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List Price: $16.00 | | Publisher: Cooper Square Press
Salesrank: 653806
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| Media: Paperback |
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Editorial Review:
Drawn largely from conversations with her friends, lovers, fellow actors, and family members, here is the full story of cinematic legend Bette Davis (1908-1989).
Bette Davis: A Biography Reviews:
cold hard fact 
2008-12-11 - Fans of Bette Davis won't like it because it is not flattering. Author is somewhat cold, but the dirt dished here is probably best served cold and objectively. Flew through this book in one night.
Over Dramatizing Bette's Faults 
2006-04-15 - I learned very much about Miss Bette Davis's early life and childhood, i felt that Leaming focused too much on Bette's daughter B.D.'s opinions of her mother, which as is known were not favorable. The book basically made Bette out to be a monster and a horrible person, which i think isn't giving enough credit to the star. Bette Davis may not have been perfect in her professional or personal life, but she deserves better.
A Money Hungry Excuse for an 'author'!
2005-10-10 - Ms. Leaming, like that dreadful photo. of herself on the cover of this 'book', makes me sick. She is obviously attempting to cause a stir, in order to sell her book. I purchased this when it first was released -- after reading it was from a fair minded 'fan' -- yeah, right! This is a great book if you have a gripe with Bette Davis -- a great female actor, even Ms. Steep says "the Best!", a great American, too -- does anyone know what Bette Davis did for our Military by organizing the Hollywood Canteen and selling War Bonds?
A Huge Disappointment
2005-09-03 - About half way through this book, I started to scan ahead for details about Bette Davis's later films because of the lack of attention to detail about certain films. And I'm disappointed to say that some of Bette's most interesting films aren't even mentioned in the text. Ex-Lady, which apparently Bette expressed a soft spot for and which she though she gave a deep and complex performance in, isn't even mentioned, nor is Pocketful of Miracles nor Death On The Nile which is a great shame, being one of her best 70's films. Cardplayer, Mrs Cimino, As Summers Die are brushed over as are most of her earliest work as well. Leaming's only out to make a quick buck obviously. Leaming seems to be intent on telling us again and again what a drunken b***h Bette Davis was and how self destructive she was on her own career. Yet Leaming herself wants to make sure how her own career pans out after this blasting of an American legend. Bette's career speaks for itself. Avoid this book and go instead to Christopher Nicken's pictorial biography of Bette. I hated Leamings book and glad I didnt' buy it. I borrowed it from the library. One star out of five.
400 Pages of Bashing Bette
2005-03-29 - About 25 pages into this book, the tone has been unmistakenly established. Miss Davis apparantley did not say or do one good thing in her personal or professional life. Ironically the author's intent to portray Bette Davis in the most disparaging way becomes tedious early on, and the focus shifts to the author herself...just why did she find it necessary to tear down this actress on every chapter, page and paragraph? According to the author, Miss Davis has only given 2 good performances, which Ms. Leaming gives full credit to William Wyler. Her 10 Academy Award nominations do not deter the author from this view. Do yourself a favor and skip this bilious book and put on All About Eve instead. Everything you need to know about Miss Davis' talent is in that performance...and many others.
