This 'N That

"This 'N That" is a memoir written by the actress Bette Davis and Michael Herskovitz, first published in 1987.

As Davis had already written a successful autobiography, "The Lonely Life", published in 1962, she had discussed in some detail the most important years of her acting career. "This 'N That" did not repeat those details, and therefore contained very little information about the period before 1962, and concentrated on Davis's acting career of the 1970s and 1980s. Much of her writing concerned her recent illness and recovery from a major stroke.

"This 'N That" was published after her daughter B. D. Hyman's memoir "My Mother's Keeper" (1985), in which Hyman depicted Davis as an alcoholic, overbearing shrew. Davis referred to Hyman in her book with pride and affection throughout; however, a final chapter was in the form of a letter addressed "Dear Hyman," in which Davis expressed her sense of betrayal. Davis and Hyman reportedly remained estranged until Davis' death in 1989. The tensions between the two women were widely reported during the marketing of both books.

Editions

"This 'N That", Bette Davis and Michael Herskovitz, Putnam Publishing Group, March 1987, ISBN 0-399-13246-5, hardcover, 207 pages.
"This 'N That", Bette Davis and Michael Herskovitz, Berkley Publishing Group, March 1988, ISBN 0-425-10624-1, paperback

References