In 1937 Hollywood, gossip columnist Sheilah Graham’s star is on the rise, while literary wonder boy F. Scott Fitzgerald’s career is slowly drowning in booze. But the once-famous author, desperate to make money penning scripts for the silver screen, is charismatic enough to attract the gorgeous Miss Graham, a woman who exposes the secrets of others while carefully guarding her own. Like … Fitzgerald’s hero Jay Gatsby, Graham has meticulously constructed a life far removed from the poverty of her childhood in London’s slums. And like Gatsby, the onetime guttersnipe learned early how to use her charms to become a hardworking success; she is feted and feared by both the movie studios and their luminaries.
A notorious drunk famously married to the doomed Zelda, Fitzgerald fell hard for his “Shielah” (he never learned to spell her name), a shrewd yet softhearted woman—both a fool for love and nobody’s fool—who would stay with him and help revive his career until his tragic death three years later. Working from Sheilah’s memoirs, interviews, and letters, Sally Koslow revisits their scandalous love affair and Graham’s dramatic transformation in London, bringing Graham and Fitzgerald gloriously to life with the color, glitter, magic, and passion of 1930s Hollywood.
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I read this book knowing nothing about Sheilah Graham and little about F. Scott FitzGerald. But I learned so much in this meticulously-researched novel and came away feeling like I’d gotten an intimate look into their lives. The most fascinating part for me was the transformation and rise of Sheilah, certainly a rags-to-riches, or at least a rags-to-Hollywood story. Fans of F. Scott FitzGerald may have heard much about his legendary romance with Zelda. But the tale is not finished until they know about Sheilah as well. Excellent piece of historical fiction from this author and I look forward to reading more of hers in the future.
Reading Sally Koslow’s rich historical fiction is pure paradise. What’s not to love about a Hollywood romance between literary lion F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jewish gossip columnist Sheilah Graham? Absolutely nothing! Stunning prose and page-turning narrative.
I greatly enjoyed this book. While of course I know the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, I knew nothing of his personal life. I was drawn in from page one and could not put this one down. Extremely information and moving. 5 Stars.
Fascinating romp with Fitzgerald through the eyes of his mistress, Sheilah Graham. This novel provided an addictive escape into the golden age of Hollywood and gave me entry to Fitzgerald’s life through an entirely new lens. Loved it.
Historical fiction author Donna Russo Morin says: “It is the function of the history book writer to tell us what happened; it is the goal of the historical novelist to tell us how it felt.” Sally Koslow’s novel following the relationship between Hollywood gossip columnist, Sheilah Graham, and past-his-prime Jazz Age novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald, exemplifies this assertion magnificently. It is a deep and touching dive into how it must have felt to be someone like Sheilah Graham, who overcame retched poverty only to have it threatened by a literary giant and world-class alcoholic desperate to make a third-act success of his life before it’s too late. This book is as perfect as historical fiction gets and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Sheilah Graham was a popular gossip columnist covering Hollywood stars in the late 1930’s. She moved to America and assumed a new name to hide her poverty-stricken background. At the same time, F. Scott Fitzgerald was working in California developing movie scripts while struggling to write his next novel. His wife, Zelda, was away at a psychiatric hospital and he was fighting to stay sober.
Sheilah and Fitzgerald met at a party an embark on a tumultuous love affair. She understood his shortcomings and insecurities while accepting that he would not divorce his ill wife. He provided her with security and resources to enhance her career. They become a couple and their relationship continued through some tough times and both were forced to disclose some deep secrets.
I found this historical fiction novel by Sally Koslow fascinating and did not want the book to end. The book is presented from Sheila’s point of view and the dialogue brings you back in time. ”Another Side Of Paradise” is about an exciting love affair that develops into a complex relationship between two talented people. This was the first book that I read by the author, and it will not be my last.
A wonderfully written story in which Sally Koslow’s words dance through the history of our main characters, Sheilah Graham and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Those characters; they’re a bit crazy, a bit sad, humorous and treacherous but real……it makes for a complex, intriguing read.
This was a great book about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last lover. I cheered for her every step of the way.
I have to say, I am a bad English Major (I concentrated on Journalism), so I have little experience or knowledge of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his books. I definitely didn’t know about where he died or about his long-term affair with Sheilah Graham, so I came into this novel with no background. That being said, this book focused on a woman who reinvented herself and the look at her life was riveting. The story was well-written and, it appears, extensively researched. The story was engaging and I really enjoyed tracing Sheilah’s transformation as well as the behind the scenes look at her life in Hollywood.
This was my first read by Sally Koslow, and I am glad I took the plunge. She is an author I will keep on my radar and I will look forward to reading more of her work.
#AnotherSideofParadise #TallPoppies
Two things made me want to read this book in the first place- I love historical fiction and it’s about F. Scott Fitzgerald. The books takes us back to 1930’s Hollywood where the well-known gossip columnist Sheilah Graham meets the famous author of The Great Gatsby. She falls hard for the still married Gatsby, whose wife Zelda is back East in treatment. Scott falls equally hard for Sheila, who has reinvented herself after a hard childhood. This well researched story is one of love and tragedy! A great read for fans of historical fiction!
Ms. Koslow shares the dark side of “paradise” through the adulterous relationship of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sheilah Graham. It’s a tumultuous relationship since each one is carrying trauma from their past. It’s a compelling novel that I read in one sitting.
NOTE: There is profanity.
I won a copy. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Having always been fascinated with F.Scott Fitzgerald, I enjoyed this easy read. I had no idea about his acquaintance with Shelia Graham.
An incredible telling of the story of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his mistress Sheilah Graham. Sally Koslow takes the reader deep into the world of the 1930’s and brings to life the love-filled but often tragic relationship of Fitzgerald and Graham. This is page-turner that won’t let you go until the very end.
Title is a homage to F. Scott’s “This Side of Paradise” and paints the oft bumpy relationship between the aging idol and Sheilah Graham, Hollywood gossip columnist. I knew little about her prior to reading and enjoyed learning more as well as the glimpses into Hollywood glitterati of the time.
I really enjoyed this story!
The grit behind the glitter in the 1930’s Hollywood of Clark Gable, Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart, of Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.
She’s Sheilah Graham. He’s F. Scott Fitzgerald. He’s married and alcoholic, on the shadowy side of celebrity, said to be broke, in tinsel town writing screenplays to make money, She’s a lush blonde, in-the-know gossip columnist who’s made it in a male-dominated world. A purveyor of other people’s secrets, she’s shrewd and vulnerable—and zealously guards her own dark secrets. He writes fiction. She lives it…
Well-written, lively, Another Side of Paradise by Sally Koslow is, in the best sense, a page-turner.
Love the time period and characters…
For me, Another side of Paradise is Summer break- without the lunch making and waking of cranky little people for school and trying to drink my coffee before it gets cold! ! Fortunately Sally Koslow’s Another Side of Paradise is much more interesting! Her alluring novel of 1930’s British born-American success, gossip columnist Sheilah Graham will entice historical fiction fans to turn page after page and devour this novel.
“Destiny is what you make of fate.”
Matron Weiss
As a young woman in the 1930’s, Graham sipped champagne with the likes of Randall Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper and Humphrey Bogart. However, her life actually began as Lily Shiel-born into poverty and raised in an orphanage, Graham had to make her own way in the world. A true rags to riches journey, Sally Koslow has written a remarkable story reconstructing Ms Graham’s somewhat con-artist life that ultimately lead her into the arms and heart of famous American author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
“God stays closest to those with broken hearts.” -Tatte, Another Side of Paradise by Sally Koslow
A historical fiction novel with amazing descriptive writing. The book was just vividly written that I definitely didn’t want to put it down and just wanted to binge read it all in its entirety!
I was so excited to pick this one up. It was definitely exciting and I was very much into this story as it was so captivating. This was a story of the drama, romance and affair between F. Scott Fitzgerald and the gossip columnist Sheilah Graham who fell in love with Scott while in Hollywood. The author did a phenomenal job on the research to be able to bring us back in the 1930s Hollywood era to follow the ups and downs of Sheilah’s relationship with F Scott Fitzgerald.
I found this to be such an addictive read and loved every moment of it. I definitely recommend to those who love this genre. This definitely won’t be my last book by this author.
I absolutely loved this book by Sally Koslow! You could tell right when you start reading she had done her research! I felt like I was immediately transferred back in time! I went into this not know much about F. Scott Fitzgerald. This book was told in Sheilah Graham point of view and it just captivated me. Sheilah Graham came from a very poor Jewish family and even placed in an orphanage when her mother couldn’t care for her , wanting to make a name for herself in California she changes her name so she doesn’t have any connection to her past and becomes a popular gossip columnists who covers Hollywood In the 1930’s . While at a party she meets Scott Fitzgerald whose in California working on movie scripts and from there they begin an affair. Knowing he’s fighting alcoholism and that his wife is in a psychiatric hospital and he has no plant to leave her, she accepts their relationship the way it is. Scott helps her career and they stay a couple through some very difficult and even dark times. I loved how the story progressed and it just had me eagerly turning the page to find out more about the couple and where their story was going to lead. Sheilah s relationship was not an easy one and when Scott would drink he could turn nasty but when he wasn’t he was the sweetest my heart broke for her at times. I loved the golden age of hollywood and all the characters were well developed. It was a breath of fresh air and I learned so much of Fitzgerald’s final years. Thank you Sally Koslow for writing an amazing books I give this four stars!