Customer Reviews

The Private World of Katharine Hepburn

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Author John Bryson has managed to assemble a comprehensive photo collection of the great, and extremely private, Katharine Hepburn. Bryson has used his publishing and Hollywood contacts to compile an interesting collection of little and never-before-seen photos of Hepburn's life as actress, artist, athlete, co-worker, ham, homebody and friend. It could not have been an easy task to assemble such an array of unusual and revealing photos, and Bryson's observations and commentary illuminate without the usual stilted editorialization that so often accompanies photo biographies. This is a fine work any Hepburn fan would want for their library. I say buy two--one for a friend, and one for yourself!

John Bryson was given full co-operation by Miss Hepburn in creating this book. As a result, the reader is invited into her homes and given the opportunity to experience her "private world" as evidenced in the title. The photographs are beautiful and even if there were no text, the book would provide a satisfying, interesting view into the life of this fascinating icon. The book is all the more intriguing for the fact that Miss Hepburn would never have participated in a book like this during the 30's, 40's, 50's, or 60's. It has only been since the 1980's that Miss Hepburn has been willing to allow a look into her life and always on her own terms. Miss Hepburn was a master craftsman as an actor and a master craftsman of her life and image.

From her film shoot of "Rooster Cogburn & The Lady" in Oregon to her retirement, John Bryson snapped up perhaps thousands of photos. What he selected is a real treat for the Hepburn fan. So upon immediately opening the book, you will be thrilled to be peekabooing behind not only the scenes but also her front door - even her bedroom door. You get the sense of a no nonsense woman who cooks her own food, does her own laundry, her own gardening, etc. If you're expecting the kinds of staged shots would see in Architectural Digest you will be a bit disappointed. I really like the pictures but sometimes they do have an amateur quality. As a fellow openwater swimmer, I was disappointed that the two swim pics of her swimming were surprisingly poor! [e.g., a pic of her in the lake during filming of "On Golden Pond" has her face sticking out of the water, right up against THE SPINE OF THE BOOK! The other of her emerging from Long Island Sound in a mere bathing suit in winter is grainy] The pics of her playing tennis are, conversely, priceless!! What a woman! Overall, you will find the book a treat.

Excellent look into the private life of Kathrine Hepburn. Many great pictures in her home and also on movie location and other areas. My interest was peaked when I saw that Katharine Hepburn's home on the ocean in Old Saybrook, Connecticut was for sale. I saw pictures of the inside of the renovated home the new owners did and I knew it couldn't have looked like that when she owner the home. I was anxious to find pictures of what her home actually looked like inside when she lived there. I have a friend whose father worked in KH's home many, many years ago as a carpenter. This book delivered. It was much more homey looking in side than it is now. Now it looks like a Carribean beach home - all white inside and very different. There are also good pictures of her on movie locations and in Old Saybrook shopping. This is really a very good picture book that any fan of Katharine Hepburn's would like. She was a remarkable woman.