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Mildred Pierce (Abandoned) (Crime Masterworks)
  
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Mildred Pierce (Abandoned) (Crime Masterworks) (Paperback)

by James M. Cain (Author) "In the spring of 1931, on a lawn in Glendale, California, a man was bracing trees ..." (more)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Orion; n.e. edition (21 Nov 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0752853171
  • ISBN-13: 978-0752853178
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Product Description

Mildred Pierce is the story of a determined and ambitious woman who, after her feckless husband abandons her, by hard work and sacrifice builds a successful business to ensure the future of her pampered and selfish daughter. But she isn't prepared for the intrigues and devastating betrayals of those closest to her. This is James M. Cain's most substantial novel and a classic of the Depression years. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


About the Author

James M. Cain was born in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1892. Having served in the US Army in World War 1, he became a journalist in Baltimore and New York in the 1920's. He later worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Cain died in 1977
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In the spring of 1931, on a lawn in Glendale, California, a man was bracing trees. Read the first page
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great character study., 20 April 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Mildred Pierce: Screenplay (Wisconsin/Warner Brothers Screenplays) (Hardcover)
Why is this listed under crime? The only crime in this book is that Mildred loved her daughter too much. I liked it because the main character changed over time--she wasn't a stagnant character like in so many novels. Very interesting novel, I recommend it.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Far better than the film, 28 Jul 2004
By Trevor Stafford "T Stafford" (Ipswich) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Mildred Pierce (Crime Masterworks) (Paperback)
Perhaps not technically in the 'film noir' genre as there is no smoking gun (unlike the joan Crawford film), Cain's writing is however gripping, and has a very modern feel. Cain achieves strong characterisation, principally by the excellent use of dialogue combined with earthy realism.

The story revolves around the destructive love of a mother for her spoilt, cold and manipulative daughter, upon whom she projects material ambitions buit fails to inculcate any moral index. Initially a victim, the eponymous hero becomes a self-made all-american success, only to be destroyed by those she loves and who have motivated her efforts to succeed.

The plot is startlingly different from the film adaptation, more convincing and bleaker if less dramatic. A suoerb holiday read

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it !, 6 Jun 2009
This review is from: Mildred Pierce (Paperback)
Really more of a noir thiller than anything to do with crime. In fact the biggest crime appears to be home drinking during the Prohibition period before Mildred, quite rightly, throttles her daughter Veda near the end.

Mildred is a proud housewife and mother who cannot cope with her embittered husband any longer and throws him out, whatever the consequences, at the very height of the Depression in 1931 California. Mildred trawls for non-existent jobs before pure desperation makes her bite the bullet and wear the dreaded 'uniform' of a waitress,'...as though walking to the electric chair, she turned around and headed for the kitchen'.

Mildred makes good due to her self-employed pie-making skills but the book is all about her on/off relationship with her beautiful, gifted, phenomenally snobbish daughter. Veda must be based on someone Mr Cain knew as she reaches new heights of duplicity, hurtfulness and manipulation. Veda even turns Mildred's breaking point to her own advantage before Mildred sinks back to a happier if poorer life with her former hubby giving the Parthian Shot, 'To hell with her....let's get stinko'.

Also don't be put off by the rather staid image of the book and film. There are some racy bits that got past the Hays Committee as Mildred flirts with prostitution, has a lusty affair in a beach-hut and the amusing saga of Mrs Biederhof's breasts 'without any brassieres'.

This is a really, really good read and highly recommended.
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