Written at Rock Hudson's request and with the cooperation of his closest friends, this is the definitive portrait of one of Hollywood's most enduring stars.
Rock Hudson: His Story
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"I've always been a private person. I've never wanted to write a book, I've never let my house be photographed, and I've never let the public know what I really think. Now that's changed--there's a lot I want to say and not too much time left. I want the truth to be told, because it sure as hell hasn't been told before. So I've asked those who know me best--my real friends--to work with Sara Davidson in telling my story." -- Rock Hudson
About the Author
Sara Davison is author of bestselling novels Cowboy and Loose Change. A journalist, novelist, screenwriter and radio host, she has earned a reputation as a social observer who does cutting edge pieces about the way we live. Her articles have appeared in Harper's, Esquire, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. In television, she created two drama series, "Jack and Mike," and "Heart Beat," which ran on A.B.C. "Heart Beat" was the first ensemble of women on television who had no male boss above them, and featured the first lesbian character. She was later co-executive producer of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," wrote hundreds of hours of drama episodes, movies and miniseries, and in 1994 was nominated for a Golden Globe. She's been a guest on national television shows such as "The Today Show," "Larry King Live" and "Sixty Minutes," and she conducts interviews and does commentary on public radio.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Rock Hudson will always be remembered as one of Hollywood's larger-than-life stars. When you think of Tinsletown and its stars in its heydey you think of Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Mae West, and Rock, people who not only had long careers on the silver screen, but individuals who had a certain mystic to them, a mystery if you will. A lot of this was because most of these stars didn't do a lot of interviews so this added to the public's thirst in trying to oncover what these stars were about, who they slept with, what they ate, how they thought, and what made them tick. Rock Hudson was probably the most private of all Hollywood stars. He rarely if ever gave interviews, both in print and on television, and he even went so far as to never having his home photographed. Perhaps it was the fact that he was homosexual that he insisted in keeping his life private, but the result was he became an even bigger star because the audience didn't know the real him.
When Rock was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in July, 1985, he knew the media would swarm on him and his name like vultures, so he decided to finally write a book about his life to give the public the knowledge of who Rock Hudson was. This book is not a tell-all if that is what your looking for. Instead it is an honest and brave account of an actor who made it in Hollywood as one of the greatest male stars of all-time while living a closeted gay life. With author Sara Davidson, Rock discusses how he was discovered, his move to Hollywood, the films he made, the relationships he had with both male and female friends, and his ultimate discovery that he was sick and his attempt to hide it. Close personal friends like Doris Day and Susan Saint James are interviewed and they add their own personal insights on Rock and their love for him. The most touching part of the book is when Rock writes how he knew it was time to write "the book" to set the record straight as his time on earth was not long. The message in this book is abundantly clear; people who are inflicted with HIV are victims of a dreadful disease, a message Rock managed to get through in these pages months before his death.
All proceeds from "Rock Hudson: His Story" have been donated to AIDS research.
When Rock was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in July, 1985, he knew the media would swarm on him and his name like vultures, so he decided to finally write a book about his life to give the public the knowledge of who Rock Hudson was. This book is not a tell-all if that is what your looking for. Instead it is an honest and brave account of an actor who made it in Hollywood as one of the greatest male stars of all-time while living a closeted gay life. With author Sara Davidson, Rock discusses how he was discovered, his move to Hollywood, the films he made, the relationships he had with both male and female friends, and his ultimate discovery that he was sick and his attempt to hide it. Close personal friends like Doris Day and Susan Saint James are interviewed and they add their own personal insights on Rock and their love for him. The most touching part of the book is when Rock writes how he knew it was time to write "the book" to set the record straight as his time on earth was not long. The message in this book is abundantly clear; people who are inflicted with HIV are victims of a dreadful disease, a message Rock managed to get through in these pages months before his death.
All proceeds from "Rock Hudson: His Story" have been donated to AIDS research.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I don't generally read biographies or memoirs by (or about) celebrities, but after having a Rock Hudson/Doris Day film festival with my mother, I couldn't help but be charmed by Rock Hudson and wanted to know more about him. He died when I was just 1 year old, so I knew nothing about him before this book except that he was secretly gay and that he died of AIDS.
First, let me say that it seems like the author of the book did an incredibly thorough job researching. When she had to get information from someone other than Hudson, she always said who it was from, and if she received conflicting accounts, she described them both along with their reasons for their POVs.
Even wading through all the interviews, second- and third-hand sources, drama, lawsuits, etc, Rock Hudson's charm still shines through. It's obvious that although he was a very private man, even to those he was closest to, he was also someone who loved fun and laughter and never took life too too seriously. The number of people who mentioned laughing with him until they couldn't breathe is astounding. (It's also hard not to fall a little in love with Hudson's oldest Hollywood friends, George Nader and Mark Miller, who seem like two of the most decent, honest, good-hearted people ever to grace L.A. It makes me feel a little bad -- almost -- that 3 of George Nader's movies were on MST3K.)
The drama surrounding his AIDS diagnosis and the revelation of this to the public was also fascinating for someone like me, whose grew up with the idea of HIV as a fatal disease and watched it slowly change to a chronic illness as medication and understanding has improved. It's hard to remember just how little was known or understood in 1985 -- indeed, the initials "HIV" are never used in this book, only AIDS.
Recommended to anyone who enjoyed Rock Hudson's films.
First, let me say that it seems like the author of the book did an incredibly thorough job researching. When she had to get information from someone other than Hudson, she always said who it was from, and if she received conflicting accounts, she described them both along with their reasons for their POVs.
Even wading through all the interviews, second- and third-hand sources, drama, lawsuits, etc, Rock Hudson's charm still shines through. It's obvious that although he was a very private man, even to those he was closest to, he was also someone who loved fun and laughter and never took life too too seriously. The number of people who mentioned laughing with him until they couldn't breathe is astounding. (It's also hard not to fall a little in love with Hudson's oldest Hollywood friends, George Nader and Mark Miller, who seem like two of the most decent, honest, good-hearted people ever to grace L.A. It makes me feel a little bad -- almost -- that 3 of George Nader's movies were on MST3K.)
The drama surrounding his AIDS diagnosis and the revelation of this to the public was also fascinating for someone like me, whose grew up with the idea of HIV as a fatal disease and watched it slowly change to a chronic illness as medication and understanding has improved. It's hard to remember just how little was known or understood in 1985 -- indeed, the initials "HIV" are never used in this book, only AIDS.
Recommended to anyone who enjoyed Rock Hudson's films.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Brilliant, unputdownable! Read it if you want to know more about Rock Hudson, his life and death from HIV Aids.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Book That Tells About The Life Of Rock Hudson !
Enjoyed reading this very much. Perhaps some information was held back. Who knows ? Rock Hudson was a great screen presence and in nearly thirty years since his death, he has... Read more
Published 1 month ago by K. Nolting
5.0 out of 5 stars
i fell in love.
What a fantastic book. I was too young to know the story, Rock died when I was 11, but this story made me fall for this AMAZING man. He had his problems, but was a good soul. Read more
Published 4 months ago by thebigburton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock Hudson the man!
This is the best book I have read in a while. The re was nothing held back. He was a wonderful actor. I loved every picture he made. the book just brought people closer to him!
Published 5 months ago by suzie Suzie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Interesting
I have been a huge fan of his most of my life. The facts were interesting to learn, however the way the writer expressed them was sometimes hard to follow. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Christine M. Strayer
3.0 out of 5 stars
Rock Hudson: His Story
Well, he was certainly a different person on the screen than in real life! I found the book to be very tiring and repetitive characterizing his constant playful antics and... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Skip
1.0 out of 5 stars
ROCK HUDSON'S WIFE IS RELATED BY MARRIAGE
I'VE FOLLOWED HIS CAREER AND READ A FEW WORKS REGARDING HIM. I FOUND THIS PAPERBACK ON HIS LIFE STORY, REPETITIVE AND BORING AND SINCE PHYLLIS HIS WIFE IS RELATED BY MARRIAGE, I... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Jude the Obscure
