By Myself and Then Some

February 21, 2005
Raised by her wise and loving immigrant mom and uncle, Lauren Bacall (b. 1924) knew, even in high school, that she wanted to be an actress. She took acting classes, modeled clothes, sold industry papers in the theater district, ushered at shows, danced at the USO—anything to get a break. Barely 18 when director Howard Hawks brought her to Hollywood for a screen test, she soon fell in love with Bogart, married and started a family. After Bogart's death a decade later, she rebounded with Sinatra, but tied the knot with Jason Robards before finding her way as a single woman, with friends and work as her passion. Bacall's intimates—from Katharine Hepburn to Adlai Stevenson—weren't the standard air-kissing, gossip-column regulars, but people who loved and respected each other for their work and their values. Sadly, like Bogart, they're also of a generation older than Bacall, so there's a lot of dying in these pages. Indeed, this sequel to 1978's By Myself
is mostly a discussion of the deaths of some great friends: Roddy McDowall, John Gielgud, Gregory Peck and many more. Bacall does discuss the roles she's played as an older actress, but this work's real theme is the experience of surviving the death of so many wonderful friends. Readers looking for basic Hollywood romance and drama can stick to the first 400 pages; those seeking a more mature portrait can brave the final 100. Either way, Bacall's a class act. Color, b&w photos.

April 4, 2005
Bacall's 1979 National Book Award–winning memoir, By Myself
, has been reissued with an 80-page "And Then Some" that brings her fans up to date. The first three CDs are devoted to an abridgement of the first book (recorded by Bacall in 1994 with a few third-person narrative bridges read by Robert O'Keefe). The final three CDs contain Bacall's unabridged reading of her update. The 80-year-old actress is an interesting paradox. Her husky voice and somewhat haughty tone contrast with her writing, which is intimate, reflective and inviting. Nevertheless, the new material offers a wealth of pleasures. She ruminates on finding projects as an older actress ("My goal in life has always been to work," she notes) and describes her love of New York City (her 9/11 memories are haunting). Most affecting are the sections in which she mourns the loss of Roddy McDowall, Katharine Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Bacall's concise eulogies eloquently capture what made each a treasured friend. Simultaneous release with the HarperCollins hardcover (Forecasts, Feb. 21).