Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided Hardcover – Deckle Edge, October 31, 2023

As he's been doing for decades, Scott Eyman hits another home run with a biography that is both 1) a page-turner and 2) full of new information, no matter how much you might think you already know about the subject.In this case, the subject is Charlie Chaplin, and Eyman tells the story of an extraordinary life with special emphasis on America's shameful blacklisting of one of its greatest artists.As he should be, Eyman is sympathetic to Chaplin, and the emphasis on Chaplin's blacklisting makes for timely reading as we live through this latest "cancel" era where today's Hedda Hoppers on cable news and online discard artists like Woody Allen, Johnny Depp, and Kevin Spacey even after they're acquitted by the justice system. (Chaplin was “acquitted” by a blood test in a child custody case, and like those named above, it didn't matter).One of the reasons we're still fascinated with Chaplin is that he's so wonderfully unknowable. A brilliant intellect driven almost entirely by emotion. A fierce individualist who flirted with the hive-mind of socialism. In this engrossing book, and to Eyman's credit, neither he nor anyone he quotes, pretends to have figured Chaplin out.Eyman quotes something Chaplin once said about how people are quick to judge rather than understand one another. That's what Eyman wants -- for us to understand Chaplin, and this is as close as you'll come.Overall, though, like all of Eyman's books, this is a wonderful romp through classic Hollywood filled with the author's knowledgable insights that are never overbearing or judgmental.

Should be a good read when I get around to it.

Scott Eyman is my favorite film historian, and he is in glorious form here. While this book offers ample detail about the political tornado that made Chaplin a US exile, this is actually a comprehensive and perceptive biography covering his entire life and career. As always, Eyman's prose is a joy to read, his research detailed and his passion for subject delightfully glowing throughout. One of the best books ever on Chaplin, hands down.

Scott Eyman is a master of substantive biographies of Hollywood artists and celebrities. Without undue sentiment, his acute appreciation of Chaplin and his work adds warmth to this seat-edge thriller. Charlie Chaplin vs. America is a tightly focused biography of a great artist and humanist. One of the most riveting books I've read in years.

This book is not only about Charlie Chaplin’s life but it is a wonderful history of a very dark part of our country’s history. I love his style of writing!! I recommend this book to everyone. I am now going to read his other books.

a learning experience.

This book summarizes significant movies and events in the life and times of Charlie Chaplin. Overal I enjoyed it completely. There was one omission that left me to think author leaned slightly to the left. He omitted the D party affiliation of Congressman John Rankin while making clear the affoof William Langer R, on page 183 specifically, who were both pushing bad publicity/information about Chaplin. It’s a short concise interesting read.

This is not at all what I expected it to be. I haven't even made halfway (not even close) and I am already done with this. I have adult ADD and the way this author has been jumping around the timeline has me frustrated. Example, a chapter starts off saying something about how much Chaplin was worth in 1932, the next paragraph is talking about something in 1914 not related to Chaplin's finances. Like, dude, chronology is important. You can't keep skipping around from 1905, to 1914 to 1922 and then to 1952. It makes absolutely no sense. I expected a book focusing on the time period when he was being kept out of the US and the immediate invents, in detail, leading up to that moment. This is the first book in a long time that I am putting down long before it is finished. I wish I could get a refund.