The Legs Are the Last to Go

Author and narrator Carroll relates her life as an acclaimed actress in film, television and on stage, along with deeply personal revelations about her private life and other heated topics. Carroll's stories are the stuff of legend: recounting her lengthy affair with a married Sidney Poitier, becoming the first African-American actress to star in a TV series and facing bigotry within the industry (Andrew Lloyd Weber won't be happy with Carroll's memory of auditioning for Sunset Boulevard ). Carroll has a crisp and crystal clear voice and speaks with intense passion as she reads her introspective memoir, producing a deeply affecting look at Hollywood stardom, its trappings and its effects on relationships. Carroll's tone is serious, but she never fails to poke fun at herself for her vanity and past mistakes, which make her all the more fascinating. An Amistad hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 11). (Dec.)