Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn

Biography obviously pulled together from scraps of info out there in various public media. A Kitty Kelley without the vicious slant. So Three stars for the uninspired writing efforts.

But the subject matter truly is so very enchanting and much more -- an iron butterfly. The most unique "movie star" I think we will ever see. One is left with her UNICEF years, which are so hard to read about, never mind live through. If "Goddess" weren't such a shopworn term; she, amongst very few women (and probably no movie stars) would deserve the appellation.

Then my little whimsical wish: she has always been the one I most wanted to to look like, had I the choice. Darling, darling Audrey.

I must admit I was skeptical about this book when I started it. I guess I just didn't know if there was anything new about the actress that I hadn't heard before. But Shazam! I think I have an even healthier respect for Ms. Hepburn. The book was enlightening in the following ways: the actress had a very healthy sexual life; she was from Dutch nobility; she originated the play Gigi and was discovered by Collette; the barren latter period of her acting career. I have read other books by Spoto and was pleasantly surprised with this very well written and engaging biography.

I’ve always been interested in classic movie stars, so when I saw this biography at Disney’s MGM Studios, I had to buy it. I am so glad I did . Mr. Spoto is a very detailed writer, and I read this book in about four days (three days only at night for half an hour and the third day for half a day). Because of this biography, I’ve watched countless classic movies, mostly with Audrey Hepburn, but also her costars’ movies (if I liked their acting). This book also rekindled my interest in wanting to create my own film or TV show and Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses now.

I usually read autobiographies and I might just stick to that. The biography was dense and knowledgeable but some information was omitted.

For fans, this is a great book. Good film analysis and comparisons between her life and the lives she portrayed.

This book was a rather boring account of the life of Audrey Hepburn. The book focused much more on the production of the films she starred in rather than on the star herself.

FROM AMAZON: Her name is synonymous with elegance, style, and grace. Over the course of her extraordinary life and career, Audrey Hepburn captured hearts around the world and created a public image that stands as one of the most recognizable and beloved in recent memory. But despite her international fame and her tireless efforts on behalf of UNICEF, Audrey was also known for her intense privacy. With unprecedented access to studio archives, friends, and colleagues who knew and loved her, best-selling author Donald Spoto provides an intimate and moving account of this beautiful, elusive, and talented woman.

Tracing her astonishing rise to stardom, from her harrowing childhood in Nazi-controlled Holland during World War II to her years show more as a struggling ballet dancer in London and her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut in Gigi, Spoto illuminates the origins of Audrey's tenacious spirit and fiercely passionate nature. show less