Rating:  Summary: Blooper Model Not Super Model Review: Another tale of woe from another burned out drugged out quasi-celeb looking to make a buck. Yes I remember Janice D back in the 70s largely because she was one of a handful of ethnic looking models to grace the pages of America's fashion magazines admist a sea of blonde Christie Brinkley clones. She was never quite the superstar she proclaims herself to be though. Like some of the reviewers previously stated, she was not the first "supemodel". The first non-blonde to grab that title was 13-year-old Brooke Shields not Janice D. True she may have been a victim of childhood sexual abuse and parental neglect but that is a subject many non-celebs could write about.
Yes she did have her brief moment of fame in the 70s but her graphic profanity-laced descriptions of her sexual exploits among the rich and famous and not so rich and famous is a bit redundant. Her claims that every man who laid eyes upon her instantly desired her is also terribly boring and repetitive. Most of the famous men she claimed to have bedded were already involved with models much more famous than she. She was probably just a temporary diversion for them while they were out on the road.
If you want to read the fabricated tale of a druggie quasi celeb living in a mostly fabricated past then this is the book for you. I purchased my copy from the Goodwill for $1.99 which is all it is worth.
Rating:  Summary: A Bi-Polar ride Review: I really enjoyed this book. Books that talk crap are my favorite guilty pleasure. Dickinson is brave for being able to tell her story of abuse and neglect. She is candid and honest about her mistakes. In the end, she comes to realize that she can choose her own destiny. I believe people who think Janice blames everything on her sexually,physically, and emotionally abusive father are being apathetic. You don't grow up in a home where Daddy beats you up if you don't blow him and come out a sane person. She didn't have the same support system that abuse-survivor Oprah had. Survivors react differently depending on there circumstances.(supportive parent or adult, higher economic status)She goes through the book relating her behavior to her past for the first time in her life, and its the only way one can heal. You have to learn where behavior patterns come from in order to change them. She wrote this book to help people so they can learn from her mistakes. You have to remember, for most of her life she didn't have therapy and child abuse was not talked about in her day. This is a pre Oprah,pre Lifetime Channel, pre war on drugs, beginning-of the feminist movement world we are talking about. O.k now for the critique... Her psychological review of herself is overly simplistic and obvious,and the first supermodel thing is annoying. Also annoying, her admitted lying to the producers of HBO's GIA, her suggestion that she inspired CK underwear, and her obvious self-acknowledge self importance. I v'e read the Gia bio, so I was also annoyed when Janice said she believed, she had made it too easy on Gia, who never cared much about modeling. Was Gia suppose to be grateful that Janice made it possible for her to be a model? Is Janice really responsible for Gia's success? She rambles and is repetitive.
But janice as the first Asian/Polish/Celtic supermodel. Oh yeah and get over her language use.
Rating:  Summary: Wow Review: I wanted to read this book because I thought it would be an entertaining read, and it was, and so much more. I started reading this book Sunday morning and was unable to put it down until I finished it. She is an amazing woman. Her writting has so much personality. I was discusted, sad, I laughed, I cried. This is the best book I've read. I just loved it. Janice is incredible.
Rating:  Summary: Hate the game not the model.. Review: Janice Dickinson delivers a thoughtful memoir. Her first book entitled, "No Lifeguard on Duty: The Accidental Life of the World's First Supermodel" is really a great read. From the beginning, Janice captures my interest and keeps it until the very end.
Her book is chock full of stories (and pictures) ranging from her childhood years with an abusive father to pre-teen angst, becoming the world's first documented supermodel and her many lovers and modeling assignments. Of course the secrets she reveals from the famed Studio 54 days to bickering models is also fun to read. Her memoir takes us through a roller coaster of feelings and emotions, she can at times make you laugh and just about make you shed a tear or two but most of all she makes you shakes your head and smile. Her memories include many heartbreaking moments and many triumphs. She is a 'real' woman who never stops until she gets what she wants or makes sure she gets her point across..She's fearless and its refreshing to read her lifestory.
Rating:  Summary: Into the world of catwalks Review: Janice Dickinson is the bitchy judge on America's Top Model. After reading her autobiography, you understand why and come to respect this woman. She is up-front and in your face, tell it as she likes it. The numerous allusions she makes to the people she knows who later become famous are amazing and tremendously fascinating. This book definitely plunges you right into her world. Janice expects to sympathies just that you know the truth.
Rating:  Summary: Honest and Brutal Review: Janice Dickinson surprised me greatly by this well written book in the tradition of the lights of Marquise de Sade. Few books I have read breathe of such honesty. You can feel the knives going into her as she was writing this, the cruel treatment of her own self and the lust for life that has driven Ms Dickinson to be such a beautiful woman. Of course, this kind of determination only works with a delectable bone structure and an exotic personality, and as previous reviewers have mentioned, there is plenty of evidence Janice is bootylicious.Frankly having seen Janice lying through her teeth (or amusing herself) on a talk show with Gia Carangi as the subject, where she proclaimed that on the topic of playing the field and taking drugs she felt like she was "left out of something", I was much surprised at finding this such an honest book. There is nothing, NOTHING, PC about Janice. Moreover this is really one of the greatest books of its kind. Strangely enough it reminds me of Gogol! She makes that curious contact with the reader - all of a sudden she reaches out and you are right with her as she writes this remarkable tale of her life. If you have no problem with dirty words, if you love art and you don't consider a person inane because of their overt usage of foul language, this is the book for you. Highly recommended!
Rating:  Summary: Honest memoir by an early super model Review: Janice Dickinson was one of the first models who not only broke the mold of the blonde, pale and WASP-y supermodel but turned it on upside down, in the tradition of Gia Carangi, Cindy Crawford and Beverly Johnson. Born with looks that turned heads and drove men to their knees, Dickinson was not as blessed when it came to her personal life and self-image. She seemed destined to self-destruct but somehow managed to recreate herself until time, drugs and her past caught up with her. Does this sound like just another dreary tale of a beautiful woman who let fame go to her head. drugs muddle her brain and life pass her by? Think again. Pick this one up and I doubt you'll put it down again till you've read every sentence. FOr one thing, Dickinson has the courage to spill almost all about the ups and downs of her life (although I'd LOVE to read what she doesn't reveal) and that, in itself, is compelling. She's honest about many of her flaws and revealing about the lives of celebrities who cross her path, including Sylvester Stallone, Christie Brinkley, Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and others. This makes for a juicy read. I'll leave it to you to decide what is true and what isn't. What I CAN say is that this book definitely isn't boring or dry. CAUTION: There are some nude photos in the photo spread so, depending on your values, you may not want to leave this one lying around the house.
Rating:  Summary: Janice is HEAT! Review: My only knowledge of Janice Dickinson was that she supposedly had Sly Stallone's child and there was some type scandal. I bought this book because I love beautiful women and biographies about the fast life in the 70s. This book satisfies on both counts. Not only is Janice beautiful but also virtually every other supermodel till the 90s is mentioned or pictured in the book. Janice describes her destructive family life and through the typical desire and luck worms her way into the modeling business. Still only on the fringes of the business, she describes her European trips and how she is finally able to generate the heat necessary to grow into a supermodel. Of course, this leads to the failed marriages, self-destructive life style including sex and drugs, and an attitude to eventually hurt her career. But this wild life makes an interesting read even though it is lightly written. A second part of the book deals with life after modeling, her final two marriages, birth of her kids, her Stallone affair and the death of her father. It's almost sad at this point to see a person who had it all and how she had so many problems living happily. But that's the interesting part of the book seeing how she copes. Some of us are built to go to work every day. And some, like Janice are built to live on the edge and reach for the stars. She may not be perfect but it was an interesting lifestyle although I suspect the Christian Coalition wouldn't agree. Read the book for fun.
Rating:  Summary: Juicy, Juicy, Juicy Review: This book is "read it in one night" good. As soon as you start you are hooked. One minute you hate her, the next you are feeling sorry for her and then there are even times you identify with her! Her wild mood swings and brutal honestly keep this book flowing. One super juicy read! Everyone I have loaned it to was instantly hooked.
Rating:  Summary: What a story Review: This book reminded me of Jackie Collins books such as Hollywood Wives or Chances. She would pick a central female character who was beautiful, cavort with the rich and famous and Hollywood's elite, and jetset off to exotic locales. She might be a bitch or drama queen and flawed, yet intriguing,and a survivor. Naturally, there would be a plethora of high octane sexual encounters.
Of course, the main difference is Jackie Collins work was fiction, with names altered to protect the guilty. This is the real deal, and proof that truth is not only stranger than fiction but ultimately more interesting. Real names are used such as Jack Nicholson, Sly Stallone, Bruce Willis, Mick Jagger, and Warren Beatty, but strangely enough no mention of Dustin Hoffman LOL.
I have noticed myself that some women who have an abusive father, hate the parent, also hate themselves because they accept and agree with what is being said.
Yet, ironically they become what they hate most, and act out in similar ways as the parent ie they unconsciously go looking for the familiar ie an abusive jerk thinking that scorn will somehow turn into approval. Or, as in this case also become self destructive, and abuse drugs and alcohol.
If they do meet someone who is decent, then they become (what they hate)the abuser to provoke the abuse. It's a no win situation. It is interesting to see how she finally gets to grip with this in the end, her epiphany. For that alone this book is well worth reading.
She did treat one decent guy particularly badly. He wasn't contrary enough. She slept with two other guys in the same week, rubbed his nose in it, left him and got pregnant. But who was the father? Was it the movie star, the artist guy her friend set her up with, or her boyfriend, the Hollywood movie producer?
I have to say this book is well written, and I read it over a weekend. She tells her tale with indefatigable alacrity, to coin a phrase.
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