Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller
|
List Price: Our Price: $13.97 You Save: $13.98 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $13.24 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation
Book Review: Sing Along with Mitchell & Carole & Carly
Summary: 4 Stars
If you're old enough to have been singing along with the "Girls Like Us" - Carole King, Joni Mitchell & Carly Simon - , then you are probably old enough to remember the TV program *Sing Along with Mitch* (Miller and his gang.) In that TV program, probably a precursor of karaoke, there were words printed on your TV screen and you would "follow the bouncing ball" that bounced merrily along on top of the words as each was being sung.
Sheila Weeler's book on the "girls" needs a bouncing ball to keep track of where she is, and which "girl" is doing what with which boy (often men were serialized through the gambit of the "girls.")
Loosely chronologically organized by "girl"- e.g. a beginning chapter on each, then "Carole: 1961 - 1964," "Joni: 1961 - Early 1965," Carly 1961 - Late 1965," then Coming Around Again to "Carole: 1964 - Early 1969," "Joni: March 1965 - December 1967," Carly 1965 - 1969" etc.etc., the book chronicles the saga of these singer/songwriters in the context of the times - sometimes to great length - almost ad nauseum, and sometimes to short shrift. Weller is at her worst when she pretends to be a music critic and starts opining her own (often odd) meaning to the now-fabric-of-our lives words "the girls" wrote and sang.
Over-all the book is informative, sometimes to too-oft repeated choruses due to Weller's "organization*" of the material, and sometimes downright mystifying - as when the reader is told that James Taylor thought Carly was messin' around with Mick because of Jagger's guest appearance "adding his unmistakable cracking voice" on the "Don't you? Don't you?"s in the recording of *You're So Vain.*
This reviewer has gone back and relistened to YSV repeatedly, & I can't find Mick! Maybe because my Momma was right and listening to all that loud music *DID* ruin my hearing? ;-) /TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer
* There is no bouncing ball, but there is a poorly organized index in the back.
Book Review: I'd read it all over again
Summary: 5 Stars
I couldnt get enough of this book! I thought it looked too long to read in a weekend, but, I did. The beginning was a little slow, because three childhoods are a little more childhood than you would necessarily desire to know Except that by the time I got to the middle, everything about the childhoods made sense. But the reason I could not put the book down was that there were so many things in here that I did not know and I consider myself someone who is a fan. The author went to people I hadnt heard about, not even people in the music business per se. Carly's best friends. People Carole knew in Idaho (and I had no idea she had that life in Idaho). And while I consider myself someone who basically listened to almost every Joni record she made including Shine, there was much revealed for the first time. I am definitely waiting for these women to write their own biographies, and maybe they will tell a different story, who knows. But in the mean time, this is for sure a front row seat. Also it is sympathetic even though theres a lot of gossip.
Book Review: Needed an Editor
Summary: 1 Stars
This books reads like it was written by someone with ADHD. It jumps from topic to topic for no reason other than the author apparently cannot control and organize her thoughts. We go from Carole to Joni to Carly and back and forth; within each section we jump from event to event; and within paragraphs and sentences we jump from topic to topic. To me, the stream-of-consciousness style did nothing to serve the author's thesis and was very distracting.
Nonetheless, if you can ignore the fact the book reads like a very bad term paper, the subject matter is quite fascinating -- particularly the section on Carly Simon.
Book Review: Anticipation: the Greatest Strength
Summary: 1 Stars
Anticipation: I looked forward to getting and reading this book. Unfortunately that was the highlight of the experience for me. I started reading it as soon as I got it but quickly became bogged down in trying to follow and make sense of the flow. I tried, I really tried. There were some interesting historical connections to the times and songs. They were just not enough to keep me reading.
As I read there were two great content issues that bothered me. First the stories of these great singer/songwriters were told through the eyes and words of friends, former lovers and husbands, and others. In the 93 pages I read, the only quotes from Carole, Joni, and Carly came from previous interviews in other publications. Maybe they were interviewed later in the book; I'll never know. It seemed like a series of National Enquirer articles. My second issue was a lack of understanding/exploration into the songs and music of each singer/songwriter. If these girls were like us, and this is a journey of a generation, what was behind the music?
In addition to the content issues the writing style was difficult to follow. I agree with other reviewers who compared it to riding in a car with someone who doesn't know how to drive stick shift or suggested you read every third chapter to string all the chapters about each together. I plan to follow another's lead and donate my book to the local library. Obviously there is something in this book that others like. I just couldn't hang in there to find it.
Book Review: really love this book
Summary: 5 Stars
"Girls Like Us" is beautifully crafted story on the histories of 3 of the most influential female icons of the 20th century. I've grown up being a huge fan of these women and enjoyed a personalized account of their lives.
It it is truly an entertaining and riviting story. I bought it for my sister, it's a perfect late summer read. Sheila Weller has captured the imagination and fantasy of the era.