Customer Reviews

Aaliyah: An R&B Princess in Words and Pictures

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Aaliyah will never die! After reading this book, I am very convinced of that. The book has a lot of never-before-seen pictures of Aaliyah looking so lively,pictures with Missy, Damon,
Stacey Dash and a lot of other people. The story is so heartwarming I was in tears reading it, yes, it's been almost a year and I still miss Aaliyah Dana Houghton. She will be with us forever, just like Lisa Lopes, Tupac and Biggie. Some people have that effect on us and Aaliyah does more than anyone I can think of.

It took a while for the book to come because I order it but I can say it was worth the wait. The research on Aaliyah in this book is very good. I learned somethings I never knew about Aaliyah in this book. They mentioned things about Missy Elliot and Timbaland and the earlier days with R Kelly. It was cool to read how much power was wrapped up in that one little lady. I had to get this book. The book just ended too quick. Aaliyah, your example will be missed. We love you babygirl.

Aaliyah was a true inspiration in life and still remains to be in the after-life. This book told Aaliyah's story and the pictures were also a nice addition. The only thing that faltered in this book were the small spelling errors on the picture pages. Other than that, this book should be in all Aaliyah fan collections.

First of all, I did'nt buy this book--I checked it out of the library. I have to honestly say that I was very disappointed with it. The Author said in her introduction that she had planned to do this book with Aaliyah herself shortly before she died. It's a shame that she did'nt get that chance. The book that the author ended up with after the entertainer's passing was very fairytale-like, almost childish, and very unrealistic. It was almost as bad as reading a modern day version of Cinderella--minus the happy ending. It might as well been written by any one of Aaliyah's fans. The author doesn't even really go into detail about the day of the the plane crash or the investigation. It doesn't even bother to talk about the "Wrongful Death Suit" that Aaliyah's parents filed against her second record label, Virgin, and the (now out of business) airline company that was involved in the crash, Blackhawk. The highlight of this book is the very candid black-and-white photos that the author provides of Aaliyah with her family, friends, and other industry notables. The author also provides nice quotes made by other enterainers about Aaliyah in the last chapter called "Remembering Aaliyah" as well as a short "flimograpy" of her flims and her "discography" of her music. I know that this author wanted to pay tribute to the late entertainer in a loving way, but just because a person is deceased (famous or unknown) , does not mean that we have to put them on a pedestal and pretend that thay were perfect while they were alive--No one is! If you want a more accurate story on Aaliyah's life watch the documentaries: "E! true hollywood story:Aaliyah" or "VH-1's behind the music:Aaliyah" . Bottom line: Check this book out of your local library , but don't buy it!

Let's get something very clear. I was a big fan of Aaliyah's and was just as hurt as every other fan after her passing. She was a beautiful, talented young woman who seemed sweet and humble. However, she wasn't Christ-like or the picture of perfection itself. She was a flesh and blood human being and that's why we loved her, but apparently author Kelly Kenyatta didn't get that. A few other reviewers described the writing like something out of a Disney movie and I agree. Not only that, but it reads like a badly put together book report or school presentation.

It covers her childhood, the icky R. Kelly days, and her tragic death, but it's presented in a way that lacks depth. Just the facts with loads of gushing thrown in. However, the collection of black and white candid shots (some previously unpublished) are beautiful as well as a section featuring quotes from everyone from Timbaland and Missy to Janet Jackson and Jill Scott sharing their thoughts on Aaliyah, the woman and the entertainer. If you want an Aaliyah biography with more insight, pick up Aaliyah: More Than a Woman or the Tim Footman book.

I love everything about Aaliyah, cause she was trully an entreteiner, a sweet little girl that will always be in our hearts..!
She was not only beautiful, but a great person with a lot of dreams, some of them came true, but not all...
Iam sure that she is watching us right now, and that she would love to see us smile whenever we think about her...
i loved this book, its treasure for me that i will always carry and another way to know that iam alive, and to fight for my dreams because we never know when is our time to go..!

I am a huge fan of Aaliyah, but I only got to know her music a couple of years after the release of her One in a million album. So, I decided to read one of her biographies to get to know the kind of person she really was. Well, I have to say that the book by Kelly Kenyatta wasn't the best choice. First, the author's writing style is a bit too simple and childish for my taste. This is a book about Aaliyah, not Britney Spears, for God's sake! I don't think that most of her fans are 10-year-olds! At times, I almost felt like I was reading a Disney story! Also, I didn't like the way Kenyatta depicted Aaliyah. Of course, she was a really sweet and talented girl that only everyone could love, but it seems as though she had absolutely no weaknesses. Since she passed away, we all tend to view her as some sort of goddess (quite rightly), but let's not forget that she was a human being, just like everyone else on this planet. And I hated the feeling that not all of the information contained in the book is accurate, like in the "Aaliyah and R.Kelly were supposedly married" issue. Overall, it's a good book to learn more about Aaliyah's career, but I'm sure that there are better biographies about her on the market.

This book is awesome and it made me learn a lot of things about Aaliyah. It is so sad that she is no longer wit us I miss her so much and one day i know we would meet again. R.I.P. Baby Girl!!!

Kelly Kenyatta presents a glimpse into the most impacting shinning angel from above, the one and only AALIYAH. The author presents a condensed "peak" ,sort of say, on Aaliyah's dreams, accomplishments, friends, family, and more. While the book is done with remarkable appeal many details were not included which could have presented a much more tribute to Aaliyah. There were many specific details I myself found on the web, read in other books Aaliyah Remembered and knew that were omitted. Also, some of the things mentioned were not 100% accurate thus missing the potential it could have otherwise had on the reader. Overall, the author does an entertaining summary very suitable for children, young adults, or the average reader who knows little or nothing of Aaliyah.

The chapters are divided into 7 with additional black and white photos, scholarship/memorial information, some awards [she did not put all], quotes from important people, fans, and celebrities and in the beginning her introduction. It gave a very brief summary of Aaliyah's screen "movie" actress information, very little on her videos, and very little on how Aaliyah worked on them. Also, as well, her love, Damon Dash, wasn't even discussed except perhaps on a few sentences at most.

What a reader will find is the basics. Aaliyah's birth, her upbringing, the name of her parents, and how she was interested in music and acting. There was not specifics on how she hooked up with Timbaland and Missy which were thoroughly examined in the book Aaliyah Remembered. Instead the author puts a 2 word remark introducing the concept. Also, nothing on R. Kelly's break with Aaliyah, the marriage license debacle, or how Aaliyah's parents and record company handled it. This was just one big glossed up toss that lacked emotion at some points and seemed more like a summary type book.

On the bright side, children can read this book and get a nice shortened version of the R&B Princess, and how her dreams came true. There were nice passages on Aaliyah's personality, religious devotion, positive role model, and strong determination to succeed despite some pitfalls along the way. This is a fun, entertaining book but one that is more geared to the casual reader or child. Not an emotional breakthrough or a highly impacting teary type read. It was nonetheless, something more to read as to bring Aaliyah's memory alive and special. It brought a beautiful positive image to the spotlight to shine for generations and generations thus impacting, embracing, and achieving what Aaliyah herself stated in her own words, to be compared like the legends!

I loved this book. I admire Aaliyah for a long time. She is irreplaceable and there will never be another Aaliyah like her. She was beautiful, humble, and talented. I loved her then and still do now. I truly miss her as well. Rest in peace, Babygirl!