Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story [Paperback]

Gladys Knight (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

This immensely inspiring autobiography tells the whole, true story of Gladys Knight, a four-time Grammy winner, whose life has been rich in music, faith, love, and immense hardships. of photos.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Knight, of pop's Pips, offers an event-packed autobiography--from child gospel sensation through '70s superstardom to Vegas divahood--earnestly but with little verve. First achieving national attention at age eight, in 1952, on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour, the Atlanta- born Knight was very soon thereafter singing on the ``Chitlin' Circuit'' of black nightclubs with an early incarnation of the Pips (all siblings and cousins). The Pips toured throughout the '50s with the likes of Jackie Wilson and Joe Tex, recording only briefly and unsuccessfully. Knight's first marriage, to her high-school sweetheart, collapsed because of his drug use; her father descended into mental illness and left the family. She indicates that by 1963 the Pips were big enough to have performers at the White House, but it wasn't until the mid-'60s that they signed with Motown, finally breaking through in 1967 with ``I Heard It Through the Grapevine.'' Knight is good on the subject of Motown's feudal business practices: Second-tier groups like the Pips would seldom get a crack at the in-house songwriters' best songs, and naive performers accepted company ``gifts'' that in fact were advances against royalties, keeping the artists in debt (and thus servitude) to Motown. Only on leaving Motown did the Pips achieve top stardom with a succession of hits. On the crises in her life--including a gambling addiction and two more failed marriages, most recently to the motivational speaker Les Brown--Knight is so intent on gleaning lessons that she usually fails to render the experiences themselves particularly vividly. Anecdotes of racism and (other people's) high jinks on the road are similarly lifeless. Perhaps more tellingly than she intends, Knight notes of the world of show business: ``I have seen it all, to be sure, but rarely participated in it.'' This distance comes through clearly in her memoir. (32 pages b&w photos, not seen) (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Books; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786863269
• ISBN-13: 978-0786863266
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,540,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Makings of a Soul Diva, December 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (Paperback)

Oh, just picked up the paperback to seeing her on an old 'Jeffersons' rerun (remember that). Loved this book! Gladys has always been a favorite of mine- that rich, flawless delivery underlined with down to earth truth and conviction- she is among the leading voices that brought soul music to the mainstream America in the 1960's.
I was mist intrigued by her honesty throughout the book, especially in speaking of her parenting of her children. I commended her for that. Her gambling addiction was another testament of how she overcame adversity and came out a winner, which was another source of inspiration for myself. I also really appreciated her honesty in relation to her tenure with Motown and the treatment they received while on the legendary label.
And then there was the dirt! What is the deal between she and Aretha? I always perceived that they would be good friends, especially since both encompass such mesmarizing, soulful voices.... I love Dionne, and I could not see her acting the way Patti portrayed her.
This is a inspirational, well written piece of work. I would recommend this purchase and much love and success to Ms. Knight for decades to come.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this very candid and inspirational book., October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (Paperback)

Gladys Knight did an exceptional job of revealing her life of pain and glory. She had me bumping into walls as I left work each day because I couldn't wait to get home to continue reading. I know that she is a gifted performer, but I now know that she is a gifted writer as well. This is a must read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Motown's loss is the world's gain., October 8, 2003

By 

Blackworm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (Paperback)

Gladys Knight's autobiography was not as compelling as Patti's DON'T BLOCK THE BLESSINGS, but make no bones about it, this lady has paid her dues for being the icon that she is, and the diva that she will always be. As a child performing on the TED MACK AMATEUR HOUR, a star was being groomed, but the pitfalls that she encountered while the Pips were being formed, from racism to the sexual attack, left a mark that made her stronger wtih each day that went by. The most interesting monents were during her discussion about how they were treated as a "second-tier" group when they brought Motown several hits. It seems that Berry Gordy and Diana Ross had other plans for the group, and the company made a few rules along the way on how they would be paid. Leaving Motown would be the biggest feather in their caps and the best part was when nobody looked back. She also clear up what went on behind the SISTERS IN THE NAME OF LOVE showcase, the "who discovered The Jackson Five" debate, and the dissolving of her three marriages. Quite long during her teenaged years, everything leads up to this moment, and never let it be said that Ms. Knight is not a survivor.