| Can I Come Look At These Items? | | This online store is in association with Amazon.com, so these great, high-qualiy products will come from their warehouse or from other partners. Thanks for shopping! |
|
|
|
Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn | 
 enlarge | Author: Donald Spoto
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.25
You Save: $7.70 (52%)
New (31) Used (16) from $5.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 88778
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0307237591
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43028092
EAN: 9780307237590
ASIN: 0307237591
Publication Date: October 9, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New trade sized softcover: no marks, no wear
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
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 Audrey, bestselling 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 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.
She would go on to star in some of the most popular movies of the twentieth century, including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face, The Nun’s Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and My Fair Lady. A friend and inspiration to renowned designer Hubert de Givenchy, Audrey emerged as a fashion icon as well as a film legend, her influence on women’s fashion virtually unparalleled to this day.
But behind the glamorous public persona, Audrey Hepburn was both a different and a deeper person and a woman who craved love and affection. Donald Spoto offers remarkable insights into her professional and personal relationships with her two husbands, and with celebrities such as Gregory Peck, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Robert Anderson, Cary Grant, Peter O’Toole, Albert Finney and Ben Gazzara. The turbulent romances of her youth, her profound sympathy for the plight of hungry children, and the thrills and terrors of motherhood prepared Audrey for the final chapter in her life, as she devoted herself entirely to the charity efforts of an organization that had once come to her rescue at the end of the war: UNICEF.
Donald Spoto has written a poignant, funny and deeply moving biography of an unforgettable woman. At last, Enchantment reveals the private Audrey Hepburn—and invites readers to fall in love with her all over again.
“She was as funny as she was beautiful. She was a magical combination of high chic and high spirits.” —Gregory Peck
“In spite of her fragile appearance, she’s like steel.” —Cary Grant
“Audrey was known for something which has disappeared, and that is elegance, grace and manners . . . God kissed her on the cheek, and there she was.” —Billy Wilder
“There is not a woman alive who does not dream of looking like Audrey Hepburn.” —Hubert de Givenchy
“Her magnetism was so extraordinary that everyone wanted to be close to her. It was as if she placed a glass barrier between herself and the world. You couldn’t get behind it easily. It made her remarkably attractive.” —Stanley Donen
“She has authentic charm. Most people simply have nice manners.” —Alfred Lunt
From the Hardcover edition.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 interesting book June 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The book arrived when I was convalescing from an illness and thus was was a special treat as it was a biography about Audrey Hepburn. The author is thoughtful and writes clearly and with sensitivity. I am fascinated with detailed protraits of aspect's of Audrey Hepburn's character; portraits of her friendships and loyalty and longevity in friendships. Insights into her family are fascinating as well as insights into her family in Holland. In the book I read new information about her work with UNICEF. Every once in a while there are edifying and instructive vignettes about her character such as the fact that Miss Hepburn offered to do her own ironing for her clothes for The Gardens of the World series. What actress of her stature would make such an offer? I guess because Audrey Hepburn was almost so singularly genuine and vulnerable I had an ambivalent reaction to some gossipy aspects of the book. Though tales of who she might have been romantically vulnerable to at a difficult point in her life are interesting, because of her own over-arching nobility of character it left me feeling sad that the author felt it necessary to include such material. We have all made mistakes in life and all have experienced things we'd like to be able to explain from our perspective. We all have experienced things we'd prefer to remain undiscussed. In one or two instances I felt: "She's not here to defend herself. Does this have to be in the book?" In the main I found the book thoughtful and interesting especially because I always feel there is so much I can learn from Audrey Hepburn about how to be a person.
 'Enchantment' cast me under Audrey Hepburn's spell and nothing can remove it January 3, 2008
I really loved this biography on Audrey Hepburn as well as previous biography I read by Alexander Walker `Audrey Her Real Story'. What grabbed me was the cover of 'Enchantment', which is now in paperback, but I had to review the hardback edition because the photo of Audrey is my absolute favorite shot of her. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read about her life. I got this book in January 2007. I didn't feel it went into as much detail as `Audrey Her Real Story', but both deserve a space on any fans bookshelf. The book was also an objective take on her life and that took a little getting used to. I love how Donald Spoto incorporated some of Audrey's letters to others, and poems, as well as key lines from films like `The Children's Hour'. It was well researched. `Enchantment' goes into more detail then `Audrey Her Real Story' about Alfred Hitchcock's attempt to cast her in the film `No Bail for the Judge'. Audrey wouldn't have been right in an Alfred Hitchcock picture but I love his work and it would have been intriguing. This film never went ahead. Audrey's favorite film was `The Nun's Story'. It is brilliant. Instead of chapter titles, Donald marks his chapters by the years of Audrey's life. Everything appears to be accounted for. The pictures are wonderful. I have considered reading her son's biography on his mothers life entitled 'Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit A Son Remembers' by Sean Hepburn Ferrer, but haven't done so yet. I'm sure it is excellent. I may do it one day, however right now I feel completely satisfied with my knowledge on Audrey Hepburn's life and films.
An Affirming Celebrity February 11, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Audry Hepburn was in a league of her own. When was the last time we heard of a star of this magnitude helping a friend in business and firing his/her manager for trying to make a profit from the help? While I was aware of her work with UNICEF, I was unaware of the depth of her commitment. The trip to Sudan was hard enough to read about. I cannot imagine going there as she did.
WWII's deep scars were well hidden from public view. For most of the war she and her family had daily fear for their lives and in the end were near death due stavation. A mere 8 years later Audrey is at the pinnacle of glitter and glamor of a film career with an Oscar. The effects of the war, the trials of living with a withholding aristocratic mother, the rigid roles for women in the 50's are mentioned but not discussed. The insecurities these brought on show in her marriages, and the emphathy shows in her above and beyond work for UNICEF as
This book covers the life, but not the inner person or the times. Fortunately, she is not a star in this time. Today's even more intrusive paparazzis and career journalists could destroy her for us and for herself. Spoto does a loving and respectful job of presenting her life.
Enchantment The life of Audrey Hepburn January 4, 2007
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
Loved the book, lots of interesting details of her life.
4 1/2 Respect and Admiration January 3, 2007
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
When I think of some of his previous work, Donald Spoto's priorities seem geared towards including enough scintillating information for good PR and improved sales. Perhaps I've been unfair. Not only does has he done historical work (Amazon.com called my attention to his historical biographies), but this is a well-researched, non-sensationalist biography of Ms. Hepburn. If anything, it could have standed something less objective, some sort of socio-cultural analysis of how we were and remain completely smitten with her, but Mr. Spoto shows restraint. A remarkable, truely admirable figure, this book illuminates some of her many roles both in and outside of Hollywood. There are some lovely black and white photos, but not many; one's hnger for that image must be satisfied elsewhere. One book cannot do its subject justice, but this is a very good beginning. You can appreciate Ms. Hepburn without having seen a single one of her films, but I can't think of one good reason why you'd want to.
|
|
|
| |
News 
