More Than a Woman

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She was one of Hollywood's greatest stars, living a life filled with triumphs, tragedies, scandals, and heartache that rivaled any film plot. Acclaimed author James Spada spent three years researching and conducting over 150 interviews to create a definitive biography of Bette Davis, revealing the brash, uncompromising woman behind the superstar. This work captures her as a tortured artist, sexually needy lover, betrayed mother, and lost child. Spada gained unprecedented access to relatives, friends, and colleagues, along with court documents and personal correspondence, to portray one of Hollywood's most complex figures. The biography explores the profound impact of her father's desertion at age eight, her complicated relationship with her mother, and her fears of mental illness. It delves into her self-doubts amidst her Hollywood ascent, her tumultuous extramarital affairs, and her ambivalence about sex. Additionally, it uncovers the cover-up surrounding her second husband's death, her possible role in her adopted daughter's brain damage, and the troubling behavior of her fourth husband, Gary Merrill, alongside the vicious custody battle for their son, Michael. This captivating account reveals the multifaceted life of a woman whose legacy continues to resonate.