From Publishers Weekly
Hepburn's son (with actor Mel Ferrer) shows his mother as a compassionate, emotional woman who searched for and offered love above all. He traces the roots of his mother's longing in her experiences with her distant father and the destruction of her native Belgium during WWII. Via photos and stories, he notes how Hepburn (1929-1993) aimed to live an everyday family life of home, school and holidays. Rendering her husbands respectfully and without off-color stories, Ferrer doesn't offer lascivious behind-the-scenes dramas or quips about directorial injustices. Instead, he lets designers and composers who worked with Hepburn talk about the actor's inimitable talents. Composer Henry Mancini believes her "quality of wistfulness" inspired the songs he wrote for her, especially Breakfast at Tiffany's "Moon River." Designer Cecil Beaton calls her an "authentic existential Galatea" with a voice containing the "quality of heartbreak." Ferrer also details Hepburn's influential friendship with clothing designer Hubert de Givenchy, including the dressmaker's generosity in Hepburn's final days. Directors William Wyler and Billy Wilder also appear, as do actors Gary Cooper and Fred Astaire (the latter was Hepburn's co-star in her favorite movie, Funny Face). Movie-related photos abound, but the most memorable images are of Hepburn's family and the children she met in her work with UNICEF. Her 1989 speech to members of the United Nations staff on the millions of dying children in developing countries concludes the book. What began as a son's remembrance and selective movie survey becomes a call to action. In this way, the work differs greatly from standard self-important star bios. 300 full-color and b&w photos.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
A family memoir.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
*Starred Review* When trying to define celluloid grace and spirit, one name shoots to mind--Hepburn. Two new memoirs--one written by Audrey Hepburn's son, the other by a well-known biographer who was like a son to Katharine Hepburn--recall these extraordinary women.Although certain similarities exist beyond the coincidence of name (both were luminous presences on screen who followed their hearts), the differences were legion. Audrey's son, Sean Ferrer (son of actor Mel Ferrer), explains that acting was a second choice for Audrey after she was told she could not become a prima ballerina due to lack of proper training while growing up during World War II. Though happy to make one successful film after the other, she longed to have children and then retired to raise them. When UNICEF came calling, Audrey, remembering the aid she'd received after the war, became the agency's ambassador, never sparing herself, traveling to war-ravaged regions like Somalia to raise awareness of the plight of children. Katharine Hepburn, on the other hand, called herself a "pig" when it came to her career. Single-minded, she wanted neither husband nor children encumbering her as she devoted herself to her work. These memoirs, though packaged very differently, both do a remarkable job of bringing readers the essence of each woman. Ferrer's remembrance is rather slight on text, but what is there is rich, evocative, and dotted with fresh anecdotes; certainly the facts concerning Audrey's final illness have never been disclosed in such heartbreaking detail. Bolstering the writing are loads of marvelous pictures, many straight from the family album, and Audrey's extraordinary beauty and joy shine from every one of them. Only she could wear a babushka on her wedding day and look fabulous. Using a proposed article as entree to Katharine's home, Berg never left, staying often at Hepburn's places in New York and Connecticut. This arrangement gave him the opportunity for many conversations, the substance of which, according to Berg, Hepburn knew would be used as the basis of a book. Fans already know much of the outline of Hepburn's life, but this intensely readable account (held for publication until Hepburn's death) fills in amazing details about such pivotal events as the death of her brother by hanging, her relationships with powerful men like Howard Hughes and John Ford, and her slow, sad decline. Surprisingly, there's little new added to what we know of the Hepburn-Tracy love affair; even more surprising is Berg's veiled commentary (put into the mouth of a friend but seemingly confirmed by the author) revealing Hepburn's bisexuality. Berg's writing is so intimate that readers may feel they are hiding behind a curtain as they listen to the stories he elicits from his subject. Kate herself comes across pretty much the way she did on screen: bossy, courageous, and self-involved (though this trait was inverted when it came to caring for Tracy).In the end, one Hepburn died too soon, and the other perhaps tarried too long, but they will both live on in their movies, which is very lucky for the rest of us. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
In an era of Hollywood icons, no star shined brighter than Audrey Hepburn. Her charm, her grace, her frail humanity and, of course, that stunning face delighted moviegoers across the world. On-screen and onstage she dazzled millions as Gigi, Eliza Doolittle and Holly Golightly. But to her son Sean she was simply "Mummy." In the first insider portrait of Audrey Hepburn, Sean Hepburn Ferrer offers an intimate glimpse into the life of Hollywood's most celebrated actress. In this emotional and candid memoir, Sean tells his mother's remarkable story, from her childhood in war-torn Holland to the height of her fame to her autumn years far from the camera and the crush of the paparazzi. It is a rare look at Audrey not from the photographer's lens, but through the eyes of the son who adored her. Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit features nearly three hundred photographs, documents and artwork by Audrey herself, many of which have previously been unavailable. In this unprecedented memoir, Sean Hepburn Ferrer remembers the actress the world adored as only a son can. More than a Hollywood biography, Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit is about the relationship between a son and his mother. Sean introduces us to an Audrey who was as profoundly sad as she was beautiful. Helpless to change the cruelties of the world and powerless against her own insecurities, Audrey was a devoted mother to Sean -- "my best friend," he calls her -- and his brother, Luca. And when they were older, they were proud to see their mother use her fame to help the children of the world who were in need. As the spokeswoman for UNICEF, Audrey brought worldwide attention to the tragic lives of millions of impoverished children.


About the Author
Sean Hepburn Ferrer was born in films. His mother is Audrey Hepburn, his father Mel Ferrer. He has worked in all aspects of motion picture development, production, post-production and marketing. Sean founded the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund to continue his mother's legacy of helping children in need all over the world. Educated in Europe and fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, English and Portuguese, he lives in Santa Monica and Tuscany with his wife and his two children.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In an era of Hollywood icons, no star shined brighter than Audrey Hepburn. Her charm, her grace, her frail humanity and, of course, that stunning face delighted moviegoers across the world. On-screen and onstage she dazzled millions as Gigi, Eliza Doolittle and Holly Golightly. But to her son Sean she was simply "Mummy." In the first insider portrait of Audrey Hepburn, Sean Hepburn Ferrer offers an intimate glimpse into the life of Hollywood's most celebrated actress. In this emotional and candid memoir, Sean tells his mother's remarkable story, from her childhood in war-torn Holland to the height of her fame to her autumn years far from the camera and the crush of the paparazzi. It is a rare look at Audrey not from the photographer's lens, but through the eyes of the son who adored her.

Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit features nearly three hundred photographs, documents and artwork by Audrey herself, many of which have previously been unavailable. In this unprecedented memoir, Sean Hepburn Ferrer remembers the actress the world adored as only a son can. More than a Hollywood biography, Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit is about the relationship between a son and his mother. Sean introduces us to an Audrey who was as profoundly sad as she was beautiful. Helpless to change the cruelties of the world and powerless against her own insecurities, Audrey was a devoted mother to Sean -- "my best friend," he calls her -- and his brother, Luca. And when they were older, they were proud to see their mother use her fame to help the children of the world who were in need. As the spokeswoman for UNICEF, Audrey brought worldwide attention to the tragic lives of millions of impoverished children. And now Sean Hepburn Ferrer continues that work with the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund (www.audreyhepburn.com), to which he has donated his proceeds from this book.

FROM THE CRITICS

The New York Times

… Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit lives up to its title thanks to the obvious love of the author, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, for his mother. Family photos ￯﾿ﾽ like one of Hepburn lying on a gravel path, toes in the air and rollers in her hair, as she takes a snapshot of the family Yorkie ￯﾿ﾽ heighten this book's self-evident allure. —Janet Maslin

Publishers Weekly

Hepburn's son (with actor Mel Ferrer) shows his mother as a compassionate, emotional woman who searched for and offered love above all. He traces the roots of his mother's longing in her experiences with her distant father and the destruction of her native Belgium during WWII. Via photos and stories, he notes how Hepburn (1929-1993) aimed to live an everyday family life of home, school and holidays. Rendering her husbands respectfully and without off-color stories, Ferrer doesn't offer lascivious behind-the-scenes dramas or quips about directorial injustices. Instead, he lets designers and composers who worked with Hepburn talk about the actor's inimitable talents. Composer Henry Mancini believes her "quality of wistfulness" inspired the songs he wrote for her, especially Breakfast at Tiffany's "Moon River." Designer Cecil Beaton calls her an "authentic existential Galatea" with a voice containing the "quality of heartbreak." Ferrer also details Hepburn's influential friendship with clothing designer Hubert de Givenchy, including the dressmaker's generosity in Hepburn's final days. Directors William Wyler and Billy Wilder also appear, as do actors Gary Cooper and Fred Astaire (the latter was Hepburn's co-star in her favorite movie, Funny Face). Movie-related photos abound, but the most memorable images are of Hepburn's family and the children she met in her work with UNICEF. Her 1989 speech to members of the United Nations staff on the millions of dying children in developing countries concludes the book. What began as a son's remembrance and selective movie survey becomes a call to action. In this way, the work differs greatly from standard self-important star bios. 300 full-color and b&w photos. (Oct. 28) Forecast: Town & Country recently featured Hepburn on its cover and presented a handful of the photos that appear in this book. If that didn't put Hepburn back into the minds of nostalgic baby boomers, seeing the stunning cover of Ferrer's book certainly will. Ferrer will contribute proceeds from the book to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal