xallyx

Anyone have any suggestions? I need to select an autobiography or biography that deals with the theme obsession for school. I was thinking along the lines of sports people and their drive to excel in their field...but if anyone can think of anything else or throw up some titles I'd be very grateful Thanks.
Ally

StellaSlight

When one mentions the word obsession, I instantly think of one person who would fit that description perfectly : Alfred Hitchcock.
I'd suggest you to check some of his biographies, I'm sure you'll get tons of materials dealing with the theme of obsession.

xallyx

Thanks for the suggestion When you say 'Alfred Hitchcock' are you referring to his approach to film making?

StellaSlight

I think the word "obsession" can apply to Alfred Hitchcock's approach to film making, but also to his approach to real life aswell. And in particular, the way he was obsessed about his actresses : he harassed them, worshipped them and hated them when they rejected him, and then brutalized them onscreen. He used to be in love with all his leading actresses, and was so obsessed about them that he happened to lie about his relationships with them. Like he used to imply to everyone that Ingrid Bergman used to love to have sex with him, begging him to take her or she wouldn't have gone to work.
The whole MacGuffin technique, which is the ultimate Hichcock's touch, came out of his own obsessions in real life : the way the camera is obsessed with one object, or one person, no one knows anything about except that the whole plot depends on it... was kind of a reflection of his long obsession in real life with objects or persons.

xallyx

Thanks heaps! That's really helpful and interesting. I'll see what I can find on him at the bookstore

Cotton Candy

Charmian Carr's "Letters to Liesl" has a whole bunch of letters from obsessed Sound of Music fans (such as myself, hehe), I don't know if that's what you're looking for though.