Charlie Chaplin vs. America by Scott Eyman

"Patriotism is the greatest insanity the world has ever suffered," [Chaplin] told one reporter. "I have been all over Europe....Patriotism is rampant everywhere and the result is going to be another war."

One of the keys to a really good biographer lies in this quote from Aaron Sorkin's play-turned-film, A Few Good Men, "It doesn't matter what I believe. It only matters what I can prove." And Eyman delivers this in spades. His clear adherence to the truth is what elevates the building blocks he uses to fashion a clearer picture of his subject.

When grappling with a way to tackle Charlie Chaplin in a way that had not been done before, Eyman states, "I always wanted to write about him, but bookshelves groan under the weight of books about Charlie Chaplin, and I didn't have an approach. What could be said about him that hadn't already been said? And then it hit me. Focus on the process by which Chaplin segued from the status of beloved icon to despised ingrate; focus on him being converted from one of America's prized immigrants to a man without a country."

Eyman's approach to biography truly stands out in a genre often filled with sensationalism and juicy gossip. While many biographers eagerly embrace scandalous secrets and craft narratives to suit their own agendas, Eyman treads a different path. He emerges as a dedicated truth-seeker, committed to offering a genuine and all-encompassing portrayal of his subjects. In the world of Hollywood biographies, where the dissection of lives is customary, Eyman's work doesn't aim to patch up fragile legacies; rather, it delves deeper into the essence of the subject. Through painstaking research and layers of information, Eyman brings Chaplin to life, offering fresh angles on his character and his life's accomplishments. He shines a spotlight on facets of Chaplin's persona that were previously veiled, often obscured simply by the passage of time. This thorough approach not only cements Chaplin's legacy but also unveils new facets of the intersection of his life and career that might have otherwise remained concealed.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.