Dave Karger gives an interesting perspective into the winners of an Oscar. My opinion of many of the winners changed drastically over the story of the win and the placing of the Oscar. A very hard opinion that several placed the Oscar in a closet. This is a prize for doing a fabulous job in your chosen field of endeavor. Yes, many struggled years before winning this elusive prize. The surprising field of children and their famous parent showing that the famous adage remains as to who you know. The pictures of the winners and description of the outfits worn enhance the experience. An interesting glimpse into a privileged existence. ( )

50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on their Career Defining Wins by Dave Karger is a 2024 Running Press publication.

This is a quick read recapping Oscar wins over the years in various categories- actresses, screenplays, music, etc.

Each profile has a quote- the movie they won an Oscar for- a bit of personal information-like what the atmosphere was at that point- what the person wore- what they did after the ceremony- like parties- for example- and where their 'Oscar' now resides.

This book can be read in one sitting. Most of the material is not hard to locate on the internet- so if one had the time, organization skills, and the inclination you could have searched this information out on your own without needing this book- or you could have ‘written’ this one yourself. But Karger- who will be familiar to those who watch Turner Classic Movies- has gathered everything together for you- adding a few personal information that on occasion was bittersweet or poignant.

Other than that, though, the book is rather bland.

Movie enthusiasts, I suppose, would like this one- but I would think big movie fans would already know most of what is presented here- but then again, the convenience of having the material all organized together in one book might be a motivation to pick this one up. But I would suggest checking to see if your library has a copy before forking over fifteen bucks for this one.

2.5 stars ( )