More Than Love

An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood

By: Natasha Gregson Wagner

Narrated by: Natasha Gregson Wagner

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

The heartbreaking, never-before-told story of Hollywood icon Natalie Wood's glamorous life, sudden death, and lasting legacy, written by her daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner.

More Than Love is a memoir of loss, grief, and coming-of-age by a daughter of Hollywood royalty. Natasha Gregson Wagner's mother, Natalie Wood, was a child actress who became a legendary movie star, the dark-haired beauty of Splendor in the Grass, Rebel Without a Cause, and West Side Story. She and Natasha's stepfather, the actor Robert Wagner, were a Hollywood it-couple twice over, first in the 1950s, and then again when they remarried in the 70s. 

But Natalie's sudden death by drowning off Catalina Island at the age of 43 devastated her family, made her stepfather a person of interest, and turned a vibrant wife, mother, and actress into a tragic figure. The events of that weekend have long been a mystery, and despite the rumors, scandalous media coverage, and accusations of wrongdoing, there has never been an account of how the tragedy was experienced by her daughter. For the first time Natasha addresses the questions surrounding that night to clear her beloved stepfather’s name. 

More Than Love begins on the morning after her mother's death in November 1981 when 11-year-old Natasha hears the news on the radio that her mother's body has been found off the coast of Catalina after her parents had spent the weekend on the family boat, The Splendour. 

From this profound and shattering loss, Natasha shares her memories of her earliest bonds with her mother; her warm, loving, and slightly chaotic childhood as the daughter of two stars; the lost and confused years of her adolescence; and her halting attempts to move forward as a young woman. 

Beautifully told, More Than Love is an emotionally powerful tale of a daughter coming to terms with her grief, as well as a riveting portrait of a famous mother and a vanished Hollywood.

©2020 Natasha Gregson Wagner (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

Good story, but someone else should narrate

This book is full of information that Natalie fans will love. The stories are touching, poignant, sad and silly, It's very apparent where the girls loyalty lies. However, Natasha may be an actress, but she's a monotone narrator, which made listening difficult.

love letter to her mother

This is the book we needed at this time when people with financial interest want to continue to make something out of nothing in relation to how Natalie Wood passed away. when you listen to the other books or the podcasts it is clear that there is no real case to pursue, just speculation. Natasha brings forward her history with her parents, and she is the only one who can do that. As she said in the book, when you are the child of a famous person, everyone tells you who your parent was. I appreciate that Natasha is able to have this voice and tell us who her mother was in an intimate, relatable way. Anyone else who speculates that there is something nefarious here has financial incentive to do so. This text is the definite biography that beautifully weaves Natalie's life with the lives of her daughters, which is what I believe she would want. It is a must read (must listen) for Natalie fans who want to understand the dynamic, strong, intelligent woman that she was and will continue to be for new generations of fans to come.

Really touching

A beautiful memoir honoring her mother, I think I would have liked it more if I actually read it. I wasn’t thrilled by Ms Wagners narration. That’s the only reason I gave this review a so so.

A Beautiful Tribute

Natalie Wood has been a long time favorite of mine so I was thrilled to see Natasha had written a memoir about her mother and I could listen to it read in its author's own voice. It's a beautiful tribute and it really makes you see Natalie Wood, not only as the mythical actress that died too soon, but as a normal woman as well. I wish things had ended differently for the Wagner family, especially seeing how the media continually perpetuates the same lies on the anniversary of her death year after year.

More Than Love is an emotional journey and sometimes a difficult listen. I felt the grief alongside Natasha as she found out about Natalie's death from the radio, her description of seeing her mother in the mortuary and rage at how Lana callously and heartlessly sold all of Natalie's wardrobe for profit in the months following her sister's death.

Hopefully, writing this book has brought Natasha some peace. Grief will never fully leave you.

Thank you, Natasha and to your family for sharing your wonderfully gifted and beautiful mother with us.

A Daughter’s Heartbreak💔

I wasn’t expecting anything more than a repeat of the legendary life and tragic death of Natalie Wood that I have read from various authors thru the years but I was very impressed with Natasha’s candid, raw emotion. She gives a firsthand account of life with her beautiful mother, a picture of perfection.who died much to young and under questionable circumstances. She definitely lifts any cloud of suspicion involving her stepfather, Robert Wagner’s alleged involvement in the “accident” almost to a fault but the saddest part of the author’s life is the collateral damage and devastating void that continues to haunt to this day. A bittersweet yet moving tribute to the late screen siren’s brief beautiful life told by the daughter who adored her. Well written and engaging but very sad.

Wow

Thank you for this amazing story, I enjoyed listening to it so much. So thorough, detailed, interesting, heartfelt and touching. With the author’s story telling skills I was able to join their journey in my mind so easily.
I learned a lot of this beautiful family and also, of myself.
Thank you so much for this!

A daughters undying love for her mother

A touching tribute from a daughter to a mother that was taken away much to soon. I am so happy that Natasha is now
in a good place in her life. Thank you Natasha for sharing some very sacred moments of your life.

A Clarification and Understanding

Anyone has has grown up with a jealous sibling will understand Lana Wood’s need for revenge and rage against RJ and his children- she metaphorically received much less “ice cream” than Natalie from both her mother and the entire world- hence her relentless motives for reopening the events of 1981.
Too much alcohol was the major factor in Natalie’s “mysterious” death.

Wonderful and heartfelt

I’ve always been a big fan of Natalie Wood. This validated what I have always believed and brings the reader/listener into the heart of her daughters pain of the loss and the closeness they shared.

A memoir full of love.

Absolutely loved this book. Shed a few tears, giggled a few times and couldn't turn it off! Natasha tells her beautiful story of her, her family and her moms life with pure love!