Enchanted: The Life of Audrey Hepburn

Without a doubt, the late Ms. Hepburn is one of the most fascinating women to have ever walked this planet. Donald Spoto does her great justice in Enchantment. He has a great writing style and describes her life meticulously. It actually made me wonder how someone could possibly know so much about someone else's existence.

Her story is an interesting one. She was born in Belgium in 1929 and died almost a year to the day before I was born (in 1993). She was abandoned at a young age by her father and nearly died of starvation in World War II.

She then moved to the United States where she started acting in musicals and eventually starred in plays such as "Gigi." Her first starring role was in "Roman Holiday." She began getting recognition for her amazing talent and work ethic. She took on many comedic roles.

Later she began choosing darker more intense roles, perhaps because of her unconventional childhood, to display the immense amount of talent she possessed. She quickly became the Hollywood "it girl."
She was known for her impeccable taste in fashion. She was even inducted into the International Best Dressed List.

Her personal life was far from the perfection of her career. She had several failed relationships and marriages. She had two children, boys. Spoto suggests its relation to her father's leaving at a young age. She looked for affection as an adult that she had never experienced as a child.

She died of cancer at the age of 63, but because of her incredible work ethic and talent, we all still know exactly who she is. After all she coined the "little black dress." (wink) This book gave me an even greater appreciation for Ms. Hepburn and her amazing accomplishments.