My Life Story
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Gladys Knight turns her talents to writing with this, her autobiography. It is very simply written in an almost cryptic style. Although this makes for easy reading it also leads to some very dull moments when her cropped delivery leads to tedium. The thing which most sticks in my mind about this biography is that I might just as well have been reading Aretha Franklin's, Tina Turner's or Martha Reeves. Their stories are almost identical. They all came from underprivelidged backgrounds, they all had religious parents, they all sang gospel before turning to secular music, they all had early pregnancies, they were all exploited by the music buisness. Most importantly they all suffered at the hands of inadequate partners who were usually drugs reliant. It isn't just that the facts of their lives were similar but their attitudes were as well. They all over-exaggerate the significance of their triumphs. they all consider themselves to be the strongest characters in their families and the best role models for their children. They all have digs at rivals they do not like. For Martha Reeves it was Diana Ross, for Gladys Knight it is Aretha Franklin. Everybody has had their own demons to overcome. For many it is drugs or drink, for Gladys it was gambling. Like the other soul deva's she cannot resist giving us the benefit of her homespun philosophies on everything from civil rights to drug abuse. When I bought this book I didn't realise I was inheriting an agony aunt. Despite its faults, and there are many of them, it does hold the readers interest for most of the time, but it is nothing out of the ordinary and at £14.99 very overpriced. Reading this book was no different to reading countless other biographies of soul singers. Maybe this is the kind of melting pot which gives soul its inspiration. It is almost a cliche to say that real artists must suffer. Whatever the reasoning, of one thing there can be little doubt. This book is nothing more than a bog standard offering. |
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Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
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