New book on Doris Day

By Jessica Schneider Jul 13, 2008, 12:16 GMT

David Kaufman has now written the long-awaited, definitive biography of Doris Day. By telling Day’s incredible, previously untold story, Kaufman takes the reader to the epicenter of American popular culture— a roller-coaster saga, from the 1940s to the 1980s. While Day symbolized virtuous America to the rest of the world—especially in her heyday, the 1950s and early 1960s—both she and that era are still perceived as being far more innocent ...more

If you’ve been waiting to uncover the “dish” on Doris Day, this might be your lucky—er,  Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door is the title by David Kaufman.

USA Today has listed some key points as to what the book uncovers, and they are as follows:

•Now 86 and living in Carmel, Calif., Day remains the No. 1 female box office star of all time.

•Virginal on screen, Day was married four times and bore her only child, son Terry, at age 19.

•Kaufman writes Day had an affair with black player Maury Wills of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962. (Day denied it in her 1976 autobiography.)

Those are just some of them, you can visit the USA Today article to see more, of course.

The product description notes: “Kaufman reveals Day’s demons while emphasizing the extraordinary credit she deserves as an artist. In the tradition of great biographies, Kaufman’s detailed work not only reveals the surprising story of one of America’s most beloved icons, but also compels us to rush back and see her best films—including The Man Who Knew Too Much, Pillow Talk, Love Me or Leave Me—and to listen to her unforgettable songs—“Sentimental Journey,” “Secret Love,” “Que Sera, Sera.” Though she made more than 550 recordings and starred in 39 movies—not to mention her own TV show for five years—the epic story of Doris Day’s life has never been told . . . until now.”

Virgin Books is the publisher.