Singer Reviews

The BSB Official Book is well worth my money! I saw pictures I never saw before. And the captions made me laugh. It was great that the boys did the picture captions themselves even though there are a few mistakes. Overall, this book is an essential to any Backstreet fan. I recommend it!

This book is a must-have for any Backstreet fan. It's loaded with tons of candid pictures of the guys from their younger days all the way to the present with the close of their Millennium tour. There are captions for each picture written by the boys themselves. By far the best BSB Book yet!

Definitly a must have for any BSB fan. With tons of rare pictures, this book is really all you need.

Accolades to Mr. Woodworth and Ms. Hanson and Solo. Mr. Woodworth has managed to capture and transform the words of these woman singers/songwriters (Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, Lucinda Williams, Jewel, Suzanne Vega just to name a few) into a dynamic first person narrative that brings you face to face with your favorite artist. The accompanying pictures by Ms. Hanson are stunning. I have yet to see such revealing, sensitive and poignant pictures of these artists published anywhere else. This book is pure energy and art that rivals the vitality of the women it portrays. When I read a good book or am inspired by a song I hear, I react to it physically and emotionally. In this moment of reaction it becomes art. I want to talk to that author/songwriter about their work. I want to discover the impetus behind their thoughts and ideas. Solo takes me to that place. It takes me to a place were stories are layered in astonishing depth. It is no less than an opportunity to sit with your favorite singer/songwriter and hear their ideas, insights, dreams, and fears. You are welcomed into their living spaces to find out what they think about their careers and music. Sometimes when I am reading a chapter about one of my favorite singers/songwriters, I put their music on and listen. Deeper meanings emerge, and I hear them speaking to me. This is an enlightening and excellent read.

At first, I was mezmerized by the amazing pictures through out SOLO. There is an abundance of pictures of some of my favorite musicians. For that reason alone, I bought the book.

What has made it one of my favorites is the deeply personal stories interwoven throughout. After reading the well-written, respectful, yet honest interviews in this book. I started at the beginning and read it again.

The combination of stunning photos and the fascinating interviews makes this book a must for music fans.

While all of my favorites were there, Shawn Colvin, Ani DiFranco, Jonatha Brooke... there were some new names and faces. ALL of the women featured in SOLO were interesting and insightful. I look forward to a follow-up book by Marc Woodworth and Emma Dodge hanson.

I learned so much about all of my favorite artists in this book. This book is tastefull done (unlike Building a Mystery by Judith Fitzgerald). The author actually talked to the artist and got their perspectives on many different topics and the meanings behind their songs, which makes this book true and somewhat autobiographical. It is good to see a book also where the artists are not portrayed as glamorous. These black and white photos seem the bring the artists back down to the same level that the reader is working on. It is a really nice book and an interesting read.

The most captivatingly written book I have ever read. It has brought Tombstone to life for those of us who want to know the other stories that didn't make the history books.

I highly recommend it to everyone.

I was totally enthralled with this book. I couldn't put it down. It brought to life the old west and the women who lived in it. Anyone who ever wonders about what the "real" old Tombstone was like needs to read this book. Don't let this one slip by you.

Fantastic book. Depicts actual lives from the 1880's, allowing you to transport back in time and see it through their eyes. Hard to put down, I re-read parts of it 2 and 3 times. It follows history and tells it like it was.

This book has truly been a blessing to my life. After reading it four times, I have been compelled to stop complaining and appreciate life, for I am truly blessed. Patti is truly a gem. She is a living testimony. Through the tears and the pain, heartache and betrayal, like a phoenix, Patti rises above it all. She shows that there is gold at the end of the rainbow we call life. This book is no less than Remarkable, compelling, and exceptional. Patti tells all, and each revelation brings about a major learning experience that makes her the powerful, spiritual, and "down-to-earth" Diva that she is today. As you read, it leaves you not only NOT wanting to put it down, but selfishly wishing for a sequel. If there were a class on autobiographies of the stars, this would be a Required Reading. Patti's life has only just begun and through "Don't Block The Blessings: Revelations of a Lifetime," Patti shows us, without reservation, that we can truly overcome anything, as long as we don't block the blessings. Everything in life happens for a reason, and if you learn from each life's experience, you will transcend and begin to appreciate people, as well as yourself, ...just don't block the blessings

Patti is truly a gem to be cherished. She is truly a living testimony. Through the tears and the pain, heartache and betrayal, Patti rises above it all, to show that there is gold at the end of the rainbow of life. This book is no less than remarkable, compelling, and exceptional. As you read, it leaves you, not only not wanting to put it down, but selfishly wishing for a sequel. Patti's life has only just begun, and through "Don't Block The Blessings: Revelations of a Lifetime," Patti shows us, without reservation, that we can truly overcome anything, as long as we don't block the blessings. Everything in life happens for a reason, and if you learn from each life's experience, you will transcend and begin to appreciate people, as well as yourself, just don't block the blessing.

Congratulations, A reflective autobiography with some depth and truth. Before reading Patti's, I read Aretha's, which I ultimately felt like tossing in the middle of the street! Great job! I thought the book was very inviting to the personal side of Patti. I have always admired how forthcoming she has been with the public in relation to her late sisters. This book can truly encourage one to live life, as well as love and appreciate life.
However, there are a few things I would like to clear up, which I found inaccurate or inappropriate. The Jackie Wilson episode I found rather distasteful, particularly since he is not around to defend himself(it was o.k. to slander Al Green). Also, as I had to do with Gladys in her book, I need to clarify a few inaccurate points you raised in your book. In reading your relationship with Atlantic Records in the 1960's, one is left with the impression your group wasn't given a fair shot due to the success of Aretha. Well, that's not totally true, since you were with the label two years before she signed on. It just wasn't your time yet! Now is your time. You sound greater and look more beautiful than ever. You have a wonderful spirit in which people adore you far and near. You are truly a blessing. Wonderful job.

Comedy routine or inspired lunacy--whatever it is, this is the complete script of it, including the shortest "Hamlet" ever performed (and then done backwards for an encore), and "Titus Andronicus" as a cooking show. There's lots of fun between these covers for both the bardolator and the bard-hater, including a strange collection of annotations by a not-quite-so learned professor. Although some bits don't play as well on the page, it's not that long and at least you don't have to suffer through some inane laugh track.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company is so funny!!! I would especially recomend this to highschoolers who find normal Shakespeare dry and boring. (that would be me) But my parents which are in their 40s also enjoyed this so its great for everyone. It makes shakespeare so much more interesting. They find very creative ways to retell Shakspeare's classic tales that are so funny and comical. I actually prefer the cd to the book though 'cause that is what they originally wrote the script for. THEY ARE HILARIOUS!!!

I own a copy of the book and the video, and I can't get enough of
either. The only thing funnier than seeing it performed is reading the script, and the only thing funnier than reading the script is reading the footnotes*. Bard buffs, read this and have a good laugh.

*See footnotes on the phrase "But love . . . "

Having long been a fan of Elizabeth Peters, I was ecstatic when "Night Train to Memphis", the fifth book in her Vicky Bliss series came out.

A continuation of the adventures of Doctor Vicky Bliss, a museum worker in Munich, this book follows her on a cruise down the Nile, takes her all over the Egyptian countryside, and finally ends where it started --- in Vicky's German apartment. Along the way, several recurring characters show up, including old friends and villains, the irrepressible Schmidt, and of course, Sir John Smythe; the quintessential gentleman thief and Vicky's sometimes lover. This time however, there is a small complication affecting their relationship, which leads to the miscommunication, misinterpreted signals, and missed chances that characterize Peter's books ---- and make them some of the most enjoyable mysteries on the market. The insults are quick, the Egyptology casual and comprehensive, and country music references abound.

This is a wonderful book, featuring yet another strong, smart, feminist heroine, who never crosses the line from aggressive to unlikable. While "Night Train to Memphis" can definitely stand alone, I would also reccomend the first couple of books about Vicky, "Borrower of the Night", "The Street of Five Moons", "Sillhouette in Scarlet", and "Trogan Gold".

This book is one of the best written mysteries I have ever read. The main character Vicky Bliss is surrounded by some of the most entertaining secondary characters ever put into a novel. Her lovable boss Schmidt and deceptive love intrest John will you keep you reading Elizabeth Peters books untill all hours of the night. This is a fast paced adventure that will take you to Egypt and back, it is impossible to walk away from!

I'm so delighted that I discovered these Vicky Bliss mysteries. The characters are good and Elizabeth Peters always provides fascinating settings for her stories.

In NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS, Vicky Bliss is asked by a police agency to be a part of a tour group as they cruise down the Nile River seeing the beautiful monuments and ancient pyramids of Egypt. The police suspect that some professional thieves will be on board and hope that Vicky can assist in identifying them. The characters are diverse and of course, Sir John Smythe also shows up for the tour. Vicky's dismayed to find him using a different name and traveling with a sweet young woman. Just a few months before the tour, John and Vicky had resumed their love affair and now she's thoroughly confused by the way that he's acting. There are a lot of surprises in this story.

I found it amazing to see that out of 32 reviews on this book, 30 reviewers gave this story a Five Star Rating. That has got to be some kind of a record. It shows what an excellent writer that Elizabeth Peters is and how she always delivers great fiction.

This book combines mystery, history, opera, action and romance in a way that only Kate Ross could have done successfully. Her talent as an author shines out of every page of this wonderful book. The book is set in the vicinity of Milan, Italy, in 1825 with flashbacks to 1821. The rich and powerful members of high society in Milan spend their evenings at the opera house unless they are relaxing at villas on Lake Como. Amateur detective, English dandy Julian Kestrel arrives in Milan in 1825 to solve the four year old murder of a powerful nobleman. The amount of "action" at the climax as well as the length of some of the explanations of relationships at the conclusion of the book may irritate a few mystery purists, but that is a small price to pay for the beautiful tapestry of words woven by Ms. Ross throughout this novel.
The death of Ms. Ross was a great loss to American liturature. The author's biographical note on the hardcover edition indicates that she was a trial attorney. If she was as good in court as she was as an author, I am glad that I never had to face her.

Has Orfeo something to do with murder of his benefactor? Well, it may be
hard to know, since nobody knows where he's gone, what his real name was and
even how he looks like!
An excellent historical mystery, with contractual over-documentation but a
great plot, one of the most complex and bamboozling in recent history. The
ending is rich in surprises that are really surprising, at least for this
reader. Italian atmosphere is remarkably done. Characterization is a little
more uneven, and Julian Kestrel hasn't interested me very much, but
villainous cop Grimani is a great creation. The only serious flaw of this
book is alas a frequent one nowadays: excessive length. It's very sad that
Kate Ross died so young, after writing only four novels, of which this one
is the last. More would have been more than welcome.

This is a superb mystery. I just recently became acquainted with the books of Kate Ross, who recently died. Readers will enjoy the dramatic atmosphere of a villa on Lake Como and the welldrawn characters. Music lovers will also get a thrill out of this, because the plot focuses on opera singers and an unsolved murder. Julian Kestrel, a delightful aristocrat with an unusual past, and Dipper, his valet, travel to Italy to solve the mysterious death of a nobleman, who was a passionate lover of the opera. They are looking for the vanished tenor, Orpheo, who is suspected of the murder. Kestrel reminds me quite a bit of the Scarlet Pimpernel character.He is charming and a true gentleman, accompanied by his valet, of course. He becomes entranced with the lovely widow of the murdered nobleman and this romantic theme runs throughout the book. This combines plenty of melodrama and action. The reader will feel as they had gone back in time. This was one of the best historical mysteries I have read in a long time. Enjoy!

This book was delivered from Amazon.com by UPS in the early evening of June 2. I began reading it within an hour. I continued to read until I could no longer keep my eyes open due to how late it had become. I was so enthralled by the story that I actually called in sick to work so I could finish reading the book the next day. It is such an honest and emotional story that my eyes well up with tears many times before I reached the last page. If you don't come away from this book with a new opinion of Donny Osmond - The Man, then you simply cannot be human! I had no idea of what was going on "behind the scenes", but, I realize after reading this book that Donny is every bit as sensitive as I always believed he would be. How lucky Debbie is to have found such a gem for a husband!

Go ahead and place your order - you won't be disappointed!

Donny Osmond finally speaks candidly and honestly about his life growing up in showbuisiness , being one of the top teenage idols in the 1970s, and rebounding, albeit through many obstacles, to forge an adult career. Even when the industry cooled towards him, Donny never gave up, and that tenacity paid off with his five year stint as "Joseph" in the wonderful Andrew Lloyd Webber production and now with his sister Marie, hitting the air once again with thier successful talk show, "Donny And Marie". Even if you aren't a fan, I recommend reading this book. You'll come away with a new respect for this talented and gifted man. It's good to see him back so strongly!

You do not need to be a Donny Osmond fan, or an Osmond fan for that matter to appreciate the message in this book.
Read this book, and learn about the Osmond's strength in their spiritual beliefs; learn about Donny's severe social anxiety dissorder, and how he copes with it.

I strongly recomend this book!!

"See, in a instant I grown up. In a instant I took hold of my life." These are the words of Leshaya. She only thinks that she has begun to take hold of her life, but at age seven she has no clue what life has in store for her.
This book is about the hardships of a young girl and how she tries to overcome them. The beginning of the book is mysterious because it does not start the way you'd think it would. Although there are many things that go on, it is an exceptionally easy book to follow and understand. It is an excellent teen book and it teaches you lessons about life in general. I think that Leshaya is a lot like many people today in our world and I think that Born Blue displays the reality excellently.
This book is superb. I have read Born Blue before and as a result fell in love with it the first time I read it. It is one of my favorite books of all time. I think that the uncertainty of the inside cover makes the curious reader so intrigued that they just plunge into the book and do not want to stop. I feel as though any book in which this happens is worth reading and that Born Blue is without doubt one of those extraordinary books that is just waiting for another person to experience the splendors of reading.

- Nikki Jamison

Janie is the main character in Born Blue. She is born to a drug addict mother who nearly lets her drown at age four. That is when social services steps in and puts her in a foster home. It is here that she meets a foster brother, Harmon, who introduces her to the "ladies"--Aretha Franklin, Etta James, etc. She and Harmon would go to the basement of the "stink house" and listen to his tapes of the ladies. The words and the ladies' powerful voices burned into Janie's head. When Janie is seven, her birth mother kidnapps her and trades her for heroin. Her new parents are Mitch, a drug dealer, and Mama Shell, who becomes a user of them because she is so paranoid about having Janie. While there Janie changes her name to Leshaya. One day when she was returning from school, she sees the police taking both her parents away in handcuffs. At this point she starts running her own life. She finds Harmon again but the friendship is shortlived. She finds bands to sing with and her sultry, sexy, heartbroken, yearning voice is awesome. All she ever wants to do is sing and be famous. Unfortunately, Leshaya is also drawn to drugs and alcohol which affects her judgment. She ends up pregnant at twelve years old. Will she follow the path her own mother took or will she take the higher road and devote herself to this child? Two characters lives end in this book. You'll have to read it to find out who and how their lives tragically end.
Han Nolan addresses many issues in Born Blue. These are serious issues that many young adults face. By age twelve, Janie has lived with five sets of parents, experienced drugs, alcohol, sex, unwanted pregnancy, and an eating disorder. Just pick up this riveting novel and watch how Janie's own self destructive behavior and flawed decision making send her life on a downward spiral.

This book was absolutely fantastic!!! I could not put down this adventurous book about a girl who has been fostered since she was about 5. She has a passion for singing and has had a dream to become famous with her outstanding voice. Between her drug adict mother and all of her foster parents she has ventured off into the world and found herself in many relationships.She has also found herself in situations that have not been very beneficial except for her darling daughter Etta. I wish there were a sequel to this book because of its mind-blowing ending!

Wow, Ms. Halliwell certainly went through something to achieve fame and fortune. Then she reinvented herself when she went solo. I sometimes couldn't put this book down because it was so catchy. Even though Ms. Halliwell has a penchant for being a good liar, many accounts of her life seem like they were open and sincere. But there will always be disputes, even if Ms. Halliwell says that everyone has his or her version of the truth.

For example, did she share the popcorn she stole at the Tank Girl audition with Victoria Adams (the future Posh Spice) as she claimed she did? Adams (later Beckham) mentioned in her autobiography that she refused the popcorn because it was stolen. Did Ms. Halliwell leave the Spice Girls because she couldn't do it anymore, or was it because of a power struggle with a fellow band member? Is she committed to the cause of breast cancer, or is it simply a publicity stunt?

I started to read this book in the beginning of the year 2002 and I finished it fifth septemper 2003. I had read only about fourty pages in a year but finally I stated reading it more. I couldn't stop. This story caught me with it like hurricane. I had to know what's happening next.

Well, the beginning may not be so interesting when she tells about her family but I was interested in it. I realized that Geri was almost like me when I was young, maybe his family was even poorer than mine. Geri tells almost everything about her relatives, her very good brother Max, her mother and father. Her father was closer to her than her mother.

Geri tells about how she at first started to be a dance girl in the bars, a glamour model etc. She even was in a Turkish program. She had many jobs and she tried very hard, and as a stroke of luck she got an oportunity to be in a girl band. She had to learn hard and finally she was a very good singer and dancer.

There's very much about the Spice Girls times. She tells how were her relationships to Spice Girls during the time. Who was the nearest person to her and why she left the Spice Girls. SHe tells about the media who was telling lies and always watching her. She tells about her charity work also very much.

Geri was a person, just like every one of us. She had only luck, she worked hard, she was very ambititious. She was a friendly person, she had feeling just like us. She cried, was happy, was said, she laughed etc.

She made very good job in Africa and everywhere to help the people to know about the cancer and other stuff in the health care. She tells a different kind of story about Africa that we may think.

This story is not only an excellent story about Geri Halliwell, "Ginger Spice" but also a good book for all those who want to know the advantages and disadvantages of being famous. Some things changes when you don't have to do everything. You become more vulnerable if it all disappears. This is also a good book for those who think that famous people aren't like normal persons. For me this book was a good psycological treatment. It touched me and helped me to keep on living.

In this book Geri Halliwell tells about the difficulties she had in her childhood. I have also difficulties, so it was great to see that she has also had. It made me feel good because now I know I can be a star if I only try.

The story is long but it is also very nice. The best book I've ever read after the Bible!!