Customer Reviews

Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers

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Audrey Hepburn chose to never write her autobiography because
she was afraid of offending someone inadvertandly by
careless revelations.

Her son,Sean,writes a loving tribute of this lovely lady
whose beauty shines through on every page,as it did in her
films.Films such as "The Nun's Story",the musical "My Fair
Lady"and Truman Capote's "Breakfast At Tiffany's."

He also writes of how important his Mothers'work in UNICEF
became to her,in her later years,and in turn to himself.

Audrey was born in Holland and during World Warll she
suffered from malnutrition, brought on by a diet consisting
of tulip bulbs and water.She often went without food all
day.After the war ended,she was a beneficiary of UNICEF.
She understood the chidren of the Third World and their
suffering better than many celebrities.

In many ways,it is refreshing to read of Ms.Hepburn from
her eldest son's point of view.(Audrey had a younger son
she adored named Luca Dotti)from her second marriage.
This is a true love story.

For any woman who admired Audrey Hepburn,this is a
perfect Mother's Day Gift.For anyone,this is a
gift and the proceeds go to the "Audrey Hepburn
Children's Fund."

This is a completely beautiful book, lovely to look at and to read. I was, in fact, in tears after the first page. No one could have written this but someone as close as Sean was to his mother. The fact that he did, and did it so well, is a wonder and a gift to all Audrey fans. Yes, it's not a true "bio", but I don't think loving Audrey requires "all the facts please". Hers has always been a spirit that glowed beyond the silver screen. And it truly radiates from his heartfelt words, gorgeous pictures and presentation. It's the one book I would recommend to anyone who says "Why Audrey?" and the one book those who love her already must have.

Audrey Hepburn is the closest thing I'll ever have to an idol in my life. If you've seen her in a film you'll know that she could melt the hardest heart with a look, and she seemed to be an angel on Earth. If you've read a biography on her, you'll know that she was far more than a pretty face and really was an angel on Earth. Sean Hepburn Ferrer's book on his mother does nothing to dispel this notion.

This book is not so much a biography or even a memoir so much as a scrapbook of sorts. He writes about their everyday life and how she just wanted Sean and his brother Luca to be raised and loved right, and there are long sections of just pictures. Featuring never before seen pictures and some lovely personal stories, you walk away from this book feeling that you sat down to dinner with the family and were immediately embraced by Audrey herself. Sean writes from the heart, the best place to write about Audrey from. I don't want to give much away because I really feel this is a book everyone should peruse for themselves, but I will say that this book was worth the long wait.

The different accounts that Sean Hepburn-Ferrer's has shared with us are touching, private and intimate and give a true picture of the amazing person Audrey Hepburn was.

I began to read the book one evening before bed, I planned to read a few pages and then go to sleep. I couldn't put the book down. I read until I couldn't stay awake a moment longer, finishing the book when I woke up later that morning.

The 300+ photographs complimented the book perfecty. The addition of photographs from the family album only made the book more special.

Although I would have dearly loved to have been able to read Audreys autobiography, her premature death prevented that. I am so pleased that her son was able to write this book for her.

One point: If you re after a detailed biography, this is not what this book is. However after reading a biography, I would recomment this book.

Audrey Hepburn is certainly "An Elegant Spirit".

Sean Hepburn Ferrer was raised by an angel. "Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit" is a loving and fascinating tribute to the humanitarian and actress, written by one of the people who knew her best-her oldest son. Mr. Hepburn Ferrer generously shares stories and images of Audrey's humor, charm, grace, empathetic world outlook and incredibly caring nature. I've read several Audrey biographies, and this book is by far the best, but it functions more as a poem than a traditional bio. We see Audrey's life filtered through the primary modes of 20th century pictorial representation (bureaucratic, celebrity photography, family snapshots), then refracted back through her son's recollections and impressions.

Within the book's pages are Audrey's lifetime of passports-these "papers" can be a chilling reminder of the obsession for national identification within the Europe she was born into, but they also optimistically mark her transformation into a citizen of the world. Family photographs reveal a woman consistent with her onscreen persona, and Audrey's elegant, delicate lines cut straight through the intimate and public realms. In pictures of her gorgeous garden in Switzerland and in images of her work for UNICEF, we witness her mission to imagine the world as it could be, and her tireless efforts to make it so.

I adored this book. It is not a standard biography. In fact, it is not really concentrated in biograpy at all. It mentions very few people from Hollywood. It rarely mentions Miss Hepburn's movies, how they were made, or anything like that. The captions to all those incredible photos are what fill you in as to her costars were. Those photos also offer glimpses of a childhood in Holland, and of a young ballerina who did wonderful drawings (reprinted in color - you must see them).

But the book tells you how she really thought. And how extraordinary and wonderful a privilege that turns out to be. Her thoughts on love, on family, on fashion, on food, on nature, on education, on how to memorize a script (advice which her son once needed). This is the way she really thought. The way she lived. The lessons - sometimes deliberate, sometimes spur-of-the-moment - that she spoke to her own son. Audrey Hepburn was both a very sensible woman who was not afraid of playing pragmatist, and also someone who was filled with love and a need to give love. To read her son's remembrances of what she did and told him and - sadly - of the events in her life that she never quite overcame her sadness over (her father abandoning her) is to learn so much about life and how to be a better person in a very real and very difficult world. It is one thing to hear yourself praising Audrey Hepburn. It is an amazing thing to hear yourself hoping you agree with her.

If there is a polar opposite to Christina Crawford's scathing poor-me memoir, "Mommie Dearest", it has to be this loving tribute to Audrey Hepburn from her eldest son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Rather than being an exhaustive biography on the legendary film star (and enough of those exist anyway), it is more a very attractive coffee table book with remembrances from her colleagues, family friends and most importantly, Ferrer himself. It is a testament to Hepburn that all these books, especially this one, have been nothing less than respectful and at times downright reverential. There is no getting around the fact that she was well loved by those closest around her and certainly by her fans, me included. That she comes across as such a giving person merely validates what we all want to believe about her, and this becomes especially clear in Ferrer's account of her later years making goodwill trips to Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Somalia on behalf of UNICEF. And while as a fan, I was disappointed about her long absences from films from the late sixties until her death in 1993, Ferrer makes it clear how important motherhood was to her and how imperative it was for her to stay at home with her sons during those years. Just from the treasure trove of family photos, this book clearly shows that her dedication to them was and continues to be reciprocated.

The perspective of this book is understandably biased but fresh, and obviously Ferrer's access to his mother's personal belongings - family snapshots, paintings and drawings done by her, even her passports - builds an intimate story. I have to admit I was taken aback by the more familiar photos of Hepburn during her Hollywood glory years (especially the glamorous Cecil Beaton pictures) and amazed at how lovely she continued to look in the professional photos taken a year or so before her death. Not surprisingly, the most moving part is Ferrer's account of her final weeks when she took one last flight from California to what looks to be a most idyllic place, her home La Paisible in Switzerland. This should be the final word about her, but that is unlikely as she continues to fascinate. Somewhere Joan Crawford must be eating her heart out.

I've loved Audrey Hepburn for as long as I've been going to the movies. It started with "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and my respect, affection and esteem for this wonderful screen icon hasn't lessened a bit to this day. Since she died, I've accumulated at least four biographies, tributes to her style, and anything else I could find. I've got an Audrey Hepburn shrine in my apartment, and as long as they keep pubishing books about her, I'll continue to collect them.

How lovely for Sean Ferrer to present this heart-felt tribute to his mother. It comes with none of the bitterness other children of Hollywood stars. You won't find an ounce of scandal here (just as you won't in any other book published about Audrey).

The books comes packed with lots of photos, many which have not been seen in other books. It's clear that Ferrer adored his mother. He has spotted in his mother a quality of sadness that I didn't think about before. And he's absolutely right. For all her gamine beauty, her ability to wear clothes so effortlessly, that radiant presence with her cultivated voice that on anyone else might sound hopelessly affected, Hepburn projected a kind of sadness. You wanted to protect her. Sean Ferrer captures that essence in his book.

So run to your bookstore and snap this beautiful book up. It's for a good cause--Sean Ferrer is donating much of the proceeds of the book (or maybe all the proceeds to UN Children's charities in the name of his mother). It's a great stocking-stuffer you'll want to browse through after you've watch one of Audrey's many and unforgettable films.

What better biography than from Audrey's beloved son,Sean. Here is a touching account from someone who knew her best.Sean writes from the heart and his words clearly show this.Inside this book,you'll find very beautiful pictures from this most beautiful actress and lady.What is extremely touching is the fact that Audrey was genuine and the way she acted on the screen is how she acted in real life-with Audrey,there was nothing to hide.After reading this book,you will feel as though you've met Audrey-this book is that good. I recommend this book to anyone who has a genuine appreciation for Audrey Hepburn.
P.S.Thank you Sean for writing a great book about your mother-she may be gone from this earth,but her soul will live forever.

I felt incredibly inspired after reading this book. I read it from cover to cover in one afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd seen most of Audrey Hepburn's movies in the past but never knew the true story of her life. Now, after reading her son's narrative, I completely understand why millions of fans around the world want to emulate Audrey in both style and persona. She was the epitome of grace, beauty, and elegance - not only in fashion but in how she treated others throughout her life despite any disappointments or setbacks that she faced. She truly touched people's lives, especially with her involvement in UNICEF.

The family photos and mementos were my favorite part of the book! The intimate shots with her husband and children really draw you in and make you want to learn everything there is to know about her. I only wish there were more people like Audrey in the world to inspire us today.

If you love Audrey Hepburn, you'll love this book. If you know nothing about her, you'll still love this book. And when you're finished, it makes a fabulous coffee table book. My friends can't put it down.