Kate Remembered Katherine Hepburn A Personal Biography SIGNED, FIRST EDITION

Berg, Scott. A

Published by Simon & Schuster, 2003

First Edition, signed by A. Scott Berg. Unread, Fine condition.

Synopsis
This memoir is both a tribute and a tender farewell, revealing an unusual relationship in a notable life lived largely according to Katharine Hepburn's own rules. More importantly, it sets down many of the stories of that life as she saw them, full of sentiments that she felt should not be made public until after her death. This book not only traces the poignant final 20 years during which Berg knew Hepburn - at her townhouse in NYC, swimming in Long Island Sound and on weekend visits with family and friends - but also the better part of the 20th century that was the stage for this great theatrical personality. It records previously untold details of her career; her four Oscars and twelve Oscar nominations; and her starring roles in such films as "The Philadelphia Story", "The African Queen", "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" and "On Golden Pond". It also includes famous relationships with men such as Spencer Tracy and Howard Hughes.

Review
Published a mere 13 days after the death of Katharine Hepburn, Kate Remembered is best appreciated as a billet-doux of devoted friendship. It's a moving study of mutual trust and admiration between Pulitzer-Prize-winning biographer A Scott Berg and legendary Hollywood icon Hepburn, who'd established an instant rapport in 1983, beginning a 20-year conversation that blossomed into this enchanting "biographical memoir". As a casual but authoritative survey of Hepburn's career, Berg's book offers little new information to anyone who's read previous Hepburn biographies or Me: Stories of My Life, Hepburn's bestselling 1991 memoir. But the duality of Berg's title reinforces his purpose: "More than my remembrances," writes Berg in his author's note, "this book intends to convey hers." As such, Kate Remembered offers a rare, unvarnished portrait of one of the 20th century's most influential women, achieving a personal intimacy while making the reader feel welcomed in Hepburn's private world of privilege.Although Berg (the acclaimed biographer of legendary editor Max Perkins, producer/mogul Samuel Goldwyn and aviator Charles Lindbergh) had written all but the final paragraphs by 2001, Hepburn insisted this book remain unpublished until after her death, which came, in quiet dignity at age 96, on June 29, 2003. Given the book's prepublication secrecy, it's hardly tabloid-worthy, serving instead to correct or clarify details from Hepburn's glory days--especially her long-term affair with Spencer Tracy--while offering choice bits of Hollywood gossip, Hepburn's frequently scathing assessments of other actors and amusing encounters with such luminaries as Michael Jackson and Warren Beatty (both of whom appear as mock suitors with selfish motivations). It's a brisk read but a substantial one, richly emotional and as dignified as Hepburn herself, whose faults and foibles make her even more appealing than her beloved public persona. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com