Norma - The Life & Death of Rudolph Valentino's Beauty Queen

For years, we have heard about the lovely winner of the Mineralava Beauty Pageant crowned by Rudolph Valentino. Evelyn Zumaya, herself, wrote about the event in her book, 'Affairs Valentino.' She also wrote about the fling Rudy and this 15-year-old girl had that was witnessed by some of the other contestants and George Ullman. Zumaya conveniently left this part of the story out of her Norma book. Why, I could not tell you. I caught this immediately and now others have noticed. Natacha Rambova, Rudy's wife, refused to attend the event because of Rudy and Norma's affair. There are many issues with this book, and none of them good. The story in the podcast begins with Norma's horrible death, the mystery of which was never solved. There are many questions left unanswered, and Zumaya even makes up a few through her own speculation ... a fantasy world just like 'Affairs Valentino' and other books Zumaya has written. I suppose if a story is not really there, super-sleuth Evelyn feels she has the right to simply make one up to please 'her fans.' This book is extremely overpriced, I would say it should have been priced at no more than $10.00. We know that Norma Niblock did indeed win the beauty contest, and the rest of the story is dependent on the memories of her children who are now in their 90s and Norma's scrapbook she put together when she was a teenager. Norma was an alcoholic, so I find it difficult to believe even the things she related to her children. I feel Evelyn took advantage of Norma's children, and I find that disgusting and sad. No book is worth that. I would not recommend this book for the fans of Rudolph Valentino, since Norma was not a significant part of Rudy's life. This is just another smarmy gossip book through and through. I would not recommend this book to anyone, at all.

Like many with an abiding interest in Rudolph Valentino, I have been mesmerized by and deeply curious about the blushing, radiant young woman he crowned as the winning beauty of the Mineralava Pageant. Evelyn Zumaya, alone among Valentino authors in consistently unearthing striking new information and documentation about the actor and his life and times, outdoes herself yet again with Norma’s story. We learn how Norma was sabotaged by a spiteful leading actress on the set of a Valentino film and how she was propositioned with marriage offers (many unintentionally comical) from around the world. Her photo archive and scrapbook reveal her to be a woman of astonishing beauty, reminiscent of and yet a league apart from the women Valentino would pursue and idealize throughout his short life. Norma was also whimsical and charming, with an artistic flair all her own. Thank you Ms. Zumaya for opening this window and allowing reviving fresh air to circulate in the very arid, very small world of Valentino scholarship!

As a long time Rudolph Valentino admirer, I have watched the 13 minute short film, “Rudolph Valentino and His 88 Beauties,” countless times. I often wondered what happened to the lovely young woman, Norma Niblock, who was selected and crowned as the winner by Valentino himself at the national Mineralava Beauty Pageant. I was thrilled when I discovered this new book and even more delighted when I saw Evelyn Zumaya had written it. Zumaya’s research is always impeccable, and she does not disappoint with Norma. Told in Zumaya’s usual engaging style, Norma’s story is about how that one night at Madison Square Garden with Valentino changed forever the life of a beautiful young woman from Canada. While her story does not follow a celebrated, glamorous path that Norma Niblock perhaps deserved, it perfectly illustrates the twists and turns that can happen to a young person when, in one dazzling moment, they are touched by a star. Perhaps this story can also be taken as a cautionary tale, particularly for all those young women in the 1920s who flocked to Hollywood, dreaming of becoming film stars, only to experience disillusionment. I won’t give away the ending of Norma's story, but you will find yourself cheering for dreams realized and mourning for dreams lost. Norma will definitely steal your heart.

Finished reading the book a quick & excellent read . Norma Niblock won the Mineralava dance tour Beaty contest . The tour Rudy & Natacha performed in while he was on strike from the movies What a fascinating life Ms. Niblock lived . Worked so very hard her whole life . Learned new things about Valentino too . Norma always had a fondness for Rudy . Highly recommend

This book was incredible! I truly loved it. So much history. Excellent!

If I could, I would try to get my money back on the purchase of this book. I thought it was going to be a more in depth analysis of Norma Niblock and her relationship with Valentino's world. More than half of it has been padded with images from the scrapbook of the subject and old photos. The text itself reads like a novel. A lot of money for what it is.