Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography

By Charlotte Chandler

Book Overview

Noted film biographer Charlotte Chandler interviewed Bette Davis extensively in the last decade of her life, resulting in a biography in which the great actress speaks for herself. Chandler also spoke with directors, actors, and others who knew and worked with Davis, and includes brief synopses of all of her theatrical films.

Here are some more examples of Bette's wit to be found within these pages:

"I'm the one who didn't get the man, which is the more interesting character on the screen, but in real life sometimes I wish I could just have been the girl who got the man, and kept him. I got four husbands and several lovers, but I didn't keep any of them. I was invited to the White House, but no man stayed to share my white cottage."

"My favorite actor with whom I never played, professionally or personally, was Laurence Olivier. I admired everything about him. He was a great actor, and he was my dream man. Literally and figuratively. Larry was my fantasy lover, the perfect man, or at least I thought he would be. He was not only beautiful, but intelligent."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557837171
• ISBN13: 9781557837172
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Applause Books
• Length: 380 Pages
• Weight: 1.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Finally, the truth about Bette.

This is a beautifully written biography by someone who knew the legend her self. Unlike Sikov's biography, Chandler is able to give us more insight than we can gather by watching her films. The details are extraordinary, but there is something else which strikes the reader. It is Bette's voice which comes through the pages clear as a bell. Davis requested that Chandler write her biography, and the result is powerful. No one delivers the story of Bette's life better than she can her self, and Chandler allows her to do that. All of Bette's wit, spunk and vitality are intact in this engrossing biography. Bravo!

A centerfold of black and white photos completes a wonderful coverage

The Girl Who Walked Home Alone: Bette Davis, A Personal Biography is a recommended pick for any collection strong in movie star biographies, especially those which aren't overstocked on Bette Davis coverage's already. Film biographer Charlotte Chandler interviewed Davis extensively in the last decade of her life, so this biography includes many of Davis' own words and insights, rather than the usual third-party analysis from those who just have had her films and reference materials to work from. A centerfold of black and white photos completes a wonderful coverage, highly recommended for any library strong in film biography.

Thank Ms. Chandler

A wonderful book on THE Greatest female cinema actor. DAVIS, unlike others, rarely had the great actors standing at her side to "assist" in her greatness, nor did she have a wealthy family to support her dream, but she did have TALENT. And Ms. Chandler's book is a great read, I read one evening, and I have frequently picked it up to enjoy - again, again.