Diana Ross: A Biography [Hardcover]

J. Randy Taraborrelli (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

There is only one Diana Ross. And this is her story.

Drawn from hundreds of interviews conducted over four decades and featuring rare, never-before-published photos, Diana Ross paints an unforgettable picture of an extraordinary and often controversial legend, a woman who has distinguished herself as a Civil Rights trailblazer, a temperamental celebrity (yes, you should call her "Miss Ross"), a loving and very present mother, and a consummate entertainer. Beautiful and fascinating, she is her own invention--the definition of a superstar.

Illuminated by unparalleled access, J. Randy Taraborrelli's insightful portrait surpasses previous biographies of Miss Ross. First-time revelations abound, from the tough decisions Diana made while having Barry Gordy's baby to her run-in with the police at Heathrow Airport to her triumphant recovery after a surprising drunk driving arrest. Taraborrelli also explains in vivid detail the real reasons behind the break up of the Supremes and relates the exclusive facts behind her complex romance with the founder of Motown. Delving deep into her personal history, Taraborrelli boldly explores Diana's troubled relationship with her family and the heartbreak she feels compelled to hide, bringing into focus a celebrated personality too often obscured by the bright lights of fame.

Despite years in the limelight, Diana Ross remains an enigmatic figure--a compelling paradox of vulnerability and iron will, fragility and strength. J. Randy Taraborrelli examines her private world to reveal a complex, inspiring, triumphant survivor in unprecedented clarity. Ladies and gentlemen, the incomparable, the one and only Diana Ross.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Taraborrelli has totally rewritten, expanded and updated his 1989 bio Call Her Miss Ross to create what is now truly a definitive biography. The new book boasts epic research, including extensive interviews with Ross and virtually all the major people in her life (his enviable first-hand access began in the 1970s when he started an international fan club for the Supremes and later worked for Mary Wilson). This time out, there is more background about the early Supremes years that yields a complex and fascinating tale of ambition, ego, insecurities and harsh showbiz realities. Taraborrelli delves more deeply into Ross's psyche, allowing readers to fully appreciate her drive to escape Detroit and conquer the music world. The book also benefits greatly from Taraborrelli's thoughtful analysis of conflicting viewpoints represented in published memoirs by Ross, Wilson, Berry Gordy, and a slew of Motown performers. It's to Taraborrelli's credit that he refuses to cast people as one-dimensional heroes, victims or villains. This riveting page-turner is actually a tribute to a woman who has survived and thrived for more than four decades in a profession littered with one-hit wonders. 16-pages of photos. (Sept.)
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From Booklist

In his acknowledgments, Taraborrelli asks if there is anything he can say about Diana Ross in this book that he hasn't already said in his first two biographies of the diva. That daring admission may be the most revelatory thing about this rehash of the author's Call Her Miss Ross (1989). Aside from a little new information on Ross' life since 1989, Taraborrelli delivers the same mix of gossip and quotes from sources with obvious personal agendas that made up the earlier book (the same sort of thing, in fact, that characterizes most "unauthorized" biographies). Still, for those not overly familar with Ross' history, the story of a determined young woman who became a Motown superstar is undeniably engaging. The real reason for the publication of this book at this time is no doubt the success of the movie Dreamgirls, and in fact, that film just may generate new readers interested in comparing the fictional version of Ross' life to the real thing. Pitt, David

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Citadel; First Edition edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806528494
• ISBN-13: 978-0806528496
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Pop

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

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly professional--I'm referring to the book, January 22, 2008

By 

Jim Andrews "Wayne Brasler" (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Diana Ross: A Biography (Hardcover)

Even with Randy's third opus on Miss Ross I haven't any more of a clue as to who or what she really is but if you've bought the previous two books don't think this is just a rehash. It's a new book and impeccably researched and impeccably written. He's done his damnest to try to bring the complete person to the pages. Ross' own book showed she hasn't got a clue about who she really is (and, good grief, all the information and dates she had wrong or confused) and that she is the center of her universe, not the most sensitive to the feelings or viewpoint of others she's worked with. Since she'll never write the whole story, this book will do nicely. The most significant observation Randy makes is Ross' multiple personalities--almost every star in show business has them, a combination of sheer guts and ambition and power with total insecurity. It drives everyone around them nuts. (But not every star is a bundle of contradictions--some are in show business but not of show business and live their lives right side up.) As for Ross, I love her work--a fabulous career still chuggin' ahead--but I'd never want to get in her way.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who Is Diana Ross?, September 18, 2007

By 

W. J. Thomas "Barneyjake" (Scottsdale, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Diana Ross: A Biography (Hardcover)

In J. Randy Taraborrelli's new biography on Diana Ross, he gives us the widescreen version of his earlier offering on this subject, Call Her Miss Ross. By that I mean that CHMR definitely dealt more with Diana Ross' reactions, behaviors and idiosyncrasies while Diana Ross, A Biography details the stories, situations and circumstances which resulted in those reactions. The whole picture in other words and finally answers the question, "who is Diana Ross"? I especially appreciated the three dimensional study of The Supremes and Diana's relationships with her former singing partners. Her relationship with her mother and father are quit different from each other and as a result have laid the foundation for a very complex, and at times, insecure personality. Further family relationships are examined and have painted a picture of a very family oriented Diana Ross that I didn't know existed (at least before her children were born). Robert Ellis, Berry Gordy, RCA, the ill-fated Supremes reunion tour, Arne Naess, the return to Motown, movies, television...all of it is examined fairly and carefully. Whether you are a Diana Ross fan or not, if you like reading biographies you will get your fill with this one as Diana's story is truly an American Dream come true.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Hit, Not A Miss, September 10, 2007

By 

Exguyparis "exguyparis" (Lansdowne, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diana Ross: A Biography (Hardcover)

Diana Ross has been a favorite of mine since I first heard her sing on the radio in 1964. I saw the Supremes perform dozens of times, and Diana Ross Solo another dozen, most recently in April 2007 in Atlantic City. I had the pleasure of having dinner with the Supremes at the home of their road manager in Cherry Hill, NJ during their first Latin Casino run.

I've read every book written about Diana Ross and the Supremes, and there have been a lot of them. I always felt that they ranged from the banal to the biased-against to the blindly-loyal (for example, the recent A Lifetime To Get Here: Diana Ross: The American Dreamgirl was written by an author with intensely Ross-colored glasses, and Diana's own "autobiographical" Secrets of a Sparrow was simply insipid). The only book of the crop that I thought painted an interesting, complex, full portrait of the diva I love was Call Her Miss Ross, written by J. Randy Taraborrelli in 1989.

Now, 18 years later, I can add a second book to the positive list: Diana Ross: A Biography, also by Taraborrelli. Rather than simply tacking on additional chapters covering the last 18 years, Taraborrelli has rethought and restructured the overall work. When Call Her Miss Ross was published, it had been 25 years since the first Supremes hit; the new Diana Ross: A Biography arrives 43 years after that hit, so the history (like me) has become a bit more ancient and can be viewed a bit differently.

What is good about the new book? No Diana book has been better researched (see the nine pages of acknowledgements). Taraborrelli had access to every key player in the Motown, Supremes, and Diana Ross saga. He writes quite well, so it is a pleasure to work through the 526 pages (I bought the version published in the UK at the beginning of the year; there it is called Diana Ross: An Unauthorized Biography). The photos are of top quality (not like some books where the photos look like Xerox copies). But most importantly, the book paints a rich, deep, thorough portrait of an amazing woman. She comes off as someone it would be interesting to know.

The story is fascinating--the impact of Diana Ross and the Supremes is huge, on music, Broadway, film. This book takes us closer to "reality" than anything else.

As Taraborrelli says in his introduction, the name "Diana Ross" prompts a strong reaction from almost anyone who sees it. I'm surprised that his books prompt such anger. Diana Ross: A Biography is a captivating and enthralling story of an amazing woman.