Audrey Hepburn: A Biography

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Brenda Janowitz’s THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE is a truly beautiful novel about the power of home, first loves, and dark hidden family secrets; sprinkled with a little bit of Audrey magic and lots of Easter Eggs…as Janowitz is known for, with her now third Hollywood icon-centered novel after The Grace Kelly Dress and The Liz Taylor Ring.

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.

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 is one of those books you have to go into knowing that you’re just reading it for fun. Pretty much everything in the book is unrealistic and there are some plot holes, so I think it’s wise to know that before you read. 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. Blindsided, she tries to come to grips with what happened all those years ago. But in the end, what she discovers is that sometimes a house, is just a house where you live and have memories, but a home is really who your heart truly belongs to and who you love, no matter where you live. That is the real joy of being home.

I wanted to read this novel because Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses and I absolutely love the movie Sabrina. The book was rich with references to both Audrey Hepburn and Sabrina, as well as her other movies. There is even a detailed list of Audrey "Easter eggs" at the end of the book! Our Kind tells the story of a group of women who, once country-club housewives during the 1950s, are now left to confront the realities of life as independent and divorced women. An insightful and witty novel, Our Kind, succeeds in capturing the attitudes and experiences of a generation of women. Wow! Brenda Janowitz, author of “The Audrey Hepburn Estate,” has written a spectacular, captivating, and intriguing novel. I loved everything about this book. The genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, and Fiction. The author vividly describes the characters, the scenery, the plot, and the events. Brenda Janowitz is a wonderful storyteller who gives the story such a sensory feel. One can smell the flowers, the food, and the drink, hear the characters, and feel and see the art. The author does raise the question, “When is a home, and when does a house become a home.” The author also discusses visiting the past, second chances, and forgiveness. I normally love Brenda Janowitz novels, but unfortunately I can't say the same about her latest work, The Audrey Hepburn Estate. Of note-the novel pay homage to the movie Sabrina, also starting Audrey Hepburn, which I did not realize before reading the book. I also thought Emma’s character was quite immature in the way she dealt with relationships and her own history throughout the story.Wie alle Bücher von Megan Hess handelt es sich bei dem Buch nicht um eine umfassende textlastige Biografie, sondern um wunderschöne Fashionillustrationen, die mit Begleittexten ausgestaltet sind. Das gesamte Buch ist auf Audrey Hepburn ausgerichtet, es geht um die Frau, ihr Werk und ihre Legende. Entsprechend ist das Buch in drei Abschnitte unterteilt, wobei Abschnitt eins hauptsächlich ihre Anfänge, Abschnitt zwei ihr Leben als Star und Abschnitt drei ihr Leben nach dem Ausscheiden aus dem Rampenlicht beleuchtet. Alles wird mit zahlreichen kleinen und großen, teils ganzseitigen Illustrationen belegt. Zwischendurch werden auch teilweise Zitate eingebaut. Das Buch wirkt hierbei ein wenig wie ein Zeitstrahl. Samantha says that accepting what happened doesn't mean that it's okay. It just means that it happened."

The Audrey Hepburn Estate is set at the estate on Long Island that inspired the setting of the classic movie Sabrina. Emma Jansen grew up at the estate; her mother was a maid there. She was in love with the grandson of the owners, Henry, a charming golden boy. Leo, the chauffeur's son, had a crush on Emma and they were best friends. Years later, when Emma hears the estate is being demolished by a developer (Leo!) she visits to see her childhood home one more time. This opens a new chapter for Emma, Leo, and Henry ... with history of the estate interwoven. Brenda Janowitz was inspired to write this story based on Audrey Hepburn, especially in the. The movie role of “Sabrina” and the Glen Cove Estate, where her characters lived above the garage, is known as “The Audrey Hepburn Estate.” There is an added section in the novel where the author discusses events in the book that evolved from Audrey Hepburn and “Sabrina.”

An inspiration to many, Audrey Hepburn remains one of the most iconic stars of Hollywood. As well as infamous films, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Roman Holiday, Hepburn’s own life was equally inspiring, particularly her work with children around the world. From memoirs to novels and even children’s books, here are 7 books that lovers of Hepburn’s films and life are sure to enjoy. Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Wayby Kamin Mohammadi Absolutely beautiful book! I first saw this series of books by Megan Hess at work and fell in love with their beauty. Megan Hess is a famous fashion illustrator who has done campaigns for many designers such as Givenchy, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior and many more. However this series of books is all about illustrating the lives of fashion icons. From her relentless rise to fame in 1950s Los Angeles, her decision to quit the movie industry in the 1980s and the seven husbands she had along the way, Evelyn tells all. But it’s the secrets she has held all these years, and which have significant consequences for Monique, that truly capture the reader throughout,” says Leslie Rogers, a journalist writer at Brit student and Australia 2 write. Of note, I listened to this book on audio. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, did a spectacular job bringing this story to life and complimenting the already gorgeous writing. The versatility of her narration helped to create a unique voice for each and every character.