First
and foremost we have to ask; how many books were published on
Valentino after De Recqueville's book was published in 1978, in which
the author could cite De Recqueville? The Scagnetti book was
published three years earlier in 1975 and the next book of
consequence was Michael Morris', Madam Valentino in 1991.
Contrary
to what Terhune states, Micheal Morris did cite Jeanne De Recqueville's book on page #266 in his Madam Valentino under his section “Sources
– Books”. It was Michael Morris who first recommended the book to
me as he felt it was an important work.
The
next publication was Dark Lover in 2003 by Emily Leider which Terhune
mentions and in this regard I share a message we received from a Gabriel Oak about this today. I cite this verbatim and add that it
is preserved on servers:
“Evelyn,
I
have seen Terhune’s sickening “review” of the De Recqueville
book and I IMPLORE YOU to consider publishing the following on your
blog!
So,
that poisonous cow Terhune is on the attack yet again. He says of the
De Recqueville book, “It's
no wonder this book is not quoted nor sourced in ANY book about
Rudolph Valentino.”
Hmmm. How very odd that he would have missed
the sourcing of De Recqueville’s book in his sacred copy of Emily
Leider’s “Dark Lover.”
Terhune
rhapsodizes endlessly about the virtues of Leider’s work, and
pronounces it, together with Irving Shulman’s “Valentino” as
all one needs to read on the subject of the Great Lover.
In
fact, according to Terhune, Leider’s work is superior to Rambova
and Ullman’s books about Valentino, because unlike Valentino’s
wife and manager, Leider had no agenda. This is perverse.
Leider
drew so heavily upon Rambova and Ullman’s books that she virtually
incorporated them wholesale! Perhaps Terhune hasn’t actually read
the book he so sanctifies.
No
surprise then that Terhune is ignorant of the fact that Leider
sources De Recqueville on the very page that she declares that the
relationship between Valentino and Andre Daven ”seems to have been
a genuine love affair.”
Astonishing that the rabidly agenda driven
Terhune would miss this. So - have a gander at pages 300 and 475 of
“Dark Lover” Terhune, and eat your rancid words.
And
one more observation. Only a person with partial command of his
mother tongue would excoriate a polyglot. You are no match for Renato
Floris, Terhune!”
*Of
course I cited the De Recqueville book in Affairs Valentino in 2011
and in subsequent editions. Terhune is wrong on all accounts about
the DeRecqueville book's not being cited. It sure has been and in
every publication since her book came out.
