Then Again

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

The New York Times • People • Vogue • Financial Times • Sunday Telegraph • Chicago Sun-Times • The Independent • Bookreporter • The Sunday Business Post

An intimate memoir from one of America's most acclaimed and beloved actresses.

Best known for her role as Annie Hall in Woody Allen's film of the same name, for which she won an Academy Award, Diane Keaton had a highly successful career with performances in The Godfather, Reds, Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give and many more. This is the fascinating story of her rise to fame, her relationships with notable talents such as Woody Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty, and her struggle with bulimia.

But to write about herself, Diane realised she had to write about her mother too, and how their bond came to define both of their lives. The result is an unflinching and remarkably detailed portrait of Dorothy Hall – a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents – as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years.

A brilliant insight into the life of a legendary actress, Then Again is also a touching, funny and unforgettable exploration of family and the bonds that forever tie us to those we love the most.

Reviews

‘A brilliant memoir … What an exceptionally tender book’ Antonia Quirk, Sunday Times

‘Just what we wanted from the Annie Hall star, an autobiography as quirky, funny and mannered as her best-known roles’ Nigel Andrews, Financial Times, Books of the Year

‘Her rambling, endearing book is not short of glamorous names, nor does it scorn ambition and fame. But she shares the stage with her family and most particularly with her mother, Dorothy Hall, as co-star’ Philip French, Observer

‘Fans will relish her accounts of relationships with Woody Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty … The anecdotes are excellent, and the self-modesty not false’ Mark Sanderson, Sunday Telegraph, Books of the Year

‘Beautifully written’ Women’s Own

‘A very generous, charming, old-fashioned and strangely self-effacing account of a life lived in the spotlight’ Sarah Vine, The Times

‘Then Again, which is about Keaton’s relationship with her collage-making mother, Dorothy Hall, is itself a collage. Extracts from Dorothy’s striking letters and journals are arranged in a pattern alongside Keaton’s own reflections on her mother’s life … Keaton dismantles the idea of the perfect American family to then build it up again’ Francis Wilson, Telegraph

About the author

Diane Keaton starred in some of the most memorable movies of the past fifty years, including the Godfather trilogy, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Reds, Baby Boom, The First Wives Club and Something’s Gotta Give. She was the recipient of many awards, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.