Bette Davis: A Celebration (Applause Legends) [Paperback]

Alexander Walker (Author)

Book Description

Series: Applause Legends | Publication Date: April 1, 2000

After fifty-five years in the film industry, during which she made over ninety films, Bette Davis was considered the indisputable grand dame of Hollywood. Alexander Walker, who knew Bette Davis for twenty years, has pieced together her early life through to her promising career on the New York stage. The subsequent film career was by no means an instant success. The turbulent relationship between Bette Davis and Warner Brothers is legendary but gradually she managed to seize the opportunities to show her astonishing range. In this book, Alexander Walker identifies the extraordinary qualities that enabled Bette Davis to survive the Hollywood system and become one of its most durable actresses.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Applause Books (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557833370
• ISBN-13: 978-1557833372
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,708,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Paste-up Job proves worthless, May 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bette Davis: A Celebration (Applause Legends) (Paperback)

This is a paste-up job from beginning to end, bringing zero new material to the reader. Everything in the book has been written before, with a few anemic observations by the author. A total waste for anyone wanted to expand knowledge of la Davis. "Fasten Your Seatbelts" by Lawrence Quirk is far superior. Instead of an exciting read, Walker's tome is like sipping lukewarm tea.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good start., July 29, 2000

By 

turtley "film fanatic • bibliophile" (Planet Claire) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bette Davis: A Celebration (Applause Legends) (Paperback)

If you are wanting to learn more about Bette Davis, this is a good place to start. However, If you are a well researched fan, you won't find anything new here. I do still recommend this book because the writing style is very fresh and easy to read. It also does make the her life "come alive" when compared to a lot of other biographies that tend to be so flat/dead. Also check out the biography of Vivien Leigh by the same author. That book was so good that I decided to give Alexander Walker another try - and read this one. It is difficult to find biographers that you can really enjoy. This is one I do. Again, like I said if you are a seasoned fan of Bette Davis, you won't find anything new in this book. If you are a first time reader of Bette Davis biographies this is an excellent place to start.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Paste-up Job proves worthless, May 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bette Davis: A Celebration (Applause Legends) (Paperback)

This is a paste-up job from beginning to end, bringing zero new material to the reader. Everything in the book has been written before, with a few anemic observations by the author. A total waste for anyone wanted to expand knowledge of la Davis. "Fasten Your Seatbelts" by Lawrence Quirk is far superior. Instead of an exciting read, Walker's tome is like sipping lukewarm tea.