When the Laughing Stopped: The Strange, Sad Death of Will Rogers
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Book Overview
The sudden death of renowned American entertainer Will Rogers inspired a national mourning not seen since Lincoln's death, and it still resonates today. In this intimate and informed recounting, John Evangelist Walsh recalls the events of that day and the plane crash that ended it all. The plane carrying Rogers and aviator Wiley Post crashed in a lagoon just outside Barrow, Alaska on August 15, 1935. Walsh retells the tragic tale from various angles, primarily alternating between Rogers and Post's journey and the actions of the two men's families on that fateful day. In particular, Walsh reveals moving details about the families and their struggle with grief, such as the fact that Post's daughter was in a stage play about plane crashes at the time of the crash, or how Will Rogers's daughter Mary never fully recovered from her father's death and subsequently abandoned her promising acting career.
When the Laughing Stopped is a gripping and poignant retelling of the death of a beloved American legend, and it shines a humanizing light upon a pivotal moment in American history and culture.
When the Laughing Stopped is a gripping and poignant retelling of the death of a beloved American legend, and it shines a humanizing light upon a pivotal moment in American history and culture.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1602230412
ISBN13:9781602230415
Release Date:February 2011
Publisher:University of Alaska Press
Length:150 Pages
Weight:0.85 lbs.
Dimensions:0.4" x 6.1" x 8.8"
Customer Reviews
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Including an in-depth analysis of the cause of the crash and a close scrutiny of Mary's subsequent m
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
In the summer of 1935, beloved American "cowboy philosopher" and popular movie/radio star Will Rogers perished in a plane crash, on the shore of the Arctic Ocean in northernmost Alaska. By pure chance, Rogers' beloved daughter Mary happened to be performing in a play about a plane crash at the time of Rogers' death, an misfortunate coincidence that abruptly ended her career. Further ripples of the tragedy echoed in the hearts and minds of the public. When the Laughing Stopped: The Strange, Sad Death of Will Rogers explores the circumstances behind Will Rogers' passing, including an in-depth analysis of the cause of the crash and a close scrutiny of Mary's subsequent misfortune. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful, exhaustively researched account.
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