Britney Spears' Heart to Heart [Paperback]

Britney Spears (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 9, 2000

American singing sensation Britney Spears and her mom talk about life, love, fame, and following your dreams.

Britney Spears makes success look simple. As Brit will tell you, though, success is hard work--you need talent, belief in yourself, and someone else who believes in you. For Britney, that person has always been her mother, Lynne Spears, who is not just Britney's mama but also her best friend.

In Britney Spears' Heart to Heart, Britney and Lynne share the inspiring story of how one little girl from Kentwood, Louisiana, turned into a music phenomenon. From the days of singing at talent shows and family gatherings to recording ". . . Baby One More Time" and performing with NSYNC, Britney and Lynne share intimate details about Britney's rise to stardom. But this book is much more than just the story of Britney's life. In their own words, Lynne and Britney talk openly about the challenges facing all mothers and daughters. How do you encourage your child? How do you talk to your mom? How do you overcome obstacles? How do you put together your own "dream team" that will always be there for you? How do you deal with success--and failure? How do you talk about dating and relationships, dress codes, self-esteem, and body image?

Featuring never-before-seen photos and dozens of behind-the-scenes stories about life at home, in the studio, and on the road, Britney Spears' Heart to Heart is not only a must-have for Britney fans, it's also an honest look at what it's like for girls to grow up in today's world. Here's straight talk from the heart, from a mother and daughter who know that love, faith, and family always come first.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Britney Spears' follow-up album to ". . . Baby One More Time," her multiplatinum debut, is "Oops! . . . I Did It Again."

Lynne Spears teaches grade school in Kentwood, Louisiana. She is the mother of Bryan, Britney, and Jamie Lynn Spears.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

My  mama, Lynne, lights up a room when she walks into it. She just radiates warmth, and it's the most wonderful feeling in the world to be around her. People are simply drawn to her, and the friends she has are her friends forever -- and then some. That's why I'm so lucky that she's my best friend.

What we have between us is something rare. The older I get, the more I realize that. Growing up, I knew so many girls who used to fight all the time with their moms -- over everything, it seemed: boys, clothes, curfews -- and that used to make me so sad. I wished they could all have a mom like mine. (Although my brother, my sister, and I would've hated to share her with anyone else!) She is the strongest, bravest, most generous person I have ever known, and I'd be truly blessed if even just a little bit of that has rubbed off on me. An interviewer once asked me what I thought was the key to success. Well, I think it takes three very important things: (1) talent, (2) a belief in yourself, and (3) someone who believes in you. My mama was and is that someone.

I wanted to write this book so people could understand what a special bond we have between us and how much we've depended on each other over the years -- through good times and tough ones (and there have been some tough ones). I hope that in sharing our story we'll inspire mothers and daughters to open their hearts to one another. It would also be great to be able to encourage kids to follow their dreams and not to be scared to set high goals. I'm living proof that you can succeed, no matter where you're from or how little you have. My family didn't have a whole lot of "things" when I was growing up, but we had one another.

Back home, folks always joke that my mama and I can complete each other's sentences. It's true -- and besides that, she calls me at exactly the moment I need her most. Don't ask me how she does it. Somehow she senses what I'm feeling, even if we're thousands of miles apart.

So I'd tell her right now just how much I love her, but she already knows.

Britney Spears

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Britney and I would go to the moon for each other. Mothers and daughters aren't always as close as we are, especially during the teenage years. It's a hard time, and there's potential for a lot of misunderstanding. People say there's a generation gap. Well, I don't really believe that. We've always managed to put any differences aside and focus on what is the key to any good relationship -- love and respect for each other. You can love your child and you can love your mama (that's nature's way), but it is important to truly like your child and your mama, too.

Kids will make mistakes; they'll do things they shouldn't. That's a given. But didn't we all make mistakes when we were younger? I always try to remind myself of that and stay as open-minded as possible. (I just love it when Brit tells me I'm "cool.") Maybe I don't understand everything that she likes or does (the belly-button-piercing thing I just do not get!), but I give her room to learn, room to explore, room to grow. Which doesn't mean I don't worry -- that's a mother's job, after all. But I know that she's got a good head on her shoulders and a big heart, and they'll be her guides when I can't be with her.

I certainly don't want any of the credit for Britney's success. She's earned that all by herself. I haven't done anything more for my daughter than any good mother would do: I just nurtured her on her path. I believed that Britney had a great gift and that she should use it, if that's what her heart was telling her to do. There were people along the way who told me I was doing the wrong thing, that I was building up her hopes and it could only lead to heartbreak. What kid from Kentwood, Louisiana, ever went on to become a pop star, much less by the age of seventeen? But just because no one had done it before didn't mean Britney couldn't. Someone had to be the first, so why not her? I knew there'd be plenty of obstacles in her path, and I tried my best to prepare her for them and help her jump those hurdles as they came along.

I'm an elementary-school teacher and I love to teach, so of course I'd like everyone to learn something from our experiences. This book is a wonderful chance for me to share some of the things I've learned while raising Brit, her brother, Bryan, and her little sister, Jamie Lynn. Lesson 1: Being a parent is more than just helping with homework, kissing scraped knees, or nursing the chicken pox. It's a lifelong job and it's the most challenging -- yet the most rewarding -- one you will ever have. Lesson 2: There's no book on how to be the perfect parent, no rules to follow. (And I'm thankful for that because I probably broke them all!) Every child is special and unique, and you just do the very best you can. And finally, Lesson 3: There is no greater joy than finding your meaning in life -- except maybe helping someone you love find hers.

Writing this book with Brit has been a labor of love for both of us. We've shared so much over the past eighteen years, and we still do. (You should see our phone bills!) What I hope you take away from our efforts is a better understanding of who Britney is (who knows her better than her mama?) and of the power of love, faith, and family. If you believe in these things and follow your heart, the sky is the limit.

Lynne Spears

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; three rivers press edition (May 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609807013
• ISBN-13: 978-0609807019
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Pop

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 80 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars S-U-P-E-R-B! Die-hard fans, look no further. May 9, 2000

By Andy Chiu

Format:Paperback

I picked "Heart to Heart", written by Britney Spears and Lynne Spears, today at a local bookstore. It had me glued to my seat until I finally finished the book just now. This book has everything a true fan would want, exceptional and carefully picked photos straight from Britney and her mom, her road to success from her childhood past, to her close family ties, especially, of course, her mother, Lynne Spears. Photos in this book were of most that I have not seen anywhere else, be it the Internet, magazines, or other Britney books. Her father was even in some of the photos (I have not seen ANY pictures of her father ANYWHERE). This struck me as odd, actually seeing her father for the first time, but as I read on, she explained that her father is not very close to her as her mother, because her father is a contractor who moves all across the country. Nevertheless, he has provided the foundation for Britney Spears' success. Jamie Lynne, Britney's younger sister, is described by Britney as "the best sister in the world. She wants to be ME when she grows up. She looks up to me." Britney and Jamie have been very close, ever since Jamie stepped into this world. Descriptions and details about Britney's friend and celebrity bonds are beatifully written. From Ricky Martin, to Melissa Joan Hart. About how she has helped many friends, and celebrities like Melissa Joan Hart, her movie "Drive Me Crazy." This book has it all, from her first tryouts for the Mickey Mouse Club in Orlando, to the spotlight on MTV. Britney recollects in this book about her performances (concerts and award shows) and her attendances (award shows). She absolutely loves talk shows, being able to step out and thank the fans for her success. Want to know how she inherited the title "The Princess of Pop?" Look no further, pick up a copy of "Heart to Heart." A good portion of the book is about her close tie between her and her mother, hence the title "Heart to Heart"; however, do not sidestep this book, for it is even a great book for relationships. With all the bad influences on teens these days, Britney and her mother, Lynne, has provided the idealistic parent-child relationship that we should all follow. The book is aimed at everyone of all ages. I recommend you pick it up, even if you do not seem to like her because she is more than an artist, she is a down to earth person with the human utopian characteristics - generousity, polite, courteous, open-minded, liberal (I could go on and on) - that nowadays everyone needs to have. I assume your reading this because your a fan of Britney Spears, right? Well...what are you waiting for? Buy this book right away, do not hesitate. You will not regret purchasing this book. Oh, and about the other Britney Spears books that are out there. Do not buy them, for they are UNofficial, and they can not even compare to this magnitude of a book. I have almost all the other Britney Spears books out there possible (yes, I am truly DIE-HARD Britney Spears fan), and none of them combined have the wealth and vast information "Heart to Heart" contains. BUY "HEART TO HEART" NOW!

P.S. Thanks Britney (and Lynne) for publishing a knockout of a book. Britney, you have changed my life around, especially my relationship with my mother. I cannot thank you enough. I'll see you in Saint Louis, Missouri, July 16th, 2000, for your concert!

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A good, quick read May 30, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This book is not only for mothers and young girls reaching for the stars. This book is for anyone who enjoys a heart-warming story about a young woman working hard and striving for her dreams. It portrays the importance of family and friends, and the necessity that no matter how successful you are, you should never forget those closest to you. Furthermore, it portrays that with God, anything is possible.

Britney has grown a lot in the past year, evident in the fact that she even decided to write this book. She is sweet, down-to-earth, and generous--as you will read about her charitable contributions. Despite all her success, she is surprisingly modest. She is indeed a role model for children and teenagers.

Reading this book is like sitting down with Britney and Mrs. Spears and listening to them tell stories about their past and present. It is a good, quick read and I highly recommend it.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Brit's new book May 9, 2000

By "ln328"

Format:Paperback

I just have to say wow! I was not sure exactly what to expect with the book. I thought it might have info. that i already knew and pics i had all ready seen many times. But it was not! It really was like i was a part of the family. There are pics that are very rare and i learned things i never knew. It was great getting a behind the scenes look at the Spears' family. Reading this book made me an even bigger fan of Britney because i know how much she cares for everyone especially her family, friends and even her fans! Britney rocks!