Customer Reviews

Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lloyd Allen is honest with us from the very beginning when he tells us that (a) he's not a writer, and (b) he's a friend and neighbor to Martha Stewart. Right away we can understand his point of view, and he doesn't disappoint us. By taking his own observations and adding those told by Martha's mother, daughter, siblings, and former and current employees, Allen provides a casual, chronological look at Martha Stewart's life. It's not a lurid tell-all. So much the better.

Martha Kostyra Stewart emerges as one of those folks whose background and life course have directed and prepared her for exactly who she is today. As a child, her early family life was one including gardening, cooking, and creating. With her father's culture of perfectionism added to the mix, it's easy to see how the young girl acquired her skills and work ethic. She later brought these to the forefront as a young married woman when she and husband Andy Stewart settled into a farmhouse called Turkey Hill in Westport, Connecticut. That's where she began her home-based catering business, encouraging and empowering other women to work with her, turning traditional "women's work" into a successful business venture. The vignettes told of that time reflect grueling work and long hours, to be sure, but also include times of fun and laughter. Her personality affects the people she meets in such a way that they want to get close to her, they want to work with her. And eating in restaurants with her must be a hoot.

Told in first person by Allen, "Being Martha" covers those business beginnings and informally follows the steady rise of her career, including her 1987 divorce, 2004-05 stint in jail and even stronger emergence afterward. 16 pages of personal and unique photos, many in color, supplement the story. As for the writing style: yes, we can find a few clumsy sentences, misplaced modifiers, and unusual turns of phrase in the text. But generally speaking, "Being Martha" is an interesting read and is the nifty little tribute it was intended to be. It is made of good ingredients, and fans should eat it up.

Allen seems to have released this book just in the nick of time. In early 2006, Martha Stewart announced that she was selling the Turkey Hill property and leaving Westport. That means that she and Allen will no longer be neighbors. Based on what we read here, we may be assured that their friendship will continue.

Being Martha effectively counters most of the outrageously over-the-top personal accusations against Martha Stewart that permeated the media during the past several years. Using personal observations from the author, her daughter Alexis, brother George, sister Laura and numerous friends, co-workers and former employees many negative Martha legends are successfully challenged if not put to rest. For example, after reading in Being Martha that Martha Stewart and her former husband helped raise her youngest brother and sister, educated them and then employed them, it becomes necessary to question the previous portraits of Martha that depict her as callous to the needs of those close to her or worse that she lacks maternal feelings altogether. While Being Martha is at best a light and fast read, ultimately, it may be the most fair portrayal of Martha Stewart yet. I mean, how can you trust the honesty, motivations or research skills of other Martha "experts" who claimed to have the inside details of Martha Stewart's life but failed to mention that she had two extra kids practically living with her?

I didn't know what to expect, but I can say I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I found out that the Martha we see in the press is nothing like the real person. I found out that Martha is a kind caring person who wants success for others around her as much as for herself. She has helped and inspired countless people both personally and professionally. I was inspired by this book. A great read. I would buy it again.

I was so impressed to finally read writings about Martha that were neither sappy and artificial nor spiteful and mean spirited. Allen is a true friend to Martha the kind that sees her how she really is faults and all and obviously still respects her. I love that he doesn't immortalize her as some sort of goddess but yet you can sense that he has a great deal of respect and admiration for her. I have always been a huge fan of Martha especially after she was, in my opinion, held up a bit unfairly as an example of how the government was cracking down on big business. This book takes a true and accurate look at the women, wife, mother, friend and incredible business women that Martha is. She has a temper like most of us, she is moody just like most of us, she likes nice things just like most of us. The difference is that her every move is scrutinized in most cases negatively and out of context. Yet she handles it all with grace and dignity as best she can and strives more recently to open herself up and let us her fans in. I highly recommend this book to her fans as well as those who through negative press have decided they do not like her. Give it a chance it might change your mind. Thank you Allen for an excellent view into the true Martha. Thank you Martha for Being Martha.

First I must state I am not particularly a fan of Ms. Stewart. On the other hand, I really have absolutely nothing against her. I don't know her, and in all likelihood never will. I do know that she has received some pretty bad press and a lot of hack writers have made a bit of money taking cheap shots at her. That being said, I rather enjoyed this work. I see absolutely nothing wrong in a friend writing about a friend and saying nice things about the friend they are writing about. The author's style is a little too gushy for my taste i.e. "to die for" is not the way people I know describe cookies. On the other hand, the author's world is different than mine, and that is okay. I dare say the author never uses phrases such as "damn, this is good stuff" when describing cookies. I do admit to finding Ms. Stewart a fascinating individual, and while, as I said, I am not a particular fan, I do admire what she has accomplished. The author gives us yet another view of this woman's life, and that is always refreshing. Like her or not, she certainly has made an impact on our society. It is people such as her we should all know about. This is a fast read and you certainly will not be the worse for wear by reading it and might even enjoy it. Overall, recommend.

My friend loaned me this book because she said it was so great to read something nice about someone for a change. She was right. This is a great fast read. And in this age where people are so busy trashing other people in order to sell books, Mr. Allen did the opposite. He stood up for his friend Martha and did it in such an entertaining, charming way. The stories are interesting insights into how Martha came to be Martha and there were lots of things I didn't know before. Yes, she's a strong woman, but what's wrong with that? She's met many challenges with great style. I think this is a good book for mothers to pass on to their daughters,at least that's what I'm going to do. Thanks Mr. Allen for showing us that nice can be as interesting to read as not nice. I think you're on to something.

So many, many lies about Martha have been written by total strangers (they shall remain nameless; they know who they are) that it was a bit shocking and very refreshing for me to finally read the truth about Martha as told by someone who has actually known her for years.

As the editor of SaveMartha, I have dissected many of the false stories about Martha, each of which was eventually proven to be untrue. I got to know who Martha is by being there at her trial, by speaking with her friends, family and employees, and came to understand that almost nothing the public knows about this woman is even close to the truth.

Before Christopher Byron's Martha Inc. was published with all of it's negative rumors, stories and innuendo, Martha had been planning to release her own autobiography. To her own misfortune she put it on hold. Thus Byron became the "authority" on all things Martha, and the negative impact all of that bad PR likely had on her reputation and on her trial cannot be denied.

Martha Stewart was ultimately tried and convicted for being Martha Stewart.

That is why Being Martha is the perfect title for this book.

Everyone wonders who the real Martha Stewart is. Finally, here is a book without any hidden agendas. Lloyd Allen has known Martha and her family for years. And he shows us Martha--warts and all--as only a good friend could. He has no illusions that Martha is "Miss Perfect" or that she even portrays herself that way. But she is a very hard worker; she strives for perfection and for the best way to do things. And then she shares that knowledge with the world.

Have there been bumps along the way? Has anyone's feelings been hurt or have friendships been lost along the way? This book shows us that course they have, and that it was inevitable for anyone on the kind of meteoric ride Martha's career has taken. Being Martha puts that all into perspective and lets the reader understand that Martha Stewart the celebrity is also Martha Stewart the human being.

Lloyd has shared with the world his own very real insider information, and this book is unlike anything I have ever read about Martha Stewart. And I am certain it is unlike anything she has ever read about herself.

Finally we have it, the truth about Martha...

Lloyd Allen's super testimony to Martha Stewart lends balance to all derogatory things that others have said.

It was refreshing to read about Martha's life through the personal experience of a friend. So honest, so real, so inspiring.

Her fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms, proves once again when life hands you lemons...make lemonade.....

"Being Martha"......it's a good thing......

Donna Parker

Texas

Finally, someone had the balls to tell it like it is. Thank you Lloyd for telling it like it is. "Being Martha" was a fascinating insight into Martha Stewart's life. The book is an easy and fast read; loaded with ancedotes and quotes of the people who are the closest to Martha Stewart. I would recommend this book to anyone who, like myself, always wondered how Martha became the person she is today.

I really enjoyed the book. It certainly gave me a new perspective on Martha. I mean I never paid much attention to Martha and her story. I just heard what other people had to say about her occasionally. It is unfortunate that people tend to be swayed by what they here on the gossip mill. What a great thing Mr. Allen did for Martha! I am really glad he wrote the book and I am really glad I read it. Martha certainly deserves respect and admiration.