One Lifetime Is Not Enough

by Gabor

The famous Hungarian beauty recalls her experiences with Hollywood's rich and famous, describing her childhood in Hungary, a kiss from Garbo, her romances with Sean Connery, Sinatra, and Richard Burton, and her friendships. Reprint. PW.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography Memoir

Audio Cassette

First published November 1, 1991

About the author

Nacido en Madrid en 1977, Gabriel López Mendoza (Gabor) dibuja desde siempre. Desde 1995, empieza a estudiar desarrollo y pre-producción de dibujos animados. Al año siguiente, comienza su carrera en el mundo de los dibujos animados e ingresa en el estudio Tridente Animation donde conoce a Juan Díaz Canales (Blacksad, Cortomaltés) con quien comparte su afición al cómic. Pasará diez años trabajando sobre numerosos trabajos de series de animación como para cine.

En 2005, publica "Greenworld" su primer cómic junto al guionista francés François Debois con la editorial francesa Soleil. En 2008 es el dibujante de "Los Patricios", con guión de Juan Díaz Canales del que Glénat Francia edita dos álbums editado posteriormente una integral por la editorial española Dibbuks. Junto al guionista Raule (Jazz Maynard) trabajó en la serie ambientada en el japón medieval "Isabellae".

En la actualidad trabaja en una nueva serie junto a la guionista Thilde Barboni titulada D.o.W. “Day of the wolf” para la editorial Belga Dupuis que verá la luz durante el próximo 2020.

Reviews

[Thi T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first encountered Zsa Zsa Gabor when I watched an episode of What’s My Line? on Youtube in which she was a guest judge. After researching a bit more about her life, I found this book. I was immediately intrigued about reading a female’s point of view about Hollywood. She’s honest and quite simple— it shows. I got dizzy trying to keep track of the chronology of Zsa Zsa’s ex-husbands, ex-lovers, flings, current husbands and lovers (many men seem to blur into multiple categories at once). Regardless, reading through Zsa Zsa’s experiences was actually a great quick review of nearly 5 decades worth of Hollywood’s greatest sex symbols, and a random priest. It seems so easy to read some of these stories and dismiss them as simply untrue or greatly exaggerated, especially about experiences with presidents and politicians, or the darker sides of some men. Though I suspended this disbelief just to get through the book, some skepticism would arise, and that disconnect was personally edifying. In general, we are conditioned to doubt the words of someone like Zsa Zsa, and not believe that Henry Kissinger would confide in her the day before the invasion of Cambodia just to justify his unavailability, or that Frank Sinatra would not leave her mansion until he could sleep with her, or that the President would announce wanting to sleep her at a dinner party. True or untrue, these kinds of stories help build more a little bit more of a balance between men and women's voices in Hollywood.

Throughout the book, the threads about motherhood always emerge, suggesting the connection between family/upbringing and one’s own success. I am not sure if Jolie Gabor had every written anything, but she too, is very interesting and would be worth reading. Zsa Zsa seemed reticent about expanding on Francesca’s perspective throughout the book, and would often mention that Francesca was in the process of writing her own autobiography. Today, Zsa Zsa Gabor is still living, but Francesca is not. I wonder how Zsa Zsa would have written about their falling out, because it must have been devastating to have a conflict between husband and daughter culminate in an uneasy relationship into one’s death. She wrote about tragedy quite frankly. I will never forget a particular sentence in one of the first chapters, that her grandparents could not escape to America, but instead, died at the hands of either the Communists (or Nazis) in mysterious circumstances. That was all she wrote about it. By the sentence or so, she was off to describing something else. This book is indeed all over the place, just like Zsa Zsa, and it's fascinating this way.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok - So I'm currently obsessed with Zsa Zsa - my Dad mentioned her to me because of her fall and subsequent hospital stay and this prompter the obsession. This book is not very well written - very jumpy and disjointed but it's kinda fun. Zsa Zsa is happy to inform you that practically everyone who she ever met wanted to sleep with her and usually begged her with the first few minutes of the meeting. She dishes on a lot of famous stars, Lawrence Olivier (aka Larry), Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe etc.
This is a woman who's been married 9 times (although the first marriage was annuled so it doesn't count) and has had numerous flings in between and during various marriages. Whether or not the book is even half true it's an amusing read.
She is the original Paris Hilton, except with a bit more class.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very fast-paced and very interesting. What a life she led. I don't agree with everything she says but when it's an icon like her, you don't need to.

[Printable Tire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to this audiobook while working out at the gym was so much fun. My heart fluttered every time she conspiratorially whispered "darlink" and I laughed over such lines as "ve made vild, passionate love." Never knew Frank Sinatra basically raped her, or that Marlon Brando looks like a horse. Zsa Zsa's exuberance of confidence should lift any gym rat's spirits, though perhaps she should have left out when she cured the blind and healed the sick as part of her community service for slapping a police officer (one of those dregs of 20th century pop culture no one cares about anymore). The prominent use of audio ellipses ensure anecdotes move at a fast pace. Can't imagine reading this but the audiobook is definitely worth your diamonds, darlink.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am truly amazed at her life...or rather her perception of her life. She comes across as a mix between Marilyn Monroe (who according to her slept with one of her husbands) and a lesser version of Elizabeth Taylor (Zsa slept with one of her husbands..go figure).

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Totally dishes the dirt on everyone.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zsa Zsa (aided by Wendy Leigh) provides a light, juicy, spicy auto-bio that goes down like melted butter. There is so much blank space within the pages that it's almost laughable! Somehow, though, she manages to fill the book to overflowing with all sorts of gossipy (often bitchy) stories about the fellow denizens of Hollywood she's known. She can never wait to put down people like Ingrid Bergman or Elizabeth Taylor for being indecent or slutty yet she, herself, is constantly in bed with every other man she meets, some of them married, sometimes she is married, too. It's more than a tad hypocritical! I don't know that anyone comes away from this with any profound, newfound respect for her - maybe - but it is a fascinatingly dishy read!

[Jos-Madelaine Standing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous. Read before acting school in 2001.

[Chris Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I loved it like I love Joan Rivers' books. Hysterical.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book, I came away thinking Zsa Zsa Gabor lead one strange life. Seriously this book didn't bring any value to my life and i felt that all Zsa Zsa talked about was the men who wanted to sleep with her and how she married her husbands. What amazes me though is that, if this happened today the media would blow up and call her a "whore" or probably something worse; but because of the times she was never labeled this. Throughout the entire story, (God rest her soul) it sounded like she had all the looks and would just constantly reinforce that men were lining up to marry her.

After reading this book, i'd like to read her daughter's autobiography and see how much damage was caused from her mother marrying so many men.

[Ita]

1. branje (2022) : Eno najbolj zanimivih življenj, o katerih sem brala in ena izmed najbolj neodložljivih knjig tega leta. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2. branje (2025): Mičkeno izgubi šarma ob drugem branju, ker mi vse zanimive hollywoodske anekdote niso več nove in šokantne, ampak je še vedno eden mojih najljubših memoirjev! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(veliko pa pove tudi to, da sem jo šla še enkrat brat, ker tega skoraj nikoli ne počnem)

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a fan of the Gabors, I enjoyed reading about her glamourous life and marriages. Maybe some was exaggerated, maybe not. Her mother certainly held a liberal view of marriage and taught her daughters well. My eyebrows were raised at a few of the Hollywood stories. Most intriguing!

[Ridvan Okutan · Rating 4 out of 5]

goood

[Karen]

She died at the age of 99, a few days ago. RIP

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read if you are familiar with this actress from Hungry. She knew all the A list stars back in the day and according to her, many men wanted to make love to her. She had 8 husbands and many lovers. This book was written almost 30 years ago back in 1991 after the famous incident at the time where a police officer hulled her off to jail for not cooperating. She was Conrad Hilton's 2nd wife and because she supposedly had a child with him she stayed in his life. This was before DNA testing so no one knew if her daughter was truly Conrad Hilton's daughter. She tells you which dress she wore to various occasions and I couldn't figure out how she would remember this until toward the end of the book she had kept of journal of her appearances so she wouldn't wear the same dress twice.

[Yavor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this book. Heard about it because she claimed she was involved with Ataturk. Decided to give it a try. It was a mess. A bundle of disconnected events. I listened to the audiobook read by the author and it lacked a personal touch: this happened that happened, told me this, told him that. Not sure how much of what she says is true, many things sounded like second hand gossip. Could be because she was using an assistant to put everything in English...

[Mick Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otherwise known as the six degrees of zsa zsa Gabor not in chapters but in short contained paragraphs.a bit of a Zelig character people she has known and met, famous more for being famous than her acting ability.its as though like her mother she thought everybody loved zsa zsa.more of a confessions of a courtesan.

[Badriya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Knowing it is possible to have such an expansive experience in one life inspired me. There is also an underlying hint of competition with other women that I believe is influenced by her relationship with her mother, a woman she undoubtedly looked up to but not validated by.

[Shalese · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best biographies I’ve ever read! Zsa zsa was so real and so raw. It was like I was living through her. Her amazing stories about her exciting life had its highs and lows which made her even more relatable. I 100% recommend

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

how can you not love zsa zsa gabor! this is such a fun autobiography to read, i didn’t realise what a full and fun life she had lived! the writing does jump around quite a bit, but if you’re looking for a Very Proper, Serious read this is not for you. a fun ride from the beginning to the end.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore the fantasy world Zsa Zsa Gabor lived in. She portrayed her life as if she wore Rose colored glasses, but she had her fair share of hard times and struggles. 10/10 would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about the beautiful Hungarian actress.

[Beryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

She was a legend.

[Josie Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

in todays world an unusual story though well known to be the way of life, in those times.

[Natalie Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting life