Lauren Bacall

I'm reading her autobiography.

Jeez, I found her tedious in the first part of the book.

She goes on and on about how fresh and funny and gauche she was as a young woman. Perhaps she was, but there's no sense of that in her tedious ramblings about the first part of her career.

Then she meets Bogie, but sadly she seemed to have loved and respected the man so much she wasn't giving any juicy secrets away. Bless.

But now, half way through, it's starting to get interesting. Bogie's just died after a harrowing illness and we're beginning to see the real Bacall. I'm beginning to like her, feel less disappointed by her. She's becoming more three-dimensional; something more than the femme fatale wallowing in her own gorgeousness. Now she's a mother, grief-stricken, and facing life outside the magic bubble she existed in as Mrs Bogart.

I'm still not sure I like her. Or dislike her. I'll let you know if she ever develops into a woman of substance. At this rate I'll have finished the book in 4 months (v. slow reader).

Enough witter, her pictures are far more compelling than her prose.