#BookReview: The Whitney I Knew - Bebe Winans

When I saw the announcement of this book in June, my first thought was, "It's too soon.  Has she been properly grieved yet and people are putting out books?"  I admit upfront that I'm a Whitney stan.  From the moment I saw her singing You Give Good Love on Video Soul, I was hooked.  She was gorgeous and her voice was heavenly.  So you'll understand that I took her death personally and stayed in bed the day of her funeral, watching it from beginning to end as the choir sang and her friends and family remembered her.

Through the comments and singing, I was able to maintain my composure.  Then BeBe Winans stepped up to talk about his "sister" and brought his birth sister, CeCe with him.  I've followed the careers of BeBe and CeCe since the late 80s, so I was aware that Whitney appeared on some of their early tracks and that they were friends.  I knew that Whitney and CeCe were like sisters, but was not aware of how close Whitney and BeBe were until he began recounting stories of their times together.  His words and his singing brought tears to my eyes then and again as I read The Whitney I Knew.

With Winans' words, readers are reminded that what we see of celebrities is not all there is.  Though to some it feels as though this book was rushed out to capitalize on Houston's fame, I think it was an attempt to humanize her.  Winans shares stories of Whitney that aren't well known.  For example, for her 26th birthday, Michael Jackson sent her a monkey.  Perhaps it was because he was living a secluded lifestyle and knew the loneliness that came with fame, so he decided to give her a companion.  Whitney, however, laughed it off and said that monkey was getting dropped off at the zoo!

I loved that Winans was close enough to her to see the regular girl from Jersey side of her and share a few glimpses into their friendship.  He talked about how she loved to talk on the phone and how she would invite him and CeCe over for lunch as if New Jersey and Tennessee were right next door.  The stories of how she would pop up at their concerts and sing background as if it were the most natural thing in the world and as if she weren't THE Whitney Houston or how she claimed the entire Winans clan as family from the moment she met them made her all the more charming.

I was slightly taken aback at how Winans weaved stories of other celebrities in, at times it seemed that he was name dropping just to prove how close he was to them.  At one point, he brings up Vanessa Williams and the incident that caused her to give up her Miss America title.  All I could think was, "You had to bring up Vanessa though? I mean, she's somewhere minding her business and you're rehashing a story from 30 years ago. Seriously, BeBe???"

Overall, this book is a testament to the friendship and kinship that Winans had with Houston.  With the offering of pictures from personal family collections and rarely seen video footage, Winans welcomes fans of Houston to see her as he, and those closest to her, saw her.  It's a glimpse you won't want to miss.

272pp
Published: July 2012
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher, opinions are my own.

 

Theme: Jesus Loves Me by Whitney Houston

#BookReview: Destiny's Divas - Victoria Christopher Murray

90s R & B superstar Raine Omari had the career most people dreamed of, but she walked away from that life to fully embrace her love of the Lord.  More than that, she wanted the freedom to express her Christianity through her music and use her life's testimony as a witness to others.  And she decided to bring along a few more singers to help her out. 

Twenty something Sierra Dixon is certifiably nuts.  Actually, calling her nuts is an understatement.  Damaged goods, she was raised in a home with an alcoholic mother who dictated to her a list of things to do, and not to do, to trap and keep a man.  Sierra has more issues than the New York Times, but she doesn't see it that way.  She's just doing what she has to do to get ahead, even if that means lying about being celibate to retain her membership in the country's hottest new group, Destiny's Divas.

First lady Liza Washington has been hiding a secret for twenty-eight years.  From the outside, she appears to have the perfect marriage to her mega church pastor-husband.  As the forty something member of the group, her life is supposed to be a testimony to longevity and endurance in marriage.  In actuality, her husband has been shadier than an oak tree of late and Liza fears that it's just a matter of time before his actions bring the world crashing down around her.

The group organizer, Raine Omari, has it all.  She's in love with her husband and would do anything for her daughter.  But how can she testify about unconditional love when she can't stand her mother-in-law?  Truth be told, her mother-in-law, Beerlulu, could drive anyone ever the edge, but her meddling ways threaten to harm Raine's daughter and drive a wedge between Raine and her husband.

I found that though I felt sorry for Raine and Liza, I didn't have much sympathy for Sierra.  While the other women seemed changed by their situations, Sierra's damaged thoughts were too deep to have simply been changed without benefit of therapy or medication.  You don't go off the deep end one day and hop back up a month later like everything is everything.  Perhaps she talked it out with someone, but the author didn't mention it, so I have to assume that she was as nutty at the end as she was in the beginning. 

Even though Destiny's Divas is 400 pages, it's a quick read as you try to find out how each woman will deal with her situation.  I was amused by the author's reference to current places and people.  She referenced Hue-Man bookstore, an actual bookstore in Harlem that's scheduled to close soon, and a comment she heard Melissa Harris-Perry, host of the Melissa Harris-Perry Show, make.  If you're a fan of Victoria Christopher Murray's previous works, this does not disappoint.

400pp
Published: June 201
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher; opinions are my own.

 

Theme: God's Grace by Trin-i-tee 5-7

#BookReview: Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny - Nile Rodgers

Even if you don't know his name, and I can't imagine you don't, but if you don't, you know Nile Rodgers' music.  A writer, musician and producer, you can almost bet that at any given moment, a radio station some place on earth is playing a Nile Rodgers' song.  We'll get into the songs in a just a minute, but for now, let's talk about Nile himself.

Born to a 13 year old mother, Nile's upbringing was anything but conventional.  I would go so far as to say that the phrase, "sex, drugs and rock & roll" accurately describes his youth.  A few years later his mother would go on to marry, not Nile's biological father, but Bobby, a Jewish salesman that wasn't much older than her.  As Beverly and Bobby experimented more with drugs, their surroundings changed, so it wasn't uncommon for Nile and his brothers to live in Greenwich Village one day and Alphabet City or Hell's Kitchen the next.

As his mother tried to get herself together, Nile went to live with his grandmother and began an endless stream of flights back and forth from California to New York as his mother summoned him and sent him away.  The one bright light in all of this chaos was his discovery of a love for music.  It almost seemed like as soon as he felt he was old enough to handle life on his own, he made a break from the yo-yo lifestyle he'd been leading.  Thank goodness he did.

Starting with the Big Apple Band, Rodgers would partner with bassist Bernard Edwards and go on to compose, write, produce, perform or play on some of the biggest hits of the last 40 years.  As Chic, Rodgers and Edwards just wanted to make good music.  Neither was concerned with being the front man, which made them the perfect house musicians for artists like Luther Vandross and Ashford & Simpson.  Their production and writing skills brought us Sister Sledge's We Are Family and He's the Greatest Dancer.  I still bump Diana Ross' Upside Down and I'm Coming Out.  And though Rodgers and Edwards split in the 80s, Rodgers went on to work on albums for Madonna (the complete Like A Virgin album), David Bowie (Let's Dance), Duran Duran (The Reflex), Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson and Prince, to name a few.

What did you like about this book?
I learned a lot about Rodgers.  I guess I'd never really given him much thought prior to receiving this book, but he really has written the soundtrack of my life.  He's lead quite an interesting life and has overcome what would be insurmountable circumstances for others.

What didn't you like about this book?
Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything.

What could the author do to improve this book?
I went into this expecting to get a lot more gossip or back stories of Rodgers' friends.  I guess because they were his friends, he didn't really give up as much as I expected him to.

336pp
Published: Oct. 18, 2011

Theme: Dance, Dance, Dance by Chic

  

#BookReview: Platinum - Aliya S. King

If you're old enough to have been reading in the early 80s, you'll remember all of the hubbub over Jackie Collins' Hollywood Wives. Just in case you're not familiar with it, it's the beginning of her steamy series about what goes on in the lives of some of the most rich and famous, but of course, names have been changed to protect the innocent.  Part of the fun in reading her books was trying to figure out who was whom.

With Platinum, Aliya S. King has become the millennium's version of Jackie Collins.  Think Hollywood Wives then replace it with the world of rap.  Think west coast and then replace it with the east coast.  Think scheming and conniving characters, then...think scheming and conniving characters.

Freelance writer Alex Maxwell is engaged to an up and coming rapper.  She's covered some of the biggest names in the industry.  An assignment from Vibe finds her interviewing the wives, fiances and girlfriends of some of the most famous men on the east coast.

Beth Saddlebrook, wife of aging rapper "Z", has been with her husband since she was 15 and he rescued her from her impoverished life in West Virginia.  The mother of four, with another on the way, she's lived a pretty spectacular life.  That's if you don't count the verbal and occasionally physical abuse, along with the cheating and drug use.  As Z's career begins its descent, his behavior becomes more sporadic and Beth is sure he's using again.

Kipenzi Hill is Beth's best friend and a star in her own right.  Working in the industry since she was 3, Kipenzi is more than ready to get out of the game and marry her long time boyfriend Jake.

The elegant Josephine Bennett is married to the hottest producer in the game.  Josephine has everything she ever wanted in Ras.  She's happy with her home and her design business.  She'd be even happier if she was able to conceive.

And finally there's Cleo Wright. Cleo's not married or dating any high powered men.  She merely sleeps with them for blackmail purposes.  Every man that's ever used her is about to have his life disrupted.  She's about to score a big payday with her tell all novel co-written with Alex Maxwell.

What did you like about this book?
This is the perfect beach read.  Though there are some disturbing moments here and there, the story never gets weighed down by them.

What didn't you like about this book?
There's been a lot of speculation on the web about whom the characters in Platinum are based on.  With few exceptions, I didn't like the characters enough to even try to figure it out.

What could the author do to improve this book?
Though I didn't particularly care for some of the characters, I can't help but to think that was the author's intention.  I would still be interested in reading a sequel because King does a great job of leaving the reader in suspense.



308pp
Published July 2010



Theme: All I Need by Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige

#BookReview: CHORE WHORE: Adventures of a Celebrity Personal Assistant - Heather H. Howard

HILARIOUS! If you're a fan of The Nanny Diaries or The Devil Wears Prada, run to your nearest bookstore or library and pick up this book.

Single mother and personal assistant extraordinaire, Corki Brown is called on to do everything from picking out birthday presents for Steven Spielberg to planning her employer's wedding, redecorating her house AND carrying around the employer's fiance's mother's ashes! With a Rolodex that most would envy, Corki carries off even the most ridiculous of tasks without batting an eye.

Based on her own experience as a personal assistant in Hollywood for over 20 years, I can only imagine some of the drama that the author has witnessed. My only wish is that she would do a follow up or at least give us hints as to whom her characters are based on. This book was a quick, light hearted read.

288 p.
Published: February 2006

Purchase: Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound

#BookReview: Ritz Harper Goes to Hollywood - Wendy Williams

Don't judge me! I know there's no middle ground with Wendy Williams. You either love her or you hate her. I LOVE Wendy! She's over the top. She asks questions that no one else will ask. She doesn't apologize for who she is or doing what she does to get what she wants. That being said, she needs to apologize for this book. If you've read the first two Ritz Harper books, you know that they're loosely based on her life.

In this third installation, Ritz has bounced back from a failed hit on her life and the death of her baby daughter. She's back with a vengeance and ready to take on television (sound familiar?). With the help of her trusty producer, Chas, Ritz strikes out for Hollywood, only to find that while she may be the Queen of All Media in New York, people in Hollywood haven't a clue as to who she is. Chas has set up a meeting with Rutger, his bisexual lover who is also the head of the Big Four networks. In other words, he's the person that can green light projects. Rutger is turned off by Ritz's attitude and sends her to a colleague of his that specializes in "diversity" projects.

What ensues is an unbelievable interaction with the diversity czar, his mammy-like housekeeper, a cotton field in his backyard, and a shrine to all things portraying black women in a degrading light. Ritz emerges from her "session" with him armed with a contract and the rest is history.

Did I say it was unbelievable? It's unbelievable. I can go for some far fetched writing here and there, but this was absolutely ridiculous. I know, I know. Wendy never claimed writing was her thing. She should stick to what she does best, giving us good gossip.

#BookReview: The True Story of Florence Ballard - Maxine Ballard

Self-serving...Those are the only words I can come up with to accurately describe this bio of former Supreme, Florence Ballard. Written by her sister, Maxine "Precious" Ballard, who by the way is selling this 147-page bio for $ 49.95, is nothing more than a recap of what you already know about Florence and her tumultuous time with the Supremes and her life after.

While one-third of the book is about Florence, the rest is entirely about Maxine, her desire to be a singer (even though early in the book she says she wasn't interested in singing, just dancing), and pictures of Maxine and her relatives. I'm guessing that "Precious" didn't do research on pricing, otherwise she would have known that no one is going to pay $ 49.95 for a small, double spaced, large font, poorly written book. Or perhaps she thought that the love of the fans would be enough to get them to pay for anything about Florence. She's wrong.

#BookReview: Stormy Weather: the Life of Lena Horne - James Gavin

I can't decide if I didn't like this book or Lena Horne herself. The author portrays her has an airhead in some instances and as an evil shrew in others. She's a victim of Ethel Waters in some sections and a "feeling a need to marry a white man to secure her place in society" woman in others. While I know she can be all of these things, it's hard to reconcile these images with what I've read about her before.

I'll admit that the previous bio that I read,The Hornes, was written by her daughter, Gail Lumet Buckley, so it's entirely possible that she sugarcoated it to portray her mother in the best light. The author does a good job of referencing other bios about Ms. Horne and quotes them so that there's no need to go back and forth doing comparisons.

If you're not familiar with Lena Horne, you may be shocked to read how she viewed herself, her place in society and her place in Hollywood. You'll need to decide for yourself whether or not it's worth reading.