Rate this book

Sarah: The Life Of Sarah Bernhardt (2010)

by Robert Gottlieb(Favorite Author)

3.32 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0300141270 (ISBN13: 9780300141276)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Yale University Press

review 1: Robert Gottlieb edited The Divine Sarah, the 1991 bio of Bernhardt by the late Robert Fizdale and Arthur Gold. The Divine Sarah was noteworthy for looking at Bernhardt's life through the prism of a scabrous work, The Memoirs of Sarah Barnum. Sarah Barnum was written by her enemies and ascribed to Marie Colombier, an anti-Semitic actress who was jealous of Bernhardt's success. In the years since The Divine Sarah was published, there has been a great deal of new information about Bernhardt that disproves much of what Fizdale and Gold wrote. Unfortunately, Mr. Gottlieb didn't avail himself of the new research and just rewrote Fizdale and Gold. While the book is short and witty in places, it is not complete portrait of this marvelously complex woman. The read has to make... more do with left-over cold-cuts rather than a full meal.
review 2: I have the advantage of having read two other Bernhardt biographies: Madame Sarah by Cornelia Otis Skinner and The Divine Sarah by Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale which I highly recommend. When this book appeared I wanted to see how the author could possibly write Sarah's biography on 219 pages.The answer, of course, is he cannot. What he can do is thoroughly research and read all of the books, articles, correspondence, etc (many in French) that we do not have access to and summarize. I see this as a book(s) report rather than a true "biography".The first half of the book is a little tiresome as he spends a lot of time on Sarah's early life and her family (such as it was). There are a lot of references to important people of the day, that, unless you are schooled in French mid-19th century society, mean little.The second half of the book, after Sarah is out on her own acting, producing, directing her own plays, is the meat of the book. Gottlieb delves into her methods of acting, her reasons for choosing specific plays, her drive and the development of her persona. I found her males roles fascinating, especially her views on playing Hamlet.He also describes some of her infrequent vacations from the theatre, including his description of her home away from home Belle-Ile. This is a Sarah rarely viewed and much appreciated.I do recommend this book, but not the only book you read on Sarah. Use it as a supplement to other, longer, in-depth biographies on this fascinating woman and actress whose influence has been so far reaching. less

Download links for: Sarah: The Life of Sarah Bernhardt

Advertising