Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers

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Overview

She dazzled millions as Gigi. Eliza Doolittle. Holly Golightly. But to her most adoring fan, Audrey Hepburn was best known for her role as "Mummy."

In this heartfelt tribute to his mother, Sean Hepburn Ferrer offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of one of Hollywood's brightest stars. Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit is a stunning compilation of nearly 300 photographs, many straight from the family album and never before published; archival documents, personal correspondence, and mementos; even paintings and illustrations from the actress herself.

Sean tells Audrey Hepburn's remarkable story, from her ...

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More About This Book

Overview

She dazzled millions as Gigi. Eliza Doolittle. Holly Golightly. But to her most adoring fan, Audrey Hepburn was best known for her role as "Mummy."

In this heartfelt tribute to his mother, Sean Hepburn Ferrer offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of one of Hollywood's brightest stars. Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit is a stunning compilation of nearly 300 photographs, many straight from the family album and never before published; archival documents, personal correspondence, and mementos; even paintings and illustrations from the actress herself.

Sean tells Audrey Hepburn's remarkable story, from her childhood in war-torn Holland to the height of her fame to her autumn years far from the camera and the crush of the paparazzi. Sean introduces us to someone whose grace, charm, and beauty were matched only by her insecurity about her appearance and talent, and who used her hard-won recognition as a means to help children less fortunate than her own. With this unique biography, Sean celebrates his mother's history and humanity—and continues her charitable work by donating proceeds from this book to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times
… Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit lives up to its title thanks to the obvious love of the author, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, for his mother. Family photos — like one of Hepburn lying on a gravel path, toes in the air and rollers in her hair, as she takes a snapshot of the family Yorkie — heighten this book's self-evident allure. —Janet Maslin
Publishers Weekly
Hepburn's son (with actor Mel Ferrer) shows his mother as a compassionate, emotional woman who searched for and offered love above all. He traces the roots of his mother's longing in her experiences with her distant father and the destruction of her native Belgium during WWII. Via photos and stories, he notes how Hepburn (1929-1993) aimed to live an everyday family life of home, school and holidays. Rendering her husbands respectfully and without off-color stories, Ferrer doesn't offer lascivious behind-the-scenes dramas or quips about directorial injustices. Instead, he lets designers and composers who worked with Hepburn talk about the actor's inimitable talents. Composer Henry Mancini believes her "quality of wistfulness" inspired the songs he wrote for her, especially Breakfast at Tiffany's "Moon River." Designer Cecil Beaton calls her an "authentic existential Galatea" with a voice containing the "quality of heartbreak." Ferrer also details Hepburn's influential friendship with clothing designer Hubert de Givenchy, including the dressmaker's generosity in Hepburn's final days. Directors William Wyler and Billy Wilder also appear, as do actors Gary Cooper and Fred Astaire (the latter was Hepburn's co-star in her favorite movie, Funny Face). Movie-related photos abound, but the most memorable images are of Hepburn's family and the children she met in her work with UNICEF. Her 1989 speech to members of the United Nations staff on the millions of dying children in developing countries concludes the book. What began as a son's remembrance and selective movie survey becomes a call to action. In this way, the work differs greatly from standard self-important star bios. 300 full-color and b&w photos. (Oct. 28) Forecast: Town & Country recently featured Hepburn on its cover and presented a handful of the photos that appear in this book. If that didn't put Hepburn back into the minds of nostalgic baby boomers, seeing the stunning cover of Ferrer's book certainly will. Ferrer will contribute proceeds from the book to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
Library Journal
Hepburn recalled by her son, with hundreds of photos (some of which will be new to you), plus examples of Hepburn's paintings. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780671024796
  • Publisher: Atria Books
  • Publication date: 4/5/2005
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 130,002
  • Product dimensions: 8.00 (w) x 9.90 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Read an Excerpt

Preface: The Secret

I am writing this preface almost nine years after Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston left us. She was — or should I say, is — my mother. I started writing this little book on January 21, 1993, the day after she passed away. It took me roughly four years to put the first words to paper.

The actual writing took maybe a few months. It's what happened before and in between that took some time. I am quite sure by now that everyone who loses a parent, as we all do sooner or later, could write a book. As it did for me, it might feel like the only book you'll ever write. Weeks, months, years may pass between writing sessions. You too may experience something that can no longer be called writer's block. You see, it's not about you. It is about the one person in the world who is more than you! And in my case, it is about someone who was most dear to me, the very person who brought me here and saved me time and time again, when I needed her for my survival. Yet she was someone whom I couldn't help or save in the end. So I find myself endlessly rolling these few words like pebbles in the river of my story so that the smooth stones that emerge will be worthy of your time and her spirit. I want you to know...what truly counts, yet in a way that won't ripple her peace.

As one theory has it, our organs have varying life expectancies. For example, our lungs, the meekest and the most useful, have the shortest life span: roughly 60 years. Our brain, of which we use less than 10 percent and therefore the least useful of our organs, as well as our greatest liability, has an expected life span of somewhere over 150 years. In writing this book, I have discovered something new and exciting:

My memory will outlive all of them.

Long after I'm dead, and long after my brain dies — much later, of course (which is why I'm planning on being either cremated or buried with a chessboard), I will remember all this...and the scents. I close my eyes and remember, through the noise, her scent: powdery, elegant, safe, strong, the scent of unconditional love. I look down and see her delicate hands, their skin so thin I can faintly see their veins, her nails round, soft, and clear. Yet these are the hands that have held me, carried me, talked to me. They caressed me, they walked me to school, and I held on to them when I was scared. Oh, how I miss them! What I would give to feel them running through my hair...in my sleep, once more.

What happened? My head is still spinning. Wouldn't yours be if your mother was Audrey Hepburn? My mother died in 1993, and still...she's everywhere: on television all the time, at the video store, in magazines, in bookstores, on huge billboards in airports and on freeways, downtown on a bus stop shelter, in every conversation I have sooner or later with everyone, in my work and in my thoughts, especially since I started writing this book, and in my dreams...sometimes.

Talk about larger than life. She weighed 110 pounds and measured five feet seven.

How fortunate that our memories of her are good. They leave a gentle wake, like a sunny empty room that feels good. It's there, at times stronger, at times gentler — the perfect combination of sweet and sad. The sweetness of her, the sadness of her.

I have thought much about this book — endlessly agonized as to whether this should be revealed. After nine years I have come to terms with it. I am telling it to you because there is little to be ashamed of, and because it may be helpful to others.

My mother had a secret.

I don't think she would mind my saying it. We see things much more clearly...after. So here it is, the great secret.

She was sad.

Not that life treated her badly, and therefore she was sad. Life was tough but good. My mother was sad because of what she saw happening to the children of this world. I think we all made her a little bit sad. Yes, you did as well as I. Not because we were bad, but because we couldn't help. If she hadn't done the work for UNICEF at the end of her life, I wouldn't be so sure. I've now done some work for the children, and I'm sad too. So this book will have to be about this as well: sadness and children. Not a great combination, but there you have it. I think if you got the full picture, you would be sad too. So I'm not going to do that. I'll spare you the whole picture about sadness and children. But I'll give you a little bit of it, just enough.

Don't worry, you'll smile as well. A smile is the perfection of laughter. And you may cry a little too. But crying is good for your eyes and for your soul. It beautifies.

Copyright © 2003 by Sean Hepburn Ferrer

Table of Contents

Preface: The Secret IX
Introduction: Kissed on the Cheek XIII
Chapter 1. Emotional Hunger 1
Chapter 2. "I Can Recall ..." 29
Chapter 3. Unforgettable 81
Chapter 4. One of Them 143
Chapter 5. The Silence of the Soul 177
Chapter 6. Together There is Nothing We Cannot Do 188
Chapter 7. The Price of Forever 205

Customer Reviews

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Sort by: Showing all of 8 Customer Reviews

  • Posted July 6, 2009

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    Amazing book, amazing woman

    As a huge Audrey Hepburn fan I can tell you this book will not disappoint you. Wonderfully written by Audrey's eldest son, he talks about Audrey in a way unique way, as a mom. Talking about her in her early days during WWII up to her death in 1993. I learned more about Audrey in this book than any other. I reccomend this book to any Audrey fan.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 7, 2007

    The definition of Elegance

    This book was completly touching and wonderful. It is so clear through this book how loved Audrey was by her son and by everyone who was in contact with her. Her story was inspirational and her passion for UNICEF. This book gave good insight into the humble spirit Audrey had.She was a family woman, a humanitarian and last an amazing entertainer. Her spirit and true elegance will live on forever.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 9, 2006

    Absolutely the best Audrey Hepburn biography

    I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, and this book touched me the way that no other book has. Her son has written an inspirational and moving tribute to a woman he loved so very much. He takes you past the glamor of movies and Hollywood and into the life of a woman that defined beauty and selflessness.

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  • Posted December 9, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    Stupendous biograhy

    The approach to this biography from Audrey Hepburn¿s¿ obviously adulating son Sean Hepburn Ferrer is to tell about his famous mother through the perspective of those who knew her rather than the usual crash and burn titillating Hollywood bedtime tales. Instead, Mr. Ferrer displays respect for his mom and indirectly her husbands. Other contributors like Henry Mancini provide insight, but once again offer respect. The interesting aspects of the bio is when Mr. Ferrer takes his audience outside of Hollywood to his mother¿s childhood in war ravaged Belgium that shaped her adulthood morality and the importance of family values in a meaningful way not some politician¿s sound bite. This belief led Ms. Hepburn to volunteer at UNICEF. There will not be a dry eyed reader when they ¿hear¿ Sabrina give a speech at the UN in 1989 pleading for the millions of children dying from malnutrition, lack or bad water, and diseases that the western world eradicated. When people scoff at Hollywood morality, they need to remember real heroines like Ms. Hepburn. Three hundred plus photographs augment a wonderfully upbeat look at ¿an elegant spirit¿ whose author pays the ultimate homage to his mother as the Audrey Hepburn Children's receives the proceeds from the sales............. Harriet Klausner

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    Posted January 18, 2010

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    Posted February 3, 2009

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    Posted May 20, 2010

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    Posted December 30, 2008

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