Bette Davis: A Biography

The author of biographies of Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles, Leaming offers a portrait of Bette Davis (1908-1989) that is both sympathetic to the actress and frank about her legendary bitchiness and horrible treatment of family and friends. The star of Jezebel and All About Eve , among other notable films, Davis's presentation of herself over the years in interviews and her two autobiographies was misleading at best, Leaming shows. Using material--including scrapbook-diaries kept by Davis throughout her life, letters and other documents--only recently released, Leaming demonstrates that Davis was deeply affected by her father's abandonment of the family when she was a young child. This, combined with her mother's pampering, created a self-assured, demanding person. Although marred by flat writing, the book is distinguished by its psychological understanding of the subject. Photos not seen by PW. BOMC featured alternate; Reader's Digest Condensed Book selection; author tour. (May)