Oscar Wars

A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears

By: Michael Schulman

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

The author of the New York Times bestseller Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep returns with a lively history of the Academy Awards, focusing on the brutal battles, the starry rivalries, and the colorful behind-the-scenes drama.

America does not have royalty. It has the Academy Awards. For nine decades, perfectly coiffed starlets, debonair leading men, and producers with gold in their eyes have chased the elusive Oscar. What began as an industry banquet in 1929 has now exploded into a hallowed ceremony, complete with red carpets, envelopes, and little gold men. But don’t be fooled by the pomp: the Oscars, more than anything, are a battlefield, where the history of Hollywood—and of America itself—unfolds in dramas large and small. The road to the Oscars may be golden, but it’s paved in blood, sweat, and broken hearts.

In Oscar Wars, Michael Schulman chronicles the remarkable, sprawling history of the Academy Awards and the personal dramas—some iconic, others never-before-revealed—that have played out on the stage and off camera. Unlike other books on the subject, each chapter takes a deep dive into a particular year, conflict, or even category that tells a larger story of cultural change, from Louis B. Mayer to Moonlight. Schulman examines how the red carpet runs through contested turf, and the victors aren't always as clear as the names drawn from envelopes. Caught in the crossfire are people: their thwarted ambitions, their artistic epiphanies, their messy collaborations, their dreams fulfilled or dashed.

Featuring a star-studded cast of some of the most powerful Hollywood players of today and yesterday, as well as outsiders who stormed the palace gates, this captivating history is a collection of revelatory tales, each representing a turning point for the Academy, for the movies, or for the culture at large.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Narrator does a nice job of relaying this book

Charlie Thurston reminds me of a less salacious VH1 Behind the Music guy. The book overall is a good listen and there were a few details I didn’t know about especially the Olivia De Havilland and Joan Fontaine sibling rivalry. Intense! It’s a good addition to anyone’s cinematic literary collection.

Was interesting

It had it's moments, although sometimes it stayed too long on subjects that really didn't enhance the story (like the tenure of Betty Davis). The second half dealing with more recent history was better than the beginning.

Fascinating and FUN

Not a general history of the Oscars or the Academy but a survey of trends and significant high/low points. The early history is particularly fascinating with a survey of the great early studio moguls and birth of the Hollywood studio system. Early giants such as Frank Capra and John Ford. Got me re-watching some of the classics again. Had scant idea of the importance of the Weinstein brothers, well cover here. TONS of fun anecdotes and stories. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for film buffs. Nicely read by Charlie Thurston

A Fruitful History

Worth listening to for a highlight reel of some of the most contentious tales in recent history, and expertly narrated.

Entertaining!

I was born here, and my best friend‘s father owned a production lot. Famous. But who cares? And I grew up down the street from Bob HOPE. And who cares? But this book is so fun because I live around the corner from the academy and go there all the time! And I had to give this book to Quinn Who is at the front desk and fabulous! I love this book. And I hope people at the Academy will read it. They probably won’t.