Jan C's Reviews > Ava: My Story

Very enjoyable. She was a live wire. And the funny thing is, she apparently never believed that she was a star or really evem that she was beautiful. Although I think someone was telling her how beautiful she was (they were always telling her that) and I think she was in her sixties (she died at 67) and she said "I used to be."

And her husbands and boyfriends ... whoa! Mickey Rooney - the liar. Artie Shaw - wanted to make her into something brilliant. Frank Sinatra - they were the love of each other's lives but as husband and wife? Forget about it. They were always at each other's throat and running out in the middle of the night. I think they were too much alike. Howard Hughes - he kept throwing jewels at her and she kept throwing them back with "you're a good friend, but that's all." And he never got it. George C. Scott - she didn't know about abusive men and their lies at that time. I had read in Maureen Stapleton's and Colleen Dewhurst's books about him but they barely touched the surface. Yesterday I was looking in a catalog and there was one for "Rage" directed and starring George C. Scott. I thought how perfect. Who would know better about rage than someone who is enraged.

It was a very funny memoir, supplemented by memories from friends. Apparently her last years were less than happy because of the results of a stroke. Wonder if it had anything to do with all those years of heavy drinking?