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This detailed biography of Bette Davis is based on more than 150 interviews, including those with friends and relatives speaking out for the first time, as well as research yielding access to previously suppressed documents and personal correspondence. 50,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT...
This is a well-written and exhaustively researched book about Bette Davis. The narrative of her complex life is always entertaining and is presented in chronological fashion.Her career serves as the backdrop for this analytical recounting of her colorful life. The focus, however, remains on Bette Davis, the woman, and her story is skillfully told.

The portrait of Ms. Davis that emerges from the pages of this book is a sympathetic one, despite the author's presentation of Ms. Davis as a flesh and blood woman with many issues.It is a biography that will keep the reader turning its pages, as it is so eminently readable.Moreover, the black and white photographs that are included in the book serve to augment the reader's enjoyment. Fans of Bette Davis, as well as those who appreciate well-written biographies and memoirs, will find much to like about this book.

Very Thorough But Biased Account Of Davis' Life
I appreciated the intricate details Spada provided in the telling of Davis' life story. What I could have done without were the implications that Davis caused the death of her husband as well as the brain damage fromwhich her adopted daughter suffered! Apparently no accidents evenperipherally connected with Davis can occur without making her bear theburdon of the blame. Is this amateur sleuthing or sensationalism or justmean-spiritedness? Makes you wonder if BD Hyman had a hand in the writingof this book.

You will understand the tortured woman that was Bette Davis!
James Spada has written a thoroughly detailed, well-researched novel aboutthe life of one of the movies' most enduring stars.He spares no punchesto Bette Davis, but, at the same time, offers better understanding of hermotives in many situations.The chapters dealing with the last four yearsof her life were enough to bring tears to my eyes, as I could just imaginethis wonderful woman hurting so badly from the betrayal of daughter B.D. Bette's son Michael, however, proves to be a loyal, forgiving son to her. The last line really sums it up when it says something to the effectof.....and she would be happy to know that her fans miss and respect herdespite the fact that she was less than a perfect human being.This is aGREAT biography!!!

Exhaustive Account of the Great Davis
Readable, detailed and persuasive, this serious biography of Bette Davis offers a balanced, engrossing account of her colorful life.The author clearly recounts her dogged rise to screen stardom, her stormy marriages, and her often contradictory actions and statements.Many of the murkier incidents in the actress's life (namely the mysterious death of her second husband) are closely examined.Davis' acting, and the relative worth and importance of her many films get short shrift, but as a standard biography of a film star, Spada's book is quite solid.It's probably best read in tandem with Davis' autobiography, "The Lonely Life", and the memoir "Mother Goddam" to which she contributed notes and addendum.A more entertaining account of Davis, with better analysis of her films, is Lawrence Quirk's fan-oriented "Faster Your Seatbelts: The Tempestuous Life Of Bette Davis." Now, that book is truly a joy to read! ... Read more

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Sheet music with picture of Bette Davis on cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

MORE THAN A BIT OF BETTE...
As a big Bette Davis fan, I looked forward to reading this biography of her, particularly as it had been written by an individual who had also been a film critic. I was not disappointed. This is a very well researched, extensive book of the life of Bette Davis, her relationships, and her body of work. The author takes the reader through her early beginnings in Lowell, Massachusetts to her last breath in Paris, France. It is evident that for the author this was a labor of love.

Given the author's own connection to the film world, as well as the fact that he, himself, is a big fan of Ms. Davis, much of his writing is peppered with interesting insider information. It is the culmination of an amazing forty three years of research. Being a member of the cognoscenti, the author provides a great deal of colorful background that fleshes out her life, grounding it in the context of the time in which she lived and developed as the great star that she eventually became. He does this through extensive interviews of the people who had played a role in her life, news clippings, film reviews, and his own interviews of Ms. Davis.

The author takes the reader through her relationships, many of which were rocky, with her family, her fellow actors, directors, writers, producers, and studio heads. The author discusses her marriages, of which there were a four, and her lovers. It is, however, when discussing her films, her highs and her lows, that the author's knowledge really comes to the forefront. Having seen most of the films of which he writes, I especially enjoyed and was totally fascinated by all the background information, skullduggery, and behind the scenes hoopla that went on in the making of these films. I will definitely go back and see some of these films again, as they are now couched in a new light.

This fascinating book is, without a doubt, the definitive biography of Bette Davis, warts and all. The author succeeds in painting a three dimensional portrait of a feisty, determined woman, who brooked no nonsense when it came to her craft, but who also had a softer side, wanting to love and be loved. This is a woman who asserted herself and refused to countenance anyone who would try to make her be something that she wasn't. While this may not have made her very popular with those who lived or worked with her, this quality shone through in her films, making her one of the most popular and enduring superstars of all time. Bette Davis eventually became more than the sum of her parts. She became a legend. ... Read more

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This story is part of a collection written based on deer that frequently visit my property in New Hampshire. ... Read more

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Chapters: Brigitte Bardot, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Maurice Chevalier, Rosemary Clooney, Bette Davis, Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, Hank Williams, Raymond Scott, Clyde Mcphatter, Connie Francis, David Rose, Donny Osmond, the Osmonds, Johnny Tillotson, Mel Tormé, André Previn, Conway Twitty, George Shearing, Miklós Rózsa, George Hamilton, Sandy Posey, Lou Christie, Johnny Green, Billy Eckstine, Alfred Newman, Stan Getz, Boyce and Hart, Marvin Rainwater, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Chamberlain, Sheb Wooley, Dick Hyman, Tommy Edwards, C. W. Mccall, Larry Storch, Barry Gordon, Johnny Russell, Astrud Gilberto, Lainie Kazan, Ray Peterson, Sam the Sham, Carson Robison, Don Reno, Jimmy Jones, Joni James, Ray Ellis, Sue Lyon, John D'andrea, the Gentrys, Jaye P. Morgan, Teddy Randazzo, Diane Renay, Jimmy Swan, Franklyn Maccormack, Mark Dinning, Robert Maxwell, Molly Bee, José Melis, Leroy Holmes, the Impalas, Betty Madigan, Pucho ... Read more

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Chapters: Bette Davis, Jack Kerouac, James Abbott Mcneill Whistler, an Wang, George Washington Dixon, Adelbert Ames, Benjamin Franklin Butler, Ed Mcmahon, William Henry O'connell, George Whitefield Chadwick, Marty Meehan, Paul Tsongas, Mark Desaulnier, Walker Lewis, Niki Tsongas, Michael Chiklis, Olympia Dukakis, Adelbert Ames, Jr., Mark Goddard, Nancy Donahue, Nathan Appleton, Willard Metcalf, John Nesmith, Richard M. Linnehan, Milton Selzer, Maurice K. Goddard, Micky Ward, Michael Ansara, Charles Herbert Allen, Billy Sullivan, Scott Grimes, Paul Moody, David Neeleman, Boney James, Frederic T. Greenhalge, Francis Cabot Lowell, Kirk Boott, Erasmus Darwin Leavitt, Jr., Calixa Lavallée, Michael Casey, Ray Mclean, Gustavus Fox, Joseph R. Ouellette, Roger Morin, Robert Tessier, Vince Vouyer, Christopher Makos, Gary Hoey, Ezekiel A. Straw, James B. Francis, Clarence Edwin Ayres, Frank B. Morse, Agnes Varis, Tom Hayes, Benjamin Dean, Bill Cooke, Alfred Ordway, Mary Hallaren, Art Whitney, Ray Goulding, George Charrette, Denny Driscoll, Henry O. Studley, John Jacob Rogers, Edwin M. Truell, John Bernard Delany, Dennis Murphy, Pervez Taufiq, Patrick Tracy Jackson, Frank Mclaughlin, Deborah Hopkinson, Frederick Ayer, James Cook Ayer, Tom Sexton, Jack Corcoran, Elinor Lipman, Marty Sullivan, Milton Green, Elisha Huntington, Lyrical, George Bassett Clark, Luther Lawrence, Lance Wilder, Blanche Ames Ames. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 393. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5, 1908 October 6, 1989) was an 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 occasio...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=63517 ... Read more

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Chapters: Bette Davis, Tom Cruise, Susan Sarandon, Ray Milland, Bob Hope, Myrna Loy, Harold Lloyd, Glenn Ford, John Houseman, Tommy Lee Jones, Carson Grant, Lewis Arquette, Dean Cain, Cliff Arquette, Bo Derek, Joe E. Brown, Danny Huston, Justin Pierce. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 177. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5, 1908 October 6, 1989) was an 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 her roles in romantic dramas. After appearing in Broadway plays, Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930, but her early films for Universal Studios were unsuccessful. She joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances. In 1937, she attempted to free herself from her contract and although she lost a well-publicized legal case, it marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career. Until the late 1940s, she was one of American cinema's most celebrated leading ladies, known for her forceful and intense style. Davis gained a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative, and her confrontations with studio executives, film directors and costars were often reported. Her forthright manner, clipped vocal style and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona which has often been imitated and satirized. Davis was the co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen, and was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, was the first person to accrue 10 A...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=63517 ... Read more

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Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Bette Davis Eyes, When You Walk in the Room, Put a Little Love in Your Heart, Breakaway, (He's) the Great Imposter. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 25. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Bette Davis Eyes" is a song made popular by American singer-songwriter, Kim Carnes. The song was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. DeShannon recorded the song that same year on her album New Arrangement. But it was not until 1981, when Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song, that it became a commercial success. The Kim Carnes recording of the song spent nine non-consecutive weeks on top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (interrupted for one week by the "Stars on 45 Medley") and was Billboard's number one single of 1981. The song won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song was also a number one hit in 31 countries, including Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Japan, and Brazil, but it achieved more moderate success in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number ten. The music video was directed by Russell Mulcahy. According to producer Val Garay, the original demo of the tune that was brought to him sounded like "a Leon Russell track, with this beer-barrel polka piano part." Keyboardist Bill Cuomo came up with the signature synth riff, using the then-new Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer, which now defines Carnes' version. The song was recorded completely live in the studio on the first take. Bette Davis admitted to being a fan of the song and approached Carnes and the songwriters to thank them for making her "a part of modern times." The song was ranked at number 12 on Billboard's list of the top 100 songs in the first 50 years of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ...http://booksllc.net/?id=607882 ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Jack Kerouac, Bette Davis, James Abbott Mcneill Whistler, Michael Chiklis, Willard Leroy Metcalf, Scott Grimes, Charles Sweeney, Vince Vouyer, Richard M. Linnehan, Paul Tsongas. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Jack Kerouac (prononcez ) (né le 12 mars 1922 à Lowell, dans le Massachusetts, mort le 21 octobre 1969 à St. Petersburg, en Floride) est un écrivain et poète américain. Considéré aujourd'hui comme l'un des auteurs américains les plus importants du siècle, il est même pour la communauté beatnik le ». Son style rythmé et immédiat, auquel il donne le nom de « prose spontanée », a inspiré de nombreux artistes et écrivains et en premier lieu le chanteur américain Bob Dylan. Les œuvres les plus connues de Kerouac, Sur la route, considéré comme le manifeste de la beat generation, Les Clochards célestes, Big Sur ou Le Vagabond solitaire, narrent de manière romancée ses voyages à travers les États-Unis. Le genre cinématographique du road movie est directement influencé par ses techniques et par son mode de narration. Jack Kerouac a passé la majeure partie de sa vie partagé entre les grands espaces américains et l'appartement de sa mère à Lowell dans le Massachusetts. Ce paradoxe est à l'image de son mode de vie : confronté aux changements rapides de son époque, il a éprouvé de profondes difficultés à trouver sa place dans le monde, ce qui l'a amené à rejeter les valeurs traditionnelles des années 1950, donnant ainsi naissance au mouvement des beatniks. Ses écrits reflètent cette volonté de se libérer des conventions sociales étouffantes de son époque et de donner un sens à son existence. Un sens qu'il a cherché dans des drogues comme la marijuana et la benzédrine, dans l'alcool également, dans la...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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Chapters: Jack Lemmon, Bette Davis, Mack Sennett, Leonard Nimoy, Jack Albertson, Ruth Gordon, Uma Thurman, Denis Leary, James Spader, Donna Summer, Bob Elliott, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Sam Waterston, Jane Alexander, Scott Brown, Anthony Michael Hall, Eliza Dushku, Mark Wahlberg, Eli Roth, Kate Bosworth, Dane Cook, Bridget Moynahan, Steve Carell, Penn Jillette, Amerie, David Morse, Amy Poehler, Matthew Perry, Kurt Russell, Casey Affleck, Adrian Pasdar, John Krasinski, Walter Brennan, Susan Cabot, Geena Davis, B. J. Novak, Tobin Bell, Maura Tierney, Eleanor Powell, Elizabeth Banks, Mindy Kaling, Reginald Barlow, Amy Jo Johnson, Thelma Todd, H. Jon Benjamin, Rob Corddry, Jeffrey Donovan, Misha Collins, Louis C.k., Alex Rocco, Marcia Cross, Ed Ames, Florencia Lozano, Maria Menounos, Colm Feore, Donnie Wahlberg, Jan Miner, Ellen Pompeo, Talisa Soto, Alicia Witt, Michael Chiklis, June Foray, Chris Evans, Ben Foster, Jennifer Coolidge, Jasmine Guy, Charles Bickford, Jamie Walters, Howard Petrie, Paul Guilfoyle, Matt Leblanc, Olympia Dukakis, Lisa Edelstein, Arnold Stang, Al Ruscio, Rachel Dratch, Barry Gordon, Paul Michael Glaser, Jean Louisa Kelly, Elizabeth Perkins, Michaela Watkins, Cyril Ring, Alessandro Nivola, Michelle Thomas, Tom Everett Scott, Andy Hallett, Jack Haley, Estelle Parsons, Julianne Nicholson, Illeana Douglas, Ezra Stone, Clark Gregg, Franc Luz, Mike O'malley, Neal Mcdonough, Brian J. White, Michael Ansara, Lenny Baker, Florida Friebus, Eric Bogosian, Mike O'toole, Kathryn Erbe, John Pinette, Aaron Stanford, Frank Vincent, Paige Turco, Anne Dudek, Traci Bingham, John Michael Higgins, James Remar, Paget Brewster, Lance Norris, Betty Field, Pooch Hall, Hamish Linklater, Priscilla Morrill, Scott Evans, Russi Taylor, Kristen Wilson, Joanna Barnes, Marcia Lewis, Biff Elliot, Leo Penn, Nichole Hiltz, Alexandra Kerry, Aimee-Lynn Chadwick, Joseph D. Reitman, Guinevere Turner, Mario Cantone, Sean Gullette,...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=63517 ... Read more