The first major Katharine Hepburn biography independent of her control reveals the smart, complicated, and sophisticated woman behind the image.
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The first major Katharine Hepburn biography independent of her control reveals the smart, complicated, and sophisticated woman behind the image.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Fair. Used book-May contain writing notes highlighting bends or folds. Text is readable book is clean and pages and cover mostly intact. May show normal wear and tear. Item may be missing CD. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
The difference between this book and many of the other biographies of Katharine Hepburn is that it was written outside of the perview of the subject. As we come to see in this book, the do-it-by-self independent personality that so many people admire is a) constructed by Hepburn herself (and the media) and b) somewhat true regardless. Hepburn worked very hard to create and protect and use her image. One easy example of this is the number of interviews she gave, despite being known to be a media-shy recluse. Mann decided for his book that he would try to get to the truth about Hepburn's story by following paper trails (for example - a ship she might not have been on because it left a month early) and talking to/reading the papers of friends and family who were enough out of the public eye that they did not self-edit quite as much. He compares differing stories and tries to figure out where stories started and how they changed. The author also deals with questions about Hepburn's sexuality. He frankly discusses the close relationships with women and men, but does not try to give her a label. Hepburn wouldn't have accepted one. Was she gay? Bisexual? Transgender? It is risky to go back and try to label someone, and Mann avoids this while still illuminating portions of the star's life that other biographers have shied away from. As a reader, I especially appreciated that he presented what he found without sounding gossipy or disrespectful - Hepburn was a complicated person, and therefore, so were the results of this book. I recommend this book to Hepburn fans, and for people interested in how the media molds information. I was worried that it might "spoil things" for me because I have been such a big fan of Hepburn, the legend, but my only regret with this book is that by getting to know a bit more about her, I am saddened by the loneliness she at times faced.
