Jennifer Bitman's Blog

Biographers are story stewards. This thought was brought into sharper focus while reflecting on the process of writing my newly released book, Joan Crawford A Talent for Living. There is a special responsibility that comes along with telling the stories of others. Biographers are also interpreters. Not only must they be able to write a story accurately but they must interpret it effectively-and with care.

This is especially important when the subject of a biography is a figure of the past. The author must pick up the pieces of a completed life and shape it into something timeless. And in a sense, Joan Crawford, herself, was a story steward. Through the numerous roles she played, she was a keen and intriguing interpreter of each script she brought to life on screen. Perhaps you saw yourself in one of the characters she played. It is my personal hope that you might see Joan Crawford more clearly through the pages of my book. So here’s to the story stewards- and to those whose lives we attempt to interpret. May we tell their stories well.

Copyright Jennifer Bitman 2018

Hello and welcome to my Blog! I hope you’ve had or will have the chance to read my new book, Joan Crawford A Talent for Living. It all began just over thirteen years ago. I discovered The legend long before ever owning a computer, a smartphone or a social media account. Library books and rented VHS tapes were my only window into the world of the star that I couldn’t help but pay attention to. Mildred Pierce was the film that made me a fan, so to speak. And every movie after that only solidified my conclusion that I was witnessing the greatest movie star this world had ever known.

But her films weren’t enough for me. I had to know more about who she was behind the screen. After scouring second hand stores for old books and making calls to locate the ones I couldn’t find, I soon found myself devouring any written work with her name in it. I didn’t even know how many people out there still knew who she was- or cared. Remember, this was before I had the Internet. And for a while, she was my newest past discovery and I was mesmerized; likely the way J.J. Shubert was when he saw her in the chorus of Innocent Eyes, or Louis B. Mayer watching her first screen test. You just couldn’t not watch her.

So I took notes, watched more movies, and took notes again. Eventually, I complied a 500 page research project. I guess you could say it was the first draft of my book. But even after my copious studies, I was at a loss. My goal was to find out who this woman really was. And I hadn’t. She was so complex and mysterious. I thought perhaps I would never truly understand her. Maybe it was enough just to enjoy the films. I put my research project aside.

All the while, Joan never alluded me. She was never very far from my TV screen. But who was this woman staring back at me? By now, I had a laptop and access to the World Wide Web. It was time to find out. There was certainly more information than I’d found previously. And a variety of websites dedicated to the same woman I had been studying for so long. Now I was certain I wasn’t the only one who loved her! And if this woman could make such an impact on the world that she still had an ardent fan base in 21st century, not only was she worth watching, but she was worth knowing. I had to resume my research.

Discovering books I never knew existed, pouring over hundreds of pages of archives and sorting facts from fiction, I was finally able to complete what I believe to be a thorough character analysis of the heart. What I discovered about Joan is that she was likely one of the greatest seekers of love who ever lived. And because she didn’t receive much of it behind the scenes, she spent the remainder of her life receiving the love of her public and giving it back to them in return. And so it was in this same spirit that I wrote Joan Crawford A Talent for Living. After the last page is turned, I hope you will also have a better understanding of who Joan Crawford was and the many reasons why she remains a legend. I’m certain she would appreciate your time, your interest and most importantly, your love. Thank you for reading.

Copyright Jennifer Bitman 2018