Life with My Sister Madonna
by Christopher Ciccone, Wendy Leigh
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Book Reviews of Life with My Sister Madonna
Book Review: Madonna is a Sociopath
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this in two days. We all know what an egotist Madonna is, but I never thought she would be so disrespectful to her family, even her late mother's memory.
These reviewers who so smugly say Christopher should have stopped depending on her, did you read the same book? She blackballed him so that he could not work without her.
It's sad to think that someone like her can pass off her bitchiness as a product of determination and guile. Well it isn't, even if a lot of people honestly believe that.
People, like Madonna, who claim to have acheived everything all by themselves are always the ones who received the most help and are too spoiled to notice.
Based on everything we know of her so far, this book does not contradict. Madonna must be a sociopath. I mean clinically. I think this society's worship and respect for someone who clearly lacks a conscience is disturbing. Some call it determination, but not all determination is that ugly, nor does it need to be.
I can't believe how lame Madonna's father was in not teaching her to be humble and be nice to her brothers and sisters. Maybe they should have talked once in a while in that family so they could teach their kids properly. Although I truly do believe Madonna has something physiologically wrong with her brain, this is also a product of bad parenting.
Sadly, she's still selling albums, not because they're as catchy as her older ones or because they're any good, but based on her old days of grandeur. Even I buy her albums, and it isn't because I like the music. I'm simply curious to see what that relic is up to. Because of her album sales, she will never get the help she needs - a lobotomy.
As for Christopher's victimhood - yes, he did most of it to himslef, but what I read was that he was a younger brother still wanting his older sister's love and respect. Of all the family members, Madonna was the only one who could understand his homosexuality, so she was his whole family. For a boy who lost his mother at so young an age,and who isn't mentally ill, that means a lot. And, obviously, the father allowed the whole family to be submissive to her and Christopher learned this at an early age.
Book Review: Intriguing!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I eventually got around to reading this book as I was quite intrigued by it. I've been a long time fan of Madonna and always found her to be quite a character throughout her career.
So this book gave me the chance to go behind the scenes with someone who was genuinely close to her. I always ignored the other unauthorized biographies. But I was careful at first when I approached Ciccone's book simply because from the outside it all looks like he has done all this from a bitter perspective.
In the end, I found the book to be bitter but fair nonetheless. He has given Madonna credit where credit is due but has called her out on things that are unacceptable no matter how rich and famous you may be. And there were certain parts when I wondered if he was thinking with his five senses. Like when he accuses Madonna of outing him without his permission when she did that interview for The Advocate in the early 90's. I'll give Madonna the benefit of the doubt on that one. I mean he went as far as saying that she needed to reconnect with her gay fans since she was becoming too heterosexually mainstream at that time and used him by outing him in such a public manner to prove that she was still with the gays. Quite honestly, I don't think that was the case. Madonna was still rolling with the Justify my love controversy and her big hit Vogue was only a few years prior! And you just don't get any gayer than that!
I also found it interesting how he skipped over certain parts in her life that must've been vital like the abortions that she herself admitted to having in several interviews. What about the Dennis Rodman love affair?? I was quite perplexed by that and would've loved his take on that.
All in all, it's a good entertaining read! If you're a hardcore Madonna fan then i'd suggest to let your guard down a little and approach this with an open mind and an open heart. Madonna is great artist but like all of us, she isn't perfect and has many faults. This is the chance for you to get an idea of what she must be like in real life. And if nothing is new to you in this book, then consider it a simple and valid confirmation from someone who would've given her an arm and a leg which probably was his only mistake in life.
Book Review: Boring.
Summary: 2 Stars
This book was a snore. I was hoping to read a little insight into Madonna's career during the mid-eighties, but that portion only spanned a page or two. This double spaced book reads like a memo or just notes of a book, with only a few details on the things you would really want to know. "The tour was a success. She sold XX albums. She flew to ___. Then she came out with the song___. It sold XX albums. I dressed her for the next tour." etc. etc. and then follows up with pages of whining.
Madonna's brother Christopher is one of those people who never reach for the check, they assume you will pay for lunch because you make more than them. They won't even make the *gesture* of pretending they will pay for it and let you wrangle it from their hands. He mentions throughout the book how much money Madonna makes and can't understand why she won't pay for X, Y and Z with all of the money she has. Christopher, stop being a leach. You have made enough off this woman, and this money is hers to spend as she sees fit. There is nothing worse than someone *expecting* you will pay their way, just because you can. That makes them not want to do it!
Christopher is also convinced that we will all agree with him that only doing *bumps* of coke rather than lines, is no big deal and nothing for Madonna or anyone else to terminate employment over. He says that to Madonna, you are either on drugs or you are not. Uh, yeah! That is pretty much what the rest of the world thinks as well, my friend. If you fail a drug test for a prospective employer, you cannot tell them "I only do bumps, not lines" and expect them to chuckle and say "welcome aboard!" Madonna was correct in not hiring you when you were on drugs.
Anyway, this book tells you little about Madonna. It really made a fool out of her brother, who seemed so sure we would all agree with him on drug use and letting the rich pick up the tab for his life. If you hate people who play the victim, this book will annoy you.I was shocked a full grown man would not see the error of his ways and how spoiled he was. He is completely clueless and this book was vendictive and a waste of time. It was pathetic.
Book Review: A brother's rant!
Summary: 2 Stars
What a joke. Here is a bitter brother who writes a book (with the help of a co-author, who incidentally writes this book very poorly) supposedly about his sister, Madonna. But the book is mostly about him. Who cares? If I wanted a book about Christopher, I'd have gotten it: And I don't. He is self-serving and malicious. The tile is misleading as well. This is really not about Madonna. Christopher is a name dropper. Additionally, I wonder how the models and stars he reveals secrets about must feel about him now: A Truman Capote-ish 'tell all' expose' -- only not anywhere even close to the level of writing competence of Capote. He must be one hated man in Hollywood scenes right now. Who can trust him? No one is safe when he is around. And I wonder how much of that "schmoozing" with stars is really true? Because he is Madonna's brother he is suppose to be some famous icon? I don't think so.
He is narcissistic in his own beliefs about what he did and didn't do. It's a hard-to-believe story, written by someone who never thinks he is wrong about what he writes and what he believes. He obviously is trying to provide an outlet for his anger and take revenge on Madonna at the same time. She has worked hard to get where she is today. He has strung along on her laurels and then complained about how that occurred: his own doing, most definitely. Additionally, he constantly discusses how he is never jealous of her and how he was maligned and used by her. Yet, his anger seethes as he continuously acts as her "yes man" -- then complains constantly and literally whines about how he was treated. Ever hear of choices we make, Christopher? Perhaps using someone for your own gain bears a pricetag?
This "writer" needs help dealing with his feelings toward himself, not so much toward his sister and other family members. She is better off without him and probably won't be in touch with him again after this scathing and one-sided argument which is more about him than we need to know. A joke: don't waste your money or your time. He should be ashamed of himself, but of course, he won't be. He's the hero in his own dreams.
Book Review: Not exactly a fair view of the icon
Summary: 3 Stars
Madonna is one of the most famous women in the world. Her fame, her lifestyle and her power have at many times eclipsed her many talents. Although much of her persona has been carefully crafted by Madonna and her handlers, this interesting book written by her brother shows her media personified ego is very much real.
This book is very interesting because it engrosses itself in the real Madonna, the Madonna that only her close, personal group knows. Madonna's brother gives the reader and honest, straight to the point, eye-opening view of the icon. The book really evaluates Madonna's psyche which is not only egotistical and controlling but also very insecure and sad.
Christopher and Madonna's relationship is not much different from your average sibling mini-dramas. The older sibling that helped raise the children constantly maintaining the power and the other trying to get it. Christopher's main problem is creating a place outside of Madonna's world. For that very reason this book may be slightly unfair to the icon especially when addressing topics as her husbands homophobic nature and her personal and evolving decorating tastes.
There are no true revelations present in this book. It is clear that Madonna's image was masterfully created by herself and her handlers and that is not the real person whatsoever. She has manipulated the media into thinking she is many things she is not. She has used Kaballah not only as a spiritual tool but as a weapon to confirm all her spiritual views are true. Christopher's claims that the "Truth or dare" video was manipulated and scripted was not exactly a surprise to anyone that viewed it or any fan of the icon.
The constant reference to Madonna having mediocre talent often puzzles me. In the right movie vehicle she is stunning, her musical and writing talents defy many of todays artists and her dance techniques, many have been new and revolutionary. She is not Celine Dion but she is far more interesting. The mystery around Madonna, that she thrives on, has what has defined her as a cultural superstar phenomenon.