Rating: 
Summary: This is the book that SUMMER wanted to write!
Review: Some reviewers have been highly critical of Summer's bio because she doesn't dwell on the making of her legendary disco hits. Others claim that the singer doesn't titillate enough on the "seamier" sides of the music biz. To those critics, I say, to quote from one the singer's seminal hits, "Enough is Enough". Summer has written a fascinating book that combines a "how-to" for recording success along with a primer for having constructive familial and spousal relationships. Throughout the book, Summer cites much of her achievements as the result of Divine Intervention; such references are clear testaments of the singer's unbending faith. She never comes across as preachy but as one who has weathered many personal and professional storms and never lost her faith. She mentions the many that have had a major impact on her development as a performer, wife, mother, and woman. Summer remains faithful to those that contributed to her ascension to the top of popular music, offering revealing anecdotes on Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart, her husband Bruce, her three daughters, and one-time neighbor and lifelong friend Sophia Loren. The abundance of pics from her collection is a welcome addition to a truly inspiring work. And the fact that Miss Summer revels in her Christianity makes her far from "ordinary" in the entertainment industry. Perhaps, she should've called the book "Heavenly Girl".
Rating:
Summary: This is the book that SUMMER wanted to write!
Review: Some reviewers have been highly critical of Summer's bio because she doesn't dwell on the making of her legendary disco hits. Others claim that the singer doesn't titillate enough on the "seamier" sides of the music biz. To those critics, I say, to quote from one the singer's seminal hits, "Enough is Enough". Summer has written a fascinating book that combines a "how-to" for recording success along with a primer for having constructive familial and spousal relationships. Throughout the book, Summer cites much of her achievements as the result of Divine Intervention; such references are clear testaments of the singer's unbending faith. She never comes across as preachy but as one who has weathered many personal and professional storms and never lost her faith. She mentions the many that have had a major impact on her development as a performer, wife, mother, and woman. Summer remains faithful to those that contributed to her ascension to the top of popular music, offering revealing anecdotes on Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart, her husband Bruce, her three daughters, and one-time neighbor and lifelong friend Sophia Loren. The abundance of pics from her collection is a welcome addition to a truly inspiring work. And the fact that Miss Summer revels in her Christianity makes her far from "ordinary" in the entertainment industry. Perhaps, she should've called the book "Heavenly Girl".
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary Disappointment
Review: Two years in the making, and Summer delivers an "autobiography" which reads like she wrote it in an afternoon. I for one, an admitted huge Summer fan for over twenty years, waited with great anticipation for this book's release. After all, Summer is a gifted entertainer; an admirable songwriter (for herself and others), a hit recording artist (she holds the 'record' for many Billboard categories which haven't been broken in the past two decades); and an accomplished painter. "Gifted author", she is not. Her career has been a hodgepodge of triumphs and tragedies, both personal and profesional. She has crossed paths in her career with some of the 'greats' - including Streisand and Springsteen, among many others in the music industry. Still, one would never know this from her book. Summer triumphed to superstardom in the 70s, with the advent of the 'disco era' (which has successfully spun off today's 'dance' and 'club' genres), yet endured her slate of disappointments (her much publicicized split with Casablanca Records in 1980). This she does discuss to some degree, in the first two-thirds of her 'thin' book. Yet, the 80s and 90s were not too good for Summer professionally (her split with Geffen Records, her lawsuit against a tabloid for the infamous 'AIDS' rumour, her fall from radio playlists, an endless search for her new label, her more recent subsequent split with Sony Music; this - nearly two decades of her career - is hardly mentioned at all. Even her much-discussed Broadway musical (some five years in the making and at an indefinite halt, according to other sources) barely gets covered. She talks about her preparation of it, but not what's keeping it off the stage (is it lack of funding? is it subject matter?). Her duet with Streisand is four pages of nothing more than adoration ("I think she's great!" Summer coos), but no mention of when she covered for Streisand at the 1984 Oscars (isn't that a memorable event worth writing about?), or if there's a friendship between the two today. Same with Springsteen (who worked on her 1982 album); a bit of cooing and nothing else. What we do know is her religious beliefs (admittedly, she doesn't over-do it with religion, and what she does discuss flows evenly through the book), and what a great parent she is to her three kids (at times it makes the reader embarassed for her lack of humility in this matter). This won't go down in history as the worst autobiography from a musical diva (that disinction goes to Diana Ross for 1993's "Secrets of a Sparrow"), but it comes awfully close.
Rating: 
Summary: A major diappointment
Review: What a missed opportunity this book has turned out to be! Although it contains a few (not many) insights into Donna's personal life and beliefs, fans hoping for an examination of her music, creative processes, and working relationships with her collaborators like Giorgio Moroder, will find virtually nothing to satisfy their curiosity. Much of her career, the hits, the good and bad times and the controversies, are only touched on lightly or not even mentioned. With masses of pictures filling out the sparse 246 pages or so, the content of this book is so light I feared it would fly away if I wasn't holding on to it! I guess this is all Donna wants her fans to know about her, but frankly, it just isn't interesting reading. Hopefully some other biographer will write a more informative book about Donna and her music some day.
Rating:
Summary: oh my
Review: what has happened? donna summer is an amazing artist, one of my top 10 favorites of all time. She has recorded more than a handful of masterpiece albums...even her last "Mistaken Identity" had one classic track with "WOrk that Magic". Then Donna was gone...there were rumors of a country album, of a comeback album on Sony... And there's been about 1000 greatest hits packages. Anyhow, I was really disappointed by this book. I know a lot of people have talked about this already...but I honestly feel "The Wanderer" and "I'm a Rainbow" were Summer at her more experimental, vunerable, genuine, and artistic. Barely a mention. C'mon now, the story behind writing the intense "Running for Cover" must be worth a mention. The ultra experimental and innovative "I'm a Rainbow" at least deserved a chapter! What happened to her relationship with Giorgio after Geffen paired her for the eh so/so Quincy Jones album? Was her reunion with Giorgio on 1993's "Carry On" a big event? We will never know apparently. What happened to the country album?
Is Ordinary Girl going to happen?
Christmas Spirit didn't get a mention either. The book we did get -- I wouldn't take anything out of it...hearing about the bohemian German days helped me realize what an artistic person Donna is/was. But, oh it's all been said already. I'm gonna go listen to The Wanderer now.
Rating:
Summary: oh my
Review: what has happened? donna summer is an amazing artist, one of my top 10 favorites of all time. She has recorded more than a handful of masterpiece albums...even her last "Mistaken Identity" had one classic track with "WOrk that Magic". Then Donna was gone...there were rumors of a country album, of a comeback album on Sony... And there's been about 1000 greatest hits packages. Anyhow, I was really disappointed by this book. I know a lot of people have talked about this already...but I honestly feel "The Wanderer" and "I'm a Rainbow" were Summer at her more experimental, vunerable, genuine, and artistic. Barely a mention. C'mon now, the story behind writing the intense "Running for Cover" must be worth a mention. The ultra experimental and innovative "I'm a Rainbow" at least deserved a chapter! What happened to her relationship with Giorgio after Geffen paired her for the eh so/so Quincy Jones album? Was her reunion with Giorgio on 1993's "Carry On" a big event? We will never know apparently. What happened to the country album?
Is Ordinary Girl going to happen?
Christmas Spirit didn't get a mention either. The book we did get -- I wouldn't take anything out of it...hearing about the bohemian German days helped me realize what an artistic person Donna is/was. But, oh it's all been said already. I'm gonna go listen to The Wanderer now.
Rating:
Summary: oh my
Review: what has happened? donna summer is an amazing artist, one of my top 10 favorites of all time. She has recorded more than a handful of masterpiece albums...even her last "Mistaken Identity" had one classic track with "WOrk that Magic". Then Donna was gone...there were rumors of a country album, of a comeback album on Sony... And there's been about 1000 greatest hits packages. Anyhow, I was really disappointed by this book. I know a lot of people have talked about this already...but I honestly feel "The Wanderer" and "I'm a Rainbow" were Summer at her more experimental, vunerable, genuine, and artistic. Barely a mention. C'mon now, the story behind writing the intense "Running for Cover" must be worth a mention. The ultra experimental and innovative "I'm a Rainbow" at least deserved a chapter! What happened to her relationship with Giorgio after Geffen paired her for the eh so/so Quincy Jones album? Was her reunion with Giorgio on 1993's "Carry On" a big event? We will never know apparently. What happened to the country album?
Is Ordinary Girl going to happen?
Christmas Spirit didn't get a mention either. The book we did get -- I wouldn't take anything out of it...hearing about the bohemian German days helped me realize what an artistic person Donna is/was. But, oh it's all been said already. I'm gonna go listen to The Wanderer now.
Rating: 
Summary: Pleasurable Reading of a Genuine Superstar
Review: When I bought this book, I read it with joy. It took me about 2-3 days to finish it, because I wanted to read it slowly and appreciate what she had to say. Well, I'm done reading it and I enjoyed it. There are things I didn't know about her, such as her depression and her handling of fame, and the fact that she mostly dates white guys (ha). I guess a lot of rock/pop stars go through these turmoil in their lives and I'm glad Donna is a survivor. She is an underrated artist and I believe the world needs to prepare for more good things to come. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions... Donna can write whatever she wants. Hello? It's her autobiography. I agree that she should have talked more about her singles and albums, but there are no artists out there that can please everyone, Donna included, so stop these bickering about why she didn't cover this or that. If she had to cover every single topic in her 50 plus years, this book would probably be as big as the bible. Nobody can read this book in 30 minutes, let alone an hour with a full appreciation of what she has written. Much Aloha.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasurable Reading of a Genuine Superstar
Review: When I bought this book, I read it with joy. It took me about 2-3 days to finish it, because I wanted to read it slowly and appreciate what she had to say. Well, I'm done reading it and I enjoyed it. There are things I didn't know about her, such as her depression and her handling of fame, and the fact that she mostly dates white guys (ha). I guess a lot of rock/pop stars go through these turmoil in their lives and I'm glad Donna is a survivor. She is an underrated artist and I believe the world needs to prepare for more good things to come. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions... Donna can write whatever she wants. Hello? It's her autobiography. I agree that she should have talked more about her singles and albums, but there are no artists out there that can please everyone, Donna included, so stop these bickering about why she didn't cover this or that. If she had to cover every single topic in her 50 plus years, this book would probably be as big as the bible. Nobody can read this book in 30 minutes, let alone an hour with a full appreciation of what she has written. Much Aloha.
Rating:
Summary: Not very deep....
Review: Yes, indeed, Donna will do what she wants to do. But I must agree with many of the comments made by Callan4. While I did find many passages enthralling (had I not been a long time fan, I don't know if I would have), I found the lack of "newsiness" regarding the development of songs and albums to be a major problem. Knowing about how Donna creates is a major interest to her fans--it would have given us the backstory that we wanted. Otherwise, I am happy that she tried her best to raise her kids well. I liked her "subliminal" method when they were falling asleep. And yes, I found it basically self-serving. But that is the nature of autobiography--the writer only looks through their current lens. They write it to justify their lives. Donna feels justified in the Lord--as a married straight woman, it must be pretty easy. I am gay, and I am Christian. My sense is that Donna's Christianity would leave her in the same camp as George W.--love the sinner, hate the sin. Her just about absolute skirting of the rumor issues and that she has legions of gay fans would point to this. Having read this, I am more certain that indeed, Donna is not an allie; but it's probably true that she does try to deal with individuals as individuals. She's probably tolerant, but not accepting. I too noticed Paul Jabara's absence from the list of thank yous. At the age of 15 I saw her in Atlantic City; on stage I did indeed hear Donna say: it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, but I love you anyway. . What a churlish thing to say. My only assumption from all this, and from her silence, is that she feels the same way today. It's funny--God gives us a path, and we have to learn love as we walk it. I've heard that born again Christians really are earnest when they say they hate the sin and not the sinner, that they truly love the "sinner." However, that doesn't really get into looking at the fruits of a relationship--is the Holy Spirit there with a gay couple, as Love? To judge and say that it simply cannot be, when a literal reading of the Bible would have Donna and her husband being sinners because she was divorced, well... We start to see how self-serving religion, and autobiography, really can be.
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