Born in Grabtown, North Carolina, Ava Gardner became an international icon on the strength of her electrifying screen performances and down-to-earth personality. In this profusely illustrated biography, Kendra Bean recounts Gardner's Cinderella story, following the backwoods belle as she becomes an Academy Award-nominated actress. Here too is a look at her love affair with Frank Sinatra, and friendships with Ernest Hemingway, John Huston, and Tennessee Williams. Quotations appear throughout, offering insight into this intriguing artist, and evoking a magical time in Hollywood history.