The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock

An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense

By: Edward White

Narrated by: Qarie Marshall

Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock, Edward White explores the Hitchcock phenomenon - what defines it, how it was invented, what it reveals about the man at its core, and how its legacy continues to shape our cultural world.

The book’s 12 chapters illuminate different aspects of Hitchcock’s life and work: “The Boy Who Couldn’t Grow Up”, “The Murderer”, “The Auteur”, “The Womanizer”, “The Fat Man”, “The Dandy”, “The Family Man”, “The Voyeur”, “The Entertainer”, “The Pioneer”, “The Londoner”, and “The Man of God”. Each of these angles reveals something fundamental about the man he was and the mythological creature he has become, presenting not just the life Hitchcock lived, but also the various versions of himself that he projected and those projected on his behalf.

White’s portrayal illuminates a vital truth: Hitchcock was more than a Hollywood titan; he was the definitive modern artist, and his significance reaches far beyond the confines of cinema.

©2021 Edward White (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Thorough, but doesn't spur me to watch his films

I'm not much of a Hitchcock fan, to be honest. I think there are some very intriguing films (The Lodger, Notorious), some verging on ridiculous (North By Northwest, The Birds), and some outright tedious (Vertigo). The last might be what motivated me to try this biography, to try and understand why so many hold it in high regard. I love old films, particularly film noir (a genre which I think Hitchcock only rarely entered), and slow burns. But Vertigo just does nothing for me. Nor does Hitchcock, for the most part. I suspect a lot of the supposed genius may be lost in time, as with the likes of Sid Caesar, Spike Milligan, and Orson Welles, for that matter. Genius of their time, inspiration to those who came after, but perhaps eclipsed by disciples, and unfairly reduced in time by context.

The book details the man best described as the Master of Self-Promotion, even more than Suspense. While I would stop short of calling the author sycophantic, it is overall fawning in nature, with the warts-and-all premise used to burnish the man's image as an enigma. I don't think there is any doubt, that he had a problematic relationship with womankind, and in that arena, nothing particularly new is revealed. Similarly, his own sexuality, long discussed, surely informed a lot of his films, a topic touched on slightly in the book. His visual style, particularly in his color films, is referred to as elaborate and baroque, though in my opinion, might better be called garish. All in all, an interesting listen, but nothing to inspire me to revisit any films, other than perhaps Jamaica Inn, referenced a few times in the book.

Intriguing Individual!

On just a whimsical read, I was very surprised to encounter such an entertaining biography.

Fascinating

Could have been a 5 star but a little to much psychological speculation. But highly recommended!!

Very Good History of Hitch

This is an incredibly well-researched book. Anyone interested in Hitch, modern day suspense/thrillers, or the history of cinema in general would be well served listening to this book.

There was one HUGE problem, though.

It was totally unnecessary to mention unverifiable, totally baseless accusations made by actresses against Hitch when the man is no longer alive to defend himself. It seemed as though the author included these spurious claims solely to abide by today's woke culture, and the book suffers for it. It only serves to transform the book into a hit-piece on Hitch. It rips the reader out of the past, and vomits him/her into the present without warning. And, again, it was completely unnecessary. It adds NOTHING of value to the story and the book was great without it.

12 lives format mostly works

Splitting Hitchcock’s life and career helps relate his early films to the later ones. It also reveals aspects I overlooked, such as his interest in new film technologies. It all works until Chapter 12, covering his relationship with religion. Here, the author strains to find religious themes and iconography in the films. Almost all of these examples have easy alternative explanations. Still, worth a listen by any film fan.

Really terrible. Bad idea

Terrible idea and dull. Gave uo on this idea to make a buck on a man who has been gone for half a century. Appreciate his w

Didn't like

Couldn't finish...didn't hold my interest as I was intrigued when I read a book review