Friday, May 27, 2016

Alfred Hitchcock (Peter Ackroyd)

Fans of the world-renowned director won’t necessarily find anything new in Peter Ackroyd’s Alfred Hitchcock.  There is obviously a slew of biographies written about Hitch, so to discover some fresh tidbits is often difficult.  However, Ackroyd does add flavor to the book by adding new insight into Hitchcock's quirky personality (some would say).

From his childhood in England to his huge movie career in the States, Hitchcock was a unique character. His constantly nervous ways made his early years be spent in fearful isolation, so it’s interesting that he became one of the most famous directors who ever lived. Ackroyd really plays up Hitchcock’s quirks in all their glory, like the fact that he smashed a tea cup every single day to remind him how frail life was. It is also interesting to read how superstars like Grace Kelly and Cary Grant became very insecure over his seemingly nonchalant directing style.

So while there’s nothing really new here, Ackroyd puts together a thorough, well-written look into Hitchcock’s life that will keep fans quite engrossed.


MY RATING - 3