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Book Review of Katharine Hepburn: The Untold Story (Advocate Life Stories)

Katharine Hepburn: The Untold Story (Advocate Life Stories)
reviewed on


I am about 3/4 through this book and I am seriously thinking of putting it down without bothering to finish it (something I rarely, if ever, do). Mr. Parrish has not written even ONE PAGE of this book without some reference or innuendo to Ms. Hepburns sexuality. Enough already! Who cares? And every comment he makes is prefaced by "perhaps", "possibly", "it is rumored that", and other such speculative phrases, that it just gets annoying! Even going so far as to speculate about a "possible" inappropriate relationship with her own brother, when she was just a teenager! If it was Mr. Parrish's goal to ensure that everyone now knows that Katharine Hepburn was (possibly) gay, he's succeeded. He also takes the opportunity to drop several other well known names in Hollywood, both male and female, so you are also aware that they, too, were "probably" gay. The man is obsessed!

Instead of celebrating her amazing career and longevity in the spotlight, he has completely minimized her great talent, success and screen charisma. And when he's not commenting on her sex life, he's taking pot shots at her behavior toward her peers, insinuating that she was a total shrew to work with. He also puts great emphasis on all her early failures when she was trying to break into the business, both on Broadway and in Hollywood. So who among the Hollywood stars didn't have early failures? It goes with the territory. But nobody dwells on them like Mr. Parrish!

One almost gets the impression that Mr. Parrish has set out to destroy Katharine Hepburn, even now, when she is no longer with us. This book is so negative in it's portrayal of this great actress (regardless of her personal life) that it doesn't warrant the time it takes to read it.