Can You Ever Forgive Me? Memoirs of a Literary Forger is the autobiographical story by Lee Israel of her days forging collectible letters. This was made into a terrific movie starring Melissa McCarthy in one of her best roles. Israel is completely open about her life, what led her to forge, and with acerbic wit is enjoyable all the way.
A once popular biographer of Miss Tallulah Bankhead and Estee Lauder, Israel had fallen on hard times, forced to sell the books she had, and a few author signed letters. Seeing the value placed in signed letters by the likes of Dorothy Parker and Noel Coward (among many others), she used her skill as a researcher to comb through biographies and library files, copy style and phrases, and then create her own originals on various period typewriters. She had the ability to take on the voice of each literary celebrity so well, that even those who questioned the authenticity could not believe it was a fake. She couldn't be that good.
Her letters were sold to high tier dealers who re-sold them to collectors at higher prices, and no one wanted to believe there was any question of forgery. "They are real if we say they are real" said one dealer, as their business certifying authenticity would suffer any hint of impropriety. On seeing The Letters of Noel Coward include her fake in their published collection: "For me, this was a big hoot and a terrific compliment". Lee writes with an open charm that doesn't shy away from her warts - a quirky lesbian with a sick cat, she might drink too much. She realizes quickly the jig is up when a dealer offers to keep quiet for $5000 - which she pays with a new plan: replace library originals with her fakes and have someone else sell the originals. Enter Jack Hawk, a gay con man she befriends who agrees to be her accomplice. Another in a long string of mistakes.
This is a quick read, and I knew the story from watching the film, but nothing beats hearing it from the author herself. She has a singular wit - to have written in the voice of such luminaries as Coward and Parker is an achievement. For anyone interested in forgery, crime, with a devious mind, or those who like literary celebrities, wit, and reading other people's letters - this is recommended.
As is the terrific film with the same name.
"Now you know, I am that good".
2008 / Tradeback / 130 pages
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