In Pursuit of a Vanishing Star

the long version

"Dying scriptwriter Philip Nilson spends his last days writing about a forgotten but critical moment in the life of Greta Garbo. He tracks that most elusive of film stars to an episode in Constantinople in 1924, where, under the tutelage of impresario Mauritz Stiller, Garbo emerged as one of the dominant icons of the twentieth century. Enthralled by the story, Nilson awakens to the memory of a long-forgotten first love that, he discovers, has held him in its grip for the better part of his life. Ever since, it is only the image - the blazing icon - that substantiates his existence and satisfies his most heartfelt longings." "How can Nilson bring his screenplay to a close without bringing his own tenuous life to an end? This novel is both a modern narrative celebrating a glorious moment in the history of cinema and an allegory touching upon the very meaning of existence."--BOOK JACKET.