The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne is A Family Memoir. And indeed, what a F**cked Up family it is, but sadly immensely entertaining. I don't usually use a curse word, but that is truly the best descriptor.
So, Griffin Dunne is an actor, producer. He was in After Hours, directed by Martin Scorsese. A best friend was Carrie Fisher. His father, Dominick Dunne wrote The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and wrote for Vanity Fair - following famous criminal trials. This happened after Griffin's sister, Dominique Dunne ( a rising actress) was murdered by strangulation and the boyfriend basically got off. Famous trial!!
Oh yeah, Griffin's uncle was John Dunne, famous writer, and his wife was Joan Didion!!!!
See all of these exclamation marks. Honest to Gosh, every page of this book is full of fame, fortune, misfortune, shock, sadness, drugs, New York City stories, and Hollywood dirt.
cover blurb - This memoir is, down to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its loveable, infuriating, funny, and moving characters - its author most of all.
I really liked this book. As a fan of movies, writers, wit, cleverness, and also shocking behavior and dirt, I thank Griffin Dunne for baring his soul and the family's in a very well written witty memoir. Wow!!!
I think it's difficult to be in that industry and not be messed up.
ReplyDeleteexactly. And it's fun to read about the train wreck. Griffin has a good sense of humor and realizes how nuts it all was
DeleteHi Joanne - sounds interesting and informative ... not for me though - but Alex says it like it is ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteAs a fan of Griffin Dunne in movies, I found it quite astounding that he has managed to live to write the tale.
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