Strictly Dynamite

"A colorful portrait, a fabulous film female, and a deep dive into the egocentric, sometimes sordid and sensational world of Hollywood."—Jan Wahl, Armed Forces Radio Network, Sportsline USA and The San Francisco Bay Times

"Eve Golden is one of our great historians of American Popular Culture. Strictly Dynamite: The Sensational Life of Lupe Vélez restores the reputation of a delightful actress and comedienne, rescuing The Mexican Spitfire from Kenneth Anger's lurid fantasies. Lupe comes to life on the page in a book rich in detail and enlivened by Eve Golden's great humor and brilliant grasp of Hollywood's Golden Age. Strictly Dynamite is a worthy follow up to Eve Golden's classic Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn't Help It and is required reading for film buffs and historians."—Gary Shapiro, Host of From the Bookshelf

"Lupe Velez has always been situated within film history as a sort of tragic cartoon, not to be taken entirely seriously. Eve Golden's welcome biography acknowledges her erotic misadventures but also gives us a talented actress and comedian who deserved deeper consideration from her industry and from posterity."—Scott Eyman, author of 20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio

"Eve Golden's Strictly Dynamite finally delivers an even-handed, incredibly human, and witty account of Velez's colorful life. Instead of sensationalizing Velez's tumultuous career and love life, Golden meticulously teases apart fact from fiction, revealing a multifaceted woman who was raring  to challenge convention as well as stereotypes shoved upon Hispanic actresses of the day. Velez was, in the words of photographer Alice Hughes, "very wearing indeed." But, to state a cliche, well-behaved women seldom make history, and Lupe Velez is a case in point. She was far more than a juicy sex-and- violence headline; she was eccentric, individualistic, troubled, and lovable. Reading Golden's book made me, at least, feel like a studio head discovering a brand new star thanks to her snappy, fresh take on this underestimated "spitfire" of the silver screen."—Cynthia Brideson, author of He's Got Rhythm: The Life and Career of Gene Kelly and Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway's Greatest Producer

"Lupe Velez, the Mexican Spitfire, finally gets her due in Eve Golden's frank, in-depth study tracing her ascent from Vaudeville to Hollywood and the New York stage. Golden's account of Velez's steamy romance with Gary Cooper and her tempestuous marriage to Johnny Weissmuller will delight fans of Hollywood's golden age."—Robert Dance, author of The Savvy Sphinx: How Garbo Conquered Hollywood, Hollywood Icons and Glamour of the Gods

"A sensitive, impeccably researched portrait that looks beyond the mythical 'Mexican Spitfire' and the one-line jokes based on a poisonous collection of Tinseltown lies. Eve Golden considers Lupe Velez's legacy in Hollywood and her impact on Latina actresses who followed."—Larry Harnisch, writer, blogger, columnist, and retired L.A. Times editor

"Lupe Velez was a talented, if frequently under-utilized, actress; a beauty whose tempestuous life is tantalizing to contemplate and whose final fate remains a mystery, though slandered by spiteful legend. Eve Golden, master of insightful truths and humorous asides, uses honesty, thoughtful analysis, and her typical thorough research to explore both the life and work of this fascinating subject. This deeply researched life of Lupe Velez is a page-turning pleasure from start to finish—the book to read about Lupe."—Hugh Munro Neely, producer/director, Timeline Films

"With her signature freewheeling style, Eve Golden takes a deep dive into the life and films of Lupe Velez and comes up with a restless, sexy goddess of great, if frequently underappreciated, talent. Eve Golden is a master of insightful truths and humorous asides. Her deeply researched life of Lupe Velez is a page-turning pleasure from start to finish. Lupe Velez was a talented, if frequently under-utilized actress; a beauty whose tempestuous life is tantalizing to contemplate and whose final fate remains a mystery, though slandered by spiteful legend. Eve Golden uses honesty, humor, thoughtful analysis and her typical thorough research to explore both the life and work of her fascinating subject. With its publication, this becomes the book to read about Lupe. She is revealed here as never before."—Hugh Munro Neely, producer/director, Timeline Films

"For way too long, the personal and professional life of Lupe Velez has been oversimplified and stereotyped. Finally, Eve Golden gives us an in depth and nuanced look at the talented singer, dramatic actress and comedian whose story reflects the real and racist challenges faced by too many in the history of Hollywood."—Cari Beauchamp, author of  Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood

"Ms Golden's writing is as vivid and bubbly as the subject - Lupe Velez - herself. She captivates the reader with a high density of valuable and bias-free information. Moreover, she also splashes out facts and interesting details on other great stars who played a part in Miss Velez' life. Highly recommended."—Bettina Uhlich of Marilyns Idol: Das Leben der Leinwandgöttin Jean Harlow

"Aside from the most ardent movie buffs, few today, if any, have heard of Lupe Velez. Author Eve Golden adds to her stunning pantheon with Strictly Dynamite, the first English-language biography of the insanely talented, vibrant, and heinously underrated actress. Velez's boundless enthusiasm for anything she set her sights for (acting, stardom, and, yep, sex) is chronicled from her near-poverty upbringing in Mexico to her taking Hollywood by storm in the 1920's. She rose quite swiftly – not only due to her physical beauty, but to her thespian abilities. Her professional life is meticulously researched by Golden, who spent years tracking down scarce prints of Lupe's more obscure work, rare quotes/interviews, reviews – all seasoned with a generous sprinkling of the author's trademark wit, snarkery, but unbridled affection for her subject."—Mel Neuhaus, film critic, Supervistaramacolorscope