Most people have heard the name Sarah Bernhardt, even today. Though the history of the stage is below the notice of many, her name echoes through the years. Few, I would venture to guess, however, know much of her past. Catherine Reef's biography of the renowned Sarah is a light read about the lady herself--from her neglected yet privileged childhood and her influential patrons, to her gift of giving. Though Bernhardt's stage life is certainly part of the book, Reef focuses on what went on behind the scenes, while reminding readers that the great actress had a penchant for rewriting her own history even as it unfolded. Definitely worth the read, even (or maybe especially) to those who haven't much interest in the stage itself.

Actress, artist, author, mother, world traveller, French patriot: the “Divine Sarah” played many roles, both on and off the stage. Her life was filled with dramatic episodes, which Reef presents in rich detail while also acknowledging that both the loss of historical records and Bernhardt’s tendency to embellish her own stories make some of those details difficult to verify. For example, “Sarah Bernhardt said that she was born on October 22, 1844, and maybe she was. A fire destroyed her birth certificate, so she can only be taken at her word.”

The nineteenth-century world in which Bernhardt rose to fame contains many aspects that may be unfamiliar to twenty-first-century teens. From the demimonde and courtesans to the Franco-Prussian War, Reef’s narrative provides historical context for Bernhardt’s experiences. Photographs and illustrations complement the text, including many images of Bernhardt in costume for various productions. The included bibliography shows the range of research that went into the book and will be appreciated by readers who want to delve deeper into the actress’s life.

Bernhardt’s Jewish heritage is mentioned several times in the course of the biography. Her mother was “born into a Jewish family in the Netherlands” before moving to Paris as a teenager. Reef notes that though the actress was baptized a Catholic at age 11, while she was a student at Notre-Dame du Grandchamp, she was the target of anti-Semitic slurs after becoming famous, and she would later explicitly claim her Jewish identity. In a chapter discussing the Dreyfus affair and the rift it created between Bernhardt and her son, Reef writes, “Sarah insisted that Maurice be loyal to his own Jewish heritage. As for herself, ‘I am a daughter of the great Jewish race,’ she proclaimed. She had never practiced Judaism and still called herself a Catholic, but she felt linked by blood to the Jewish people.”

This is a riveting biography of a fascinating figure, and it fulfills the award criteria. It has literary merit and positive and authentic Jewish cultural content. The style, vocabulary, format, and illustrations are appropriate - and appealing - to the intended grade level. The author’s research is clear, and the details are as authentic and accurate as possible, given the existing material.

This was a wild ride through the life of Sarah Bernhardt, the "it girl" of 19th century France, and much of the world. While much of her life story was embellished and flat-out made up by hearsay and rumor, some by the actress herself, Catherine Reef's research helps to extract fact from fantasy, pointing the reader toward truth, likely truth, and the things we just can't be sure of. Reef also brings to life the events and flavor of the times Sarah lived through, giving context for the reader of today. Here was a woman who worked hard for and deserved her celebrity- not only as an actress, but as an artist, world traveler, mother patriot, and one of the earliest motion picture stars. Photographs and illustrations throughout bring life to the text, and there is an extensive bibliography included for those looking for further reading. While this book is written for a teen/YA audience, I (a middle-aged woman) found it an interesting read as well.

#SarahBernhardt #NetGalley

This is a fascinating biography of the world-renown actress will be of interest to a variety of students but especially to theater kids.. The black and white photographs do an excellent job of driving the narrative onward. The approachable text will entice readers to delve deeper into the most famous person they have have never heard of. Highly recommended.

Great nonfiction title on an oft overlooked figure of modern history. A great addition to our school library when I'm able to add to the collection.

I was provided with a Netgalley ARC of Catherine Reef’s Sarah Bernhardt, a biography that bills itself as the story of “the divine and daring life of the world’s first superstar.” In this clearly well-researched tale, readers get a front-row seat into the tumultuous life of one of the world’s most famous stage and silent film actors. While I enjoyed learning about a historical period that is less-covered in YA literature (pre-WWI France), I struggled to connect with the story as a whole. Some tidbits were interesting (who knew Bram Stoker was inspired to create his character Dracula by Bernhardt’s husband?), but the writing style was factual, making me feel like I was less immersed in a great biography and more plodding through a report. There was also a lack of detail and emotion in many scenes that seemed to call for more. I had hoped to find a great nonfiction piece to suggest to my theater-obsessed readers, but in the end, I had a hard time thinking of how I could best booktalk this selection. School libraries could consider if needing to beef up their biography collections.

Reef does a good job of providing context to the events and terminology involved in Bernhardt's life (e.g. the demimonde and attitudes toward sex, gender, and purity at the time; antisemitism during the period; popular acting styles; military and diplomatic conflicts) and gives an overview of a fascinating figure. However, I felt that the writing was not particularly dynamic or descriptive, and that the pacing was very brisk and made the book seem somewhat lacking in depth - I could have likely lived without synopses of a dozen-plus 19th century French plays, and certainly didn't need to know about every single animal Bernhardt owned throughout her life. I also found that while other figures were shown to be flawed, or to have a human balance between negative and positive traits/actions, Sarah herself seems to be almost entirely celebrated; I don't know very much about Bernhardt at all outside of this book, so maybe she really was an entirely talented and wonderful person, but a biography that brushes past its subject flaws seems somewhat misleading.

Recommend to those who enjoyed Curlee's The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance.

I've come across many references to the legendary Sarah Bernhardt over the years but I admit that I knew little about her life until I read this fascinating biography. Written in a clear language that will be accessible for many young adult readers this biography is full of details and stories about Bernhardt's colourful and eventful life. Reef fills in background details where needed to put Bernhardt's experience into historical and cultural context but these never intruded too much. From the scenes during the Franco-Prussian War where she turned a theatre into a field hospital to the time that she delivered a baby on board a liner (she was reunited with the 'baby' years later astonishingly!) to the depiction of her as an older actress who decided to have her leg amputated so that she could continue working without pain this is the story of an incredible lady from whom I think we could all learn a lot about fortitude, resilience, style and simply not giving a damn about people or situations that might otherwise hold you back!

Bright and interesting, Reef writes an approachable biography of the famous innovator and actress for younger audiences. Caught in a trend when so many biographies aimed at young adults feature STEM pioneers, it's refreshing to read a take on an artist who had an important impact on western culture and its views of femininity. This Bernhardt biography is visually appealing and attention getting, and presents the information in a captivating style.