My Mother's Keeper

Although I think Bette Davis was a fine actress, she obviously had a very hard time with relationships and it's sad that her daughter had to suffer. You can tell that the author (daugher B. D. Hyman) loved her mother through it all. It gives us insight into Bette's psyche.

BD did a great job..the book was engaging, entertaining, fun...a MUST HAVE for all fans. However, upon reading almost all bios and Bette's own words in "The Lonely Life", "This and That" and "Bette Davis Speaks" she pretty much admits all her faults, insanity, neurosis, anyway...so there was nothing too surprising here. Mind you, this was written post the HUGE "Mommie Dearest" success. I'm sure all the things BD claims happen did, but there have likely been many liberties and embellishments to make a more "dramatic" read...which is fine because it made me love Bette more than ever!!

There is no way in the world B.D. could have invented all of what she has been accused of. My mother, God rest her, suffered from Narssistic Personality Disorder and was almost exactly like Bette Davis to a tee, although she wasn't a famous actress. B.D.'s account of someone who has this type of personality is incredibly accurate: the reviewer who posted below to describe the disorder has done a commendable job describing what drives people with this nature. They have to focus entirely on themselves to survive, which Bette did all her life, thanks to a controlling mother. They have no empathy at all for anyone else's problems and turn everyone else's problems; their own problems are blamed on everyone else; they have to have constant attention; they can't sustain relationships because of their controlling nature; they are jealous and envious; these are all trademarks of Bette Davis and one only has to read one of the many biographies of her to realize that she had this type of personality. The people who hate B.D. for attacking their "idol" have missed the point. B.D. wrote this book long before anyone knew much about "N.P.D." so, people saw it as a slam and a vindictive ploy to cash in on her mother's fame. If one looks at things objectively, B.D. was a victim of her mother's lashing out. I know because I was too. I can wholly identify with everything she wrote. People with NPD cannot stand to see anyone else happy because they can only deal with conflict in their lives. I advise anyone who has read "My Mother's Keeper" to look up several websites on NPD and read about what drives people with this disorder and then see if what they read doesn't describe Bette Davis down to a tee. I can relate to what B.D. went through because I went through it myself. I believe every word she wrote. She loved her mother. I loved mine. Since NPD was not known much about when she wrote this book, I doubt B.D. realized that her mother had it. She wrote the book, not to cash in on her mother's name and fame, but to try to understand her and make her mother see the havoc she was causing not only her family but herself. In the end, Bette wound up destroying everything around her. It is a sad account, but a true one. Before you judge B.D. too harshly, I beg you all to learn more about Narssistic Personality Disorder.