Berg is one of those imposingly excellent biographers who takes eight years to write a book and researchers them methodically, writes well and has best sellers. This bio is a little different because it is more of a personal memoir, though it does encapsulate Hepburn's career. Berg was a fan of the actor who became her friend - he seems to have been pleasant company and a good listener; also his writing of a book on Goldwyn meant Hepburn could find out about what her contemporaries were up to. Berg is keen to put Hepburn centre stage, so much so it means he is often a shadowy figure all the time. For instance, I couldn't help wondering where he had all this money and spare time for visits to an old movie star, even if she was a friend. (His books sold well I am guessing. He is also gay although he only mentions his life partner in passing) Berg no doubt figured that it was Hepburn the reader was interested in so kept himself aside - he was probably right, I just wish he'd brought himself forward a bit more.
That mentioned, the book is worth reading. Berg is a skillful writer and Hepburn a worthy topic. I particularly enjoyed her comments and observations about show biz: Howard Hughes, Spencer Tracy (Berg puts forward his own theories on the actor's alcoholism), Glenn Close (she doesn't like her - due to her feet! - maybe also because Close plays Hepburn-like parts), Harrison Ford (big fan - she liked manly men), Julia Roberts (thought she was the first genuine female star in ages - which she was), Melanie Griffith (she liked her but thought she was too lethargic to make it as a star - which when you think about it is a brilliantly astute observation), Larry Olivier (admired him but didn't like him - blamed him for forcing Vivien Leigh to do theatre instead of movies), Jeremy Irons, Michael Jackson (hilarious vignette of him visiting Kate and Tom Stoppard popping in).
The book isn't all looking back - Warren Beatty enlisted Berg to persuade Kate to do a cameo in Love Affair (an entertaining section of the book with Beatty coming off as a bit of a pompous idiot though also an intelligent man capable of great charm), and Berg chronicling Kate's last few years which she declined but never really went bonkers. It isn't all about Kate either - Irene Selznick becomes a major character; she was a big mate of Kate's, also of Berg's, but when Berg knew her there was a bit of a Selznick-Hepburn feud. (When you think about it Irene Selznick was a bit of a gay icon, too, what with being bitter about men and producing Tennessee Williams and Arthur Laurents). Illuminating and moving.
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