Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick (Paperback)

~ Betty Jo Tucker (Author)
Key Phrases: true maverick, movie reviews, Susan Sarandon, Dead Man Walking, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Betty Jo Tucker, one of the Internet's finest film critics, is a graceful, intelligent judge of cinematic offerings. -- Phil Hall, book editor, New York Resident

Product Description

Susan Sarandon's memorable performances have made her an American icon. Passionate and outspoken, she's often controversial. Why did Sarandon choose acting as a career? What is her acting philosophy? How does she select roles? What motivates her to promote social and political causes? Why do some people object to this? How do critics rate her work and her movies? Betty Jo Tucker answers these questions and more in an analysis of Sarandon's achievements from a film critic's perspective. Tucker's book also includes an annotated filmography of Sarandon's movies and selected reviews of her key films.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Hats Off Books; annotated edition edition (April 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587363003
• ISBN-13: 978-1587363009
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,945,097 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compulsivly Readable, April 27, 2004

By	Jamieson Villeneuve "Author at Large" (Ottawa Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick is one of the best star profiles to come along in a long time. It is a wonderfully light and entertaining look at one of films greatest stars.

Compulsivly readable, it is not really a biography but more of a Sarandon file, filled with information about her life and career. We get to see Sarandon from the point of view of her work collegues, her friends, her family. We get to know the whole Susan, not just parts of her.

What I loved most about this book was it's wonderful writing and it's set up. Betty Jo talks to us, rather than at us, like most biographies. Instead of being boring, reptetitive and boring, Betty Jo presents us with a beautiful look at Sarandon the movie star, the friend, the activist and the mother.

If that's not good enough, Betty Jo has also compiled what is most likely the first annotated filmography of all of Susan Sarandon's films as well as selected film reviews of her work by various other film critics, a look at Susan's career, and opinions of Susan from people who have worked with her or known her.

Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick is no cardboard cut out biography. Instead, it is a treat to read, full of wonderful information about one of, if not the most beautiful woman working in film today. An amazing read and one that I will read again and again.

I may be a little biased...my film review of The Witches of Eastwick is in the back! But I'm not biased really. Aside from my review, Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick is just one hell of a great read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Biography, April 23, 2006

By	Denise A. Cassino "Senior Editor, Long Story ... (Denver, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In this fascinating biography, Betty Jo Tucker avoids those dreary details that fill the pages of so many movie star bios and gets right to the nitty-gritty. Tucker includes interesting details of Sarandon's amazing career, aspects of her love life, past and present, and includes a extensive list of sources for digging deeper into the magic of Susan Sarandon. This book covers each of Sarandon's movies, allowing the reader to revisit those great characters from Annie Savoy from Bull Durham to Louise of Thelma and Louise. We learn about Susan's passions, what her peers really think about her and just enough of her personal life to satisfy. Tucker takes the reader behind the scenes to those private causes that touch Sarandon's heart and motivate this otherwise private movie star to speak out. If you love biographies but flip past those tedious chapters recalling the subject's childhood in endless detail, this is a must read. If you love movies, you will enjoy it even more.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick, July 13, 2005

By	GetBookReviews.com (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

Film Critic, Betty Jo Tucker, has done a fabulous job outlining Susan Sarandon's career and life behind the scenes. In this uniquely different biography of sorts, we hear from colleagues, friends, family and other movie critics about Sarandon and her works. Tucker has done her research and includes Susan Sarandon's filmography from 1970 to 2003, websites of interest, famed movie reviews, and even a bibliography of information on Sarandon. Tucker's work is interactive as well as it provides a quiz at the beginning to test your knowledge before you delve into this expertly written bio. *****

Chapters Include: Why Susan?, Recognizing a Maverick, Balancing Act: Family and Career, Roles of Distinction, Her Colleagues Speak Out, Ah, Men!, The Myelin Project, Her Critics Speak Out, and A Woman of Substance.

Tucker is donating her author royalties from this book The Myelin Project, a multi-national organization formed to support research on diseases like the one depicted in the inspiring film Lorenzo's Oil featuring Susan Sarandon.