Spencer Tracy Books


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 Spencer Tracy
50 Success Classics (Unabridged)
Published in Audio Download by audible.com ()
Author: Tom Butler-Bowdon
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A few lessons of this book from one who will never learn them
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-27
There are already a number of views outlining what this book is about, how it works, which books are included. I will skip doing that and try to think now of some of the 'lessons' I learned from reading the author's summaries of these works ( which so far as I can tell are done in an excellent way)
One lesson which seems to be paramount is the importance of attitude. 'Trust yourself, every heart vibrates to that iron string" says Emerson who is I believe one of the fathers of this whole yea- saying business. The 'trust yourself' also extends to having a positive attitude towards others, avoiding argument and criticism. An important lesson is to smile and be upbeat in dealings with others. It is also recommended to be honest and forthright in dealing with others.A third great lesson is the importance of 'seizing the opportunity when it is there' having the courage to do so. A fourth lesson which is repeated more than once is in finding 'opportunity in adversity' and in some transformation in life. The idea is here is that life is changing all the time and some of that change is certainly not for the better. And one has to be continually ready to change with it.
I could go on listing the different pieces of advice here, and they truly are various and interesting.
What I am thinking about is about all those like myself who will never take much of this advice, and probably never be 'successes' in the way the people who write here are.
I too am not sure that the sense of what success is here (It is as I understand it by and large- success in business )is the kind of success a considerable body of people truly long for.
I too think of a different attitude towards success,held by those who long for success, and will not attain it. And the fact that not succeeding may in some ways and in certain ways prove a more valuable experience than success itself. Perhaps this is best expressed in these lines of Emily Dickinson.

"Success is counted sweetest
by those who ne'er succeed
To comprehend a nectar
Requires Sorest Need.

Not one of all the Purple Host
who took the Flag today
can tell a Definition
so clear of Victory

as he defeated dying
on whose forbidden ear
the distant strains of triumph
burst agonized and clear. "

Read ... @High Speed ... & Succeed !
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-14
This book among the other 3 excellent categories (see below) had a profound impact on my success and level of awareness in jump-starting my career.

Working at a large bank, my level of stress and the resulting time deprivation made it almost impossible to finish ONE book per month.

Now, I enjoy reading, analyzing, and integrating the wisdom of ONE book per day thanks to Tom Bowdon's excellent book summaries.

In short: Read ... @High Speed ... & Succeed !

Here are the other 3 book summaries that I highly (!) recommend:

50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life

50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do; Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books

I strongly believe the three books in the author's trilogy are really an intellectual treasure!
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-28
50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life, From Timeless Sages to Contemporary Gurus
50 Success Classics: Winning Wisdom for Life and Work from 50 Landmark Books
50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose

In the first instance, I have bought these three books in one go because I have been fascinated by what the author had done: He has practised what is known as the highest level of reading. Mortimer Adler, in his classic book, 'How to Read a Book', written in the forties, had called it 'syntopical reading'. It's actually reading a number of books of the same genre, more or less simultaneously & then synthesising the key points.

Secondly, the author, who is a graduate of the London School of Economics, somehow impresses me with his ability to synthesise the big picture of each of the books that made up the entire collection. For apparently a left-brain thinker i.e. economist by training, this has been a very remarkable feat, as his synthesising endeavour has been essentially more of a right-brain activity. Well, I must compliment him for a job well done.

Before my final decision on buying the three books, I have been thrilled by the prospect of reading three books, which in turn will give me access to one hundred & fifty books.

For each book, the author has very artfully as well as skillfully selected fifty books to made up one collection. I may not agree with his selection, but I must admit that I can't default him at all.

Take the first book, '50 Self Help Classics', with timeless wisdom, as an example. Out of the fifty books he has selected, I have read only seventeen of them. I have those books in my personal library.

For the second book, '50 Success Classics', I have read & still own sixteen of the landmark books on winning wisdom selected by the author.

For the third & final book, '50 Spiritual Classics', covering timeless sages & contemporary gurus, I have read only & still own three of them, namely 'The Tao of Physics', 'The Way of the Peaceful Warrior' & 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

For those books I have read previously, totaling thirty-six of them (probably stretching over three decades of my life), & upon revisiting them again in the trilogy, which actually took me one whole weekend to complete, starting on Friday evening & finishing on Sunday night, I must say that the seemingly marathon reading experience has been very refreshing & uplifting. It has also given me the opportunity to check & verify whether the author has captured the key ideas or essence of those books. I don't think I can find fault with the author in this respect.

Not only that, in the first book, I am very impressed that the author has cut through the bewildering array of choices to bring the essential ideas, insights, and techniques from the `literature of possibilities'. In works that span the world's religions, cultures, philosophies, & centuries, he summarizes each work's key ideas & finally makes clear how these legendary classics can educate, affirm, & motivate anyone searching for the inspiration to make a meaningful life change.

In the second book, the author is back with his wide-ranging collection of enduring works from pioneering thinkers, philosophers, & powerful leaders, like Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, Kenneth Blanchard, Baltasar Gracian & Christopher Maurer; from the inspirational rags to riches stories of such entrepreneurs, like Andrew Carnegie, Warren Buffet & Sam Walton to the leadership lessons of Sir Ernest Shackleton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln & Nelson Mandela, just to name a few.

In the third book, I believe the author has captured the very best in spiritual writing: They include personal diaries & compelling biographies of such diverse figures as Gandhi, Malcolm X, & Black Elk & Eastern philosophers & gurus including Krishnamurti, Yogananda, Chögyam Trungpa & Suzuki; & Western saints & mystics such as St. Francis of Assisi, Herman Hesse & Simone Weil. For each book in this volume, the author offers insightful commentary on how these classics can help spiritual seekers everywhere bring personal beliefs, values & practices squarely into the center of their every day lives.

Reading the three foregoing books has been quite a breeze because the meaning of each work is initially captured 'in a nut shell' at the onset, coupled with a representative quote as well as cross-referencing to similar work. In each work, appropriate sectional headings in bold print make it really easy for the reader to follow the author's train of thoughts over some six pages. There is also a short biographical sketch of the author of the respective work.

I must admit that the third book in the trilogy has been the most challenging for me to read as I normally do not go for such stuff. To put it bluntly, it's not my cup of tea. On the other hand, the curiosity streak in me has been too overwhelming, since I relish the thought that I could read fifty spiritual classics in just one book!

Overall, & for all those books I have not yet read at all (some of which I have not even heard of), I really enjoyed digesting the author's bite-sized summaries (in actuality, they are only the main ideas, context & impact of each title, to give a taste of the literature, so to speak) in the three collections or volumes, even though some of the titles are relatively esoteric for me. The entire reading journey has been enlightening, inspirational & yet humbling in some areas. Best of all, there are useful tools & practical techniques to take away from each collection!

For the first & last book in the trilogy, namely, '50 Self Help Classics' & '50 Spirtual Classics', the author has respectively provide a list of additional 50 books. The titles are certainly enticing! Well, all I can say is this: I wish the author will repeat his syntopical reading exercise covering these books & add two more volumes, that will make a quintulogy, for all the readers out there, including me!

As usual, all my three books are now scribbled with my own hand-written marginal annotations as well as my fancy colour marker symbols. Additionally, there are also colourful sticky notes in between selected pages. My next personal assignment is to transfer all these notations into mindmaps with Mindmanager Pro.

To end my review, I have one last humble comment to make. Out of the one hundred & fifty bite-sized summaries, I still don't quite get it from 'The Bhagavad-Gita' as outlined in the author's '50 Self Help Classics'. I have not read this work before although I have heard about it. [J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, who is credited for building the airline to what it is today, A Great Way to Fly, has vouched for this ancient Hindu scripture as an inspiration for his leadership success during an interview.] However, in the same vein, I found that I could relate quickly to Deepak Chopra's 'The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success' but simply not this one! I may have to explore other avenue.

In site of the above minor short-coming, I strongly believe that the three books in the author's trilogy are really an intellectual treasure!

Excellence
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-28
Butler-Bowdon is my guide through the literature of inner -development. His books have helped me grow as an individual and continue to help in my research for the books I choose to write to help humanity. His knowledge is exceptional and his choice of books is perfect. He truly is an expert in this area. I recommend his entire series and genuinely cant wait to get Psychology Classics. Thanks for helping humanity with your writing Mr. Butler-Bowdon.

10 stars

Author, Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds and Upcoming Release of Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul.

Cliff Notes for Ambitious Over-Achievers!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-09
Truly, this is a great condensed volume of success advice. Butler-Bowden does the hard work for you, and in one volume you get the "meat" of 50 books. And, these 50 are some pretty hefty books. Some contemporary, some classic, but all contain valuable kernels of information that Butler-Bowden has already sussed out for you. The author includes a brief biography of the authors of the books he has chosen, and in many instances, those stories are just as inspiring.

I really enjoyed being reminded of "The Inner Game of Tennis". I read that book a long, long, time ago and 20+ years later, I have used the information time and again. Perhaps this little book helped make me a lifelong self-learner. I'm pretty sure it helped me be a better parent, teacher and manager.

For fans of success and achievement books, some of these selections are like old friends you need to get in touch with, and many will probably be new stories you'll grow to love.

If, on the other hand, you are a new student of success, seeking a meaty source for success education and information this is definitely bang for your buck. It might inspire you to read some of the "whole" books, but even this condensed "cram session" will leave you inspired and informed.

 Spencer Tracy
Tracy and Hepburn
Published in Paperback by Viking Adult (1971-11-10)
Author: Garson Kanin
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'Tracy and Hepburn' is an irreplaceable book that anyone could admire and aspire to be like it's subjects that will be missed
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-04
Since I enjoy acting and actors, I was given this book out of my grandfathers vast collection of books. I knew Katharine Hepburn was a popular actress, and Spencer Tracy stared with her in a few films. I had seen 'The Aviator' film about Howard Hughes, from Martin Scorsese. Cate Blanchett is incredible in her role as Katharine Hepburn. I'm so thrilled she won the Academy Award for her portrayal of someone who really didn't thankfully act like a star. She was just an ordinary person, and that is a great aspect of these fine actors. While this book only touches a little on that aspect of Katharine's life with Howard Hughes, it is the witty comments from Spencer Tracy and really a great friendship and love between this special pair of actors that is examined and admired here. Before reading 'Tracy and Hepburn' I read 'Audrey: Her Real Story', by Alexander Walker. The two Hepburn's are quite different and really don't have anything really in common. That isn't a bad thing at all. Except for the same last names, and acting in the Golden Age of Hollywood. 'Tracy and Hepburn' is a rare book. It is luckily authored by Garson Kanin, who has worked with and been wonderful friends with the acting duo, and neighbour to Katharine Hepburn for many years. Katharine certainly seems like an admireable woman and understandable risk taker. She, like her family isn't really content to just do nothing. She makes things happen. She also likes to skateboard and has even attempted surfing. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn loved to have a meal with friends at home and chat. 'Tracy and Hepburn' shows us a simplier life in those days. I didn't live through the Golden Age of Hollywood with all of these seemingly wonderfully talented people, but we should all aspire to be like them. I really haven't seen many Katharine Hepburn or Spencer Tracy films. I've seen most of the great 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner', with the two of them. I've seen 'Boy's Town' with Spencer Tracy. I've seen Katharine in 'The Philadelphia Story', and 'Little Women'. That's really all I've seen of these two great actors. I am a fan of Humprey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and both love Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, so I was very glad to read about 'The African Queen'. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy keep it real. There isn't anything fake about them. I understand their appeal to others in the movie business, and those out of it. So I'm now a fan. I remembering prefering 'High Society' with Grace Kelly over 'The Philadelphia Story', but I'm certain to enjoy both films equally now. I'm not sure if I'd read another book on Katharine Hepburn or Spencer Tracy, but I'll never say never to it. I'm really not sure what would be the best aside from this book. I'm sure there are many that expand from this book, because Katharine is still alive at the end of this book. If there are any favorite books Katharine Hepburn fans enjoy please contact me and let me know. I'm very interested. I'm not sure if there is any truth about Katharine not enjoying the lack of privacy about her life in this book, but I'm sure nothing hurtful was meant by Garson Kanin writing it. He has captured these two real-life characters beautifully. Katharine also hated doing interviews but loved to travel and make plans. Keeping her life in order, and staying fit and healthy. She also loved to give gifts, but her birthday seems unknown. My Mum was born on the 12th May like Katharine so there's something special I can take from reading about Katharine Hepburn. I'm glad I share both Katharine Hepburn's and Spencer Tracy's love for acting. These two special people from the Golden Age of Hollywood are irreplaceable, but how fortunate and enjoyable for all of us that we can still watch them shine on screen. I love the immortality of cinema. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy really must be the best in the business. I'm so glad I've shared the earth with some extraordinary people. Thank you both for such happy productive lives and thank you Garson for recounting it for others to enjoy.

Yummy, but...
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-25
I enjoy this book immensely, but I wish Mr. Kanin hadn't constantly been upstaging himself throughout. One review I read of this book said (aptly, I thought) that the title of the book should have been called We Three. I'm sure that he and his wife Ruth Gordon were good friends of Tracy and Hepburn's; I'm also sure that Tracy and Hepburn had other friends they were close to as well. I do know that the invasion of privacy made Katherine Hepburn furious when this book came out - she refused to speak to Mr. Kanin for several years as a result. I don't know - the stories are good, but it puts a bad taste in my mouth all the same.

Wonderful Anecdotes
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-30
This is a delightful book filled with anecdotes about Kanin, his wife Ruth Gordon, and their relationship with Tracy and Hepburn. But, of course, no mention is made of the fact that Spencer and Katherine were having an affair and no hint of the "A" word (adultery). This is a cleaned up version of reality, but nonetheless ceaselessly entertaining. Tracy, however, comes off as he usually does: melancholy, dark, and troubled. Only Kanin's affection for him redeems Tracy in the reader's eyes. The parts about Hepburn are the real treat here; she must have been a riot to have as a friend.

I've had this book for 15 years
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-04
And I've probably read it 12 times. Spencer Tracy's abrupt nature is described in great detail, but with real affection by Garson Kanin. By the end of the book, we understand why Bonaventure was more than just Tracy's middle name. Hepburn's unwavering love and willingness to put Spen-SAH first often seems hard to reconcile with her solid will and staunch intellect. Through Garson Kanin's eyes, we see why the couple's differences made for a fascinating life together, on and off screen. No slouch in the talent department himself, Kanin's asides on his and Ruth Gordon's antics with the formidable Tracy and Hepburn could make for an exquisite book, in and of themselves.

Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1999-09-04
Garson does a great job showing off Tracy and Hepburn in this delightful book. You get to take a look inside Kate's life from a good friend of hers. Garson passed away in March of this year and he left many wonderful things behind. This book just being one. He also wrote several of the screenplays that Tracy and Hepburn stared in. This book is a must for all.

 Spencer Tracy
Dead at the Box Office: An Edie Koslow-Tony Del Plato Mystery
Published in Paperback by Quincannon Pub Group (2001-05)
Author: John Dandola
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VERY GOOD STUFF
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-25
Engrossing, charming, nostalgic, a page turner, well paced, detailed, and a cliff hanger.  What more can be said? From a genre point of view, this is a great combo of sleuths -- so much in any series, depends upon the empathy between the two detective types and the reader.  Gossip about the rich and famous of another era fascinates me and the economy of the narrative almost suggests the motion picture world and its techniques. It's a fact that MGM actually held a World Premiere in West Orange, New Jersey, but it was a brilliant idea to set a mystery novel against all that pandemonium. This is very good stuff and it has everything that would make it into one heck of a movie. The newspapers reported a screen version was once in the works and that a script had been completed. I wonder what happened? This would be a terrific American installment to the PBS series MYSTERY!

"A thoroughly entertaining and solid mystery"
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-10
This is a thoroughly entertaining and solid mystery novel which not only gives the reader a vivid, sometimes humorous, picture of life in a small town during 1940 but also describes the lengths old-time Hollywood studios went to promote their movies. The premise is fascinating. The characters are well-drawn, very human, believable and engaging.

 Spencer Tracy
Body, Soul, and Baby: A Doctor's Guide to the Complete Pregnancy Experience, From Preconception to Postpartum
Published in Hardcover by Bantam (2007-01-30)
Authors: Tracy Gaudet and Paula Spencer
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Just what I was looking for!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-07
My mom sent me this book as a gift (thanks mom!) and it was just what I was looking for....something to help guide me through my pregnancy without "telling" me what I should be doing or feeling. It helps me to figure out my own feelings about what is going on with my body. The suggestions and exercises make your transition into motherhood more real and make you more aware of the changes that will come about. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for all of their options when it comes to fertility and pregnancy and finding their own way through this magnificent and amazing time!

 Spencer Tracy
Dead at the Box Office: Previously Published As West of Orange
Published in Paperback by Quincannon Pub Group (1993-05)
Author: John Dandola
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Fiction seamlessly blended with historical fact.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-25
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. It is one of the best and most entertaining examples of fiction seamlessly blended with historical fact. Anyone interested in the Thomas Edison family and company or MGM during its golden age will find it fascinating. The author has created well-rounded characters in unique situations that keep the reader constantly involved and intrigued.

 Spencer Tracy
Katharine Hepburn: A Tribute (Unabridged)
Published in Audio Download by audible.com ()
Author: Geoffrey Giuliano
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THE REAL KATE IN ALL HER GUTSY GLORY!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-01
Wow, how did this guy manage to find so many rare interviews with Kate Hepburn and her family and friends? What a well researched, beautifully recorded audio-biography of one of Hollywood's brightest stars and an inspiration to people everywhere. Hats off to Random House Audio for this highly original work!

 Spencer Tracy
Tea at Five (Unabridged)
Published in Audio Download by audible.com ()
Author: Matthew Lombardo
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Masterpiece
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-25
"Tea At Five" was wonderful. It took me a week to put it in after I got recieved it, but once I did I had to listen to it twice more that same day! It was just too good. Kate Mulgrew does a wonderful performance.
The piece is witty and very moving. I recommend listening to it!

Kate shines as Hepburn
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-11
Kate Mulgrew is perfection as Hepburn. She is the quintessential performer. Her dead-on take as Hepburn (both at a younger age, and older age), is uncanny. She is just wonderful!! Excellent performance!

I'll never see this on stage so this was a great way to enjoy this wonderful play!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-10
Katherine Hepburn and Kate Mulgrew -- who could have asked for a better pairing? I love both actors and it is a joy to have access to this Audio version of the stage play.

I live so far from everywhere I'll never get to see this on stage, so I am thrilled to have a piece of what I hope will go down as a classic performance by Kate Mulgrew.

Utterly enchanting
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-30
I was a little dubious about this audio-only version of Tea at Five, having seen the play live. However, it's very well adapted to audio. There's just enough narration to make up for the basic missing visuals, and a few other bits are just left out (i.e., no awkward pauses where something visual is happening).

Since it's adapted so well, this version retains the charm of the live show, which is considerable. Mulgrew is just enchanting in the role, and she's working with great material.

kate the great
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-17
this is a must for all katharine hepburn fans, a light harted review Of hepburns life, following her rejection from hollywood,then in act 2 a more reflective hepburn . a must for all kate mulgrew fans ,

 Spencer Tracy
Consciously Female: How to Listen to Your Body and Your Soul for a Lifetime of Healthier Living
Published in Hardcover by Bantam (2004-03-30)
Authors: Tracy Gaudet and Paula Spencer
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A Book Every Woman Should Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-22
Consciously Female is a book that is as interesting as its title. I am not a doctor, nor do I have any medical background, yet I was totally able to identify with most of the information (if not all) that Dr. Gaudet mentions in the book. It is a great book and an excellent read.

Dr. Gaudet is right. Women health issues have been marginalized in social and professional systems. For example, a woman suffering from PMS is not considered a reason good enough for her boss to give her the day off. She's expected to carry on being productive, regardless of the hormonal, physical and emotional turmoil stirring inside her.

A pregnant woman is expected to tolerate morning sickness, but not yet educated about the reason why it happens, or how to embrace it.

More interesting issues Dr. Gaudet raises are inside this valuable book. I highly recommend it to anyone who believes they should listen more to what their bodies tell them, and schedule their actions accordingly.

Ordered twice
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-06
Both orders were sent promptly and in the condition described. Definitely recommend

A must read for all women
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-09
Dr. Gaudet understands that women's body are impacted by more than the usual environment and eating habits. She makes you aware of the spirtual consciousness that connects our everyday living. Whether you have a chronic illness or just want to explore a wellness plan for your body, this is a must read.

This book helped me lose 15 pounds!!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-18
Not sure what the other reviewer is referring to about support -- this book is about stuff you can do on your own to be healthier. You don't need anything (or anyone) else! I loved the "tools," which are easy ways to pay attention to your needs. It's all about paying attention. Learning to think about myself this way helped me to quit taking my body for granted. I think this should be required reading to anyone starting a weight loss program!

A Doctor to Remember
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-08
I worked at University Hospital Labor and Delivery in San Antonio for the first eight years of my nursing career. Every year 7-8 new doctors would begin their residency. Most were competent or became so over their tenure but a handful were truly fabulous, so much so that I remember them to this day (I've been a nurse 17 years now). I would have chosen any one of them to be my personal OB/Gyn had they been in private practice. One of those physicians was Tracy Gaudet. I was so pleased when I heard she had joined with Dr. Weil to form an integrative medicine practice in Arizona after her residency. I finally got this book and I'm not surprised at how good it is. The book reflects the kind of physician she was then and the even better physician she is now. She is more than just a doctor, she is a healer.

 Spencer Tracy
Affair to Remember, An: The Remarkable Love Story Of Katharine Hepburn And Spencer Tracy
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Avon (1998-06-01)
Author: Christopher Andersen
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A Good Read !!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-23
If you like/love Tracy and Hepburn in movies, you'll love this book. It's a true account of their lives and how their affair came about, how it was hidden to the world (insiders in Hollywood knew all about it). In fact, it was so well hidden (Kate used to always slip in the back way at hotels), that Tracy's wife upon meeting Hepburn told her she was shocked, that she thought the affair was only a rumor. A very good read, you won't be disappointed.

A Great Love Story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-05
I have always thought that Tracy and Hepburn were a Great couple in Movies, but they were amazing in real life too. The book was a very good history of each of their lives and how they became intertwined. I think it is one of the best books that I have ever read.

Good read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-03
I have been looking for years for a Spencer Tracy biography and this is about as close as I could find. I have to say I was very pleasantly surpried by this book. First off, it is a quick and easy read and is especially well written for one of these Hollywood tomes. Secondly, rather than just telling the story of the Tracy/Hepburn love affair, it gives you so much background on both stars that I feel as though I have gotten my long sought after Tracy bio. Finally, the book helps the reader to understand that there really is no understanding a love like Tracy and Hepburn shared. Neither could put it into words and neither seemed interested in doing such. Rather than a lot of psycho babble that you usually get in these types of books, the author realizes that there is no accounting for taste and there is no explaining love.

Memorable
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-26
I found An Affair to Remember a truly remarkable portrait of Hepburn and Spencer's lives (before and after they met). The book was interesting and well written. A great pick for anyone interested in either actor.

Spence and Kate: the secret romance
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-31
These two screen giants met on the set of Woman of the Year in 1942 and were together until Spencer died of a heart attack, shortly after wrapping up Guess Whose Coming to Dinner in 1967. This book chronicles their remarkable, romantic pairing in an era where a movie star's private life could remain hidden from a prying public. Spencer was married to a devoted Catholic, Louise, and he refused to divorce her. He also felt a tremendous sense of guilty about his deaf son. So marriage was out of the question, but Kate didn't care, she just wanted she be with Spencer, and she was, following him all over the world to sit worshipfully at his feet.

Andersen dutifully chronicles the nine classic Tracy-Hepburn films and gives some intriguing behind-the-scenes glimpses into each movie. There is also much information about Tracy's legendary bouts with the bottle, his brief fling with Gene Tierney in the early 50's and Kate's affair with Howard Hughes in the 1930's. All the bases are covered, but I wish Andersen would have interviewed more people close to the duo. Still, an engrossing read and essential for anyone enamored with either Spencer or Kate.

 Spencer Tracy
Kate Remembered (Unabridged)
Published in Audio Download by audible.com ()
Author: A. Scott Berg
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Disappointed
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-23
I wanted to like this book because it was supposed to be the personal rememberances of a close friend of the great Katharine Hepburn in her final days.

But this memoir disturbed me. Scott Berg mentioned briefly that he felt like the guy taking care of Norma Desmond and that's when it clicked. In these memoirs, Berg was recreating Sunset Boulevard and the sad, lonely, delusional decline of a fading film star who desperately misses her public in his retelling of the final years of Katharine Hepburn.

The way he described he took care of her made him look more important and big and it made Katharine Hepburn look more insignficant and small. She really looked like a sad, faded, deluded film star who misses her public by the end of the book and this wasn't a pleasant image. I'm not even sure whether it was an accurate one. Kate seemed to have more independence even in her final days.

He does seem to emphasize how he defends his 'Miss Hepburn' mostly against the editors of Esquire and then the smarmy Warren Beatty who wanted to use her for one of his films but to be honest, almost everyone in the book other than himself and Katharine Hepburn come out looking a little sleazy and that doesn't make for pleasant reading. (It also makes you question his accuracy.)

The result of the Norma Desmond comparisons and the lack of any really sympathetic character other than the author and Katharine Hepburn herself made for a slightly sleazy aftertaste and ultimately a supremely disappointing read.

Kate Remembered
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-22
Wonderful insights into the life of this fascinating woman! Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the "Golden Age" of Hollywood.

Mixed feelings
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book.

As several people have already stated, the book is often more about Berg and his reaction to Hepburn, rather than a biography of Hepburn herself. It is often very touching and humorous in certain places, and is well-written enough to sustain interest.

However -- something just didn't feel right about the book. Berg was hardly the first or only person to interview her, so how exactly how did this relationship develop? I couldn't help feeling that Berg was exaggerating the extent of their friendship.

Additionally, I found his description of Kate's final years both depressing and exploitative. Berg seems to believe that he's describing her with respect and dignity, but I just found myself thinking - oh, sure, Hepburn would be THRILLED that all this would be in print. I certainly hope my "friend" would not write about my death that way.

All in all, this book contains interesting tidbits, but you can't help feeling that Berg is either a bit phony or opportunistic.

Kate Remembered
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-23
I had previously read The Making of the African Queen and Me, but Kate Remembered seemed to tie it all together. Actually, I picked up the book at Wal-Mart, on a table sale. Always having been a long-time fan, I grabbed the book and read it in 2 days. I think what comes through a lot, is not just Katharine Hepburn's life, but the relationshipt Scott Berg had with her, perhaps her only real confidante except for Spencer Tracy, and even then, perhaps not him, because she was there for him, not him for her. At any rate, it's a damn good read, and rather poignant at the end. I did shed a tear. Well worth the read.

If you want to remember why you love Kate, read this book!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-12
No person in their right mind could write a biography of Kate and not be personally affected to this degree. The impact she had on Mr. Berg's life and vice versa showed through in even the most intimate of moments between them.

Anyone can find facts and anecdotes just about everywhere these days, but how often can such a personal glimpse offer the reader so much?

Kate came to life in this book. I saw her talking and felt her strong presense throughout. I was once again reminded of why I was such a fan. You can't help but fall a little bit in love with this woman and it shouldn't be a great surprise that even Mr. Berg was taken away by her presense, caring and passion. It shined in every passage.


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