| Riding
Lessons " Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses" Bo Derek With Mark Seal Bo Derek vaulted into the national spotlight in 1979 as the perfect fantasy woman in "10," Blake Edwards' sophisticated film comedy. Her tawny coloring and sensuous figure captivated men everywhere, while her corn-row hairstyle launched a fashion trend among women. Recently, at age 43, she was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." In the intervening years, Bo Derek has always remained intensely private about her personal life, especially her May-December marriage to director John Derek, creating an intriguing sense of mystery that has led to much speculation.  |
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| Born Mary Cathleen Collins and
known as Cathy, she grew up in Southern California, the horse-crazy,
oldest daughter of four children. Her father, a public relations
executive for Hobie Cat, and her mother, a hairstylist and makeup
artist for a number of Hollywood figures, separated permanently
while Bo was in her teens. During this time, her mother was working
for Ann-Margret. It was backstage at one of the entertainer's Las
Vegas shows that a theatrical agent approached Bo about pursuing
a movie career. As the reader quickly learns, it was at one of her
initial auditions that the 16-year-old Bo met John Derek, the man
thirty years her senior, with whom she would spend the next 25 years
until his death in 1998. As Bo Derek makes clear in Riding Lessons, her passion for John, and her love of all things equine have been the constants in her life. Sharing her hard-won lessons on life and love, she draws on her intuitive understanding of horses to explain human behavior and offer surprising insights into the dynamics of intimate relationships. Finally setting the record straight on her personal and professional life, in Riding Lessons Bo Derek tells how: * her highly publicized affair with John Derek, who was married to Linda Evans at the time, began while on a Greek isle film set. * Linda Evans made it possible for John to return to the United States without having to face potential legal charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and statutory rape. * at 19, began the habit of turning down millions of dollars and the most sought after roles in Hollywood. When she declined the lead female role in the Dino De Laurentis film, "King Kong," the part eventually went to Jessica Lange and launched her career. * how the idea for the corn-row hairstyle in "10" came about. * she, having recently produced an adult film, arranged for the porno stars to perform in the wild orgy scene that Dudley Moore observes through his telescope in "10." * Hollywood blacklisted her, at age 22, for refusing to be on the cover of Life magazine. * during the filming of "Tarzan, the Ape Man," she was mauled by a lion and almost suffocated by a python. * John and she purchased a ranch in Santa Ynez, California, where she ran a small horse breeding business for several years, facilitating the siring of her mares and acting as midwife at the birth of their foals. * a con man, of the decade, under scrutiny by the CIA, targeted John and her in a financial scam, and she wound up using her own wiring equipment to tape record incriminating telephone conversations with him as part of an agency investigation. Her efforts lead to the con man's arrest and sentence of 80 years. * when John suffered catastrophic heart failure and was placed on life support, it was Linda Evans who offered her the most valuable advice. * Jane Fonda tried to fix her up with Ted Turner, even as the couple was still married. * she accidentally began to shed her blond bimbo image and emerge as a political conservative, when she campaigned successfully for George W. Bush during the 2000 Presidential campaign. With Riding Lessons, Bo Derek irreverently writes openly of her growing self-awareness, and of the coping strategies she has learned, whether faced with sudden stardom, the crazy and competitive world of movie making, or the death of her beloved husband. With this touching book, she transcends her physical beauty to reveal an inner wisdom certain to entertain and enlighten women of all ages. About the Author: An internationally known star and able horsewoman, Bo Derek continues to work in film and television. She was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She lives in California with her five Iberian horses and two German shepherds. Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters In Life I Learned from Horses By Bo Derek with Mark Seal --ReganBooks On Sale: February 5, 2002 ISBN: 0-06-039437-4 $26.00/$39.50 Canada 272 pages; 16 page color insert |
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