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Title: Madonna: An Intimate Biography by J. Randy Taraborrelli ISBN: 0-425-18669-5 Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group Pub. Date: 04 June, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.95 (38 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Tabloid Style Is Out-Of-Touch With Madonna's Current Image
Comment: As the "Madonna historian" refered to four times in this book, I have to say I am a little dissapointed with the final result of this biography considering it took 10 years to complete. The amount of information collected was probably enormous, but it's editing and delivery leaves much to be desired.
Madonna: An Intimate Biography, is an excellent compilation of the various media news reports spanning Madonna's entire career, but most fans have already heard these stories and there is not much "new" offered. Many of the stories originate from Madonna's sensationalized tabloid past which is not really very current with Madonna's present image and relationship with her fans. The author tried to end on a positve note only after spending much of the book showing every negative trait of Madonna's former persona. I would have liked to have seen more focus on the new exclusive interviews with people surrounding Madonna's career. The author did do some of this, but did not present very many new details unless they were of a negative tone. This style of bio would have been better suited for circa 1990-1992.
I did find the John Kennedy Jr. stories more detailed than what was previously reported due to the authors research into the Kennedy clan, but I don't have 100% confidence in the author's quote accuracy considering that his references to my work were close to, but not quoted 100% correct. This is not a big deal, but it makes it hard to believe that these stories happened exactly as described in the book.
I saw what might be considered expressed bias aginst Madonna with this book by the publisher (Simon & Schuster) on page 221 where the author claims that Madonna stole her "Sex" book idea for Time-Warner from Simon & Schuster editor Judith Regan. If this story is true, it might have been better for this book to have been published by another publisher. Otherwise the appearance of a negative "pay back" to Madonna with this book does cross the readers mind as it did when I read the story.
I would also like to have seen more detail on the production of Madonna's recordings which is why she is so famous in the first place. There are many juicy stories about the production of her albums that have not yet been told in detail. The author missed an opportunity to explore this, particularly with her former collaborators Shep Pettibone, Stephen Bray and Tony Shimkin and Junior Vasquez.
As much work as the author put into this book, perhaps he didn't ask enough questions or the right questions when speaking to the interview subjects. More likely, these details may have been edited away by S&S as too boring?
At any rate ,this "intimate" biography just doesn't seem very intimate with sources credited to People Magazine, The National Enquirer and the Globe. Sure many other sources were also used, but the tone of this bio for the majority of the first 2/3'rds of it, reeks of the style of these publications.
Perhaps the publisher would consider publishing a volume two
using the rest of Taraborrelli's research using a different delivery style and tone more current to Madonna's more mature fan base and current public image? ...
Rating: 5
Summary: Loads of Fun -- Could Not Put it Down for a Second!
Comment: Wow -- what a book. I sailed through this baby in two days because I couldn't put it down. J. Randy has outdown himself with this smooth and sometimes absolutely hysterical tale about a woman who makes his "Call Her Miss Ross" heroine Diana look tame. (Remember that book. Loved it!) Madonna is as bitchy as they come -- so funny, too -- but I loved the stuff in here about her rise to the top, how she did it, and why she wouldn't look back. I also had a lot of empathy for her as she pays a karmac price for her fame -- poor girl was unhappy in love, that's for sure, but you can't have it all, I guess. Still, the betrayal business with Dennis Rodman. Did she deserve it? And, such a shame, all that tear-stained nonsense with JFK Jr. over Jackie O. And did Sean Penn really have to push her into the pool? But at least she finds her true love with the dashing Guy Ritchie, and all's well that ends well. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Balanced and fair, too. But it's the dish that counts. Look, this is Madonna, after all. If this J. Randy Taraborrelli guy (that name!) keeps writing these books, I'm gonna keep buying them, I can tell you that. Also loved his "Jackie, Ethel, Joan -- Women of Camelot" opus of last year, and saw the movie, too. (When does this author sleep. That's what I want to know.)
Rating: 4
Summary: very interesting
Comment: This book is very thick, but its an easy read all the way. I know this book can't all be true, but it sure feels like it. Very well done.
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Title: Madonna by Andrew Morton ISBN: B00007CWGV Pub. Date: November, 2001 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Madonna by Mark Bego ISBN: 0815410514 Publisher: Cooper Square Publishers Pub. Date: June, 2000 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Madonna: In Her Own Words (In Their Own Words S.) by Mick St. Michael ISBN: 0711977348 Publisher: Omnibus Press Pub. Date: 01 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Madonna Superstar: Photographs (Schirmer's Visual Library) by Karl Lagerfeld ISBN: 0393307662 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: 01 June, 1991 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: The English Roses by Madonna, Jeffrey Fulvimari ISBN: 0670036781 Publisher: Viking Books Pub. Date: 15 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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