Brigitte Bardot: A Biography [Hardcover]

Barnett Singer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786425156 | ISBN-13: 978-0786425150 | Publication Date: July 6, 2006

Actress and sex symbol Brigitte Bardot had a stunning career in France and America in the mid–20th century. Since the 1970s, she has dedicated her life to the welfare and protection of animals, with much personal involvement. In this book the author makes the case that far from being just a pretty face or a spotlight grabber, Bardot was an accomplished actress and has always been an intelligent, sensitive individual.

Chapters acquaint readers with her Paris childhood and her rebellious coming of age in a Catholic bourgeois family, who disapproved when she appeared on the cover of Elle magazine and was offered a screen test. The book examines her years in film (with careful analysis of her films) and also covers her tumultuous personal life, including suicide attempts, and the beginnings of her interest in animal protection. Final chapters detail her efforts in worldwide animal welfare activism, including the work of her own international foundation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An interesting work of social analysis and modern history."--Contemporary Review

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Barnett Singer is an associate professor of history at Brock University in Catharines, Ontario.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786425156
• ISBN-13: 978-0786425150
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very expensive for what it is, January 15, 2009

By 

SK25 (Lorraine, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brigitte Bardot: A Biography (Hardcover)

At 44 dollars and listed as a hardback I was more than shocked when a book less than 200 pages arrived! Why on earth the publishers made this into a hardback is beyond me, for such a small book (without colour photos) it's a ridiculous format.

From the opening pages the writing struck me as appalling. Not only is the style annoying (it switches between trying to sound formal to writing in a somewhat immature, talky fashion) but there are grammatical errors everywhere (I'm not a stickler for grammar but the errors were really distracting!)- was this not even edited? What's worse is that the author apparently is a history lecturer at a university so one would expect something more insightful...

Whilst the author has researched Bardot's personal history very well, the writing and assessment of Bardot is terrible. The author also has no real understanding of cinema, which is obvious in his treatment of Godard's 'Contempt', and for someone writing about a film actress I think this is a real flaw.

All in all, a very disappointing book.

12 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The French Marilyn Monroe, July 31, 2006

By 

M. R. Estante "book reader" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brigitte Bardot: A Biography (Hardcover)

Bardot lives unlike her American counterpart. And her life since the 1970's has been a committment to animal rights. A biopic on the tragedy and triumphs of an international living screen legend. Bardot was the blonde goddess on the beach in Cannes decades before Pamela Anderson hit the small screen on Baywatch. The latter seems to be following the lead of the former and one wonders: what happened to beauty's promise in youth? Bardot herself has commented that she gave her youth to men and in her twilight years gives her passion to the cause of animal rights. A turmoil of a life filled with the heights of stardom intermingled with psychological demons and power lost when youthful beauty faded. Bardot is now in retirement and a recluse in France but her legend remains. Was beauty not supposed to bring lasting happinness?

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love the old Bardot, October 7, 2011

By 

Naomi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brigitte Bardot: A Biography (Hardcover)

I am obessed with the younger Brigitte instead of the old fart she is now. Brigitte Bardot made some good movies in her heyday. I was 14 and saw "French Dressing" and I was obessed, only it wasn't Brigitte it was Marisa Mell. They look the same. I think nowadays Americans have started to forget about Brigitte we have our own movie stars to read about. That makes me sad it really dose I read all the Marilyn books I really do, however that gets boring. If only they have more Brigitte Bardot books on the bookshelves in the States.
Brigiite came from a good family I know a lot and worte a book about her it took me 5 years to finsh most people I showed it too thought it was my best work. I never got the book publised sadley.
Sometimes I feel guity because Iam have black and Brigitte dosen't really like us and has sad show and in the past has bad mouted Musleims. We are all people at the end of the day. When Brigitte Bardot was younger she didn't make those stupid remarks I do like her for what she was not what she is now. Most Americans think of BB when she was young and lived her life how she wanted too.
I do give her creadit for helping animals. When she went to go to Cananda she was cool to do that. I love the photo of her and the baby seal. She did the best but she let me down. At least Marilyn didn't turn in to werido like Bardot.