The letters of Noël Coward

List of Illustrations

Introduction

Preface

Part 1. "Beginners, Please!"

1. The Boy Actor

2. "I Like America"

3. "Dance, Dance, Dance, Little Lady"

Intermission: Dab and Lornie

4. The Vortex

5. "Why Must the Show Go On?"

6. "I'm World Weary, World Weary"

Part 2. The Years of Grace

7. This Year of Grace!

8. "Mad Dogs and Englishmen"

Intermission: Gertrude Lawrence

9. Private Lives

Intermission: Play Parade

10. Cavalcade

11. Noel & Alfred & Lynn...and Their Design for Living

12. Conversation Piece...and Missing the Point

13. The Scoundrel...and Still Traveling Alone

Intermission: Marlene Dietrich

14. Tonight at 8:30

15. Operette...and Straws in the Wind

Part 3. Noel's War

16. World War II: "Twentieth Century Blues"

17. "Then Along Came Bill"

18. World War II: "Faraway Land"

19. World War II: "In Which We Serve"

20. World War II: "I Travel Alone"

Part 4. Shadow Play

21. Sigh Once More...and a Storm in the Pacific

22. The Fallow Forties

Intermission: A Quadrille...for Two

23. ...and the Fitful Fifties

24. Nescafe Society...and the Small Screen

25. Bubbles...and Nudes

26. A Different Sky...and a Look at Lulu

27. A Visit to "Greeneland"...via Havana

28. Wings...and Sails

Interimission: A Chatter of Chums

29. Girls...and Spirits

30. "Dad's Renaissance"

31. Songs at Twilight

32. Shadow of Evening

Permissions and Acknowledgments

Index