Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood

The story of this implausibly beautiful girl is finely told, with a warm and obvious affection, and a canny eye for detail. Entirely proving that, with the possible exception of Jen Lawrence (arguably the prettiest and girliest girl in Hollywood today) Natalie Wood easily takes the cake.

If you didn't love Natalie Wood at the beginning, you will at the end. This book has all the facts. I was old enough to understand all that happened back then, it was crushing to hear of her passing. She was an extraordinary woman. You make your own determination at the end. All of this true. Enjoy.

Through exhaustive research, interviews with family and close friends, Suzanne Finstad has poignantly reconstructed the emotional and turbulent life of Natalie Wood.With much sensitivity and love, Finstad reveals the true Natalie, one of my very best friends.

As a Natalie Wood fan of the first order, I've found it hard to understand the lack of biographies offered on this international super star. One book by her sister Lana years ago, but felt that one may have had a one-sided slant because she obviously worshipped her well known sibling. Another biography years ago on Natalie and RJ, the man she married twice, seemed to be a bit sugar coated in detailing the hollywood dream couples life. But, this book hits all her peaks and valley's, her sometimes tenacious hold on reality and all the grit along with the glitter that made up Natalie Woods life until it ended at the age of 43 in a controversial drowning accident.The author obviously did her homework if her account of how many of Natalies close friends and acquaintances she interviewed is accurate. She gives us, the readers, information that as far as I know hasn't been offered up before, and I think I've read almost everything ever printed about Natalie. Ms. Finstad, the author paints a picture of a powerhouse superstar that has her fame and fortune balanced out by great loneliness, insecurities, and sometimes overwhelming unhappiness. However, we get a strong image of a woman that despite living her life in a fishbowl as a beautiful, rich and famous movie star, was actually quite earthy, likeable and eager to help others. I was so wrapped up in this book I finished it in one day, figuring laundry can always wait. But, the laundry may have to build up a wee bit higher because I think I'm going to start reading this book all over again just because I enjoyed it so much. "Natasha" was definitely worth the wait!

Suzanne Finstad pulled together an amazing biography of Natalie Wood that took years of interviews and tells the true story of Natalie's difficult life behind the scenes. Those of us who worked with her, knew her well (we thought) will be amazed at what we never suspected. I wrote my book Hairdresser to the Stars, A Hollywood Memoir about the seventeen years I worked closely with her but after reading this book, Natasha, I realize I hardly knew her. I loved her and am saddened that she could never share her life with those of us that worked closely with her. She was always a professional, an actress who only showed her lovely sides. We never knew about the darkness. Here was a beautiful woman, loved and desired by so many men, talented and wealthy and yet never achieved the happiness she desired in her life. She supported her friends in their careers and lives and yet seemed to have been left in the dark. Reading this book brought back memories and wonderful occasions along with the sadness that she left us much too soon. I think by now, if Natalie was still alive she would have said "to hell" with all this hiding my life and read the book with pleasure and a sigh of relief and would have quoted Woody Guthrie "I used to care but things have changed." Read it with love.