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The Lonely Life: An Autobiography
by
Bette Davis
The Hollywood legend talks about her four marriages, her leading men, her feud with a well-known co-star, her longing to have a child, and her favorite roles.
Mass Market Paperback
,
224 pages
Published
1963
by Lancer Books
(first published 1962)
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Community Reviews
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Those of you who know me know that my heart belongs to Joan Crawford. But I love Bette, too, and I'll easily admit she's the better actress. This autobiography, written (ghostwritten, no dobut, but the voice is pure Bette) in the early sixties, is a fantastic look at a STAR. She readily admits to ego, temper tantrums, perfectionism, bull-headedness--everything for which Bette Davis is famous.
Her childhood sounds awful--her parents divorced around WWI, and her equally tough-as-nails mother is po ...more
Her childhood sounds awful--her parents divorced around WWI, and her equally tough-as-nails mother is po ...more
The Lonely Life essentially documents around sixty years of drama played out by the world renowned Bette Davis. From her early days of paternal neglect when she would cut her sister's hair for attention, to her unstable youth going from school to school, to the theater, to the silver screen and so on, this autobiography made it clear that from day one, Davis wanted nothing more than success. Of course, this came with a considerable price. The romance she dreamed of as a young girl would never co
...more
This was inspiring and a good portrayal of an actor's rising career. Bette Davis was intelligent, confident and well spoken. She never whined, but worked hard for what she wanted and achieved, fighting the Hollywood machine, losing, carrying on, and gaining a lasting respect among her peers. She acknowledged that she was too strong for most men, married to four, and the one she got along with best was killed - although that marriage may not have lasted ultimately. Her turn of phrase is quite ori
...more
This was her first autobiography. Largely out of print but you can find a used copy if you scour ebay or book fairs. I savored every detail of this book as part of my training to be a fag.
Apr 12, 2014
Ms Miaow
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biogs-and-autobiogs
A must for any BD fan,a very honest account of her life,told in Bettes inimitable way.Also a very interesting insight into the film industry of the era.
Indomitable,tenacious,and prepared to fight her own battles to get to the top,a lesson in self reliance.
Indomitable,tenacious,and prepared to fight her own battles to get to the top,a lesson in self reliance.
Ed Sikov's bio of Bette, Dark Victory, is a great read and respectfully details her life and work.
Bette's own version of her life is a bit jumpy, certainly NOT a kiss and tell, but offers many interesting observations on acting, and filmmaking in Hollywood. Her voice comes through, loud and clear!
Bette's own version of her life is a bit jumpy, certainly NOT a kiss and tell, but offers many interesting observations on acting, and filmmaking in Hollywood. Her voice comes through, loud and clear!
like most stars of the era, she really portrayed herself in a beautiful light and skipped over a lot of the ugly stuff. I enjoyed it because I enjoy everything Bette Davis, but if you want to read her real life story...try reading More than a Woman.
I've never read a biography that was this good. Bette Davis is fascinating from start to finish, and if you love learning about people, this is a highly recommended read. No other Bette Davis book out rivals this one.
This might be one of the best books I've read. I tagged so many pages and carry so many of her quotes with me. Very well-written and insightful.
Pure Davis you can hear her talking through the book. Hard to get it through a second hand bookseller but, defintely worth the trouble.
doesn't mince words, though one could hope for more description of the many many tantrums, rages and arguments to which she freely admits
Feb 19, 2009
Shelley
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans, hollywood history buffs
a great read about her life by the woman herself. a must for people interested in the history of hollywood.
What can I say I love BETTE DAVIS!!!!! ^.^
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Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress of film, television and theatre. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres; from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies, though her greatest successes were romantic dramas.
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Apr 05, 2015 08:12PM