Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood

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Natalie Wood (1938-81) came from the last generation of movie stars shaped by the Hollywood studio system, and Suzanne Finstad gives her life the all-out showbiz celebrity bio treatment in this compulsively readable book. As Finstad sees it, Wood was tortured by the conflict between her real self, born Natasha Zakharenko to Russian immigrants, and the glamorous "Natalie Wood" persona created by her ambitious mother. Wood admired rebellious actors like James Dean, her co-star in Rebel Without a Cause, but she wanted the mink coats, sexy cars, and huge salaries Warner Brothers doled out for appearances in forgettable pictures like Sex and the Single Girl. Working in films from age 6, she learned early that the way to get ahead was to please the grownups, a lesson she never really unlearned, even in her wild teens. She ditched a fiancé, deemed unsuitable by the studio, to marry suave rising star Robert Wagner, despite warnings from friends that he was bisexual; their first marriage ended when she found him "in a compromising position with another man," but they reunited in 1972 to become Hollywood's golden couple once more. But her attraction to more challenging artists remained; her friendship with Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken sparked the drunken quarrel that in Finstad's account led to Wood's drowning off Wagner's boat. (Chillingly, she had a lifelong fear of water.) Numerous quotes from practically everyone who ever knew Wood evoke Tinseltown's gossipy atmosphere, and Finstad's overwrought prose (she describes Wood as "bound to her mother, as if Maria were a snake coiled around her neck") sustains an appropriately high-pitched mood. Suicide attempts, reckless driving, excessive drinking, rape by an unnamed Hollywood star are all chronicled in detail that might be distasteful if the author weren't so sympathetic towards her vulnerable heroine. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Natalie Wood was always a star; her mother made sure this was true. A superstitious Russian immigrant who claimed to be royalty, Maria had been told by a gypsy, long before little Natasha Zakharenko's birth, that her second child would be famous throughout the world. When the beautiful child with the hypnotic eyes was first placed in Maria's arms, she knew the prophecy would become true and proceeded to do everything in her power — everything — to make sure of it.

Natasha is the haunting story of a vulnerable and talented actress whom many of us felt we knew. We watched her mature on the movie screen before our eyes — in Miracle on 34th Street, Rebel Without a Cause, West Side Story, Splendor in the Grass, and on and on. She has been hailed — along with Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor — as one of the top three female movie stars in the history of film, making her a legend in her own lifetime and beyond. But the story of what Natalie endured, of what her life was like when the doors of the soundstages closed, has long been obscured.

Natasha is based on years of exhaustive research into Natalie's turbulent life and mysterious drowning in the dark water that was her greatest fear. Author Suzanne Finstad, a former lawyer, conducted nearly four hundred interviews with Natalie's family, close friends, legendary costars, lovers, film crews, and virtually everyone connected with the investigation of her strange death. Through these firsthand accounts from many who have never spoken publicly before, Finstad has reconstructed a life of emotional abuse and exploitation, of almost unprecedented fame, great loneliness, poignancy, and loss. She sheds an unwavering light on Natalie's complex relationships with James Dean, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Raymond Burr, Warren Beatty, and Robert Wagner and reveals the two lost loves of Natalie's life, whom her controlling mother prevented her from marrying. Finstad tells this beauty's heartbreaking story with sensitivity and grace, revealing a complex and conflicting mix of fragility and strength in a woman who was swept along by forces few could have resisted. Natasha is impossible to put down — it is the definitive biography of Natalie Wood that we've long been waiting for.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the best............2007-09-27

Simply the best applies to Natalie and to this bio by Suzanne Finstad. Speaking as a HUGE fan of Miss Wood who has been reading about her since childhood I say without question that this is the best bio written about the legendary star. Finstad takes the reader on a well researched journey through Miss Wood's troubled life. Finstad captures Natalie's vulnerability and at the same time communicates to her reader the strength within Natalie that enabled her to make the best of the cards she was dealt. The best aspect of this book is that unlike some of the other books written about Miss Wood, most notably Gavin Lambert's Natalie:A Life, Finstad had no ulterior motive in writing this book, no agenda, she simply wanted to tell Natalie's story and she did so in a loving, sympathetic yet honest way....If there are any new fans out there out want to read about Natalie, this is the book to read...

Good.......2007-07-23

This book is good and absorbing, providing a comprehensive view of Natalie's life. I wish that it had gone more in depth about her various films and her experiences making them, but the info about the infamous drowning is quite interesting.

This book was very well researched .......2007-07-04

This biography really helps to get to know Natalie's off camera persona, her compulsive personality and her insecurities. A very talented actress, very sweet and proper all the time but with so many internal conflicts. I loved that the author researched her career movements i.e. movies, auditions, co-stars, locations so well including getting testimonies from several people on the same storyline. The author tried to get everyone's point of view, version of the facts which helped us understand Natalies demons. I only wish that the author would have research a little bit more into the secret life of Natalie's husband Wagner (gay?) and also more about the other important people in her life.

Touching but flawed.......2006-11-12

This is a well researched, well detailed,(some might say exhaustive),decently written biography of the life , career ,loves and death of Natalie Wood, who is one of the most beautiful , gifted,legendary actresses in Hollywood history.
The book even reaches far back into Natalie's parents history ,long before she was conceived.
And Finstead certainly has a warm,reverent, affectionate ,respectful feeling and tone towards her subject which is not always present in biographies.
That doesn't mean the book is without its flaws though.Far from it.

Despite the books length,I feel it only skimmed over parts of really fascinating areas of her life like her friendship with James Dean , areas that could have been much more deeply explored while shedding too much light on what I felt were less significant areas of her life by comparison such as people she had a few casual dates with.
The most serious fault of the book is its reporting of unsubstantiated speculation and rumor in the breakup of her first marriage to Robert Wagner.
Instead of making clear that it was speculation and rumor, the book treated it as cold, hard fact.
Another serious flaw of the book is its detailed printing of the Wagners' boat Captain Dennis Davern of the events of the night of Natalie's tragic death.
From what I understand, Dennis Davern has changed his story several times,is not seen as reliable and his motivation is largely financial.
The book basically makes a lot of nasty accusations towards Robert Wagner with almost no proof whatsoever to back them up.
I think thats pretty unfair since he was cleared of any wrong doing by the Police not long after Natalie's drowning and he was the undisputed great love of her life.

Another thing about the book that is annoying is sometimes when she uses quotations its almost impossible to determine who is speaking.
I do give the book credit for shedding a lot of light on important areas of her life that have been somewhat unknown in the past,like her two early intense love affairs that her Mother broke up and her Father's desperately unhappy , frustrated life.

Overall, a nice tribute to Natalie because of the feeling with which it was written but not entirely fair or accurate to some important people in her life

Well Worth The Time.......2006-10-26

In my opinion, this is an excellent biography. I found it well-written, balanced and full of interesting stories. I think it is sad that Ms. Wood probably wanted a Best Actress Oscar above all and never reached her goal. Although one of her nominations was for West Side Story, I believe the fact that she was dubbed in it would be a big drawback, the same way it would have been for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (Julie Andrews should have been given that role). I also read Gavin Lambert's bio and thought it was a bit strange that no mention was made of substance abuse in this book. I don't think that consuming 7 or 8 drinks in one evening results in a person being "mildly intoxicated". Having said that, the public doesn't have the right to pry into the events leading to her death. I think she will be remembered as a very entertaining actor in comedies and a very moving one in dramas.

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You've Got to be Kidding Me
Two Sisters
Natalie, A memoir by her sister
You'd think the book would be about Natalie...
eBay may have to wait!

Natalie: A Memoir by Her Sister
Lana Wood
Manufacturer: Putnam Pub Group (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399129030

Customer Reviews:

You've Got to be Kidding Me.......2007-06-22

I can't believe all the reviews that call this a candid touching tribute to Natalie. While this book is thoroughly readable and offers a unique look into Natalie's life (which accounts for my high rating), Lana Wood comes off like a fame whore self-serving jealous bitter backstabber who just can't understand why everybody hates her. Hello! Maybe it's because you exploited your sister endlessly, made money off her (pictures, clothes, movies, book), sponged off her, etc. Does Lana seriously think she comes off well here? Please! Sad and pitiful. But, I won't lie, the book is a gossipy, juicy pleasure. But it's no tribute to Natalie.

Two Sisters.......2006-07-17

Lana Wood's tribute to her sister Natalie is a poignant, heart-wrenching and engrossing book that sums up the love/hate, resentment and longing often applied to siblings, but in this case, the older sister was a Hollywood superstar and the little sister was a wallflower continually in her shadow. Their mother, Maria, was an overbearing, fanciful and sometimes downright cold parent who wanted fame and fortune for herself and pushed Natalie into show business, forever relegating her husband and other two daughters into the background, to the point where she considered them virtual non-entities. Lana recounts the years of her family's life in Tinsletown, penning both her love and admiration for her famous sibling as well as her resentment and frustration. Although they had their disputes in later years, their sisterly bond brought them back together, fortunately, before Natalie's tragic death. It amazes me that Lana is still increasingly loyal to her mother, who ignored her and compared her to Natalie, and who inflicted such pain on her children. It can't be easy to have your mother neglect you, your father so distant and an alcoholic, and have to try to measure up to a sister who is a major Hollywood talent. As much as they feuded, Lana clearly loved her sister dearly, a loss that she undoubtly feels to this day. Her estrangment from Natalie's husband Robert Wagner (who seems to delight in slamming her), and her nieces continues to the present, no doubt causing her a great deal of anguish.

"I cry for her often. I expect I always will."

Natalie, A memoir by her sister.......2004-03-13

For a book about Natalie Wood, Lana Wood talks about herself alot, more so than she talks about Natalie.

You'd think the book would be about Natalie..........2003-11-26

...but Lana Wood has a very autobiographical writing style. I found Wood's memoir to be incredibly gossipy. She speaks for pages upon pages about her own feelings during pivotal times in Natalie's life. Every here or there, it's nice to have an eyewitness account of what happened at certain times, but I'd rather read about the Academy Awards for which Natalie was being nominated instead of the powerful men in Hollywood with whom Lana was sleeping. There is a lot of name-dropping as well as a lack of substance in the book's context. After reading this, I read Suzanne Finstad's NATASHA and found it to be very thorough and much more detailed about both her personal and professional life. I was not a fan of this book in any respect.

eBay may have to wait!.......2003-03-10

I bought a used copy at a thrift shop with the idea of listing it on eBay, but I wanted to read it first. Now that I have, I'm not sure I'm ready to part with it just yet!

The first Natalie Wood movie I remember having seen was "Inside Daisy Clover." At the time (the early 60's), I was too young for the star's name to make an impression - my cousin, who was a year older and whose idea it was to see it, no doubt knew who she was - but I do know that I really enjoyed the movie. I had also forgotten that she had been in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.

Book Description

Searingly hot in the summer, bitterly cold in the winter, the ancestral estate of the Golovlyov family is the end of the road. There Anna Petrovna rules with an iron hand over her servants and family-until she loses power to the relentless scheming of her hypocritical son Judas.

One of the great books of Russian literature, The Golovlyov Family is a vivid picture of a condemned and isolated outpost of civilization that, for contemporary readers, will recall the otherwordly reality of Macondo in Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Customer Reviews:

Dark and deep.......2007-03-13

I just finished reading THE GOLOVLOV FAMILY and am still reeling from it. That anyone could read this novel and not feel utterly gripped by it is beyond me. On the back cover the publishers felt the need to compare this masterpiece to Faulkner and Marquez, but I think Balzac is much closer in spirit: Balzac channeled through a Russian soul. The plotline involving Annika, though crushing, is embued with a haunting rapturousness. Such a shock to read a book as long neglected as this one (in the US, at least) and find a character so compellingly alive.

It's No Accident.......2004-03-22

It's no accident that this novel ranks 1.5 millionth on Amazon in sales. It offers the reader nothing but relentless cruelty, hatred, depression, loveless relationships, one-dimensional characters, and repetitious writing. And in the middle of this book is an anti-French rant that asserts the French are inherently hypocritical because that is part of their culture and makes them civil, whereas Russian culture is more honest because it is directly crude, boorish, and spontaneous in its hypocrisy and stupidities. The matriach of this family is a greedy obsessed woman who gives nothing to her husband or children except reprimands for what she suspects them of doing, which is undermining her and stealing from her. She also expresses little regret at their deaths which she in no small measure has caused. Her husband is a bitter sickly man who never gets out of bed, and we learn precious little more about him. Her children are mere products of this loveless relationship except one, who is a greedy, conniving, religious hypocrite who manipulates his beliefs and words to take possession of everyone else's properties, including his mother's. He earns the name "bloodsucker," which is uttered into his purposely deaf ears again and again. In short, there is nothing redeeming in this novel, nothing that recommends it. The whole mixture can also be boiled under a flame and be reduced from over 300 pages to a third of that without missing a thing. If Chekov had written about this family, he would have produced a short story that might have had a point, but as this stands, I would stay very very far away from this work, unless you are a masochist who enjoys getting depressed.

Classic Russian literature.......2001-04-27

"The Golovlyov Family" by Shchedrin is an excellent book. I've read both American and English literature, but this is a whole new literature form that seems to have the best of both worlds; it has the vivid descriptions of English literature, yet the simplicity of American works, that is, there's no nonesense dialog of meaninglessness that's often found in English novels. My first thought at reading the book was how could a translation be SO good, and how good would the Russian version be?

There is much emotion in the book, and the feelings permeate or pulse out of the book, absorbing and drawing in the reader like a good book should. Although set in the 1800's at the time the first Russian revolution ( I'm by no means a historian by the way), the book is not heavily focused on politics as works of Orwell are. The political affairs are a very distant and small prop on this rich stage of a book.

When reading the book, however, I strongly recommend the note taking of names, because some characters are referred to by more than one name. It's not hard to follow if you jot a few reminders down when introduced to each character, this will save much confusion later.

Book Description

Elle Woods is in love with the star of her schools basketball teamHunter Perry. She falls for Hunter when he addresses the school at the pep rally, calling for more school spirit. Elle heeds the call and decides it is time for a changefor her and Beverly Hills High. She hatches a plan to revive the cheerleaders and the basketball teamand then even has time to make herself over. But Elles transformation is not all about good highlights and new stylish clothes; she has to learn what it really means to be blonde at heart.

Customer Reviews:

Not Elle Woods as we know her, but enjoyable if you pretend it's not supposed to be her.......2007-04-30

I stumbled upon this book and the idea of it made me smile, so I picked it up. I love the Legally Blonde movies and reading about Elle as a teen seemed fun. Really though, when they do books like this, they should say "loosely based" not "based" on another story. Taking it from that perspective, I enjoyed it. Silly, cute, and over-the-top kind of fun that made for an entertaining, light-hearted read.

This version of Elle is a frumpy sixteen year old. Braces. Glasses that are too big for her face. Mousy hair. Chewed nails. Baggy clothes too. If they were going to start Elle out like this, they should have made her younger than sixteen. It might have fit better then. Might.

Also, they gave her a puppy that's not Bruiser. Unless something tragic happened, this dog would have still be around in her college days. Just saying...

What I did like about this book was Elle's directness in deciding what she wanted and going full on with a path to get it. Nothing is impossible for her if she puts her mind to it and takes help from what might at first seem like unlikely sources. She also has a good heart, not to mention a love for pretty things. And all that right there is why I love the character Elle Woods so very much!

Ignore the Movies, Enjoy the Book.......2006-06-27

From reading the first three sentences of this book, you know this is not the Elle we have come to know and love. This book is about a girl attending Bverly Hills High with no sense of fashion. She falls for the captain of the school's basketball team, and suddenly transforms the whole school, starting with the cheerleaders, and working her way through the student body. Some of the things Elle does in this book would not be possible in a real live high school, but it also does deal with some real high school issues. The plot moves along quickly and smoothly, leaving you clued in at every point. Some foreshadowing is attempted, but is easy to figure out, along with the rest of the plot.

Cute, Lacks the Substance of the Original Blonde.......2006-05-24

This book is supposed to be a prequel of what happenned to Elle Woods in high school before the events in the Legally Blonde films. In the book, Elle is a girl with mousy hair and no style who undergoes a makeover.

The "Elle" in the novel acts nothing like her film counterpart. It's difficult to place this on the same level as the film and the original novel, there is nothing the same about the two at all. Reading this book (Blonde at Heart), I cannot envision the Elle from the Blonde at Heart book being the same person in either the films or the novel by Amanda Brown. If you're a fan of the Legally Blonde films and/or the novel by Brown, skip this book, they are nothing alike. If you're not, you might be able to enjoy it as a new series about a blonde girl who develops a sense of style and has "problems" that don't exist in high school.

Blonde at Heart may say "Elle Woods" on the cover, but it is not the Elle fans have known and loved in the films.

Walls and Molding: How to Care for Old and Historic Wood and Plaster (Respectful Rehabilitation Series)

Average customer rating:

Donýt buy it!
Old House Owner's Manual

Walls and Molding: How to Care for Old and Historic Wood and Plaster (Respectful Rehabilitation Series)
Natalie Shivers
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471144320

Book Description

How to Care for Old and Historic Wood and Plaster What are the best methods for removing stains from wood finishes? How can you determine the type of finish on your molding? How can you repair the cracks in your plaster cornice? You've been told you have "alligatored paint": what is it and what can you do about it? … Answers to these questions and hundreds more are found in this detailed guide to caring for and reviving old wood and plaster walls and moldings. Carefully shaped woodwork, delicate plaster molding and colorful painted finishes give unique character to the interiors of old buildings. Walls and Molding describes the history of these key features and clearly explains how to save and repair them. Written for homeowners and others responsible for the care of buildings from 50 to 250 years old, and based on the principles of preservation expressed in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, this authoritative handbook offers practical advice for all aspects of caring for old wood and plaster walls and molding. Detailed methods are included for diagnosing, cleaning, repairing and reconstructing wood panels and molding as well as patching and replastering walls — all stressing the three-pronged approach of the National Park Service: repair, replace and, only as a last resort, re-create. The book includes extensive charts on finishes, wood and plaster problems, and safety precautions. Combining a look at past building techniques and modern rehabilitation procedures, Walls and Molding focuses on what can be done to preserve and enjoy the special interiors in old and historic buildings. Some 300 photographs and drawings, helpful checklists, a glossary of wall treatment terms, a suggested reading list and official preservation guidelines followed nationwide provide further ideas and guidance for planning an appropriate rehabilitation in your old or historic building.

Customer Reviews:

Donýt buy it!.......2002-08-28

Call professional - author's suggestion. Bellow zero - simple raving without any experience!

Old House Owner's Manual.......2000-05-02

If you own or work on old houses this book is a great reference. It explains how to research and repair the plaster and wood surfaces in your home. As a DIY old house renovator it was full of useful information, and gave me a lot of insight into the construction of my house. However, it is not always written in really easy to understand terminology, so it can be hard to follow.

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Natalie Wood Fan
Great Photographs!
Amazing Natalie

Natalie Wood
Christopher Nickens
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0385233078
Release Date: 1986-04-02

Customer Reviews:

Natalie Wood Fan.......2007-01-05

I am a massive Natalie Wood fan and i found this book a lovely dedication to her memory. It is full of wonderful photographs starting from her childhood and working up to adulthood. This book is a definite must have for any Natalie fan and it's nice to have a book remembering all her glorious moments, her special and everlasting talent and reminding us of how smart, clever and beautiful she was.

Great Photographs!.......2006-05-11

I bought this book when it first came out 20 years ago. I would not trade it for anything! Nicken's has done great justice to Natalie. A wonderful book......

Amazing Natalie.......2000-05-31

When one thinks of Natalie Wood, tragedy comes to mind. Yet, Natalie lived an incredible life of love and good fortune. Natalie Wood: A Biography In Photographs is a testimony to that life. This book includes pictures from Natalie at every stage in her life. Regarded as one of the most beautiful women in screen history, Natalie began her career as a mere child. Her first well known role was the child in Miracle on 42nd Street. She could have been typecast as a child actor but instead broke out into a tumultous role in Rebel Without a Cause. This book contains several candid and studio pictures of her adolescent career. During this time period, she met Robert Wagner who she later married twice. Photos of their weddings and life together are a main focus of this book. Natalie's other marriage and children are photographed with her as well. Throughout Natalie's career, her look changed considerably. There is a color section showing her progression of age and fashion sense. Natalie matured onscreen unlike anyone else. She had a very successful career that peaked its highest in the 1960s. This pictorial biography shows many of the roles that made her the movie star she continues to be today.

Elle Woods: Beach Blonde - #2 (Legally Elle Woods)

Average customer rating:

A Good Read

Elle Woods: Beach Blonde - #2 (Legally Elle Woods)
Based on characters created by Amanda Brown. Story by Natalie Standiford.
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786838442

Book Description

Its summer in California, and Elle is spending her days at the beach with Hunter, learning to surf (and perfecting her blond highlights.) With everything going so well, Elle is surprised when she discovers that life at the beach isnt as perfect as it seems. Someone is polluting the water and hurting the seals that live there. The animal-loving Elle knows she has to do something. With some sly manicure maneuvers, Elle devises a plan to save the seals and prove that there is more to beach blondes than people think.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Read.......2007-05-30

Elle Woods: Beach Blonde
Recommended for ages 9-13/ grades 4- 8

By: Natalie Standiford

Elle Woods: Beach Blonde is a very intriguing book because it is full of mystery. The book is about a girl named Elle Woods (based on the character of Legally Blonde), Laurette and a girl named Nica. The book is set at Seal Beach in California.
The story takes place in the summer, and Elle is learning how to surf. Elle is having such a great summer, but when she goes to a bonfire with her friends, she notices that all the seals that were originally on the beach have disappeared. Since Elle is an animal lover, she worries about the seals. She wants them to be back safe, but she doesn't know how she can do it.
Elle's character changes because in the beginning, she is a blonde who only cares about getting a suntan. But as the book goes on, she starts to care about people (and animals) other than herself.
I'd suggest this book to girls from 4th grade- 8th grade because even though it is a good book, adults might not enjoy the book as much as kids. Overall, this is a great, 5-star book
-Rachel

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Lambert had an agenda...
Controversial
A Ludicrious Attempt To Have The Last Word
Pay for a DNA test

Natalie Wood
Gavin Lambert
Manufacturer: Back Stage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0823088294

Book Description

She spent her life in the movies. Her childhood is still there to see in Miracle on 34th Street. Her adolescence in Rebel Without a Cause. Her coming of age? Still playing in Splendor in the Grass and West Side Story and countless other hit movies. From the moment Natalie Wood made her debut in 1946, playing Claudette Colbert and Orson Welles’s ward in Tomorrow Is Forever at the age of seven, to her shocking, untimely death in 1981, the decades of her life are marked by movies that–for their moments–summed up America’s dreams.

Now the acclaimed novelist, biographer, critic and screenwriter Gavin Lambert, whose twenty-year friendship with Natalie Wood began when she wanted to star in the movie adaptation of his novel Inside Daisy Clover, tells her extraordinary story. He writes about her parents, uncovering secrets that Natalie either didn’t know or kept hidden from those closest to her. Here is the young Natalie, from her years as a child actress at the mercy of a driven, controlling stage mother (“Make Mr. Pichel love you,” she whispered to the five-year-old Natalie before depositing her unexpectedly on the director’s lap), to her awkward adolescence when, suddenly too old for kiddie roles, she was shunted aside, just another freshman at Van Nuys High. Lambert shows us the glamorous movie star in her twenties—All the Fine Young Cannibals, Gypsy and Love with the Proper Stranger. He writes about her marriages, her divorces, her love affairs, her suicide attempt at twenty-six, the birth of her children, her friendships, her struggles as an actress and her tragic death by drowning (she was always terrified of water) at forty-three.
For the first time, everyone who knew Natalie Wood speaks freely–including her husbands Robert Wagner and Richard Gregson, famously private people like Warren Beatty, intimate friends such as playwright Mart Crowley, directors Robert Mulligan and Paul Mazursky, and Leslie Caron, each of whom told the author stories about this remarkable woman who was both life-loving and filled with despair.

What we couldn’t know–have never been told before–Lambert perceptively uncovers. His book provides the richest portrait we have had of Natalie Wood.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-09-01

A very, very boring book. Natalie had a very interesting life, but this book is impossible to enjoy.

Lambert had an agenda..........2007-08-09

Gavin Lambert has told of how he loved Natalie and how he wanted to tell her story...What he really wanted to do was wash off some of the dirt Suzanne Finstad threw on Robert Wagner in her much better bio, Natasha. He tries to make Wagner look like a macho knight in shining armor...in doing so he sacrificed Natalie. Finstad's Natasha was a page turner...and a more touching, more true, look at Miss Wood...This book is a bore. Lambert tells the story of Natalie's mother and the sea captain and the possibility that her Fahd may not have been her father. Lambert plays this for all it's worth. He also takes pot shots at Natalie's sister Lana. He undoubtedly worked closely with Wagner on this area of the book. Lambert tried his best to make the reader like Wagner...I liked him more before I read this book. I came away from it thinking that Wagner cared more about how the public sees him than he does about telling Natalie's story..He should be ashamed of himself for allowing Lambert to say things like "Natalie liked to swish her tail." It was vulgar and Natalie deserved better...After reading this book I felt that she deserved a better friend than Lambert and a better husband than Wagner....If you want to read a well researched biography about Natalie, read Finstad's Natasha.

Controversial.......2007-01-13

I have to give Gavin Lambert credit for trying to peel the layers of Natalie Wood's life. Obviously, this book shows how complex her life was.
Her Russian ancestry is very interesting and the stories that her mother Marusia told. It is difficult for an author to separate the fact from the fiction Family history is often difficult to document especially since Natalie's family fled Russia and probably many records were destroyed Mr. Lambert says that Natalie's father was George Cetalopv and not Nick Gurdin. I have a hard time believing this. Natalie didn't show any interest in George. Neither does she resemble him. Probably the only people who REALLY know are Marusia, Olga and Natalie (close family members). It is possible that three of Marusia's daughters are from different fathers! Or maybe two are from the same dad. Regardless, Natalie Wood is very beautiful and talented.

A Ludicrious Attempt To Have The Last Word.......2006-07-29

Well, I just received Gavin Lambert's book on Natalie Wood, and after trudging through this monotonous, overblown biography, the conclusion is as follows: it's boring as hell! (I can't say I haven't been warned). This is the "wonderful" biography of Natalie that is supposed to set the record straight? It boasts 78 photos, but instead of being included in a glossy pictures section, they are widespread on various pages in the book so that they appear grainy. It seems to me that it was written as a rebuttal, and to paint Lana Wood as a greedy, vicious person (she was obviously not interviewed), and to make childish slaps at her, when she was not given the opportunity to tell her side of it. Robert Wagner seems threatened by anyone who knew Natalie before he, Lambert and Mart Crowley did - dismissing all of the people Natalie befriended before who offered their insights in "Natasha: The Biography Of Natalie Wood" as vultures who barely made her aquaintance and who are weaving fantasies about her. Basically, Wagner is uncomfortable with the aspects of Natalie's life that he was not involved in. It doesn't really attempt to get behind Natalie's persona any, like "Natasha" did, and of course, it doesn't acknowledge Natalie's love for Jimmy Williams, her first boyfriend, the rape by a famous actor, or what happened on the night of her death, hastily tying up loose ends and making her death sound so simple. Lambert wrote this book for Wagner, there's no question, and Natasha and Courtney are hardly mentioned at all. Did Lambert actually do any in-depth research? As well, there are allegations that Nick Gurdin may not have been Natalie's or Lana's father, and then there's Natasha Lofft, who has not proven with DNA that she is actually Natalie's half sister, but Wagner and the girls have no problem believing that she is, but they dismiss Suzanne Finstad's book as speculation and trash? I'll believe this claimant's story when I see proof! At least Finstad was able to remain somewhat objective and unbiased, since she did not know Natalie (and she did try to get Wagner's input, but he refused) which is obviously not the case with this pathetic attempt at a so-called "definitive" biography. Much of the book appears to be written quickly, but at least it does name the film Natalie turned down, which was reputed to have the actor who raped her in the cast. And of course, it has to dispel all the allegations of Wagner's sexual orientation, and what played the role in the demise of his first marriage to Natalie (heaven forbid that anyone attempt to tarnish the reputation of Prince Valiant).

As much of a disappointment as this book is, I'm glad I purchased it so I can compare it to "Natasha" and Lana's book to try to decipher what is closer to the truth. At least I didn't have to spend too much money on it!

Whatever the truth, I hope that Natalie is at peace.

Pay for a DNA test.......2005-07-06

This is in response to reviewer Natasha Lofft's claims that she is the half-sister of Natalie Wood in the review of Gavin Lambert's "Natalie Wood: A Life," dated on May 23, 2005.

Natasha Lofft is the daughter of Maria Gurdin's first love, Captain George Zapalov and his wife Nina. This story originated from a fantasy that Maria Gurdin, Natalie Wood's mother, harbored for years because Captain Zapalov was her first love. Maria Gurdin first met Natasha Lofft while vacationing on the Russian River when Ms. Lofft was a teenager. Maria Gurdin, it must be noted, was a woman who suffered mental illness and Alzheimer's for many years before she passed away.

George Zapalov had blue eyes and Maria Gurdin had green eyes. The two of them together could not have had a brown eyed child. Also, Nina, Natasha Lofft's real mother, had brown eyes. How could Maria have given birth to two kids around the same time?

If Natasha Lofft wants to prove that she is truly Natalie Wood's half-sister, she should pay for a DNA test and stop wasting people's time with this fantasy.

Average customer rating:

Not a good book
Very hard to recommend...
This book is a joke
Most Objective Bio Available on Natalie!

Natalie and R.J.
Warren G. Harris
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385236913
Release Date: 1988-06-01

Customer Reviews:

Not a good book.......2006-04-27

I had expected that I would enjoy reading this book because it is about two people I find interesting. Also I had read another biography that Warren Harris had done on Clark Gable and felt that it was good.

This book however is nowhere near as good as his book on Clark Gable, not even close. Warren Harris just used regurgitated information on Natalie and Robert Wagner. It seemed as if he did not even do any research into the book: an example of this was in describing Natalie's parents. Her father was born on the Coast of Russia, almost in China and was poor. He also said that the same thing was probably true of her mother as well. According to Natalie's one mother and half-aunt that is not true and if Mr. Harris had bothered to do any research he would have found that according to Natalie's mother and aunt (they shared a common father) they were born in Siberia to a set of rich parents.

I would recommend reading Natasha: The life of Natalie Wood instead of this book. It had better, more accurate information.

Very hard to recommend..........2003-11-21

The quality of the writing is poor; it would not pass muster in even most entertainment magazines. It gives little sense of Natalie and Robert as artists or as a couple, being far more interested in cataloguing their various trysts and affairs. Fans should not expect any significant insight into the making of their lives nor about their films. Behind-the-scenes detail and anecdotes are perfunctory at best. Lacking either craft in its writing or insight into Natalie and Robert themselves, it's hard to recommend this one.

This book is a joke.......2002-07-22

I can't believe anyone would publish this book. It's inaccurate, badly written, and the author didn't even talk to anyone! All he did was copy information about Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner from easily found magazines or tabloids and recycle it without even bothering to find out if it's true.

Most Objective Bio Available on Natalie!.......2000-03-25

I think this book is definitely worth reading. It is the most objective book available on Natalie so far. Though its main focus, as the title hints, is the beautiful love story between Natalie and Robert Wagner, Harris also gives a lot of details on Natalie's death. Try to locate a copy of this...it is worth it!

Biography Magazine August 2002 Uma Thurman, Natalie Wood, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Eddie Murphy

Average customer rating:

Biography Magazine August 2002 Uma Thurman, Natalie Wood, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Eddie Murphy

Manufacturer: Biography
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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