Customer Reviews

Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is the most misogynist book I have read in a very long time. Clearly most all of Morton's questionable sources are Jon Voight and his friends. Most of the book focuses on a very, very negative portrayal of Angelina Jolie's Mother -- a woman who is conveniently (for Voight, Morton, his "sources" and the publisher) -- DEAD.

If you read between the glaring factual errors, lies, verbatim lifts from PEOPLE Magazine, tabloids or the obvious animus the author had before he started this "project", what you find is the truth -- what Angelina has been telling us for years -- she has only been with a very few men (two of whom she married), she was in a a sexual relationship with a woman, she tried a lot of self-destructive stuff before finding a purpose in her life with UN-HCR work and the adoption of her baby son in 2002. She likes to learn, explore, travel and she is an actor.

What you won't find is what Morton said he was going to write about -- the real woman. How do you write a biography of someone and leave out any mention of the five charities she has founded (and FUNDS) in the last 7 years? How do you write a biography of someone and leave out any mention of the Millennium Project she established in Cambodia or the schools she funds in Africa, Asia and Afghanistan? How do you write a biography of someone and leave out any mention of the HIV/AIDS/TB clinic she and Brad Pitt are building in Ethiopia. No mention of the work she is doing in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida or Missouri. The wildlife refuge in Namibia she supported in 2002. No discussion of her status as the most powerful and highly paid actress in the world.

What is the point of this screed other than to line the pockets of Morton and smear a young woman who is doing what harm in the world? Fascinating? No. Just pathetic really.

I seriously can't fathom why anyone would buy this book!

I was very dissapointed with this book. I was hoping the book would give me more insight into Angelina as a person. As a reader of celebrity tabloids and websites (I know, I know) I found that most of the book was lifted from these sources and contained very little new material. A greater section of the book was spent detailing her parents life than her relationship with Brad. I have to say ths is probably the worst Biography I have ever read. The book provided no new information, insights or information about Angelina. I could have written this book over a long weekend using Google.

First I have to start off saying not only do I read extremely fast- a novel about every day or two- I pretty much never put a book down once I start EVEN IF i don't like it. I guess I may be compulsive haha. I am a huge closet celebrity/tabloid fan, (Guilty pleasures and all) and normally devour all written word on celebrity. I was so excited for this book to come out because even though Angelina has been very upfront about her wild past I thought it would be fun to read it in a timeline form all in one place.

Okay so now that you know how fast I read and that I can never put a book down- let me put it in perspective: This is the first book I have not been able to finish since 8th grade. (I'm 25 years old now) It just goes on and on and on in the beginning about her great grandparents and how fame and money hungry they were and it's like what? you knew them? They told you all of this? It takes FOREVER for him to even get to Angelina Jolie. (At least thats what it seems like when you are reading all this speculative crap that you didn't buy the book for).

*** It's just like you're waiting and waiting for it to get good and it really doesnt until you're almost to the end. And even then it's not that great. His writing style is extremely annoying. Seriously, this book is so speculative and he passes off his opinions and speculations as fact. and you get the feeling when you are reading that the source is just ONE source- most likely her father or someone very close to her father, as the whole tone is set as Jon Voight is a victim. He writes like he's trying to sound like a neutral party when in fact it comes off more as he favors Jon Voight and Jon's opinions on things. He'll say something like "Angelina told her mother that blah blah blah in secret" Okay, how does he know what Angelina says to her mother in private? How does he know what Angelina talks to others about in private? Anyone can tell that at least some of the book is just pure made-up. You'll see what I mean if you choose to read it. If you are interested in reading about her, you can get as much authentic information on the internet, you really, really don't need to get this. If you're just curious, go ahead and get it, that's why I got it, but you'll probably be disapointed. HOWEVER I gave it more than one star because there is some material where he actually talks about her charity work and gives REAL quotes from her that can be backed up (not just stuff that he CLAIMS she "says" to other people) that give you a peek into her character and who she is.

**********To sum it up, if you are interested in ONLY Andrew Morton's opinion of her, (not actual unbiased fact) you will like this book. But if you are interested in learning about her endeavors and her as a person from a neutral source, or an actual Biography of her life, not just one persons opinion of it, look elsewhere.

I was truly stunned at Andrew Morton's poor writing. For some inexplicable reason, Angelina's behavior is constantly explained in relation to her astrological sign. I felt like he was giving a reading instead of trying to write an interesting, good book. I have read other books by Andrew Morton that were ok, but this book is ridiculous.

I borrowed this book from a co-worker out of sheer curiosity and was glad I saved my hard-earned shekels. Tell the assembled multitude, Andy, because we're all dying to know your secret: How do you write a "biography" with:

NO sources,
NO footnotes, and
NO index?

In short, NOTHING for a reader to check out your statements, which, for all anyone knows, you could have pulled out of thin air.

This is trash "biography" of the worst sort. Morton goes into detail about Jolie's wild-child period, offering nothing that hasn't already been hashed and re-hashed in the tabloids, and nothing at all to back up anything he writes. He quotes some dubious "psychologists" about what might have precipitated her troubled adolescence and early twenties, and falls back on the old canard that Mommy is to blame for it all. According to Morton, Marcheline Bertrand, the mother of Jolie and her brother James Haven, was hurt and furious over the womanizing ways of her husband and their father, Jon Voight, and Jolie resembled him so much that Marcheline rejected and neglected her because she couldn't stand the sight of her. Never mind that Marcheline, being conveniently dead, can't refute any of this, or that, from all reports, both Jolie and Haven were very close to their mother throughout her lifetime. Morton puts it all out there and expect us to swallow it whole.

The Jolie haters will probably be foaming at the mouth in anticipation of Morton tearing her limb from limb for breaking up the fairy-tale marriage of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Alas, their hopes will be blighted. Morton at least has the sense to realize what anyone with half an eye, let alone half a brain, had seen for years: that the Pitt-Aniston marriage was on life support before he and Jolie ever laid eyes on each other. As Morton observes, "They wouldn't find [Jolie's] fingerprints at the scene of this marital crime."

What this book adds up to is a bunch of rehashed tabloid rumors, some spurious "psychological" observations, and a whole lot of nothing. If this book is a biography, I am the Queen of Sheba. Save your money. This book is dreck.

Judy Lind

You've probably heard of Andrew Morton, the kingpin of unauthorized biographies (Madonna, Tom Cruise, Princess Diana, Monica Lewinsky). Well, you get the idea. This writer tends to focus on subjects that are very high profile, controversial, and going to sell a lot of his books. Of course, the books do sell although the words "An Authorized Biography" should be as large as the title because his pages are filled with quotes from those who hardly know the subjects, rumors, hearsay, and psycho babble.

Take the case of his latest subject, Angelina Jolie (anyone doubt this would be a sure sell?). Morton wastes no time in detailing the infidelity of her father, Jon Voight, when Angelina was still a babe in arms. This marital misstep, according to psychiatrists who have never interviewed anyone involved, left a permanent mark on Angelina and unhinged her mother. During this crisis wee Angelina was left in the hands of sitters by a mother who couldn't tolerate the child's resemblance to her dad.

Further Morton posits that due to this very early traumatic experience Angelina has a tendency to go after married or attached men, steal them away from their partners and then move on to another conquest. He's at a loss to explain her current relationship with Brad Pitt and their children, choosing instead to leave the impression that this coupling will soon be over and Angelina will be up to her old tricks again.

Truth be told there's not much new in Morton's take on Angelina - a great deal of it has already been posted in tabloids and the actress herself has not been reticent about her past or present. Reading one of Morton's books is similar to lending an ear to the town gossip - you know what she's saying is often mean spirited, not quite true, yet it's spicy, and she might, just might have some really hot item to share.

So, you know you want to hear this book - go ahead because the up side is the reading by Bronson Pinchot, a Yale educated Audie Award winner. With wide and varied experience in both television and films he has a well trained, modulated voice, pin point enunciation, and an easy listening style. We'd certainly give Mr. Pinchot 5 stars for his reading - sorry we cannot say the same for the writing.

-Gail Cooke

This book despite it's controversial aspects is written very well. It may read like Morton has no sources, or has done all his research over the internet; however, some of the interviews are astounding! Regardless of whether you choose to believe or not, he comes off to me as a person who still regards her in a very positive light. He just wants to reveal to the fans all of who she is and where she comes from; and that unique perspective is, of course, why I bought and LOVE the book! Morton portrays Angelina Jolie as the ugly wormlike caterpillar that struggles through her early years, and emerges this beautiful, colorful butterfly of woman. Does that cocoon she emerged from come without baggage? Of course not, but how many of us, come without baggage, but we are not under the constant scrutiny she is subjected to either!

I am a book fan, first and foremost, and read many different types of books; however, biographies are my passion, and this one pulled at my heartstrings! If you want a book that will play on every emotion from disbelief and anger, to compassion and triumphant joy, fly away with "Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography" you won't be disappointed!

I read the reviews of this book and was skeptical at first, so I checked it out at the library rather than spend money on something I wouldn't read. However, I found I could not put this book down. To me it gave a non-bias view of Angelina and her life. I have always found her to be a great actress and love her films. However, as far as her personal life, I was always weary thinking she is just too out there. This book made me actually respect her personally as well as professionally. I have a new found respect for her, her mother, & even her father! I think the book did a great job in telling her story and not just promoting the mindless gossip of the tabloids. This made me a true fan of hers. Yes she has made some questionable choices but who has not.

Whether you love her or hate her, Angelina Jolie has undeniably lived an exciting, sometimes scandalous life. Too bad Andrew Morton focuses ONLY on the flashy stuff. "Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography" reveals a lot of fascinating information about the star, but Morton seems too fascinated by psychobabble and sex.

Born to Marcheline Bertrand and Jon Voigt, Jolie grew up shaped by her parents' acrimonious relationship and the atmosphere of Hollywood. She became a model as a teenager, but was determined to break into Hollywood. And though her first couple movies were disasters, eventually her father's fame helped her become a movie star.

But she wasn't the usual type -- she was dark, weird and sexual (with both men and women), got tattooed (a lot), kissed her brother, and experimented extensively with drugs. She took edgy and often dark roles, including a biopic of Gia Carangi, a mental patient, and eventually Lara Croft (okay, not dark'n'edgy).

She also married twice -- first to Jonny Lee Miller (leather, movies and blood) and then to Billy Bob Thornton (sex, blood vials and TMI). But whgen they adopted Rath (aka Maddox) from Cambodia, Jolie became a very different person -- after her divorce from Thornton, she became involved with "corn-fed" Brad Pitt in the biggest "marital crime" of the 21st century.. And with that, she embarked on a new domestic life filled with children, charity work and tabloid attention.

I'll admit it, Morton does an excellent job in the opening chapters of "Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography." He explores the lives of Jolie's grandparents, parents, and the environment that molded her psyche (such as a childhood meeting with a man trying to save an African tribe). And he comes up with some interesting stuff about her early career, as well as some funny anecdotes (Jolie once gave her dad's girlfriend a bottle of refrigerated pee).

Buuuuuutttttt... the whole thing goes off the rails after that, . Morton must have some kind of crush on Jolie, because he seems fascinated by her sex'n'kink'drugs phase, the affairs she had and all the "dark edges" in her life. But once Jolie got together with Pitt and had a bunch of kids, he seems to get bored with her and rushes through the rest of the book. Yes, her extensive charity work takes a backseat to all the juicy tabloid stuff.

And Morton has developed an annoying habit of constantly talking about astrological signs and psychoanalysis. According to him, Jolie likes S&M because she was traumatized by being left in a white nursery as a baby. Wha?

"Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography" has some fascinating tidbits, but the focus on her wildchild persona and psychoanalysis just leaves you wishing you were getting the real picture.

I've been pretty ambivalent towards Angelina Jolie over the years, but I have admired her charity work and using her celebrity to put a spotlight on worldwide issues. I wasn't too familiar with Andrew Morton before a few weeks ago, but apparently the British writer is infamous for highly publicized, dishy tell-alls on Princess Diana, The Royal Family, and Tom Cruise.

Setting his sights on Angelina Jolie, does Mr. Morton reveal anything new or shocking about the actress? Not really. I already knew about her wild child past filled with kinky sex and drug use. As well as her truly bizarre marriage to Billy Bob Thornton (a real weirdo in his own right) and the adoption of little Maddox that saved her life and began her well documented humanitarian work. Angie's shared all of this and then some with no hesitation.

One thing I hadn't heard before was the deep depression Jolie fell into after filming the biopic Gia, the famous supermodel whose self-destructive ways led to her 1986 death from AIDS. Angie found many similarites between herself and the woman she was playing, but thankfully she was able to pull herself out of the darkness before it was too late.

Two things that bugged me were the long winded descriptions of Angelina's family tree and the not so subtle biased view of her mother Marcheline. I understand why Morton had to flesh out the alleged dynamic in the Bertrand family (mother Lois was a pushy stage mom while father Rolland was a meek man who let his wife run the show), but he goes on and on about it. Keep it brief in the future.

According to Andrew's sources (former friends of the family), Marcheline took after her mom. If someone offended or stood up to her she'd set in the "Bertrand freeze" and pretend as if that person didn't exist. She supposedly set it to full blast after ex-husband Jon Voight's infidelity and relegated baby Angie to the top floor of their apartment with a nanny (also an alleged family friend interviewed for the book) to care for the infant for nearly a year. It's no secret that most of the sources paint Marche as a bitter, heartless witch who brainwashed the kids to hate their father. Jon is described as a father who was truly remorseful for his betrayal, but unfairly spurned and heavily criticized by his children at every turn.

Could that be the truth? Maybe, but I wouldn't call it a cold hard fact. That goes for alot of the stories I read in the book. I wouldn't be quick to say they're all true or all false. I just looked at it as a nice summer read. No more, no less.