Isabel Leighton | Author

Canonical name: Leighton, Isabel
Legal name: Bunker, Isabel Leighton
Birthdate: 1900
Date of death: 1995-04-22
Burial location: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA
Gender: female
Nationality: USA
Place of death: Manhattan, New York, USA
Places of residence: New York, New York, USA
Occupations: actor
journalist
playwright
television host
Organizations: North American Newspaper Alliance
Short biography: Isabel Leighton began her career in the theater as an actress in the early 1920s. She went on to collaborate on writing six plays that were produced on Broadway, including Mercenary Mary (1925) and Spring Again (1941). In the 1930s and 40s, she wrote articles for various magazines and for the North American Newspaper Alliance. During World War II, she served as a naval correspondent. She was also the author, co-author, or editor of several books, including My Boy Franklin, as told by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's mother (with Gabrielle Forbush), and Where Away, with George Sessions Perry. She was the editor of The Aspirin Age, 1919-1941, a bestselling collection of articles by John Lardner, Howard Fast, and others. In the early 1950s, she was the moderator of a popular television program called "How Did They get That Way?" She served on the boards of several civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Menninger Foundation.

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The Aspirin Age, 1919-41 by Isabel Leighton

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½

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VPManga | 3 other reviews | Jul 23, 2023 |

Where away, a modern odyssey by George Sessions Perry

Published in 1944, this is the story of the U.S.S. Marblehead. A ship which was nearly, but not quite, sunk in the Pacific arena of WWII at the beginning of the war. It is the story of how against all odds, the ship was able to make it to safe harbor after an odyssey voyage of more than 9000 miles through waters full of enemy ships, submarines and air patrols.

Written in an upbeat patriotic style (published in 1944), this manages to be a very human tale. The wonderful illustrations throughout by John J. Floherty help to personalize the men, but the writers have done a fantastic job of writing about many technical details in words which a layman such as myself can understand. They made the story personal without sinking to the level of maudlin. I couldn't put the book down once the action began and ended up finishing it in one day.

It ties in with [The Story of Doctor Wassell], in that these are some of the sailors he was trying to save in Java.

I loved reading the bulletins posted for each local the ship landed at. They informed about the currency exchange, the entertainments available and those which were against the law as well as reminding sailors that they were guests and representing their country and had better do so accordingly.… (more)

½

1

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MrsLee | Sep 5, 2016 |

THE ASPIRIN AGE: 1919 - 1941 (Essays) by Ed. ISABEL LEIGHTON

A thoroughly interesting and informative read of the inter-war period (well, the US 'inter' - i.e. 1939-40 UK & Europe already 2 years into wartime grief & misery) - some of the most well known people and episodes of that era - that attained newsworthy record both sides of the Atlantic.

½

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tommi180744 | 3 other reviews | May 31, 2016 |

The Aspirin Age: 1919-1941: The essential events of… by Isabel Leighton

This collection of essays about newsmakers and events of the interwar years is a delight. They are by various writers knowledgeable about each subject. Not a history of the era, but a focus on memorable people and phenomena, full of fascinating stories.

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gbelik | 3 other reviews | Jan 28, 2015 |

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