Rating: 
Summary: The Victim's Victim
Review: A fascinating train wreck between white trash porn-chic celebrity and screeching Feminist moral indignance, this book is a classic. It succeeds in appealing to the "men-are-beasts" mentality of Reagan-era women's-lib at the same time that it feeds sado-masochistic fantasies that are more genuine than anything that you can get in today's work-a-day corporate porn. Linda wanted to be a star, and when she became famous for "Deep Throat", she found herself the icon of an American cultural zeitgeist. But fame is fleeting, and faded stars become bitter. Enter flaming Feminist crusaders who drafted her in the backlash against the sexual revolution. Only too eager to grasp at the echo of her former glory by tearfully recounting a tale of sorrow (she was a victim of abuse, you see, a white slave), she rode a moralistic fad as far as it would take her, which, it turns out, wasn't far. Even Feminists came around to the idea that sexual freedom is an individual right, leaving only the Fundamentalists to rail against porn. But Linda wasn't suited to appearances on the 700 Club (she looked kind of like one of those regretful Manson women they trot out for parole hearings) so she eventually ended up doing minor publicity work at porn companies when she died tragically in an auto accident. She was a product of the sixties, brazen, sensitive, wounded, and this book is a great relic of the Me-decade '70s and reactionary '80s. We've all moved on, porn is a national institution, and Linda lovelace is a sad, beautiful, crazy part of our sexual maturation. RIP, Linda.
Rating:
Summary: The Victim's Victim
Review: A fascinating train wreck between white trash porn-chic celebrity and screeching Feminist moral indignance, this book is a classic. It succeeds in appealing to the "men-are-beasts" mentality of Reagan-era women's-lib at the same time that it feeds sado-masochistic fantasies that are more genuine than anything that you can get in today's work-a-day corporate porn. Linda wanted to be a star, and when she became famous for "Deep Throat", she found herself the icon of an American cultural zeitgeist. But fame is fleeting, and faded stars become bitter. Enter flaming Feminist crusaders who drafted her in the backlash against the sexual revolution. Only too eager to grasp at the echo of her former glory by tearfully recounting her tale of sorrow (she was a victim of abuse, you see, a white slave), she rode a moralistic fad as far as it would take her, which, it turns out, wasn't far. Even Feminists came around to the idea that sexual freedom is an individual right, leaving only the Fundamentalists to rail against porn. But Linda wasn't suited to appearances on the 700 Club (she looked kind of like one of those regretful Manson women they trot out for parole hearings) so she eventually ended up doing minor publicity work at porn companies when she died tragically in an auto accident. She was a product of the sixties, brazen, sensitive, wounded, and this book is a great relic of the Me-decade '70s and reactionary '80s. We've all moved on, porn is a national institution, and Linda lovelace is a sad, beautiful, crazy part of our sexual maturation. RIP, Linda.
Rating: 
Summary: saddened
Review: After reading this book I became uncomfortably obsessed with Linda and her life of hell at the hands of a truly evil person.I have spent many hours trying to find information on her.I need to know what has happened to her since those days.Where is she now? Does anyone know?
Rating:
Summary: I've read it at least 3 times....
Review: I am a 29 year old mother of a toddler. I first read this book when I was in junior high school. I found it in my mother's library collection of books - and this was at a time when I loved to read anything I could get my hands on. I realize that at age 12 I had no business reading such a book (and my mother still doesn't know that I have HER book to this day.) I found it to be chilling. I had never known anything about the porn industry - and why would I? I was 12. The one thing that stood out in my mind was how she had been controlled and manipulated to doing things that NO PERSON should ever have to experience. I read the book again during my senior year in high school and again my sophmore year in college. Perhaps I just really tripped off of her whole experience. Perhaps I was reminding myself that I was much stronger than she ever was. I applaud her for bringing out the truth and not glamorizing the porn industry. I still wonder - what ever happened to her? I hope she's well and I hope that the scars of her past, stay in the past.
Rating:
Summary: I'm Somewhat Skeptical
Review: I first read "Ordeal" when I was in 6th grade. Much like one of the other reviewers, I found it on my mother's bookshelf, and my friend and I proceeded to read it every morning on the bus to school. I was far too naive and innocent to fully understand what I was reading, but I knew it was wrong. I fully realized how wrong once my mother found out I had read the book and it quickly vanished from the library. I can't help but wonder if I was somewhat affected by what I had read in later years. I knew, many years later, however, that I did want to read the book again.Now, almost 20 years later, I have done just that. Ordeal was a very difficult book to get through. However, it took me only three days to read. I felt quite nauseous reading parts, I was moved to tears at others. I am also not quite fully convinced as to Ms. Lovelace's allegations towards Chuck Traynor. While I would like to believe that she told the truth in describing her horrific stories of abuse, I just can't fathom how someone could live through all of that torture and abuse. I also have a hard time understanding how her family seemed to look the other way, especially after she answered the door in the nude. I have never seem any of Linda Lovelace's films, so I do not know how she appeared in terms of her reaction/pleasure/etc... I do not have any intention of seeing her films, after haven read the book, but I am left with a lot of questions.
Rating:
Summary: Strangely attracting
Review: I found this book also hidden in my mother's library of books(maybe some strange must have for mothers?), and read it in the 9th grade. While Linda Boreman's life was a horrific experience , I took joy in reading her book. It is something I shared with all of my friends, and would encourage others to read. Unfortunately mine was stolen by a friend so I no longer have it(sort of like how I stole it from my mother). I would however buy the book in paperback and used, for the price is a tad bit too high. Also Linda Lovelace recently died and was an activist against the abuse in the pornography industry. Highly recommened read.
Rating: 
Summary: Some Details You Might Not Know
Review: I had a copy of this book 20 or so years ago and got Chuck Traynor to autograph it for me, this via a friend who was in the gun business with him.
I was told that the book was very accurate, including the part about Sammy Davis, Jr., who called Chuck when the book was published and wanted to sue LL. They discussed the matter and decided that any such suit would only give more publicity to the book and increase sales, so no suit was filed. The book was never a big seller, so obviously they made the correct choice.
Although Traynor was into smuggling marajuana and other criminal enterprises he was not convicted of anything, at least not when I knew of him in the early 80's so he was able to buy and sell fully automatic firearms and in fact got a nice Uzi, Mac10 w/ suppressor and a Greasegun from me, also an Auto Ordinance Thompson.
Chuck later married Marylin Chambers and they lived in Las Vegas for some years. Don't know what ever happened to him, might still be there.
Rating:
Summary: Very powerful read
Review: I think that it is so sad that people could make less of what happened to Linda Boreman. She is a victim in every sense of the word. It is terrifying to read reviews, especially when they seem to be written by women, that downplay Mrs. Boreman's trauma. She is candid, truthful, and is generous enough to recount her awful experiences. Maybe we should all take the time to understand and embrace what Boreman is saying, instead of criticizing and abasing a survivor.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to believe...
Review: I was slightly aware of Linda Lovelace's problems with the pornography industry after viewing the "E! True Hollywood Story on 'Deep Throat.'" The show intrigued me enough to purchase Lovelace's autobiography and account of her dealings with the porn industry. In her book Lovelace describes horrible acts that she was "forced" to perform by her husband at the time, Chuck Traynor. Unfortunately, while I believe she took part in these horrible acts, I cannot believe her story that she was "forced" by Traynor. I'm sure the man was hard to live with and was extremely controlling, but Lovelace had numerous opportunities to escape but she gives lame excuses in the book as to why she didn't and remains to "play the victim." This book is a quick but frightening read. If you are interested in the inside dealings of the porn industry or the legend of "Deep Throat," pick this book up. It's up to you whether you believe Lovelace's story or not. I attempted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but her stories were far too unbelieveable to give credence to them.
Rating:
Summary: Anti-Porn
Review: I was very surprised when I read the other reviews of Linda Lovelace's autobiography on this site. The crimes committed against this woman were horrible. And for those who say she's lying, you are just trying to pretend that we live in a world where the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus make everything chirper. Reading this book could help protect some young girl from being victimized by the porn industry or men in general the way Lovelace was. Go ask any woman you know. Probably every one can tell you an experience she has had where some dirty old (or young) man has tried to paw her just because he thinks it's ok. If you want to be outraged that this kind of sexual abuse happens then you must be willing to take a stand against the sexual mistreatment of women in all forms.
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