Possessed

The Life of Joan Crawford

De: Donald Spoto

Narrado por: Christina Delaine

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

Great Insight on the Life of Joan Crawford

I enjoyed being able to look inside the life of Ms. Crawford. The book itself is extremely well written. The narrator however, at times, made it difficult to listen to. She has a very nice listening voice until she makes her voice deepen to that of a man’s. It is cringy. I wouldn’t be able to re-listen to this. It is unfortunate because I would have given it a five star review.

Surprisingly insightful

I always believed what I’d seen in Mommy Dearest. I’ve changed my belief that Joan Crawford was a horrible person. She seemed to be very giving to those around her. She wasn’t perfect, but she knew that. Who is?? I hate that I wasn’t aware of her generosity and strength sooner. Interesting story!!

Definitely Biased but Great

I liked the book a lot, and it was biased towards Joan but not in a terrible way. He does try to show both sides of her but quickly mentions that she changed her ways. All in all I think it was really well written. It does end rather suddenly but the loose ends are tied up before hand

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.

Possessed

I’m glad I listened to it. After mommy dearest i always thought that she was a hateful abusive mother. Now I know that she was not and I understand her life a driven woman who herself had to overcome many obstacles but did so much good for others. She has my respect

Too Close to be Objective

The problem with any biography about Joan Crawford is that it's difficult to be neutral about her life and career. Crawford herself was an invention, and artifice became so much a part of her life, so integral to her success in Hollywood, she seemed fake whether she was trying to be or not.

Donald Spotto is just too close to Crawford and too enamored with her to write a true in-depth biography. He spends two-thirds of this book laboriously chronicling her years in Hollywood pre-Mildred Pierce. The rest of the book consists of largely unsubstantiated defenses of Crawford from the accusations leveled at her in Mommie Dearest. The book is messy and the author comes off huffy and starstruck. Between this book, Mommie Dearest (both film and book)a d Ryan Murphy's Feud, I don't think anyone can ever really know who Joan Crawford was. I doubt even she did. You can skip this book.