NOTORIOUS The Life of Ingrid Bergman

Of Donald Spoto’s 15 books, this biography may be his least objective. Spoto’s affection for his friend Ingrid Bergman, who generously assisted Spoto on his two books about Alfred Hitchcock, is evident in his insightful analysis of her performances in her best films. But his exploration of her life treads lightly on any possible flaws, such as her focus on her career to the near exclusion of her children. C.M. Herbert’s low-key, brisk narration is an effective contrast to a text that sometimes inclines toward the effusive in its praise of Bergman. Her dignified delivery resists the opportunity to heap yet more praise on the star; such a clear, straightforward reading gives balance to Spoto’s fond, but absorbing and informative, biography. G.H. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 98]