The Lonely Life

An Autobiography

By: Bette Davis

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Originally published in 1962, The Lonely Life is legendary silver screen actress Bette Davis' lively and riveting account of her life, loves, and marriages - updated with an afterword she wrote just before her death.

As Davis says in the opening lines of her classic memoir, "I have always been driven by some distant music - a battle hymn, no doubt - for I have been at war from the beginning. I rode into the field with sword gleaming and standard flying. I was going to conquer the world." A bold, unapologetic book by a unique and formidable woman, The Lonely Life details the first 50-plus years of Davis' life - her Yankee childhood, her rise to stardom in Hollywood, the birth of her beloved children, and the uncompromising choices she made along the way to succeed. The book was updated with new material in the 1980s, bringing the story up to the end of Davis' life - all the heartbreak, all the drama, and all the love she experienced at every stage of her extraordinary life.

The Lonely Life proves conclusively that the legendary image of Bette Davis is not a fable but a marvelous reality.

©1962 Bette Davis (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Bette Davis was a legend

I loved that I had the chance to listen the first autobiographical book of Bette Davis. Bette Davis is a legend! Great to her story. I wish they have different voice reading it. She was so annoying and snoopy voice. She is pretending that is Bette Davis and she is very bad doing it. I had very hard time to concentrate with her voice.

Bette Davis was a legend who defined a star

This is well worth a listen in our age of instant celebrities passing briefly as stars. Davis really was a star and even three decades after her passing remind a role model for a real star. She came to fame at a time stars were all men and actresses little more than decorations. She changed all that personally refusing to play whatever junk the studio cast her in. She fought not only for good roles but for the right to demand great roles and the best scripts, directors, co stars and promotion. She left us great movies and later in her career first rate tv. She was tough on stuffed shirt studio bosses but a friend to audience and she never forgot to thank her fans. She did not have an easy life and that included a parade of husbands who could not or would not stand with her. She won two Oscars, Emmys and just about every honor the industry and culture had to offer. This audio book is an update of her earlier autobiography and like everything she did rings with truth, heart and her amazing strength. At a time so called stars are created on digital and social with the lasting power of toilet tissue it warms the heart and excites the mind to remember the power and class of a star with staying power. Like the character she played in All About Eve she really was a class act well worth remembering.

Love Bette Davis

Wonderful book, love the reader. Loved learning so much about her life and how she became who she was.

Loved it from start to finish

The narrator’s take on Bette Davis’s mannerisms and speech added a great deal to the enjoyment of this book.

Excellent Book and Excellent Narrator!

This autobiography is very good. Bette Davis doesn't "trash" many who she has worked with or come in to contact with but does give pretty good details on her life in and out of films. The narrator was perfect. She sounded like Bette without beuing over the top. Perfect! I recommend it highly!

I loved it!

I felt like Bette was telling the story herself. I especially love how it ended withe the revision of updated info.

Very Good!

This is a very good book and the story is by Bette herself. Suzanne Toren who also narrated "This N That" did fabulous. In my opinion this book was a more in-depth, detailed version of "This N That". Worth a listen.

Bravo

Anyone thinking of going into the Business should read this book!! Honest Real Coming from the Best!! Bravo so enjoyed everything about this!! What a Strong Talented Amazing Woman!! Loved this

Narration was particularly outstanding

Very, very interesting book. Betty didn't gloss over her shortcomings. The true stars were tough, strong women in the old studio system. Although I wouldn't have wanted a relationship with any of them, they had what it took to survive and thrive.

loved it!

I enjoyed hearing about my favorite actor in her own words. You're still the greatest actress who ever lived.