'Tis Herself: An Autobiography

Maureen O'Hara gave a very interesting writing within this book. She was upfront and honest in the information that she shared of her life as well as the dealings and lives of those she had shared time with. Having watched a big portion of her shows with John Wayne, I had become interested in her as a person, and who best could tell me than her auto biograpy or memoir. I learned a lot! If you have wondered about her likes , loves, and dislikes, this is the book to read!

After reading "Tis Herself," I have more respect for Maureen O'Hara than ever before. I realize now why John Wayne held her in the very high regard that he did for over 39 years and how she came to be his very best friend during that period. John Wayne was part Irish and they both had a tremendous work ethic; likewise, during filming - it was strictly business while the cameras were rolling and they always knew their lines. Throughout the book, I kept waiting; kept expecting to encounter signs of personal ego and pettiness in Maureen O'Hara that a few reviewers have described here. I found their criticisms to be so unjust. Frankly, I'm wondering if they read the book at all or had their own personal agendas! For Maureen O'Hara was anything but petty! The book is an honest and revealing account of many events that went on in Hollywood, but in many instances - she did not "name names." And think of how she could have destroyed some of these careers if she had spoken while they were still alive?! She was generosity in itself. At the height of Hollywood's Golden Age, she was a huge star - and she remained surprisingly down to earth. I had always presumed that Maureen O'Hara had been this beautiful Irish lass that was discovered by a Hollywood agent, traveling in Ireland, and that she became an overnight star. Actually, she was discovered by Charles Laughton of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame fame;" she came from a theatrical family; and she took music, dance, and drama lessons six days a week from the time she decided that she wanted to be an actress at the age of six. She trained herself to be very disciplined from a very early age. Likewise, I don't believe many readers can understand what it was like in the late 30's and 40's for a young, inexperienced Irish woman, who had been protected all her life. There weren't any televisions in Ireland at that time to expose her to the sophistications of Hollywood and how some men can often be deceitful before marriage. She spent her youth either taking drama, music or dancing lessons or else was with her family. She was raised in a catholic school (with probably lots of guilt encouraged by the nuns daily) and she was rushed into an unconsummated marriage by an older man when she was about 18. Maureen O'Hara had the marriage annulled - only to discover that her next husband was an alcoholic. So is it any wonder that in an age where divorce was still somewhat frowned upon, she was expecting a child, and image was everything in Hollywood, that she held off on the second divorce? Plus, I imagine that with the very long hours and back to back movies and promotions that she was required to do, that she didn't have to endure her husband's company that often. I am glad that she found happiness with Charles Blair. Ironically, we purchased an albatross from her after his death. I never met her, but I probably would have just ended up talking about John Wayne anyhow! LOL We restored the plane an

As a reader of tons of bios- let me insert this bit of observation...The truth is kaleidescopic- the past can be looked at in a myriad of ways at different times and a whole different picture appears everytime.Ms. O'Hara should be thanked for leaving in the tawdry ,ugly and dysfunctional stories that she experienced.Considering her prim and parochial outlook- I am surprised that she spilled the beans on what she recalls as truth. I for one am glad that she waited until she was in her later years to write this book- I am thinking of other movie icons that write earlier in life and gloss over "secrets" and then later recant and rewrite.Considering the uber-Irishness that she defends and revels in, the whole story makes perfect sense- her life choices reflect the energetics of her family(country and religion)of origin.Her life was marked blatantly by the spectre of alcoholism in her choice of lifemates and companions-the hallmarks of the disease are clearly seen in the erratic inconsistent behavoir that she turns a blind eye to every time.Oh well- there was alot of larger than life-ism and plenty of drama- but not too much soul searching. Who cares?

Maureen O'Hara is right up there with Kate Hepburn in my esteem. These two ladies took on a Hollywood totally owned and operated by men in a time that the studies controlled almost every aspect of an actor's life (if one wanted to work on a regular basis). They opened up alot of doors for today's actresses. I found this book to be honest, interesting, clever, funny, tearful and very true to Herself. I can't help but wonder about the stories that Ms. O'Hara chose not to tell - I bet they are barn-burners. A fine book indeed!

'Tis Herself is just that...Maureen O'Hara wrote what she wanted her readers to know...I liked reading the book and I found it amazing in parts...yes, she had a difficult life and we must remember the time she is writing about ....men were very much in control of almost everything...we should not put our values on what she did or did not do...we do not like people doing that to us. I always liked her roles and her chemistry with her leading men...especially John Wayne. I was a bit surprised that she wrote so much about her "problems" with John Ford. The photos she included were great and the sections on John Wayne were the best...her last meeting with him a few months before his death had me in tears. Her chemistry with "the Duke" was perfect I could watch their films together daily. Her book is worth reading. It will be re-read by me many times...I placed in my bookcase with my John Wayne books.

I've had to good fortune to meet with Maureen O'Hara on several occasions and knew a great deal about her before this book was published. That being said, the book sheds a whole new light on her, what she has gone through and what she has accomplished. It is fascinating, revealing and provides a whole new perspective, sometimes shocking, on O'Hara, the film industry, and many of the icons of the movie world, as well as the political rat race of that "glamorous" industry. Maureen O'Hara is one of the most talented, beautiful, and genuinely nicest, friendly people whom I've ever met. I'm delighted that she finally decided to write this book and set the record straight about a number of actors, actresses, events and her marriages. I couldn't put the book down once I started reading it.