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Tippi: A Memoir Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 866 ratings

In this absorbing and surprising memoir, one of the biggest names of classic Hollywood—the star of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and Marnie—tells her story, including never-before-revealed experiences on the set of some of the biggest cult films of all time . . . now with a foreword by Melanie Griffith

For decades, Tippi Hedren’s luminous beauty radiated from the silver screen, enchanting moviegoers and cementing her position among Hollywood’s elite—beauty and star power that continue to endure. For too long Hedren’s story has been told by others through whispered gossip and tabloid headlines. Now, Hedren sets the record straight, recalling how a young and virtuous Lutheran girl from small-town Minnesota became a worldwide legend—as one of the most famous Hitchcock girls, as an unwavering animal activist, and as the matriarch of a powerful Hollywood dynasty that includes her movie star daughter Melanie Griffith, and rising star Dakota Johnson, her granddaughter.

For the first time, Hedren digs deep into her complicated relationship with the man who discovered her talent, director Alfred Hitchcock, the benefactor who would become a repulsive and controlling director who contractually controlled her every move. She speaks openly about the dark pain she endured working with him on their most famous collaborations, The Birds and Marnie, and finding the courage she needed to break away.

Hedren’s incandescent spirit shines through as she talks about working with the great Charlie Chaplin, sharing the screen with some of the most esteemed actors in Hollywood, her experiences on some of the most intriguing and troubling film sets—including filming Roar, one of the most dangerous movies ever made—and the struggles of being a single mother—balancing her dedication to her work and her devotion to her daughter—and her commitment to helping animals.

Filled with sixteen pages of beautiful photos, Tippi is a rare and fascinating look at a private woman’s remarkable life no celebrity aficionado can miss.

Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download

Editorial Reviews

Review

This thoughtful, articulate, and nuanced memoir by actress Tippi Hedren (who is also actress Melanie Griffith's mother) covers multiple aspects of her fascinating life. Topics include her complicated relationship with film giant Alfred Hitchcock and her love of wild animals, including the story of her wild animal sanctuary, Shambala. Hedren's narration is as cool as the proverbial 'Hitchcock blonde' but also precise and remarkably vibrant, especially considering her eighty-six years. The star of The Birds and Marnie devotes equal, if not greater, attention to her work with animals. This thoroughly entertaining listening experience is elegant both in its prose and its audio performance.

-- "AudioFile"

From the Back Cover

For decades, Tippi Hedren’s luminous beauty radiated from the silver screen, enchanting moviegoers and cementing her among Hollywood’s elite. From Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds to Roar, one of the most controversial movies ever made, Tippi Hedren has had few dull moments, and though stories about her have spread through whispered gossip and tabloid headlines, she has never told the full tale of her astonishing life in her own words -until now.

In Tippi, this cinematic icon pulls back the veil on her storied life, detailing her rise from humble beginnings in Depression-era small-town Minnesota to becoming the matriarch of a powerful Hollywood dynasty that includes her movie-star daughter, Melanie Griffith, and her granddaughter Dakota Johnson. This extraordinary career started simply, with a chance meeting that led to her early modeling career—first in department-store fashion shows, then working with Eileen Ford—and eventually to the commercial that caught the eye of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock.

For the first time, Tippi shares the entire story of her complicated relationship with Hitchcock, the man who discovered her talent but also became her obsessive tormentor. Going behind the scenes of her classic films The Birds and Marnie, Tippi details both the glamourous whirlwind that brought her to Hollywood as well as the dark pain she endured while working with Hitchcock, whose controlling behavior and attention quickly proved inescapable. Speaking candidly about being a single mother and shielding her daughter from her struggles on and off of Hitchcock’s set, Tippi provides deep insight into some of the most challenging years of her life and demonstrates how, despite Hitchcock’s threats to ruin her career, her uncompromising spirit finally gave her the courage to break free.

Difficult as her experiences with Hitchcock were, they nearly paled in comparison to her time on the set of Roar—a film starring dozens of live lions and tigers that has since become one of the most notorious film productions of all time. Including never-before-revealed details about the unbelievable making of the movie, Tippi describes how what began as a simple movie about big cats evolved into a sprawling, dangerous endeavor that consumed her career and often put lives, including hers and her family’s, at risk. Tippi offers a clear-eyed and surprising look at the perilous chances they took, while also recounting how these events led to years of animal-rights activism, culminating in the creation of her very own big-cats preserve, Shambala. And yet, through it all, Tippi shows how her career and life have continued to embody her unwavering devotion—to her daughter, Melanie; to her animal-rights activism; to her humanitarian relief work overseas; and to her art.

Filled with sixteen pages of beautiful photographs, Tippi is a rare look at a private woman’s truly remarkable life. What emerges is a fascinating portrait of one of Hollywood’s greatest treasures—an actress whose skill onscreen was matched only by her strength off it.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01BKD8Y9O
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow; Reprint edition (November 1, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 1, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 10.8 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 309 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0062469037
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 866 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
866 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They describe Tippi as charming and remarkable. The writing style is honest and down-to-earth, with a tone they like. Readers appreciate her animal-loving nature and devotion to working with dangerous animals. The content is revealing, informative, and relevant. Customers praise her positive attitude and well-lived life.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

90 customers mention "Readability"79 positive11 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read. They appreciate Tippi's story and find it gratifying to read about her life through the Hitchcock years. The book flows smoothly with no dull moments.

"...to earth, heart felt, and sincere in her book, which made it an interesting read, at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book." Read more

"...It is intimate, compelling, relational, compassionate, and so down-to-earth that it's akin to an aural meditation... And the best news is that the..." Read more

"...I liked the tone of the writing. Three stars. Good read!" Read more

"...All in all, an enjoyable book, and you don't have to have heard of an actress called Tippi Hedren to enjoy her memoir!" Read more

35 customers mention "Beauty"35 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's portrayal of Tippi Heddren. They find her charming, remarkable, and a wonderful human being. The book is described as an enjoyable read about a woman's life.

"...She is down to earth, heart felt, and sincere in her book, which made it an interesting read, at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book." Read more

"...What an amazing life she has led. What incredible challenges she overcame. What heartaches she endured...." Read more

"...She is beautifully photographed and skillfully directed by Hitchcock in this film...." Read more

"A very well-written memoir. Tippi comes across as such a nice woman!..." Read more

25 customers mention "Writing style"25 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's honest and humble writing style. They find the book readable, down-to-earth, and enjoyable to read. The author comes across as nice and kind.

"...She does an unusually good job of explaining how her personal life and public endeavors were interrelated, and what the long-term impacts on her..." Read more

"...She is down to earth, heart felt, and sincere in her book, which made it an interesting read, at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book." Read more

"...I liked the tone of the writing. Three stars. Good read!" Read more

"A very well-written memoir. Tippi comes across as such a nice woman!..." Read more

16 customers mention "Animal love"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They appreciate Tippi's love for animals and her compassion for people in need. The memoir provides an interesting account of Hedren's work with large and dangerous animals, including big cats.

"...It is intimate, compelling, relational, compassionate, and so down-to-earth that it's akin to an aural meditation... And the best news is that the..." Read more

"...The second half of this book is a paen to powerful creatures with fangs...." Read more

"...has a great sense of humor, patience, courage and devotion when working with dangerous animals (including Alfred Hitchcock!)" Read more

"...of reading this wonderful story of this amazing gifted actress & humanitarian! Thank you Ms Hedren" Read more

10 customers mention "Revealing content"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the biography fascinating and informative. They describe it as relevant and candid, with plenty of interaction. The book is described as intimate, compelling, relational, and compassionate.

"...Her story is interesting, informative, and with Melanie Griffith as your daughter, never boring!..." Read more

"...It is intimate, compelling, relational, compassionate, and so down-to-earth that it's akin to an aural meditation... And the best news is that the..." Read more

"...but I found it both insanely fascinating and intensely horrifying...." Read more

"...name, and stunning elegant beauty, I found her book fast flow, candid with no dull moment in her look back on her life, written where you can..." Read more

9 customers mention "Life style"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the life style inspiring and well-lived. They appreciate Tippi's positive attitude throughout her life, including her career.

"...reading her honest, unvarnished account of her fascinating life is inspirational and moving...." Read more

"...I appreciate the positive attitude she has maintained throughout her life, despite some very serious challenges, both past and current...." Read more

"...; Overall, Tippi comes off as a fairly square lady with pretty orthodox attitudes. She does..." Read more

"...She is strong and courageous. She faces life fully and with the love of her family and friends beside her." Read more

6 customers mention "Strength"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's protagonist tough and courageous. They also appreciate the writing as delicate and personal.

"...have looked like the Sandra Dee girl next door image but she is one tough woman who knows her mind and stands her ground...." Read more

"...Tippi Heddren is a class act, such a strong and beautiful woman...a great natural actress...." Read more

"...Tippi has a great sense of humor, patience, courage and devotion when working with dangerous animals (including Alfred Hitchcock!)" Read more

"...will leave you feeling uplifted and amazed at her accomplishments and courage." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it witty, poignant, and punchy.

"...The book is written with such wit and good humor -- AND GREAT LOVE. It's one of the best Hollywood related books you can read...." Read more

"...Tippi has a great sense of humor, patience, courage and devotion when working with dangerous animals (including Alfred Hitchcock!)" Read more

"Very entertaining light, funny catch your attention since the beginning." Read more

"Joy to read funny poignant and punchy! What an amazing life" Read more

The animals are the most interesting thing
4 out of 5 stars
The animals are the most interesting thing
Good book from animal lovers and those interested in Alfred Hitchcock
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2016
    Tippi's long-awaited memoir describes her entire life, from her childhood aspirations in Minnesota to become a figure skater to her peaceful life today as the founder and resident of the Shambala Preserve for big cats in the Antelope Valley northeast of Los Angeles. Her rise to sudden stardom as Alfred Hitchcock's protege and subsequent erosion of that professional relationship is perhaps the classic tale of sexual harassment in Hollywood. I won't dwell on it here, you can read my review of the HBO dramatization of their relationship, THE GIRL on Amazon.com. Suffice to say Tippi describes the arc of her relationship with Hitchcock, which went from exhilarating to alarming to sad, without histrionics and gives him his due as her mentor and drama coach.

    The other major part of the book tells the astonishing story of how the Shambala Preserve began as the set for the wild animal movie ROAR that she and her then husband Noel Marshall produced, directed and starred in.

    Woven throughout the narration of her eventful life is the story of her three marriages and her relationship with daughter Melanie Griffith. She does an unusually good job of explaining how her personal life and public endeavors were interrelated, and what the long-term impacts on her life have been of her relationships. She never dismisses any of her three marriages as, "That's over, now I moved on to the next" as if her past liaisons are forgotten. She is deeply aware of her life journey and how it all affects her today.

    The cumulative effect of reading her honest, unvarnished account of her fascinating life is inspirational and moving. She is generous in acknowledging and praising the many helpers and volunteers who have come to her aid and stuck with her through the difficult times in her film career and in building the preserve, which faced repeated natural disasters (most recently, in 2016, a wildfire that was stopped literally at the fence line of the animals' enclosures). I worked with Tippi as a volunteer at the preserve and as her legislative assistant over a period of 13 years, and I still enjoy seeing her at Shambala fundraisers and when she makes personal appearances in LA. I can attest that from what I know of her life, there is not one false statement or misrepresentation of anything to be found anywhere in her autobiography.

    My only quibble is that she did not write about all of the filmmaking information that the Master shared with her while they were shooting THE BIRDS. True, his motivation for tutoring her, as a film novice, in his methods was not only for the sake of the picture but probably as a way of keeping her close while his obsession with her grew. Nevertheless, one of the movies' greatest directors imparted a treasure trove of technical and artistic information that he never divulged to anyone else he worked with in its entirety. I hope the film education she received from Hitch will be the subject of her next book. How about it, Tippi?
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2016
    Good read if you remember her especially from, "The Birds" or "Marnie" both really good Hitchcock films. Her story is interesting, informative, and with Melanie Griffith as your daughter, never boring! The story is mainly about the filming of her movie, "Roar" with lions and tigers and other exotic animals around, how it began and ended with many terrible accidents in between. She is so beautiful and it was great to hear where she was from and her life in the movies, and with the animals and on her ranch, still today. It's always good with when Hollywood is involved too-lots of Hitchcock stories, and memories, and her life has been wonderful and interesting! She is down to earth, heart felt, and sincere in her book, which made it an interesting read, at least for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016
    Although Tippi Hedren has always been a hero (and champion) of mine since the first day we talked on the phone and she welcomed my "serval son" Deaken and me into her life at the Shambala Preserve with open arms before she even knew much about me, reading her life story has elevated her to a place no other human being has ever occupied...

    I simply could not put the book down. I read it cover to cover--and will do so again. I was pulled into the narrative: I vicariously lived her life with her. That's how good it is. I can't wait to see ROAR again now that I know what I know about ITS next-to-impossible creation story.

    What an amazing life she has led. What incredible challenges she overcame. What heartaches she endured.What a blessing she has been to so many people (not to mention animals) in so many realms.

    I knew nothing about her involvement with Food for the Hungry, Vietnamese refugees, or her travels to support our troops. I simply had no idea. She never told these tales; she isn't the type of person to brag--and she never complains. She's not complaining here. She's just telling her story. And what a story it is!

    I also bought the audio version because her voice has a unique quality that sets her apart, and I miss hearing it regularly. It is intimate, compelling, relational, compassionate, and so down-to-earth that it's akin to an aural meditation... And the best news is that the royalties she gets from TIPPI: A Memoir goes right back to the animals she loves and cares for at Shambala.

    It is an honor to know her, a delight to love her, and a blessing to have been so blessed by her.

    My only remaining wishes for Tippi are that I could somehow take away the physical pain that she has endured for more than a decade, swap out my (overactive) senses of taste and smell for her lack of them, and find a way to make sure that everyone who reads her book (or this review) will donate regularly to Shambala.org so Tippi can truly ENJOY the rest of her life without the constant challenge of meeting her magnificent wild ones' needs.

    Thank you, Tippi, for everything!!!
    23 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Brian Sidney Pound
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected story of a beautiful woman
    Reviewed in Canada on July 4, 2023
    Great story telling.
  • Stephen Roberts
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood actress to animal activist
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2023
    Enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would.. Trust the old saying, never judge a book by it's cover.. Intriguing insight into fashion, Hollywood and animals..Tippi Hedren is a special person and has a gift..A must read 👍👍
  • Codydog1
    4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring
    Reviewed in Australia on March 7, 2017
    Nice to know that there are good kind people out there, that everything isn't about money and what you own. It's all about living an honest life.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars read it and enjoy it
    Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2023
    this is well written by the star herself and I recommend it
  • Nicki-Nacki-Nanu
    2.0 out of 5 stars Eine Enttäuschung auf (fast) ganzer Linie
    Reviewed in Germany on April 8, 2017
    Gut, wenn man 25 Jahre auf ein Buch wartet, dann baut sich eine gewisse Erwartungshaltung auf, die, wenn wir mal ehrlich sind, eigentlich nur enttäuscht werden KANN. Dennoch: Ich bin ein so großer Tippi-Hedren-Fan (seit meinem 13. Lebensjahr), dass jeder noch so kleine Fetzen Papier, der ihren Namen trägt, gesammelt wurde (und wird). Von den Fotos mal ganz zu schweigen. Insofern konnte "Tippi: A Memoir" eigentlich nur punkten.

    Unschönerweise übernahm die Autorin ca. 60% praktisch 1:1 aus ihrem ersten Buch, "The Cats of Shambala", welches bereits in den 1980ern erschien. Wer dieses Buch nicht kennt, wird an "Tippi: A Memoir" sicher eine größere Freude haben. Für uns Fans fühlte sich das ein wenig wie Mogelei an. Okay, aber Hedren saß mit ihrer Ghostwriterin auch nur 14 Wochen an diesem Buch -- eine kurze Zeit, wenn man bedenkt, dass sie 2016 bereits 86 Jahre alt wurde und weiß Gott viel erlebt hat. Leider erfährt man nicht allzu viel. Ihre Kindheit, ihre zehn Jahre als New Yorker Fashion Model, ihre elfjährige erste Ehe, die Geburt ihrer Tochter: all das frühstückt Hedren in den ersten 30 Seiten schnell und grob durch.

    Dann die Hitchcock-Episode: Vielleicht stimmt es, vielleicht stimmt es nicht, dass er sie sexuell angriff. Es gibt keine Zeugen (mehr), das Ganze lässt sich nicht überprüfen. Manches jedoch ist überprüf- und widerlegbar, z. B. Hedrens Behauptung, Hitchcock habe seit dem Zwischenfall am "Marnie"-Set nie wieder mit ihr gesprochen. Es gab noch bis Mitte 1965 regelmäßige Geschäftsbesprechungen und Lunches, und im Frühjahr 1966, als Hedren mit Chaplin in London "A Countess from Hong Kong" drehte, traf man sich im Claridges zum Tee. (Ich habe das lediglich als Beispiel für einige Ungereimtheiten herausgepickt.) Wer die Bücher von Tony Lee Moral, Peter Ackroyd, Camille Paglia oder Patrick McGilligan gelesen hat, kann ganz einfach aus den dortigen Quellenangaben selbst nachforschen, wie die Hitchcock-Hedren-Jahre einzuordnen sind; von 1961 bis 1966 ist quasi jeder Tag irgendwo dokumentiert. -- Zu Hedrens Verteidigung darf gesagt werden, dass sie eigenen Angaben zufolge niemals Tagebuch führte und das Gedächtnis mit 86 den einen oder anderen verzeihlichen Aussetzer haben dürfte. Sie bekam übrigens nicht 1973, sondern 2003 ihren Stern auf dem Hollywood Walk of Fame.

    Auf ihre Zeit nach Hitchcock geht Hedren gar nicht ein. Wir erfahren nichts über ihre Theaterarbeit, ihre (gefloppte) Single oder ihre Versuche, sich mit Filmen wie "Tiger by the Tail" wieder im Business zu etablieren. Ab Seite 86 dreht sich alles mehr oder weniger um das Making of "Roar", ihrem großen Herzensfilm. Das nimmt einen Großteil des Platzes bis Seite 232 ein und ist praktisch komplett aus "The Cats of Shambala" übernommen.

    Die Jahre 1982 bis 2016 werden in Stichworten abgerissen, schlecht und lustlos geschrieben, ohne groß "insightful" oder bewegend zu sein, obwohl in dieser Zeit ja auch viel passierte: Ihre dritte Ehe, die Geburt der Enkelkinder und wirklich reichlich Film- und TV-Arbeit. Für eine Frau, die so viel er- und gelebt hat, die eigentlich viel zu erzählen hätte, sagt uns Tippi Hedren erstaunlich wenig.

    Das Traurigste aber ist die lieblose Auswahl von Bildern: ein Faustschlag ins Gesicht eines jeden Film- und Hedren-Fans. Eine der ausdrucksstärksten, faszinierendsten Frauen der Filmgeschichte -- und ein so unwürdiges Buch! Traurig, traurig, traurig!

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