Rating: 
Summary: She just knew she was right about everything!
Review: If you have ever heard that Katherine Hepburn told directors how to direct; the other actors how to act, the writers how to re-write the script, and generally bully everyone into doing everything her way, this book will affirm that what you've heard is true. A more appropriate title for the book would be: I'll bamboozle him too!Right off the bat, we know that he adores her, so there is nowhere to go but up from there. Unfortunately, the final product reads as manipulatevely fake as Arthur Laurents (Author of the play that "Summertime" is based on) says her made up accent is. Mr. Berg workes way too hard to tell us that her "neice" is in no way her daughter. So much so that I put the book down that evening with the firm belief that she had had a daugther. For the most part Mr. Berg lets us know that indeed Ms. Hepburn did bully screenwriters into making the characters she was top play a heck of a lot more like Katherine Hepburn. He also clearly indicates that Kate directed the other actors, told the directors what to do, and generally made the whole movie - as well as movie making experience - all about Katherine Hepburn. She comes accross as an egotistical bully, as well as a fake. But, as he puts it, "she just knew instinctively she was right". Of course she doesn't like Meryl Streep as an actress. Ms. Streep can play a seemily unending number of different characters, and make them all seem totally believeable, while at the same time make us feel as if we really know these people. Katherine Hepburn admits to having the writers re-write the scripts to make the characters just like herself. In short she was a personality who played variations of herself, and only herself, throughout her entire career. I am sure she couldn't like Meryl Streeps' work. Meryl Streep can act any character. Kate could only be herself. It would be interesting to read Arthur Laurents autobiography to learn just how viciously she made sure that the woman doing the play that the movie "Summertime" is based on did not do the movie. She comes off as rather a big phony. This seems to clearly explain why she didn't do interviews. The fascade might slip?
Rating: 
Summary: WORTHWHILE
Review: I found this book to be excellent in many ways - touching, funny, sad, and educational. The author has woven his personal experiences with Ms. Hepburn with the story of her professional life and to a lesser degree her personal life. My reason for deleting one star - too much about Irene Selznick. Although some of it was interesting his experiences with her (that had nothing to do with Ms. Hepburn) slowed down the story. Best part - dinner with Michael Jackson!!!
Rating:
Summary: totally cool
Review: about the life of kate hepburn. releaded after her death. told to author over several years. candit revelations of her personal life. affair with spencer tracy. book is candid and sincere, I tribute to a legend.
Rating: 
Summary: a wonderful tribute to a wonderful lady
Review: A must read - wonderfully written tribute to one of America's greatest leading ladies.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointed
Review: As a previous reviewer posted: "He comes across as self-centered and self-serving." This was my view as well. Although there were some interesting excerpts from actual conversations and the stories about M. Jackson and W. Beatty were hilarious, there were some passages that caused eyes to roll. For example, Berg's mention of Kevin McCormick (and his recently becoming an executive at Twentieth Century Fox) did not add any substance to the text but was included only to stroke the ego of his partner. This was really in bad taste considering the classy subject of the book. I found her 1991 autobiography *much* more satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: Hepburn fans (like me) won't be able to resist reading this book, but it is truly disappointing. It's as much about Berg as Hepburn. Biographers should not inject themselves into the stories of those that they're writing about. I found the fact that Berg himself was a big part of the book extremely distracting and downright annoying. He comes across as self-centered and self-serving.
Rating:
Summary: A special book about a special lady
Review: In the preface to this book, Scott Berg makes it very clear that this is not a biography in the true sense of the word. Certainly it's not a biography when you compare it with his incredible book about Charles Lindbergh. But it does deal (in brief) with the life of Katharine Hepburn, one of the most remarkable women in show business - or anything else, for that matter. And in that respect, there is no other way to categorize this book except as a biography. In addition to his relationship with the lady, Berg does give a brief background of her life story, but that's really incidental when you read the whole book and realize that unlike "Lindbergh", he does not stand apart from his subject - indeed, he celebrates his relationship with Hepburn. I don't think I've ever read a book that worships its subject more - but considering who the book is about I don't mind at all.
Rating:
Summary: A Love Letter to Kate
Review: Scott Berg starts right off saying that this book would not be an objective tale. It is quite simply a love letter; a retelling of stories and wonderful little insights into the real Kate (the story of the carrot on the floor is a hoot!). The book skips around a bit and was sometimes a little difficult to follow (WHO is this book about??), but all in all, was a moving tribute to a wonderful strong personality who was an inspiration to generations. I could not read about Kate's physical decline in her later yeears without tears and a feeling of great loss. Scott's book made me even more aware that we have lost another great without peer in today's mediocre pretty faces. Scott, you were exptremely lucky to have known the wonderful Katharine Hepburn. Thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us.
Rating:
Summary: Only random bits of Hepburn's life
Review: Save your money and buy a more complete biography of Katherin Hepburn. The Berg book only gives you very brief and very random bits of her life story, with most of it centered around her later, rather mundane, years when Berg met her. You will not come away from the book with any added understanding of Hepburn the person or the actress. It was a very disappointing book. It's hard to understand how someone like Berg who knew Hepburn so long could have come away with so little insight about her. Also, much of the book is about Berg's life--not Hepburn's--so take what Berg says himself to heart--it's not a full biography of Hepburn.
Rating:
Summary: My Open Letter to A. Scott Berg:
Review: Dear Mr. Berg: Last night, I finished your latest book, "Kate" with the last few paragraphs read through tear-blurred vision. I was compelled to write you a "fan letter". Having previously read and enjoyed "Lindbergh", when I learned that you had written a book about Katharine Hepburn, I knew it would be a wonderful time. I am not at all unique in being a long time admirer of Ms. Hepburn's work in film. My mother introduced my sister and me to "Bringing Up Baby" and "African Queen" when we were old enough to watch and understand television other than Sesame Street, maybe even a little before. I have since gone one to "discover" so many numerous movies of hers that touch a part of me, too many to name. I want to thank you for letting me, the reader, into a world of intimacy of a legend that otherwise I never would have known. I want to thank you for the honesty and compassion you have for your friend and subject, it was wonderfully touching. I was delighted to see that you have also written a book on Max Perkins, a man whom I have found endless interesting ever since I read the two books compiling his letters between Fitzgerald and Hemmingway. It was a period several years ago when I was rereading all their books, as well as Calvin Tomkin's and Amanda Vaill's books about the "Lost Generation" centering on the family of Sara and Gerald Murphy. And on, and on, and on. Somehow, I am horrified to admit that I missed your book. Yet, it is great news for me now, knowing that I have that book in my future. This letter was meant to be a short thank you for all your hard work and passion and sharing it with me. It has enriched my life in ways that are not readily measured in any unit, but more adds a bright and fullness depth to my perception. I am sure you understand my meaning, but one measurement of an inspiring book is when lines or passages run through your mind, repeating over and over like a mantra. "To work hard, to love someone, to have some fun, and be loved by someone." Of course, it has morphed into a paraphrase in my head, but the meaning is still the same and who am I, at 33 years of age, to question the wisdom of 85 years of actively living life to the fullest? I thank you for that. I thank Katharine for that. In my greatest imagination, I would love to hear from you, but realistically, I understand that I am not the only one to write to you. Should I have asked more questions? Should I have drooled more praise about your books? I just hope that I conveyed the sincerest of gratitude for your books and the optimistic excitement for reading the Perkins and Goldwyn. I wish you well and will keep an eye open to see if you come to Seattle on a book signing.
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