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Classic example of what a bio should beVIVIEN is a remarkable biography. Alexander Walker clearly approached his subject with sympathy, but it didn't cloud his objectivity in presenting a portrait of Vivien Leigh that is fair and objective.
Exhaustively researched, Walker had access to Leigh's papers and was able to interview Leigh's family, friends, and contemporaries and flesh out a very real story that resonates with this reader.
Vivien Leigh's story is probably as interesting as her most compelling stage and screen roles. While Leigh had a fairly normal upbringing for an upper middle class girl in her time, she had a restless nature that lead her initially to the theater and later movies and from that point on her life was anything but normal. She had an early marriage which was probably a big mistake as she continued to evolve from a child-wife to an actress. Her only child was raised by her ex-husband. She became Scarlett O'Hara which was a career defining role and married Laurence Olivier after a tempetuous and scandalous affair. Leigh triumphed as an actress and she and Olivier became the 'in' acting couple, but at a certain point things began to unravel at an alarming rate. Plagued by manic depression, miscarriages, and out-of-control behavior, she was involved in numerous infidelities and the marriage to Olivier collapsed. Poor health plagued her and near the end she settled into a quieter life until death claimed her at a relatively early age.
What I particularly liked about this book was the amount of research that Walker did as he approached his subject. There weren't any gaps in time and he was able to document what was going on in Leigh's life at any given time. He managed to get under her skin and I had the feeling that he came to know Leigh better than anyone had on a personal level. I guess it might be said that he was able to put the pieces of Leigh's life together and complete the puzzle.
This book is a biography which reads like a novel, but avoids being judgemental. I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Vivien Leigh or interested in movies and/or movie actors.
FANTASTIC!!!I bought this book for my wife. She had it before and lost it. I couldn't understand why she would want to have it again. She says its the most accurate account of Vivien Leigh's life. She said it had to be in her collection. If you are a fan...you must own this book.
Very intimate insight on a troubled starThis biography was very intimate and gives you a good look at what Vivien Leigh was and went through. She was the most dedicated actress even at the cost of her mental health. We come to see the two great loves of her life: Laurence Olivier and acting. For those who want to know more about her I would recommend this book. It makes you feel like you know her personally. She is one of my favorite actresses of all time and I now have a new found respect for her.
Like Vivien Leigh herself, `Vivien' refuses to be ignored and lived a life on stage and screen worth emulatingWriting about Vivien Leigh's life is a difficult task, as I'm sure any author would tell their reader contemplating the idea of researching this fabulous woman's life. The reason is because those who know details about her and knew her best don't say much, leaving a lot to be desired sometimes. However with that said, `Vivien: The Life of Vivien Leigh' by Alexander Walker is a tremendously satisfying read about an actress's life `Gone with the Wind' all too soon from us all. I find this work exemplary and worthy of anyone's attention. Still there is comfort to be found in the films she leaves behind. I've only seen three of them so far, those being `Gone with the Wind', `A Streetcar Named Desire' and `Waterloo Bridge'. I have read that `Waterloo Bridge' was a favourite film of Vivien's. I absolutely adore her in it as well so that will continue to be a favourite of mine too. I'd love to see more of her films but I am so happy with the films of hers I do have. Before reading this, I read `Audrey: Her Real Story' by Alexander Walker and loved it. I loved `Vivien' equally. I could see a lot of myself in Vivien. I found we shared some of the same interests. She loved to act on the stage and I do too. She really didn't enjoy making films or her time in Hollywood she really loved the theatre more, but not really suited to musicals. However I'm sure she was fabulous in whatever she pursued as her rather short but worthwhile film career suggests. The novel `Gone with the Wind' remains to me one of my all time favourite books. Margaret Mitchell was an author without equal. I do enjoy however like Vivien William Shakespere, and Charles Dickens. Vivien read all of Charles Dickens's work. When it comes to Shakespere Laurence Olivier and Vivien seem to have just about gone through his entire work on the stage as well as some on the screen. They were like royalty. I think they would have made a wonderful couple for the twenty years they spent together. Before Laurence Olivier, Vivien was married to Leigh Holman and Leigh became her stage name instead of Vivien Hartley. Vivien had one child called Suzanne Holman, and two miscarriages. Later in her life Jack Merivale was very important in her life. Joan Plowright interested me with Laurence Oliver, and Vivien's school friend later actress like Vivien, Maureen O' Sullivan. Maureen was Jane Bennet in `Pride and Prejudice' in 1940 with Laurence Olivier and many other films I'd love to see. Another marvellous edition to an already spectacular book is the introduction to each chapter with a quote by Vivien Leigh, with I believe two or three exceptions "Walking Corpses" being really a joint description of both Laurence and Vivien and "What time is it in London?" In any case I find them an added touch of genius to an already incredible biography. A chronology of Vivien's life is another excellent feature of a busy life included here. I would have loved to see the `Romeo and Juliet' play Vivien and Olivier put on. The pictures are excellent! I love them all. The shot from `The Skin of Our Teeth' play in 1945 is one picture I find particularly wonderful and Olivier's favourite photo is absolutely stunning! Vivien wanted the lead in `Rebecca' but didn't get the part. Other films that interest me are `Anna Karenina', and then there is `Ship of Fools' Vivien's final film. I'll watch anything of hers I can find. There is so much packed into this book but it's all good. I read this when I was twenty-six a very exciting year for Vivian Leigh. The year she got the role of Scarlett O' Hara, a role always disputed and unclear how she exactly got the lead. The explanation in `Vivien' seems perfectly fine to me. When I was twenty-six I thought I had a pretty lucky year too. If anyone were to write a biography on me and if Alexander Walker were still alive I'd want it to be him. I truly believe this is the best biography on Vivien Leigh's life. Alexander Walker was very fortunate enough to meet Vivien Leigh for this biography an outstanding accomplishment for him, worthy of praise, even though she was in ill health at the time, and had electroshock therapy throughout her life. I love Vivien's gift giving. I'm sure Vivien and I would have got on famously together. It was very difficult for me to find a copy of `Vivien', because they were out of print. Now that I have one I can't imagine living without it. Vivien lived an outstanding life on stage and screen worth emulating. I hope to find other Vivien Leigh fans who admire her life as I do. Irreplaceable.
The best book about Vivien LeighThis book is a great journey into Vivien's life. It describes her life from beginning to end in a delicate and true way, making the reader really feel her struggle against her desease, so little known at that time. I have always loved Vivien as an actress and after reading this biography I got to love her even more. She was a great actress!
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