the detailed analysis of Judy's handwriting, numerology, and astrology. Very odd indeed! This book is out of print, but can be found on eBay.

	JUDY GARLAND By Anne Edwards Another comprehensive study of Judy's life and career. Click here to purchase.

	RAINBOW - A STAR-STUDDED TRIBUTE TO JUDY GARLAND By Ethlie Ann Vare Great compilation of tributes and stories from the likes of Noel Coward, Hedda Hopper, Liza Minnelli, and many more. Out of print, but used copies are still easy to find. Click here to purchase.

	THE WIZARD OF OZ - THE OFFICIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY PICTORIAL HISTORY By John Fricke, Jay Scarfone & William Stillman Released for the 50th anniversary of the film, this is a fantastic history of the making of the film and the history behind the original books. Tons of great pictures and text. Another "must have." Out of print, but still easy to find on eBay. Click here to purchase.

	MGM'S GREATEST MUSICALS - THE ATRHURR FREED UNIT By Hugh Fordin Originally published in 1975 as "The World Of Entertainment!" (see image below left), then re-released in 1984 as "The Movies' Greatest Musicals" (see image below right) and now avialable as "M-G-M's Greatest Musicals the Arthur Freed Unit" (see image at left). Mr. Fordin's detailed account of the history of the "Freed Unit" at MGM. Tons of information about the makings of these classic MGM Musicals with Judy (of course) heavily featured. A fascinating look into how films were made during the "Golden Years". Click here to purchase.