Enchantment

The Life of Audrey Hepburn

By: Donald Spoto

Narrated by: Kimberly Farr

Her name is synonymous with elegance, style, and grace. Over the course of her extraordinary life and career, Audrey Hepburn captured hearts around the world and created a public image that stands as one of the most recognizable and beloved in recent memory. But despite her international fame and her tireless efforts on behalf of UNICEF, Audrey was also known for her intense privacy. With unprecedented access to studio archives, friends, and colleagues who knew and loved her, best-selling author Donald Spoto provides an intimate and moving account of this beautiful, elusive, and talented woman.

Tracing her astonishing rise to stardom, from her harrowing childhood in Nazi-controlled Holland during World War II to her years as a struggling ballet dancer in London and her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut in Gigi, Spoto illuminates the origins of Audrey's tenacious spirit and fiercely passionate nature.

She would go on to star in some of the most popular movies of the 20th century, including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face, The Nun's Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and My Fair Lady. A friend and inspiration to renowned designer Hubert de Givenchy, Audrey emerged as a fashion icon as well as a film legend. Her influence on women's fashion is unparalleled to this day.

But behind the glamorous public persona, Audrey Hepburn was both a different and a deeper person, and a woman who craved love and affection. Donald Spoto offers remarkable insights into her professional and personal relationships with her two husbands and with such celebrities as Gregory Peck, William Holden, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Robert Anderson, Cary Grant, Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney, and Ben Gazzara.

(P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Spoto digs beneath the surface, giving readers strong images of both actress and woman, and he does so in way that is, like Audrey Hepburn, quite elegant." (Booklist)

Amazing story of an amazing woman

I was always entranced by Audrey Hepburn as I was growing up in the 50's. She was the ultimate in style and grace. To find out now of her life's hardships and triumphs just puts her miles ahead of anyone else from the era that was in show business.

lovely ;-)

I just love her story and there is so much I didn't know! Balanced piece read by a nice voice.

Audrey The Lady as ever.

This is a great book if you are interested in the life of Audrey Hepburn.
It is clear, concise and ordered. The book is a historical time line of things that happened in her life and her career.

This is great book to get if you are interested in some of the back story of her life.
(You learn things about this remarkable lady that are not common knowledge)

The narrator is beyond good as she unfolds a compelling look at one of the truly great people of the last century. She doesn't drag the text nor is she too fast.
I have been through this book a few times, and am satisfied with listening.

Well worth the money if you are looking for a peek into Audrey" life.

Splendid story of a splendid woman

Learn the lovely, loving side to the iconic actress
Enjoyed it very much. The show biz stories great, yes, but the character of the woman, revealed, was the most satisfying.

Solid book

Very nice reading from a comforting even voice. A great book! Highly recommend his other offerings too.

Entertaining and informative. A great listen!

Review for the Audio book: Well written and researched. Donald Spoto contradicts some earlier versions of history with well documented first person accounts and references. The only thing lacking is free access to an E-reader with photos. Come on, Audible! That would have rated 5 stars. The one thing really missing is anything about Audrey after her passing. It would have been great if the author were to include some examples of how her life in movies and her work with UNICEF is still influential today.

Enchanting but turbulent Life...

What made the experience of listening to Enchantment the most enjoyable?

I have always adored Audrey Hepburn; her style, grace and movies. However, I did not really know who she was and all she had been through until this book. There were many enjoyable parts in the book, but there were also many sad, heart-wrenching parts as well.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Enchantment?

There were so many; her Oscar win for Roman Holiday, her strained, cold relationship with her mother, her not-so-happy marriages, the struggles endured for the birth of her 2 children, and her life-long friendships.

What about Kimberly Farr’s performance did you like?

Kimberly's voice was very soothing and pleasant to listen to.

A Hollywood Fairytale with a Dose of Sadness

If you could sum up Enchantment in three words, what would they be?

Surprising, Remarkable, Balanced

What did you like best about this story?

The story of Audrey's life was told in chronological order and so it was easy to follow.

Which scene was your favorite?

The making of the movie "The Nun's Story" on location in Africa.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did not listen to it all in one sitting. It was easy to pick up the story as it moved along.

Any additional comments?

If you like Audrey Hepburn, you will like this audiobook. I thought that the writer managed to convey Audrey as a normal, caring and sensitive person. Although this is ultimately an uplifting true story of triumph and overcoming life's obstacles, I was surprised by the sad parts: her early life during WWII, her mother's coldness to her, the unhappy marriages, the many miscarriages she endured to have her two children, and the numerous affairs that she had while married. I enjoyed the audiobook as a whole, but the narrator's voice did tend to get on my nerves from time to time.

It's Audrey

All the stories of this beautiful person, actress is summed up in a single sentence - cant help but Love Audrey Hepburn!

She was a very special human being.

Written beautifully, reaserched completely, and performed flawlessly. She was a wonderful example of living well.