Not the Girl Next Door

Joan Crawford, a Personal Biography

De: Charlotte Chandler

Narrado por: Christine Williams

She was beautiful, talented, irascible, ruthless, vulnerable, and a true Hollywood legend. From abused child to dance-hall entertainer to silent-film actress, she went on to become one of Hollywood's screen goddesses with films such as Possessed opposite Clark Gable, with whom she began a torrid off-screen affair; Grand Hotel; and Mildred Pierce, her Academy Award-winning film. Joan Crawford succeeded and survived through sheer determination, talent, invention, and re-invention.

Now, Charlotte Chandler, the acclaimed biographer of Ingrid Bergman (Ingrid), Bette Davis (The Girl Who Walked Home Alone), and Groucho Marx (Hello, I Must Be Going), gives us a revealing and often surprising portrait of Joan Crawford, much of it in Joan Crawford's own words.

©2008 Charlotte Chandler (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Dearest Mother

This was a good retort to the negative book that her eldest daughter cowardly wrote and published after Joan's death. I say Cowardly, since Joan wasn't here to defend herself. It just was not fair. I'm not saying she was perfect, just that it wasn't fair. And If you like this book, you should get "Portrait" of Joan Crawford. After all, she was considered the best actress of all time.

Wonderful biography of a much maligned Woman

I found this biography to be very interesting. Especially because of the many interviews done with contemporaries of Joan Crawford. it seems that everyone else's opinion of Joan Crawford differs from her daughter Christina Crawford's account. In fact everyone who seems to have known Christina, found her to be extremely unpleasant, and difficult to deal with. Even so her mom continue to love this child she had chosen beyond all of the pain she caused her. I would suggest the publisher hire someone else to read the parts of the book that include Joseph mankiewicz. As the person who is reading this book seemed incapable of pronouncing his name correctly. With Joseph mankiewicz being such a well-known figure it's embarrassing how often she misses mispronounced his name.

At best, an average performance by narrator

Whether the content written by author Chandler is true or not, I find it appalling that the narrator appears to have prepared less than adequately for her performance. She pronounces a number of names incorrectly, such as Charles Boyer (pronounced "Boi-yuhr", as opposed to the expected "Boi-yay") and Jack Palance (Pa-LANCE instead of the correct PAL-ance). There is a deliberate pacing that could be admirable until I positively cringe with such pronunciation errors.

A good biography but annoying narrator

An interesting biography on the legendary Joan Crawford. Narrator is really annoying but I got used to it.

Love the book and the narrator too

I read this book years ago. Reading it again has been a treat. The narrator was perfectly fine to me. I think this book should be the antithesis of Christina Crawford's tell all book. Joan seemed practical, down to earth and witty. I think she also saw people for who they really were, her own children included.

Bad narration

I agree with the other review. The narration is poor. Would not recommend this book for that reason.

Do not waste your money

It is difficult to decide which element of the reading of this book is worse. The book itself is repetitive, biased, and poorly written. On the other hand, the reader's false, "Joan Crawford" voice is irritating beyond belief. Any half rate female impersonator would have been better.

Bad narration, but you get used to it

Yes, the narrator has an affected way of speaking and mispronounces basic movie names (Joseph Mankiewicz as Man KEE a WITZ), and yes the plot summaries are unnecessary and substitute for more substantive details about Crawford's life. Still, this gives a good picture of Crawford's marriage to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., with extensive interviews, and you get used to the narrator after a while. The story is compelling despite these flaws.

Cardboard Cutout

I'm not sure what this biography adds to the Crawford mystique, but for my money it doesn't add anything. The author stuffed the book with unnecessary facts and descriptions of Crawford's films for no apparent reason (other than to pad the skimpy book). There's not a single fact or insight that hasn't been made before (and better!). And the pretentious narration left me confused: no change of inflection, no attempt to differentiate one character from another, the narrator sounds as if she's reading a papal encylical and with all the passion of an accountant. Bad all around.