Wednesday 4 November 2009

Fabfrocks reviews: Audrey Hepburn: International Cover Girl

You can have no idea how delighted I was when this book landed on my doorstep; the cover promises that there will be magic inside, and it doesn't disapoint!
The book contains over 600 pictures of Audrey Hepburn, some of them previously unseen, and the whole asthetic of it is fab; a sturdy heavy hardback frame, a candy pink cover covered in pictures of the lady herself, offering a glimpse of what's inside. It's a must have for not only die-hard Audrey fans, but I would say photography and movie fans too: the images span each decade of her entire career.
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I expected this to be a picture book, and whilst that is what it primarily is, the content and background story to each picture is just as fascinating. You are taken on a journey through Audrey's extraordinary life from the very beginning and given an insight into both her life and the career she had chosen; it is explained why she was chosen for certain roles, when her control of the images used to present her was tightened, and most fascinatingly, her relationship with Givenchy, who was responsible for creating the majority of her most famous costumes. There is also a brief chapter on her life in Holland during WWII which is inspiring and thought provoking. Although I admire her, I wouldn't consider myself an Audrey Hepburn fan, so it was also interesting for me to read about her husbands, family and relationships.
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Even if you aren't a fan of Audrey Hepburn as an actress, the pictures in this book show her to be a fabulous model capable of taking the most breathtaking photos. But this book is so much more than just a coffee table book, provided you are a fan of biography. Which, luckily, I am!
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I was delighted to find that not only was the book beautifully produced (which I had expected) it was also, and more importantly, a fascinating read. This is Scott Brizel's first book, but if he choose to write another biography of Audrey or anyone else (preferably in paper back so I can read it on the tube if you see this Scott) then I would certainly be picking it up.
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Love, Tor xx

4 comments:

Make Do Style said...

Oh my a must have, I already have a few Audrey books but another one wouldn't go amiss or do any harm!

When is it released in UK?

Katy said...

I'm not a huge Audrey fan, but I might have to do some research now! (Read: Wikipedia).

teawithonesugarplease said...

I love her - can't wait to get my own copy thanks for the tip off
http://teawithonesugarplease.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Hi Tor, thank you for the thoughtful and lovely review! Yours is the first I've seen, and I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see that the labor and thought I put into the project finds such a kind appreciation as yours. Gratefully, Scott Brizel