Maggie Smith
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Maggie Smith
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Narrated by:
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Sian Thomas
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By:
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Michael Coveney
About this listen
No one does glamour, severity, girlish charm or tight-lipped witticism better than Dame Maggie Smith, one of Britain's best-loved actors. This new biography shines the stage lights on the life and career of a truly remarkable performer, one whose stage and screen career spans six decades.
From her days as a West End star of comedy and revue, Dame Maggie's path would cross with those of the greatest actors, playwrights and directors of the era. Whether stealing scenes from Richard Burton (by his own admission), answering back to Laurence Olivier, or impressing Ingmar Bergman, her career can be seen as a 'Who's Who' of British theatre in the 20th century.
This book also covers the little-known period in Canada, a prolific five-season run of leading roles that took place during the height of her success in Hollywood, soon after she won her first Oscar for her signature film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Recently Dame Maggie has been prominent on our screens as ever, with high-profile roles as Violet Crawley, the formidable Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the phenomenally successful television series Downton Abbey, and as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise: what she herself describes as 'Miss Jean Brodie in a wizard's hat'. Yet paradoxically she remains an enigmatic figure, rarely appearing in public and carefully guarding her considerable talent.
Michael Coveney's absorbing biography, written with the actress' blessing and drawing on personal archives as well as interviews with immediate family and close friends, is therefore as close as it gets to seeing the real Maggie Smith.
Read by Sian Thomas.
©2015 Michael Coveney (P)2015 Orion Publishing GroupListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Maggie Smith
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Brian
- 09-10-15
Lots of tangents.
The author has spent a lot of time researching the great lady. but this causes I dilution of her story. With a lot of detail you start to loose the plot a bit. I found it very historical and not very personal, but the Maggie admits herself she is a recluse. in summary : not as good as I thought.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C.M.
- 16-06-24
thank you. brilliant
I loved this insight into my favourite actress career. I hope they do a more recent update especially of the 6th series of DA and 2 films not covered. thank you all
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mungojerry
- 25-11-23
In-depth detail to every chapter & story
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has been delighted and enthralled by Maggie Smith’s performances over the years as I have. The research into details which Michael Coveney retells are both fascinating for the reader (or listener in this case) and respectful to the subject. Sian Reeves reads beautifully and with confidence to give suggestions of each of the vast number of individuals who have played their own parts within the story of Maggie Smith. I’m going to miss listening to this one. Bravo
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Olivier Herold
- 23-10-24
Huge fan hugely disappointed
I think Maggie Smith was one of the very best stage and film actresses. I am grateful to have seen her on stage and love watching her in old and recent films / TV. This book was far too long, an endless stream of then she did this and then she played that role with the interesting substance of Maggie’s life and personality swamped….
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- gille
- 22-10-20
Maggie would be bored!
This book is packed with information, but as a listen it is VERY boring. What a disappointment, as I had hoped for the vibrancy of Maggie's spirit to motivate this biography.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Elinor Dashwood
- 14-09-15
Dull
If someone had told me that a biography on the divine Maggie Smith could be as dull as dishwater, I would not have believed them. Nor would I have believed that at the end of 14 odd hours, I would know scarcely more about this magnificent actress than I knew before. But so it is.
It's clear that the author has not interviewed Dame Maggie, (or her friends, colleagues or family) in any but the most superficial depth. This "biography" is mostly a catalogue of her work, a reprint of bits of reviews and anecdotes already out there, and (for padding, presumably) synopses of the plots (and many of the lines) of the plays, films and TV productions she has acted in.
If you're looking for the heart of Dame Maggie, what makes her tick, what she hopes and fears and loves, you won't find it here.
I should say that the narrator makes a valiant effort with this soporific material!
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29 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Pamela
- 26-03-16
Nothing omitted
This is a book, I feel, for dedicated theatre and movie buffs. I found it hard going, although I am interested in both genres. Dame Maggie's career is examined under a microscope and we hear exhaustively and exhaustingly, how she fared in the different roles from day one to the present. We also are treated to a detailed description of many of the characters she played, their motivation, etc., etc. and others in the script, to the point where the wordiness and overkill of the subject are a definite turn-off. When a hand is described as a 'manual appendage', you know you're in trouble. I particularly disliked the constant comparisons with Judi Dench, many unfavourable, as if there were some kind of competition between them, which is certainly not true.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- tony Barnes
- 25-09-15
Not happy
Was looking forward to this biography but far too much about other performers and not enough about Maggie Smith
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Chocolate FudgeCake
- 11-09-22
Dull
A catalogue of the great lady’s work with disappointingly few anecdotes.
Great if you’re interested in theatrical history but poor of you are hoping to get to know this wonderful actress.
Sadly, not what I expected.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- H.A.B.
- 12-10-15
what a DISAPPOINTMENT!!!
Would you try another book written by Michael Coveney or narrated by Sian Thomas?
no.... as this was probably one of the dullest, most tiresome biographies I ever read/listened to!
I wouldn't be surprised if the wonderful Maggie Smith was never interviewed for this book.... what could have been a fabulous book - was a great disappointment!
well, i learned more about Judy Dench than about Maggie Smith ...
What could Michael Coveney have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
he could have interviewed his subject ... as one gets the impression that this didn't happen.
VERY DISAPPOINTING !
Have you listened to any of Sian Thomas’s other performances? How does this one compare?
cannot say.... in this case here , he was fine .
it wasn't his fault, that the book was dull ....
What character would you cut from Maggie Smith?
not worth answering - scrap the whole ebook!
SORRY !
Any additional comments?
none!
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16 people found this helpful