Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood

This has got to be one of the best books written about someone. The book is well written and an enjoyment to read. I hope all get a chance to read such a book. thank you.

THIS IS NOT JUST A BIOGRAPHY OF A FASCINATING WOMAN, IT IS ALSO A FASCINATING ACCOUNT OF THE PREJUDICE MS MCDANIEL FACED WITHIN THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY, AND FROM THE NAACP. A FIRST CLASS ACCOUNT OF A WOMAN I FELT I KNEW PERSONALLY AFTER THE LAST PAGE, AND AN EQUALLY WONDERFUL SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT PREJUDICE AND RACIAL PROBLEMS IN ALL ITS FORMS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

Even though I enjoyed this book enormously, I felt that there was too much speculation and not enough concrete facts included in it. As an avid non-fiction reader, I believe that this is key in any good biography. I can appreciate the fact that because Miss. McDaniel was a black woman living in an era that was difficult for any woman, let alone a black woman. The author did let the reader know that there just wasn't alot of documentation on even acclaimed black people in that time in history. That is a shame. I loved Miss. McDaniel's retort to a black newspaper that critizied her for portraying mostly maids in film. She said that she "would rather portray a black maid in the movies and earn a good wage, than to actually work as a maid and earn a meager salary." You go Miss. McDaniel. Overall, a good read.

This well-written, even-handed biography not only tells you about Miss McDaniel, but also about where she came from and how she came to be the woman she was. The youngest daughter of a former slave and Union Army veteran, a woman of deep faith and love of family, and one of the hardest working people I've ever read about. A lot of time is spent in discussion of Miss McDaniel's father's fight for his rightful pension after the Civil War, and it gives one a great deal of insight into the family's tenacity. This knowledge informs as to why McDaniel's fight with Walter White was so bitter and long-lasting. The lady fought for and earned her place in Cinema History, and Jill Watts documents her journey in an informative and interesting way.

The context of this book is sweeping -- slavery, the Civil War, American culture, the Hollywood system, the history of a family and the struggles of a gifted woman. The complexity and depth of this biography are compelling, as was Hattie McDaniel. A beautiful, intelligent book.