At Home with Kate: Growing Up in Katharine Hepburn's Household

by Eileen Considine-Meara

Book Overview

At Home With Kate offers an inside look at Katherine Hepburn's life and home, from the vantage of Eileen Considine-Meara, daughter of Hepburn's live-in cook and housekeeper. This extraordinary book reveals the real woman behind the icon, sharing her daily rituals and telling stories of the many famous friends she frequently entertained, including Sidney Poitier, Lauren Bacall, Robert Wagner, and many more.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471783765
• ISBN13: 9780471783763
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

I wish it had been longer!!

Beautifully written. Once you start it you just can't put it down and you wish for more when you've finished. A big thank you to Eileen Considine-Meara for sharing this.

Get To Know the Real Katharine Hepburn

Aside from all the gossip and speculation that many writers do, this writer knew Katharine Hepburn as her mother worked for her for over 30 years. The chapters are short and fascinating, there are many photos, and best of all, many of the receipes used in the Hepburn house are included for you to try at home!

Food, Famous Folks, and a Strange, Gruff, Charming Boss

As a child growing up in France, I had little contact with American films or TV, but my mother spoke often of her friendship with the US actress Katharine Hepburn, who had served as a spokeswoman for the international relief agency CARE when my mother worked there. Now comes Eileen Considine-Meara's life of her mother, the chef Norah, who worked for Ms. Hepburn for many years and who, apparently, too shy to write a book herself (or perhaps enjoined from doing so by contractual agreement) has passed on many tall tales to her daughter. Young Eileen practically grew up in the household, and helped out as a waitress from time to time, or did other tasks at the behest of the aging, famously independent screen star. Neither Eileen nor Norah knew Spencer Tracy, of course, for he died in the 1960s and Hepburn didn't hire Norah until 1972. Yet his presence was everywhere in both the NY townhouse and the Connecticut country estate. One of the brief chapters involves a visit paid to Hepburn by Susie Tracy, the daughter of Spencer and his longsuffering wife. As grand as a movie star herself, Susie Tracy could have been an outstanding supermodel or politician, but she preferred to work quietly. in the shadows, helping deaf people the world over. Yes, Norah and Eileen met hundreds of fascinating folk from all walks of life. Stephen Sondheim lived next door, kept a polite distance from Hepburn. Michael Jackson and Warren Beatty paid visits, not together. But Hepburn so craved adulation that she was not above inviting fans and plain old stalkers in off of the streets, like the parable of Dives and Lazarus in the Bible. And every year she let Norah have a huge St Patrick's Day party in her townhouse, vacating the space for awhile. Old friends Irene Mayer Selznick and Laura Harding make cameo appearances in this book. Harding, with whom other biographers have asserted Katharine Hepburn was involved sexually, seems like a nice enough soul in old age, liked Norah's cooking and one dessert especially, Norah's famous lemon jello. In my test kitchen at home, I've tried to make several of Norah's recipes, feeling with some justice, if they were good enough for Katharine Hepburn, they should be good enough for my own circle of theatrical friends. Alas, I just don't have the touch, for Norah's famous lace cookies that so entranced Sidney Poitier, were a flop when I served them to Sidney Potrero of Daly City, and chipped creamed beef on toast, the dish Jack Larson demanded on each of his visits from Hollywood, proved a sensational failure in my south of market kitchenette. I can't even describe what it looks like. An exciting book with many nice touches, like a floor map of the 49th Street townhouse, and a photo of Eileen and her groom on their wedding day in which you can see exactly the Irish spitfire charm that made her a favorite of her mother's Oscar winning employer.

Lucky Girl

Eileen Considine-Meara was fortunate to grow up not only in the orbit of the star, Katharine Hepburn, but also in the embrace of her mother, Norah Considine Moore. This is the story of two strong women who began as employee/employer but quickly moved to mutual respect, trust, friendship, and love. This book reveals the generosity, kindness, strength and vulnerability of both women over a 30 year time period. Norah needed a job to help support her family; Kate needed someone with whom she could be "Kate" and not fear that her trust would be betrayed. The anecdotes are simple but they are rich and sweet in the way that they portray both women. Thank you, Eileen, for sharing with us both of these women who influenced you.

A WONDERFUL LOOK AT LIFE AT HOME WITH THE KATE WE LOVE!

As a huge fan of Kate this book is a wonderful look at her life at home showing what a truly strong, independent, generous and thoughtful woman she was. There really is no other place where a person is more comfortable than at home and Eileen Considine-Meara captures the essence of Kate at home beautifully....from amusing and touching anecdotes and treasured Considine family photos and memorabilia to featured recipes of some of Ms. Hepburn's favorite dishes. Considine-Meara marvelously reveals Kate's generous friendship and caring nature with her friends and family -- as well as just about anyone that entered Kate's life. AT HOME WITH KATE is an intimate portrait of one of our greatest actresses, At Home and as herself. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!