Possessed

The Life of Joan Crawford

By: Donald Spoto

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Donald Spoto has already brilliantly explored the lives and careers of numerous Hollywood stars and entertainment icons - Grace Kelly, James Dean, Alfred Hitchcock, and Marilyn Monroe, to name but a few.

In Possessed, his subject is the inimitable Joan Crawford, one of the most electrifying divas of the Golden Age of American film. A more thorough, revealing, and sympathetic portrait of the often maligned movie star - most notably lambasted, perhaps, in the scandalous best seller, Mommie Dearest - Possessed is a fascinating study of the real Joan Crawford, a remarkable actress, businesswoman, mother, and lover.

©2010 Donald Spoto (P)2020 Tantor

Joan Crawford

I really enjoyed this book and learned quite a bit that I didn’t know. Mildred Pierce is my favorite Joan Crawford movie.

An concise assessment of Joan's life

I was a bit unprepared for what initially seemed like a dispassionate account of Joan Crawford's life and career. Having read many books about Joan, she is one personality that inspires passion. But, Mr. Spoto--who so brilliantly and passionately dissected the films and life of Alfred Hitchcock--approaches Joan's life with the meticulous care of an attorney making the case for his client. Careful to lay out the verifiable and the sourced, Spoto does a great service to a wonderful actress and, indeed, makes the case for the redemption of Joan's reputation as a parent. The artistry of Spoto's approach is brought to fruition in the final, eloquent chapter.

Very Comprehensive and Compelling

I loved the scope and depth of this book. It's easy for these biographies to be really dry but Spoto and the narrator really allow for Crawford's life to come alive. Although not a perfect person or mother she does seem to gotten a bad wrap.

Joan was wonderful

I especially loved her name, Lucille Lesueur, I am at a loss as to why her gorgeous name was changed! she was and always will be a wonderful woman in my eyes. I didn't know what to think, as to say I did not know Joan, but I know now she was an amazing and generous woman. This book was wonderful and I highly recommend it to others.

Wonderful and well overdue

Of all the books about obsessions and Hollywood egos and everything else, this is a beautiful and balanced book about a wonderful and versatile star, and a monument to American Hardwork ingenuity at a refusal to give up. Loved it.

Excellent Book on Joan!

This book was great. I really enjoyed the debunking Mommie Dearest - that was my favorite part. Joan was really incredibly smart and she studied everything and did not miss a detail. My only complaint where I did not leave an overall 5 star was because I thought it went into too much of the movies in detail. You can spend a chapter about the ups and downs and productions of one of her movies and your mind can begin to wander. (At least mine did).

Waste of money

It is clear this is a biased version of the life of Joan Crawford. The author was clearly an enormous fan. I was hoping for an unbiased documentation of her life - not opinions. I regret using one of the credits I bought to purchase it.

Don’t bother

This book sounds like it is performed by a robot. It seems like it was written by a publicist… Or perhaps someone who would profit from this unbalanced portrayal of the actress’s life…. Her younger children?