Before
she was a global phenomenon known for singing, dancing, and
acting, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was just a shy little
girl living with her parents and younger sister, Solange,
in Houston, Texas, with very big dreams of becoming a professional
singer. The book, narrated by Allyson Johnson, who attempts
approximated vocal impressions of Beyonce, her parents, managers,
friends, and relatives, introduces readers to a young girl
who was made fun of by school classmates because of her shyness
and light brown skin. Throughout her childhood, she found
peace, happiness, and an identity through music, beginning
with a children’s group called Girls Tyme and eventually
making it big with Destiny’s Child.
With 15 discs of text and a PDF with photographs, this audiobook
covers more territory than just Beyoncé’s personal
story. Her parents, Tina and Matthew, are scrutinized as well,
from their childhoods through their turbulent married life
disrupted by his infidelity, and, of course, as they guided
their daughter along in her budding career. Numerous people
were interviewed for the book, which also includes quotations
from previously published articles and interviews. With so
many voices telling the story, there are naturally some conflicting
issues (such as when things happened, how old people were
at the time, who came up with certain ideas, and who was or
was not an alcoholic). Matthew’s mistress (with whom
he had a child) also pipes in with her opinions on the Knowles
family.
This book will surely delight devotees of the diva Sasha Fierce.
No detail seems too small for the author to mention. Even
Beyoncé’s sinus drainage is covered in embarrassingly
detailed descriptions. Although some readers might be most
interested in Beyoncé’s more recent years, including
her carefully guarded private life and marriage to Jay Z,
this story is an exhaustingly comprehensive biography that
traces her earliest relationships and developing talents before
delving into her current status as one of the most powerful
and famous women in the world.
For many readers, the highlight of this audiobook will be
the 20-page PDF (disc 16) that contains photographs and captions
from Beyoncé from age 9 in 1990 through 2014 when she’s
a wife, mother, and international celebrity. After hearing
about the drama between other performers in the groups, Girls
Tyme, Somethin’ Fresh, Destiny, and Destiny’s
Child, and the arguments between the various managers throughout
the years, it will satisfy the reader’s curiosity to
see pictures of those involved in Beyoncé’s career.
Her evolution from cute kid to gorgeous woman is interesting
to observe, although readers may wish the ratio of sparse
photographs to heavily detailed text were a little more in
alignment.
Reviews
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Elizabeth
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[audio]
The
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Once
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Rainier)
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