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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A tell-all that finally tells-all
Review: WARNING: This is a book that you cannot put down once you start! I circulated this book to about 10 of my friends and each one started and finished the book in the same day/night/wee morning hours - it's just that good. The writing style of the book is great, it reads quickly and it is a lot of fun - Janice and her editors did a great job of shaping the book. Unlike the poor writing in "The Devil Wears Prada", this book actually is written in a style that fits the subject matter perfectly - the tone and pace of the book complement the subject-matter which absolutely rocks! Buy this book for yourself, for a friend, whomever, just be prepared to lose yourself for a good four to five hours!
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