Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose [Hardcover]

Paris Hilton (Author), Jeff Vespa (Photographer), Merle Ginsberg (Contributor)

Book Description

Release date: September 7, 2004

Socialite, fashion icon, television and movie star, recording artist and just plain celebrity: Twenty-two year old Paris Hilton is the great granddaughter of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton and is estimated to be worth USD30 million. The world first became aware of Paris Hilton through a Vanity Fair profile in 2000. Since then, she has graced the pages of countless magazines, newspapers, and tabloids; modeled on the runways of top designers; appeared on television shows as herself ('Saturday Night Live', MTV Music Awards) and as fictional characters (the new Sky One show 'Las Vegas'); had small parts in movies like 'The Cat in the Hat', 'Win a Date with Tad Hamilton' and the upcoming 'The Hillz'; has begun work on an album; and starred in a hit reality series, 'The Simple Life' (shown here on Channel 4). She has been romantically linked with current boyfriend Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, Rick Solomon (of the notorious sex tape), and Deryck Whibley of Sum 41. 'I think the biggest misconception about me is that I'm this spoiled brat. But I'm not. I'm the total opposite.'

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Heiress, socialite, model, actress, singer and media darling Hilton loves her life, knows how to get what she wants and matter-of-factly explains how anyone can be a glamorous, fun-loving, tiara-wearing heiress just like her. Bursting with photos of Hilton in trademark poses or with friends and family, her "confessions" are hardly scandalous, other than divulging that her hair is (gasp) naturally curly, she reveals few intimate details about herself, coyly referring to a famous scandal that once plagued her as "something I wasn't too proud of", but they display an energetic and earnest young woman fiercely loyal to her family and closest friends and determined to enjoy herself no matter what the consequences. Lightheartedly describing the "Paris Diet" (eat as much chocolate as you can, eat popcorn at night, never take diet pills) and admitting "I'm really bad about washing my face and using skin products," Hilton's indulgent and sometimes reckless lifestyle might not be sensible for everyone, but her advice to "channel your own inner heiress, create your own image, and project an extreme sense of confidence" is an empowering message for young women. Though much of the book consists of laundry lists of her favorite designers, body products, hair stylists, cities, etc., Hilton endears herself to readers by being the first to critique herself, even dedicating a chapter to photos of her fashion mistakes, and by encouraging aspiring heiresses, or girls who want to feel like one, to "always act like you're wearing an invisible crown. I do. And it's always worked for me."
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Review

Paul Marciano, co-CEO and creative director of GUESS?From the moment I met Paris, I knew she had something special that would make her much more than a typical young socialite. She exudes a charisma rarely seen. You never know what to expect from her next. This book is a depiction of that Paris.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; First Edition edition (September 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743266641
• ISBN-13: 978-0743266642
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (246 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion > Models

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 63 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Garbage October 13, 2004

By Nicole Murphy

Format:Hardcover

I'm not a certified book critic, but I would never encourage anyone to waste $22.00 of their hard-earned money on this pile. Paris probably hired some underling ghost-writer to jot down her "ideas" and "thoughts" and paste them together in a hardcover. She was trying to get the readers to see her as someone that she's obviously not (respectful, humble, intelligent, real), and contradicts each statement with her "tips" and "how-to's" (behave like an utter snob, act ridiculously arrogant and you'll gain the admiration you've so longed for from society). She also uses an entire chapter to name-drop her celebrity friends' list.

She's glamorous, stylish and has the cash to get her by, but otherwise, there is nothing to the book but and endless abyss of shallow thinking.

36 of 42 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money September 18, 2004

By TenderHeart

Format:Hardcover

It's not even remotely interesting. It took me about 10 min. to read half of it in the book store. I didn't even want to bother reading the rest of it, much less buy it.

The other reviewer was right, It's written on a second grade level.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't hate Paris.....But don't idolize her either February 14, 2005

By Jared

Format:Hardcover

It is amazing to me, the amount of passion that goes into people loving or hating Paris Hilton. I never knew a whole lot about her, as I am not much interested in celebrities, but I can say I find it much easier to be turned off by her than to be mesmerized by her.

What is so great about her? Have we become such a materialistic society that we worship a girl who just happens to be born into a wealthy family? That nothing else matters except that she is rich? Just by birth?

Sure, she is pretty, but I imagine with enough money spent on fake tans and blue contacts, hair extensions and overly sexy clothes, anybody can look good. And when you have all the money you could ever want to buy those things, and all the time in the world to groom yourself (because you do not have to work) well, any of us could be glamorous, right?

So people who worship this girl do so because she is rich and glamorous. And that is about as shallow as Paris herself. This girl has had such an abnormal upbringing that she has no idea what real work is like, never thinks of others' feelings, and looks down at anyone less affluent than she (as seen by her behavior on the Simple Life shows). And this is someone whom we should all look up to?!?

The real interesting thing about Paris though, to me, is psychological. I saw her on Letterman the other night, and she appeared to be much younger than her real age. She seems very immature, probably from gliding through life without many struggles, (struggling being the kind of thing that makes you grow as a person). We all wish we could have it as easy as Paris, but do we really? The things we struggle with cause us to learn and poor, spoiled Paris has never had that....

Also, she is so self-absorbed and narcissistic that I just could not believe her! I was amazed at the things written in this book, but hearing her actually speak in that manner downright shocked me. How can anyone be that in love with themselves? This isn't self-confidence, either. I honestly believe she has Narcissistic Personality Disorder (I am not kidding) so rather than hate her, she should be pitied.

I have seen photos of her, in her partying atmosphere, wearing scanty clothing with no underwear and then bending over to give the world a peek. Who in the world, other than a professional stripper maybe, would be driven to do that? Do you need attention that badly? Correct me if I am wrong, but that is abnormal behavior.

All of you folks who have blind admiration for Paris should think hard about what a true 'hero' would be. Someone who is out to help the world be a better place, to fight corruption, crime, poverty, disease, injustice....I could go on and on. With her resources, I certainly know that I could do a LOT to help good causes and to change things for the better. But Paris does not give a second thought to anyone but herself, which, to me, is disgusting, whether she has resources or not. No matter how little you have in life, you are always able to help others. And she has been filmed calling people by racial epithets. Again, is this someone whom we should idolize? She is short on brains, definitely, but also on compassion for others.

All of the people who passionately hate this girl should just ignore her, as she gets a bigger ego with any attention she gets, good or bad.

It just scares me that someone so....useless....can be idolized so easily and so much. Do not hate her, sympathize for her instead, because she really is not a very nice person, and spend your time helping others, because she certainly won't. Read more ›

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Paris Hilton commits her own worst sin September 9, 2004

By R. Bokhout

Format:Hardcover

In case you - like me - believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt, and thus might be tempted to see if there actually is another, unseen Paris Hilton, as she purports to do in "Confessions of a Heiress," let me save you some time.

The only thing hidden behind Paris' glossy surface, is more surface.

I was, however, pleased by the neat corrollation between the uselessness of the book (too large, pink and expensive to fit on most book buyers shelves or in their budgets; not big enough to be used as a doorstop or protective weapon) and the uselessness of Paris Hilton herself (basically also too large, pink and expensive - not to mention parasitical).

In one of the many comic moments throughout, Paris notes that she thinks it is the worst sin in the world to be boring. Please note the headline of this article.

Basically, never was a girl less like her namesake. And never was a single facial expression so devoutly used in press pictures.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny, yet sad... September 23, 2004

By Bryan J. Simmons

Format:Hardcover

I find it hilarious that people writing 5 star reviews here try to convince us that this 5th grade literature they just read isn't supposed to be taken seriously. As though Paris in her "genius" wit wrote it this way on purpose. To be fair, I am convinced she tried really hard. But let's be honest with ourselves, a billionaire heiress that only needs to focus on "being more important than her clothes" need not be educated. This book is funny, and I recommend giving it a quick read. However, I find it sad that this girl is so blindly followed. She is an heiress, not a goddess.

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing September 19, 2004

By Sheryl

Format:Hardcover

As a professional career woman, wife, mother (and previously Paris Hilton fan), I was disappointed in this book in that it is written in a very 'child-like' fashion (or perhaps at age 30, I'm just too old for this kind of read?). Though I'm sure there are other 'early-twenties' out there, with good education and without the help of writers, that could do a much better job. Paris doesn't mention what kind of education she has and I think it shows through this book. I love fashion, I love entertainment, I love Hollywood, but I love intelligence and wit too.

50 of 61 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Oy September 18, 2004

By Shaz VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Once upon a time, Paris was a cute brown-eyed girl with dark blonde hair. Then, she got minor rhinoplasty, bleached her hair to the point of falling out, tanned her skin until it looked plastic, purchased blue contacts, and hit the big time. Yawn.

Touting this book as "tounge-in-cheek" is supposed to give Paris a Get Out of Jail Free Card; i.e. "You can't really criticize this book, because it's meant to be funny". But, it's not funny, and can really only be touted as part of the "I'm milking my 15 minutes" parade. If you want to know all the things an heiress would or wouldn't do, Paris will give you the skinny (I must have missed the chapter on how an heiress should make at least one amateur porn video!). But this is fluff reading at best and trashy self-promotion at worst. If sister Nicky had written this, perhaps we could take it more seriously. Quotes such as "People say they envy my lifestyle, but I'm convinced that anyone with a little imagination can live 'The Life.'" Yeah, that and a Daddy who internationally owns one of the most expensive and popular hotel chains. I suppose that helps you attain 'The Life'; and you don't even have to work hard for it!

Between parading herself around as a "celebrity" (and a skanky one at that) and trying to convince America that she alone has coined the phrase "That's hot!" (as if no one else before her has said it), I just can't take this girl seriously. Bottom line: "Confessions" reads like one big Paris yearbook...except with less words. If you're really into this 'Girl of the Moment', then read this. But don't expect hilarity- it's Paris's way of saying, "Don't you wish you were me?" under the guise of humor. Ugh.