Bette Davis

Life & Times

by Laura Moser, Haus Publishing (Manufactured by)

Bette Davis (1908-1989) was the great actress of the Golden Age of Cinema. Known for her bullish temper and incomparable candor, she began life as the favorite daughter of a lonely, unfulfilled single mother. Convinced that she lacked beauty, Davis devoted everything to her acting. In classic films such as Jezebel, All About Eve, Dark Victory and Now, Voyager, she distorted herself into grotesque, shocking characters -- always, she insisted, for the good of the role. Off-stage she never achieved the same success, becoming a serial divorcee. By the end of her life, her repertoire had narrowed into excruciating self-imitation. This book unearths the complex, self-destructive woman beneath the steely public persona.

Genres: Biography

180 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Laura Moser grew up in Houston, Texas. She is the author of a biography of Bette Davis and has written for various publications, including Newsday, Slate, and the Guardian. She now lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A biography that displays mostly contempt for its subject. I began to wonder why exactly Moser decided to write this in the first place; I suppose it must've been fascination because it certainly couldn't have been admiration.