Vanessa Redgrave:: An Autobiography [Hardcover]

Vanessa Redgrave (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 1994

The celebrated and controversial actress shares the story of her career on the stage and in films, life in a distinguished theatrical family, political activism and commitment to social justice, and marriages and love affairs. 25,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Vanessa Redgrave, a political rebel of the show-business world, has written a straightforward, chronological account of her life. She is a member of the famous Redgrave theater clan (father Michael, mother Rachel, two acting siblings, Lynn and Corin, and her daughter, Natasha Richardson), was married to Tony Richardson, bore Franco Nero a son, pursued a successful acting career and espoused controversial causes. She takes herself extremely seriously, seemingly omitting no detail, which has the curious effect of making her dramatic life feel flat. Born in London in 1937, her earliest memories are of the war and evacuations to the countryside to avoid bombings. The late Michael Redgrave achieved greater stardom in Britain than in the U.S. as both a Shakespearean actor and a film idol. Vanessa, on the other hand, always made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic with her outspoken political views, especially her vociferous support of the Palestinians. She moved back into the cinematic limelight recently with performances in Merchant Ivory films, including Howard's End, but her efforts here to set the record straight politically may have limited appeal for American readers. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Redgrave, famous as an actress and sometimes infamous for her political views, tells her side of the story.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 419 pages
• Publisher: Random House; First edition. edition (November 29, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679402160
• ISBN-13: 978-0679402169
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,172,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Balancing act between Politics and Performing, July 14, 2001

By 

Ashley (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vanessa Redgrave:: An Autobiography (Hardcover)

I'm not really sure what I expected when I purchased a used copy of Vanessa Redgrave's autobiography. Maybe, it was to get a glimpse of an artist's perspective on acting. That certainly was not however what I ended up taking away from this bio. Rather, a wealth of information about politics and the Redgrave family is quickly thrust upon you within the first few pages. Once you sort out who everyone is, then you must go and cross-reference the political background of the times. This is where things started to get rough. Redgrave's writing is peripatetic and disjoiunted in style making it a difficult read. Once you get beyond the first few chapters however, her passion for politics and acting overwhelms you (in a good way) and you become caught up in the formation of her performing and political conscious.

The best part of the bio are the early letters she includes --written to both her father and various cousins-- which are witty, passionate, and illustrate perfectly the young Redgrave's thirst for knowledge and understanding. A warning to the potential reader: if you are not well-versed in the history of England, or the political parties or politics of the East, I urge you to consider some background reading in conjunction with this book as it is necessary to have a handle on some aspect of her writing before you attempt to follow her political path.