My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Alana Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2009

Alana Stewart and Farrah Fawcett were inseparable since they first met in the 1970s. Over the course of 30 years, they supported each other through the trials of Hollywood life, raised their families together, and remained as close as two friends could be. But in fall 2006, their relationship was tested as never before when Farrah was diagnosed with aggressive rectal cancer. Given six months to live, the beautiful actress vowed to beat the disease; Alana vowed to help her. Relentless in their pursuit of a cure, they travelled around the country and the world, seeking out alternative and experimental therapies. During that quest, Alana kept a diary of their experience fighting the disease and recorded cherished memories of their years together. Now, to honour her friend's grace and courage in the face of death, and to celebrate their enduring bond, Alana shares these intimate and personal diaries with us all. As she chronicles Farrah's story, Alana reveals her own spiritual journey in which she came to understand the joy of selflessness-'Farrah's gift to her'-enlightenment that has changed her life. Writing candidly about aging, marriage, motherhood, and faith-everything she and Farrah have dealt with together - this emotional book is both an affirmation of life, a paean to a beloved friend, and a tribute to the transcendent power of friendship.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alana Stewart is an actress and former model who has been working in Hollywood for almost 40 years. She has devoted the last two years of her life to helping her friend Farrah Fawcett fight her battle with cancer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1St Edition edition (August 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061960586
• ISBN-13: 978-0061960581
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #778,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Entitlement versus Enlightenment, August 31, 2009

By 

M (Naperville, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship (Hardcover)

Stewart's sense of entitlement and self-pity feeds Alana's fear of old age, alone, without financial means. I don't know why I should be annoyed, being far from self-less, myself. But also, Alana places an uncomfortable priorty on her own birthday parties and gifts received. Nothing wrong with that until it prioritizes self over the greater needs of others, specifically loved ones.

And then, Alana's belief system leads her to believe that God puts Mimmo (a guy she meets in Europe while helping Farrah)in her life "for a reason" that turns out to be sex.

And she calls in these "healers" that supposedly are able to work magic (One healer, by rubbing coconut oil on Farrah's arms). Ms. Stewart dabbles in Christian Science for a bit and then is off searching in other directions.

In the beginning of this tale, Alana seems convinced that cancer can be meditated away. She actually advises Farrah to hold off on surgery because Alana's astrologer says so.

Though this book is Alana's honest effort to honor Farrah's friendship, it is also a hard look at an aging beauty unable to grow into her true self.

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's All About Alana, August 28, 2009

By 

R. E. WILLARD - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship (Hardcover)

This is such a betrayal of a woman who valued her privacy. The portion of the book dealing directly with Farrah's cancer treatments and her fight to survive is so minimal that this could have been a short story. Why do we need to know about poor Alana leaving hearth and home (one, apparently, she can ill afford) and presenting herself as a near saint for flying first class to Germany and having an affair with a younger man to bolster her ego. She could not have whined more about her lack of money or rotten luck with men. Dear God, for the first time I felt sorry for Rod Stewart having been married to this self absorbed woman. There is nothing here that was not in the documentary save some salacious details that add nothing to the fight Farrah was in. If hawking this kind of book makes for a friend, I'll rely on enemies (at least, with them, you know where you stand). Nice touch, Alana, descibing how wretched poor Farrah looked on her deathbed. And yes, I battled cancer and watched a loved one succumb so I do know how much one can sacrifice if one is not so shallow. If you must read it, go to the library.................

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars All About Alana...Poor Farrah, September 8, 2009

By 

Teri D. Demott "aussierider41" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship (Hardcover)

When I first started reading this book I seriously thought that Alana Stewart would tell about all the hours she spent by Farrah's side. Nothing could be further from the truth. This book shows how self centered Alana is, it's all about her. This book shows that Alana was NOT always by Farrah's side as she claims. It shows she went to Germany with Farrah...sometimes seemingly grudgingly. And when she SHOULD have been by Farrah's side..she was off having sex with an italian chef. Ok..so Farrah said to go ahead and have fun. Heeeellllloooo...when your friend is having treatments for cancer, you STAY with your friend. You just don't go off and have sex with someone you don't know. At the end Alana says that she put all of her stuff on the back burner and put Farrah first. NOT. Alana, if you had been a true friend to Farrah you would have been literally at her side, day and night. You were not at all. If you had been a true friend you would not have went off and had sex with a stranger. If you had been a true friend you would not have worried about every little thing that was going to affect you. You would not have went to parties and left your friend home alone. You would not have done alot of the things that you had done. There's so much more I could say but I would probably quite literally get in trouble. Thank God I checked this book out from the library instead of buying it. I will not be recommending this book to anyone. Hopefully Alana Stewart will see some of these reviews and rethink about what it means to be a TRUE FRIEND. Because she is not one and she was not one to Farrah.