Lillian Hellman: Life

Lillian Hellman was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th Century. American theatre goers can never forget her classic works,The Children's Hour and The Little Foxes. Her talents didn't stop at playwriting for this great woman went on to write screenplays, news articles and produced a highly acclaimed best selling autobiography. Such a prolific writer and talent has much to share with her readers about her life.Lillian Hellman:The Image, The Woman is a well researched in depth portrait of the woman that we don't know. Moving beyond the gossip and criticism about Hellman's life, the author gives us a view of her childhood, career and declining days. We get the opportunity to see what made this woman into the great playwright that she was in light of her radical politics, passion and provincial attitudes that were a part of her personality.Reading about her life makes you wonder how did she ever become writer? Although she has intriguing relationships it is interesting to find her being able to achieve beyond the fortunes of those who mentored her. Her outspoken voice during the McCarthy era makes you wonder how this lady survived. Going through her life you find a woman very much in control of her career, highly protective of those she loves and is not beyond making embellishments about the truth.I thoroughly enjoyed this intimate portrait of this woman with all of her positive and negative qualities. Her biographer is not judgemental about her life but calls into question those areas in which she was evasive. He doesn't swamp you in cheap gossip or petty quarrels about the merits of her work. Hellman is pictured as an imperfect woman but one who has enriched us with her remarkable life and works. You will come away wanting to know more about her plays and feeling a deep appreciation for the development of this playwright.