Aaliyah Remembered [Paperback]

William Sutherland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2006

Aaliyah Remembered brings the star singer-actress up close and personal. Relive her highs and lows, discover the person behind the mystique and why she was "One In A Million."

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing (July 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412050626
• ISBN-13: 978-1412050623
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,836,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Behind The Mystique And Into A Journey Uncovering Aaliyah, August 20, 2009

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*lovelygirl* - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Aaliyah Remembered (Paperback)

From the beginning of the book to the very last page, the emotions and vibe are truly to the core and heart of "sensing", "feeling" and "getting to know" Aaliyah. The author, William Sutherland does a remarkable job in "painting the true inner" heart of Aaliyah--the person, the actress, the singer, the songwriter, the role model, and the "mystique" behind her. Once I started reading the first few pages I felt moved, touched, as if the entire reading experience would take me on a journey. And as I ended the book --indeed a JOURNEY it was! It was a fascinating read filled with incredible details on her life that only a true writer would find-- a writer who has passion, but most of all true admiration for Aaliyah.

The book has no chapters, it gives the entire life and person behind the mystique in one entire chapter. In a way, the entire reading brought a more personal "conversation" type vibe. It has numerous accounts on things Aaliyah said regarding her life, her videos, in interviews, about her mom, and even her insecurities, and small stuff like what she likes to wear, eat, and do. It's a down-to-earth approach of laying out her entire life, career, albums, and persona in an informal yet instructional way. I can't begin to describe how it has made me appreciate my life more, and how it has made me value and cherish even the smallest of things. The last chapters on her passing were extremely difficult to read without feeling emotional. But in the end, it's Aaliyah's own words that consoles the reader--her quotes, her sayings, her love, and her heart.

For those who want to know the details, the contents describe her first, second, and third albums, the sales they had, the videos, singles, and ranks. It gives Aaliyah's reaction toward all the events that transpired around that as well as accounts regarding R. Kelly. It also goes into depth on her relationship with Tim better known as Timbaland, Missy, Static and others. Her movies Romeo Must Die and Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition) were heavily explained with Aaliyah's reaction toward it--very very personal quotes of her. Also, there are many 106 & Park mentioning, awards, her parents, her brother's relationship with her, and her schooling as a young girl and as a teenager.

The more I read and viewed Aaliyah's words, the more it impacted me. The author puts the information so "conversation" type and so informal that it just reaches close to the heart. There are an array of revelations that came to me that I had never heard. For instance, Aaliyah's contributions to charities, her attendance to daily mass, her devotion to her faith and love for God, her importance to give her fans a good role model by not being overtly sexual or straying from her principles of faith in religion, morals, and values. She had an edgy sexy side but a sweet pure other side that was like nothing ever seen.

This entire reading will take you to Aaliyah's words, her life, her career as an actress, her life on the road to her tours, her pitfalls in the moments on stage and how she handled them, her issues of weight, her love for her grandmother, her desire to be a perfectionist, her love for what she was doing both in acting and singing. It gives "her words" quoted over and over as if she is speaking. I was moved with her explanations behind the videos. That last video Rock the Boat had under water stunts she did, the video We Need a Resolution was done with real snakes, the Try Again video was not a double, and the list goes on.

Words can't describe this experience except that God gave me this book in my hands not knowing that in just a few days would mark Aaliyah's memory that she left this earth on exactly August 25, 2001. And as a true loyal fan I felt I desire to express just how truly special she was, still is, and will be embraced. This is not the kind of person to forget for years but rather to remember as the titled states, "Aaliyah Remembered". Keeping her memory alive is what she would have wanted. As she said before her passing that when she was gone she wanted to be compared to legends, she wanted to be known to be an all time performer in terms of singer, dancer, entertainer, actress, etc.

And when the end of the day has come and this book is remembered what stands out the most is that Aaliyah was special, an angel delivered to do a mission, and an angel that left it's mark to bring fans, new listeners, and even competitors to admire and want to be just like her. And from a distance above a shinning star looks down at the world--it is Aaliyah. She spreads her love through her music, she shines hope for those in despair through her songs, she brings joy to her fans with the memory. A testament that being spiritual, decent, and in the entertainment world is possible. That believing in dreams is possible if you don't give up! Ironically, before her passing she states that she had lived her life to the fullest--in an interview. While the world of R&B artists take a lifetime to accomplish what she did in such a short time, it is apparent Aaliyah was one in a million, and we all Miss You Aaliyah and love you!