Audrey Hepburn

by Barry Paris

The most ambitious and personal account ever written about Hollywood's most gracious star-Audrey Hepburn by Barry Paris is a "moving portrayal" (The New York Times Book Review) that truly captures the woman who captured our hearts...

With the insights of family and friends who never before spoke to a Hepburn biographer-and never-before-published photographs-Paris has created an in-depth portrait of the actress, from her childhood in Nazi-occupied Europe, through her legendary career, and into her UN ambassadorship.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Film, History, Fashion, Media Tie In

496 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 1996

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, a disclaimer: I read a stack of biographies of Audrey Hepburn in college because I wrote a gigantic paper (more of a thesis really) about her, and I feel that I'm able to rate this biography against other biographies.

At any rate, I would say that this bio, the first I've read in many years, is so-so in comparison to the others. For one, I thought that the information was presented in a dry way, and is mostly composed of excerpts from previous interviews with her. The author uses very little first source material in this book and you really feel that distance. I also questioned the meticulousness with which the author tried to find examples of her being "mean." I suppose that this was under the euphemism of journalistic integrity, but at the same time, the examples that he did come up with were so petty that I questioned whether or not they were necessary for this book to be balanced. Instead, it made the agenda of the author seem a bit sensationalistic. I would have preferred to eliminate a few of those anecdotes.

These characteristics do not ruin the book, but for me, it's not a stellar example of a great biography about Hepburn. If you are looking for the definitive on this actress, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

That being said, there is nothing unpleasant whatsoever about the subject being profiled. Audrey, as usual, is a marvel. I love that when she was asked for one word to describe her, she said "lucky."

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will say this: I found myself incapable of reading a lot before I had to close the book and gaze romantically at the cover, wondering how strange people would think me to be if I up and kissed it.

I know I can't hold Paris too responsible for the book being so dry (thus, the three out of two); he is, after all, a biographer and not a novelist. Still, the book reads like a lecture, and a bad one at that. Every so often there is a nice little glimpse of coyness by Paris, but it is quickly overshadowed by long sections of exposition that seem only marginally necessary for us to know about Hepburn's life.

I do think I learned a bit about her, which I dare say is the reason for anyone to read a bio, but I feel like many years of her life went by in a few flips of the page, which resulted in my not really getting to know her. That's silly and romantic, like anyone enraptured by Audrey's entire being, and I know she was elusive in life, a normal person outside of the lime; but, I missed the tenderness of good writing that would have made this book really good.

However, the passage of her death did almost make me cry; but that might just be because she died. Still, I'm a guy so I would never publically admit that. Hmm.

Ultimately, good info and good photos, but poor writing. I'm sure there's a better Hepburn book out there, I just don't think I have the energy.

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very neatly done biography, probably the one I'll recommend most. Paris is notable for the number of interviews done -- much of the book consists of interviews done with Hepburn's family members, co-workers and close friends. Paris is to be applauded for the effort and painstaking work this took.

I hesitate to call this however a completely satisfying biography, for me. With so many voices coming at you (and with Paris clearly in debt to people like Audrey's sons and her partner for the last 15 years of her life), he seems to hold back. His own insights and analysis are for the most part, pretty sparse. Sometimes his interviewees have conflicting insights into some aspect of Audrey Hepburn's life or personality, and Paris rarely steps in to provide a useful summary. When he does delve into his own insightful explorations of her life, he hesitates to say anything negative or critical about Audrey.

Unquestionably, she was a deeply kind and generous person, with true humility, and he captures that aspect of her beautifully. But as a reader, I had questions he never attempted to really explore or answer. This is one of the great challenges of writing biography -- how to serve your reader as well as your interviewees -- which is why great biographies are difficult to find.

Still, this is a really well-done biography with lots of details about Hepburn's life and I will be recommending it to many.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Ernest Borgnine's autobiography, the beginning of Audrey Hepburn seemed a little dry at first, not as personal, especially in the listing of family names going into her genealogical background.

But as I continued reading, it seemed less dry and impersonal and more educational. The biography is very comprehensive, extremely well researched, almost academic, and the amount of information gave a surprising insight into Audrey's psyche. The author had great access to a lot of the people in Audrey's life and put in a lot of firsthand accounts from friends and family and a lot of contemporary quotes from the media. I have to say, if you want to read just one book about Audrey Hepburn and learn everything you ever need to know about her, then this is the book. It takes you through her entire life from birth to death and even covers what went on before and after — you get a really great sense of who she and her family were, and that's about as much as you could wish for in a biography.

Gift from Minnie. Finished reading March 28, 2011.

[Brenda Pizzo · Rating 2 out of 5]

No doubt Audrey Hepburn was a beautiful person inside and out. But this biography fails to give any substantive information or provide any interesting details of her life. Interesting is the key element, this book is not interesting. I plodded through hoping for a nugget here and there. Audrey for all her grace, talent, heart, and beauty deserves better. I stopped reading the footnotes when they appeared as they were even more boring than the text. Needless to say I can not recommend this book.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and comprehensive. All sides were aired. I will view "my Audrey Movies" in a different and light and be more aware and open when a UNICEF plea crosses my line of sight.
I have always admired Audrey and do so even more. How I wish there was a recording of her reading excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank.

[Breana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this woman. I love her films. I love her philanthropy. I love her viewpoints and way of life. To have read a good chunk of this while in one of Audrey's favorite cities, Paris, is just the icing on the dang cake.

[Helene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen a lot compare this biography to others about Audrey Hepburn, but as this is my first biography about her, and since I have nothing to compare it to, I really enjoyed it.

[Corrinne Jacobi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow reading but Audry lived an amazing life,, so there was a lot to write about. Very small print, cramming heaps into a page. Spent a lot of time looking up old movies mentioned throughout the book. Very nostalgic 💞

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting biography of an unforgettable person, who was beautiful both inside and out.

Audrey Hepburn has to be one of the most beautiful people; both physically and with a heart that shone with warmth and love. In an age when icons were stereotypically curvaceous, blond bombshells Audrey broke the trend with her slim figure and stunning features (in particular her face). Her vivacity and energy, her innocence and charm along with her natural and matchless beauty propelled her to the height of Hollywood fame.

Barry Paris’s comprehensive biography starts at the very beginning with Audrey’s childhood, where she grew up in Nazi-occupied Holland until moving to London, England. Discovered in the West End chorus line she was catapulted into fame with the iconic role of Gigi on Broadway, with this charming and unforgettable French tale about love. What followed was a glittering and magical career, where she played in both Oscar and Tony award winning performances. Breakfast at Tiffany’s has to be one of the most prominent films she was a part of, where Audrey Hepburn went strait to the hearts of everyone who watched her; captivated and mesmerized by her outstanding performance. My Fair Lady was another film that was met with such high critical acclaim as to be recorded in the history books, where the character of Eliza Do-Little is brought to life on screen. Later in life Audrey chose to leave the glamour of Hollywood and devoted her later years to UNICEF as an ambassador. Warm, humorous and full of whit as well as moving and emotional, you are taken on a real rollercoaster of a ride exploring the ups and downs including the hard, difficult moments too. Her performance in My Fair Lady with the legendary Rex Harrison is certainly one of those moments in this book that takes your breath away.
This sympathetic biography is a wonderful tribute to an incredible actress and memorable woman, who is just totally unforgettable and a legend that many actresses of today can only aspire to. This book stands out on the shelf as something quite special and which like the person, will not fail to find a special place within its readers hearts. Included are some wonderful photographs of Audrey (some outstanding ones like those taken in the film Roman holiday or Funny Face), that just take your breath away. Films such as Paris when it sizzles, Sabrina and the Nun’s story are ones that are very close to my heart, and always will be as I have watched them so many times and like a true classic you can never tire of them. She is an individual who has had a most remarkable life that is so fascinating to read about and discover, whether you are an ongoing fan or new admirer of her and her roles in various films. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir about an extraordinary individual whose road to stardom is fascinating, and I highly recommend it.

[Janakap · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a long read, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Audrey Hepburn's life and career. This is a character study on an actress who never really wanted to be an actress but a ballerina....she survived the Nazis, being abandoned by her father at the beginning of WWII, two dastardly husbands and more than a few miscarriages. But she adapted, stood strong, remained positive and weathered through with class and grace. The writing style of the book is chronological, of course, but I found some time frames being referred to repeatedly throughout the entire book. She was a beautiful woman inside and out, but I was left with a feeling of puzzlement, I think because she really did NOT want to be an actress....but she was....and then she sort of threw it all away...for her husband, then her son, then her next husband, and then her other son. I don't fault her for wanting to be a good wife and mother, I simply question the writing of this piece of the book. I was given the impression that her career, besides delivering her enough wealth to buy nice clothes and real estate, was something she did not take very seriously. In some segments, the author paints her to be an extreme bore...."asleep by 9" or "she threw dinner parties...they were very boring." I don't know - I guess my idea of her in her private life was a bit more glamourous than what she was. But what broke my heart was the work she did for UNICEF. As a child, my first memory of seeing Audrey Hepburn on TV was when she was in Ethiopia on a UNICEF trip - and I remember thinking how beautiful she was, just from that picture on tv, at the age of 62, carrying a starving, nearly dead child to bring him food and water. The trip descriptions and end of the book left me in tears. She was such a wonderful person - I believe that by visiting Somalia in 1992 and reporting back to DC about it, she singlehandledly got the United States military involved. I would recommend this book to anyone who knows small amounts of information about Ms. Hepburn - it is choc-a-block full of EVERYTHING you would need to know, and more.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

So you want to read an epic tome of Audrey Hepburn? You've come to the right place!

On the Kindle, I underestimated how long this book was. It is huge. But not for the right reasons. There is an in-depth description of every movie, seemingly 50-75 pages a piece, except for only about a page and a half glossing over Breakfast at Tiffany's, as if the author has a secret disdain for the movie and can't stand to acknowledge it. Honestly, it was weird. I also imagine the author getting permission from the family to write the book by promising not to say anything negative about Audrey. Maybe she never did a negative thing, but it does make for a boring book. I feel like I just read the world's longest wikipedia page, in a way. That said, if Audrey Hepburn ever comes up in trivia, I GOT THIS.

(Also, I couldn't find any of the photos on the Kindle version. Maybe I missed it, but I don't think they are there. Bummer.)

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really a big fan of Audrey Hepburn, but as she has remained so popular, I was curious to know more about her life. This was quite a good read though I don't know how it compares to other biographies of her. It was interesting to learn about her childhood experience of war, her movies, her humanitarian work, and how she found love later in life. I can see why so many people admire her, and also why it's so hard to really know her.

[Ledaromero]

<3

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mum was about to give this to charity but I decided I wanted to read this first.

I have always enjoyed watching many of Audrey Hepburn's films and I knew from my mum that this was a good biography of her. Barry Paris has certainly done his research and I felt I had a well-rounded view of Hepburn by the end of the book.

Her life is pretty interesting as she had to cope with the Nazi invasion in The Second World War whilst she was trying to train to become a ballerina. But somehow she ended up becoming one of the best loved actresses of an era if not all time.

What surprised me was what a good person Hepburn seemed to have been. I had no idea she had been an ambassador for UNICEF in the last few years of her life and I loved the anecdotes from her family, friends and co-stars.

The only thing that would have made this 5 stars is if Audrey has written it herself. Paris provided several different opinions over one issue which could occasionally make the book like a piece of academic research!

[Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I definitely feel like an expert on Audreys life now. I obviously knew that Audrey had passed away the year I was born when I started the book. But I couldn't help but mourn her life all over again at the end of the book when they talk about her funeral. I have always been a huge fan of her and her films but now reading this biography I feel like I have such a stronger connection to her. The book started off pretty difficult for me because it was a lot of history references and movie star references that new 50 years before my time. So I did have to google a lot of the names and references, which did take the book a lot longer for me to finish. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is patient and has an interest in Audrey Hepburn.

[Carson (Mae) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Audrey and desperately wanted details about her life and story. However, this read as a cynical research paper of “someone once said this about her life” mostly critiquing her for being vain yet simultaneously insecure while making everyone else feel less than simply by existing as the world’s beauty standard. If you want a timeline of her life, this book provides it, well written, just not enjoyable.

[Kate]

Picked this up at the library before realizing how freakin' dense it is. I have seen almost all of Audrey Hepburn's films, so I figured it would be interesting to learn more about her life, and the making of those films. Well, my revised plan is to buy this (it's $1.50 used on Amazon) and just read parts of it every now and then. I do not have the willpower to read it all in one go!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well written and well researched. There were a few disappointing political statements which seem to reflect the author’s views. It would have been better for him to keep his politics to himself, like Audrey did.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

She was such a gracious and elegant woman. This book shares a little of her private life, and a lot of details about her movies. A lighthearted read of a woman who lived a fantastic life on her own terms.

[Stephanie Bogus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by the story of this woman, you keep waiting for the part where she turns to drugs or becomes a diva and it never happens. She was a kind-hearted soul to the day she died much too early.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audrey is a remarkable person and this biography does a good job of showcasing that. At parts, it was felt like a drab list of her films and could have gone into more depth regarding her relationships. Still, very well done and I am so glad I read this.

[Sam Waters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to learn more about the life of Audrey Hepburn (I adore her!) A lot of historical information about the theatre and Hollywood at the time went a little over my head with so many names and without the historical context for someone like me who doesn’t know a lot about that period.

[Debi Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent telling of the life of an amazing & admirable woman!

[Sophie Claypole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost interest as the book was more about everyone else than Audrey Hepburn.

[sa · Rating 5 out of 5]

She was too good for this world. A beautiful rare soul.

[Russell Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning biography of a a luminous woman. Meticulously researched.

[Aleah Garnica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Audrey Hepburn Book.

[Piper Winchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only book I have on Audrey and it didn't disappoint.
I only knew Audrey from movies and documentaries so I kinda knew about her story.
She was a gem 💎
I need more books on her

[Jonathan Waite · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sabrina made me read this