“Polanski: A biography” by Christopher Sandford.

SEASIDE — The Friends of the Seaside Library welcomes author Christopher Sandford as he speaks about his book “Polanski: A Biography” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. The event will take place in the Seaside Library’s community room with book sales and signings following the talk.

“Polanski” is an in-depth examination of one of Hollywood’s most famous and infamous film directors, Roman Polanski. Born in Paris to Polish-Jewish parents, Polanski dealt with the terrors of his childhood — including interment in Auschwitz, the death of his pregnant mother in the camps and his father’s imprisonment throughout World War II. He also lived as a scavenger on his own in the Krakow ghetto for much of the German occupation. During this period of his life, Polanski created an elaborate fantasy world in which he lived as a film star to offset the horrors surrounding him.

He later attended Lodz National Film School and began attracting attention for voyeurism, sexual tension and latent violence, themes that ran through his films “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) and “Chinatown” (1974).

Polanski’s life and career in America were marred by two pivotal events: the 1969 slaying of his pregnant wife Sharon Tate by members of the Manson Family and Polanski’s own arrest for the statutory rape of a 13-year old girl.

Acclaimed biographer Christopher Sandford draws on dozens of interviews with actors who have worked with Polanski, as well as previously sealed transcripts of his criminal hearings following accusations that lead to his exile. There are also personal reflections on the murders of Tate and other friends of the couple by Charles Manson, who was convicted on conspiracy to commit those murders.

Sandford has published acclaimed biographies of Kurt Cobain, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen. He is a longtime film and music writer — Rolling Stone has called him “the pre-eminent author in his field today.” Sandford divides his time between England and Seattle.

The Seaside Public Library is located at 1131 Broadway. For more information, call 503-738-6742 or visit the library’s website at www.seasidelibrary.org