Cher: A Biography [Hardcover]

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

It's unlikely Cherilyn Sarkesian is quite so shallow, self-centered, and irresponsible as she's presented here. A teen runaway, she began her career as a go-go dancer on Sunset Strip. She teamed with and later married the shrewdly ambitious Sonny Bono, who, she now says, controlled her like a puppet. The pair scored several top ten records and went on to star in a top-rated TV variety show. Since Cher broke with Sonny her lifestyle has kept the tabloids filled. But she's quieted those who pegged her as a no-talent celebrity by her unexpectedly fine acting performances in films like Silkwood. Writing without Cher's cooperation, Taraborrelli had to piece things together from interviews and old magazine articles. The result is a biography as flat as last night's champagne and as deep as a People magazine profile. Unless demand dictates, wait for Cher to tell her own story. Thomas Jewell, Waltham P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 322 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1 edition (November 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312131704
• ISBN-13: 978-0312131708
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,092,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. RANDY TARABORRELLI is the author of 16 biographies, many of them New York Times' best sellers, including "Call Her Miss Ross," "Sinatra - Behind the Legend," "Madonna - An Intimate Biography," "Jackie, Ethel, Joan - Women of Camelot" and "Elizabeth." His most recent New York Times' best sellers include "Michael Jackson - The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story." (2009) and "The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe" (also 2009). He is presently at work on his 17th book.

Taraborrelli is known as the foremost authority on Michael Jackson. He interviewed him and his family members countless times and has written more than one hundred articles about him. When Michael Jackson turned eighteen, Taraborrelli was there to report the story with an exclusive interview. As he did when Michael turned 21. And then 30. When Michael recorded "Thriller," Taraborrelli was in the studio. The author also reported on his first marriage to Lisa Marie Presley and his second to Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of his children. Taraborrelli landed the first interview when Jackson settled molestation charges against him in 1993 and was in the courtroom every day when Michael Jackson was on trial for child molestation ten years later. He anchored Michael Jackson's memorial service with Katie Courice in 2009.

J. Randy Taraborrelli is also a CBS News analyst.

The author lives in Encino, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Overall Biography; wish it was updated by Author, July 30, 2011

By 

Paige Turner "Film Fanatic" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cher: A Biography (Hardcover)

I don't agree with the review posted by Library Journal. This is an interesting, detailed biography of Cher, and one of the better ones. I have read Cher's autobiography "The First Time", which is amusing and full of "Cherisms", but I prefer this one, as it is more detailed and in a chronological format. It tells a lot about her family, her early career, how she got her start, and the relationship between her and Sonny. My only wish is that J. Randy Taraborrelli would update this biography as he did with his detailed one on Michael Jackson. It is in dire need of updating, considering what has happened since the book's publication, such as Sonny's Mayorship and tragic death, Chastity's coming out as a lesbian, then as transgender, and how Cher continues to reinvent herself. This is out of print, but if you can snag a copy here through Amazon's marketplace, you're in for a great read.