Audrey Hepburn Biography Pdf
From the moment she appeared on the American silver screen as a runaway princess in Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn was beloved by critics and audiences alike. From her childhood activism in the Dutch resistance movement during World War II, to her extensive film career, her charity work for UNICEF, and her roles as a wife, mother, and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn's place in American cultural history is brought to life for a new generation of readers. Featuring illustrations, a timeline of events, a selected bibliography, and an appendix of Hepburn's film, stage, and TV appearances, this volume will appeal to students of American studies, American history, film, and popular culture.A graceful and diminutive presence onscreen, Hepburn breathed life into some of the most iconic film roles in Hollywood history. To study her life is to study American fashion and culture, especially classic films of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Her story also illuminates the experience of everyday people living in Europe during World War II, and the possibilities of modern-day activism as exemplified in her work for UNICEF in the 80s and early 90s. From her childhood activism in the Dutch resistance movement during World War II, to her extensive film career, her charity work for UNICEF.With entertaining flair, this engaging biography explores the life and work of one of the most beloved actresses ever to grace the stage and screen.
Readers will explore the German occupation of her hometown during World War II and her anti-Nazi resistance activities, her early stage roles and her discovery by French novelist Colette, who cast her in the stage production of Gigi, her status as fashion icon, and a behind-the-scenes look into the casting and filming of some of her most well-known films, including Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sabrina, and My Fair Lady. Martin Gitlin is a freelance book writer and journalist based in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to Greenwood's Diana, Princess of Wales, he has written several history books for students, including works on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, the Battle of The Little Bighorn and the Stock Market Crash of 1929. He has also written biographies of NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Gitlin worked for two decades as a sportswriter, during which time he won more than 45 awards, including first place for general excellence from Associated Press. That organization also selected him as one of the top four feature writers in Ohio.
When she began writing her biography of Audrey Hepburn, author Diana Maychick never dreamed she would have such unprecedented access to the reclusive and legendary star. Audrey Hepburn insisted that a proper biography could never be completed unless she was willing to share some intensely personal and painful memories. For the next year, Hepburn and Maychick spent When she began writing her biography of Audrey Hepburn, author Diana Maychick never dreamed she would have such unprecedented access to the reclusive and legendary star.
Audrey Hepburn Biography Wikipedia
Audrey Hepburn insisted that a proper biography could never be completed unless she was willing to share some intensely personal and painful memories. For the next year, Hepburn and Maychick spent countless hours together in conversation, as Audrey opened up about her childhood, her careers, and the loves of her life. What Diana Maychick did not know was that Audrey Hepburn was dying and that these conversations would, all too soon and all too sadly, come to an end. What emerges from the pages of Audrey Hepburn: An Intimate Portrait is a wonderfully personal look at one of the most elegant women of the century. It also provides a candid look at Audrey's painful childhood, her parents' constant battles, her mother's demanding hauteur, her father's blatant Nazi sympathies, the deprivation of the war years, the Nazi occupation of their town and the garrisoning of their very house, her escape from the Germans and the month she spent in a rat-infested cellar nearly starving to death, and her life-long struggle with food disorders. It also celebrates her fabled rise from show girl to film star and how, with her beguiling eyes and sophisticated manners, she seduced Hollywood away from its fixation on blond bombshells. In Audrey Hepburn readers will discover, often in Hepburn's own words, her innermost feelings about the men in her life - William Holden, Mel Ferrer, Givenchy, Andrea Dotti, Albert Finney, Ben Gazzara, and Robbie Wolders - as well as how she felt about working with some of the screen's leading men, including Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Fred Astaire, and Gary Cooper, in some of the most enduringly charming films of all time, Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Love in the Afternoon, Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Charade and My Fair Lady.
We also get an intimate view of Hepburn's. Hepburn is my idol and all books surrounding her life, whether they be photo anthologies or biographies, are of interest to me. I have read many that are long, drawn out and extremely tiring to read. You end up losing your interest in her life as the author drones on and on about every fine detail. But Maychick is incredible at chronicling a life that is full of wonders - though I know everything possible to know about Audrey, I still found myself turning each page with anticipation. Structured Hepburn is my idol and all books surrounding her life, whether they be photo anthologies or biographies, are of interest to me.
I have read many that are long, drawn out and extremely tiring to read. You end up losing your interest in her life as the author drones on and on about every fine detail. But Maychick is incredible at chronicling a life that is full of wonders - though I know everything possible to know about Audrey, I still found myself turning each page with anticipation. Structured by film, each representing a different era in her life, I found this detail different to the usual biographers who usually structure their novels by Audrey's different husbands. Her work was what made her famous, not the men she was married to, and so Maychick's recognition of this was really great for me. Thoroughly enjoyed this version of Audrey's life and would highly recommend to everyone, Audrey fan or not. Don't waste your time on this one.
The author claims to have drawn her book material from actual interviews with Audrey Hepburn. If she did actually talk with Audrey, I would be surprised. Maychick has cobbled together some odd bits of Audrey Hepburn lore with some fiction touches to make an altogether fake tale. Then there are the colossal errors. Audrey's brother's name is Ian, not Jan.
The Germans invaded Holland on May 10, not May 18, 1940. These errors alone tell us that she didn't worry Don't waste your time on this one. The author claims to have drawn her book material from actual interviews with Audrey Hepburn.
If she did actually talk with Audrey, I would be surprised. Maychick has cobbled together some odd bits of Audrey Hepburn lore with some fiction touches to make an altogether fake tale. Then there are the colossal errors. Audrey's brother's name is Ian, not Jan. The Germans invaded Holland on May 10, not May 18, 1940. These errors alone tell us that she didn't worry about facts when writing her book.
Then she makes up a whole character for Audrey's mother: she is the leader of the Dutch Resistance in Arnhem, which Maychick claims is the center of the Resistance activity! If I lived by a lake, I'd throw this book in it. Biographies are my favorite book genre because of their heavy details that make me feel as though I have gotten to know the person better.
I will continue to try to keep my perspective of this one according to the purpose I feel the author may have intended it to serve. A very quick read, this is what I refer to as fast-food information on the life of Audrey Hepburn.This book is thin in pages and details, but certainly not in the author's opinion that Audrey was a depressed anorexic. Maychick Biographies are my favorite book genre because of their heavy details that make me feel as though I have gotten to know the person better. I will continue to try to keep my perspective of this one according to the purpose I feel the author may have intended it to serve. A very quick read, this is what I refer to as fast-food information on the life of Audrey Hepburn.This book is thin in pages and details, but certainly not in the author's opinion that Audrey was a depressed anorexic. Maychick doesn't write about the actress in a fluffy way but with an amount of cynicism I haven't seen before and admittedly found somewhat refreshing. Unfortunately, being such a fast read, it is also thin in Audrey's UNICEF work.
This biography flies through Audrey's life but Maychick still manages to coast through the UNICEF years at an even faster pace! That said, Audrey's cancer and death is also not focused on and doesn't receive many pages in this life story either.In the end, I was left with the feeling I'd finished a documentary on the Biography channel where I was given only the essential information that fit neatly into its limited time frame (with the exception of Maychick's numerous opinions on Audrey's eating habits). I believe this was meant to offer a summary of Audrey Hepburn's life to those only seeking such a read. For those looking for a mere glimpse into her life and not a commitment to the detailed study one finds in thick biographies, this would be a decent enough start, but I suggest reading Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit by her son Sean Ferrer instead. I bought this book (hardback) among others at our library sale where you get a grocery bag filled with books, all for $1. So, I don't know, perhaps I paid 10 cents for this book.
Aside from the bargain, it's been pure pleasure to read it. I learned so much that I had not known about this famous movie star: born into wealth, living among Nazis through WWII, surviving for a time by eating tulip bulbs having lost every tangible thing they had.I was heartened by the fact that she was happier among I bought this book (hardback) among others at our library sale where you get a grocery bag filled with books, all for $1.
So, I don't know, perhaps I paid 10 cents for this book. Aside from the bargain, it's been pure pleasure to read it. I learned so much that I had not known about this famous movie star: born into wealth, living among Nazis through WWII, surviving for a time by eating tulip bulbs having lost every tangible thing they had.I was heartened by the fact that she was happier among animals than most people, as I would describe myself the same way.
Her empathy for starving children was known to me as she spent her final years working tirelessly for UNICEF. I like to think that had she not died of colon cancer, she may have, one day, made the connection that had already been evolving in her life, that there would be far fewer hungry people in the world and much less cruelty if humans treated ALL life with respect and, as she did, planted fruit trees and vegetable gardens instead of wastefully raising animals to kill and consume.
I love reading biographies anyway, but I kind of like that of movie stars because I like the back story to their lives. We know them as characters in so many stories, but I like to know THEIR story. I didn't realise that she lived through the war and had scary interactions with the Nazis, and it was fascinating to learn that she wanted so badly to be a wife and mother throughout her career-she was happiest when she was fulfilling those roles.
Also, I think it's cool that she helped with UNICEF. I love reading biographies anyway, but I kind of like that of movie stars because I like the back story to their lives. We know them as characters in so many stories, but I like to know THEIR story. I didn't realise that she lived through the war and had scary interactions with the Nazis, and it was fascinating to learn that she wanted so badly to be a wife and mother throughout her career-she was happiest when she was fulfilling those roles. Also, I think it's cool that she helped with UNICEF.
I don't really approve of United Nations anything, but helping children have food and clean water is a worthy goal, indeed. Audrey Hepburn is just lovely. It was fun and telling to read about her quirky personality and problems she had to overcome in her childhood, personal life, and Hollywood. She is inspiring in that she is the epitome of grace and elegance, not to mention a style icon, but was just as troubled as anyone. I haven't read any other Audrey bios, and I'm sure there are many, so I can't compare the quality of Maychick's to any others.
But I will say it was enjoyable and reminded me how much I love her Audrey Hepburn is just lovely. It was fun and telling to read about her quirky personality and problems she had to overcome in her childhood, personal life, and Hollywood. She is inspiring in that she is the epitome of grace and elegance, not to mention a style icon, but was just as troubled as anyone. I haven't read any other Audrey bios, and I'm sure there are many, so I can't compare the quality of Maychick's to any others.
But I will say it was enjoyable and reminded me how much I love her films.