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Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood
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Plot Summary of Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood
"This biography of the legendary actress Hattie McDaniel starts with a lengthy description of her father's fight for benefits after serving in the Civil War and being wounded. It is important that Jill Watts included this section, because it helps the reader to understand where Ms. McDaniel got her tenacity.

This biography not only tells you about Miss McDaniel, but also about where she came from and how she came to be the woman she was. The youngest daughter of a former slave and Union Army veteran, a woman of deep faith and love of family, and one of the hardest working people I've ever read about.

The story isn't just about her acting credits, which were substantial, but about her generosity and her bitter, long-lasting fight with Walter White of the NAACP regarding race relations. I've read a few of the biographies written on this fascinating lady, and this by far the best.

The lady fought for and earned her place in Cinema History, and Jill Watts documents her journey in an informative and interesting way."

Graceann Maciolek, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Political/social rights fight Yes
Plotlet: - minorities fighting for rights
job/profession: - actor/actress
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Kind of living: - rags to riches
Story of entertainer? - Movie Drama Actor

Subject of Biography
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - actor/actress/producer
Age: - 40's-50's
Biography of famous person? Yes
Ethnicity - Black
Nationality - American (!)
How sensitive is this person? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other people
Physique - quite fatty

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 ()
United States Yes
Century: - 1930's-1950's

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Book makes you feel? - in awe
Commentary on society? Yes
Commentary on - race
Writer's slant towards subject: - favorable
Story of entire life, or part? - story of nearly entire life
If this is a kid's book: - Age 16-Adult
Pictures/Illustrations? - A lot 11-15 B&W
How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 51%-75% of book
How much is philosophy rather than life story? - 0-25% of book
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On Reflection: An Autobiography by Helen Hayes
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Jill Watts Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Graceann Maciolek  

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