In the darkest days of World War II, English-born Greer Garson became Hollywood's most inspiring icon of strength and courage.

Garson combined an everywoman quality with grace, charm, and refinement. She won the Academy Award in 1941 for her role in Mrs. Miniver, and for the next decade she reigned as the queen of MGM. She earned a total of seven Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, and fourteen of her films premiered at Radio City Music Hall, playing for a total of eighty-four weeks - a record never equaled by any other actress.

In this first-ever biography of Garson, Michael Troyan sweeps away the many myths that even today veil her life. The true origins of her birth, her fairy-tale discovery in Hollywood, and her career struggles at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer are revealed for the first time. Garson's experiences offer a fascinating glimpse at the studio system in the years when stars were closely linked to a particular studio and moguls such as L.B. Mayer broke or made careers.

With the benefit of exclusive access to studio production files, personal letters and diaries, and the cooperation of the family, Troyan explores the triumphs and tragedies of her personal life, a story more colorful than any role she played on screen.