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The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense
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About This Book
In The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock, Edward White explores the Hitchcock phenomenon—what defines it, how it was invented, what it reveals about the man at its core, and how its legacy continues to shape our cultural world. The book's twelve chapters illuminate different aspects of Hitchcock's life and work: "The Boy Who Couldn't Grow Up"; "The Murderer"; "The Auteur"; "The Womanizer"; "The Fat Man"; "The Dandy"; "The Family Man"; "The Voyeur"; "The Entertainer"; "The Pioneer"; "The Londoner"; "The Man of God." Each of these angles reveals something fundamental about the man he was and the mythological creature he has become, presenting not just the life Hitchcock lived but also the various versions of himself that he projected, and those projected on his behalf. From Hitchcock's early work in England to his most celebrated films, White astutely analyzes Hitchcock's oeuvre and provides new interpretations. He also delves into Hitchcock's ideas about gender; his complicated relationships with "his women"—not only Grace Kelly and Tippi Hedren but also his female audiences—as well as leading men such as Cary Grant, and writes movingly of Hitchcock's devotion to his wife and lifelong companion, Alma, who made vital contributions to numerous classic Hitchcock films, and burnished his mythology. And White is trenchant in his assessment of the Hitchcock persona, so carefully created that Hitchcock became not only a figurehead for his own industry but nothing less than a cultural icon. Ultimately, White's portrayal illuminates a vital truth: Hitchcock was more than a Hollywood titan; he was the definitive modern artist, and his significance reaches far beyond the confines of cinema.
Reviews
"A solid entry in the voluminous literature of Alfred Hitchcock."
"If that kind of appreciation seems, to some, dated and unwelcome, it's still a staple of our entertainment universe."
"Tracking Hitchcock's contemporary influence, White is an enterprising tour guide."
"The many ways of being the world's most famous film director are what Mr."
"The book will mostly appeal to fans who know those movies but some chapters hint at subjects of broader interest[.]"
"Overall, though, The Twelve Lives of Alrfred Hitchcock makes a worthy addition to the cinephile's library and undoubtedly will appeal to Hitchcock devotees."
"The author plumbs Hitchcock's films and TV shows to reinforce his view that he was a man of many contradiction ..."
"White doesn't hesitate to redistribute credit where he believes it is due, especially where Reville is concerned, but he also concedes that Hitchcock's films reflected his distinctive sensibility ..."
"White (The Tastemaker) suggests legendary director Alfred Hitchcock had more lives than a cat in this sweeping biography."
"An absorbing, thoughtful, and balanced look at a master of his medium."
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