Customer Reviews

Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone (The Ramones Years)

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a book I'd hoped would be written. After reading Dee Dee's three books, "Please Kill Me", "On The Road With The Ramones",and seeing the excellent documentary "End Of The Century", I wondered the tale Vera Ramone, Dee Dee's beloved first wife, would tell. She does not disappoint. Vera whisks us back to those heady NYC days when The Ramones were cutting their teeth at CBGB and gives us an insider's view as to what it was like to live with and love the heart and soul of the band. We are privy to their meeting and falling head over heels in love and learn of the blissful hopes Vera had for their future.
Her story is compelling. She soon learns that the love of her life is a hardcore heroin addict who also suffers from bipolar disorder. And The Ramones, while certainly the hardest working band in show business, are nothing short of dysfunctional. Dee Dee, while being amazingly prolific and a true poet, is prone to violence and shocking mood swings, while also having a huge open heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and loving and adoring Vera from the very depths of his soul.
Vera lets us into her private memories and shares with us what it was really like to be caught up in the whirlwind. She doesn't shy away from the rough stuff yet doesn't dwell on it, either. Her matter-of-fact recollections show she harbors no bitterness towards Dee Dee and, in fact, loves him still. She shares plenty of good times, wonderful photos, letters and lyrics in Dee Dee's own hand, and it is crystal clear that she loved him totally, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.
Theirs was a true love story and Vera really adored Dee Dee for who he was and accepted him wholeheartedly, flaws and all. Finally, when the end of their marriage came, neither one honestly wanted to live without the other. Their bond remained strong and they never really let go.
Vera is an inspiration because she is a survivor and a truly cool chick. Her loving spirit, sense of humor, and East Coast wit all remain intact. She lived the highest of the highs, the depths of despair, survived a near-death experience, and never once wondered "Why me?". She tells a complicated and difficult story with grace, class, plenty of humor, and an abundance of love. Vera's opening up of her heart will ensure that you take her into yours.

If you care about The Ramones--and you have to care about The Ramones, one of the great bands of all time--then you must read Vera Ramone King's wonderful "Poisoned Heart." King's memoir of her tumultuous marriage to Dee Dee Ramone chronicles both a passionate love story and a brilliant band during its prime. King, who thought she was living the "ultimate dream" of a rock star's wife, shows us the dynamics of a band of punk rockers creating great music against the indifference of managers and the music industry at large. Her dream required a selfless love--she served as a chauffeur, maid, cook, assistant, and punching bag to her husband--but through it all King remained the Queen of Punk. Despite the insanity of the punk world, King's story reveals a woman of great integrity. This memoir told by a woman unbowed by brain cancer is essential reading for all lovers of passionate music and the complicated men and women who create it. Highly recommended.

Poisoned Heart is an intense, compelling page-turner. I was deeply touched by Vera King's honest and emotional account of her life with Dee Dee Ramone. Poisoned Heart is a must-read even for readers who have no interest in or connection to the world of 70s punk rock: it's one of the great love stories. Dee Dee may have had a Poisoned Heart, but Vera's is pure & open and their story is told from the perspective of her huge heart. You will get to know Vera herself from her book. The way Vera unreservedly loved & cared for Dee Dee is awe-inspiring and I have the utmost respect for her and wish her only the best. The book is also chock full of wonderful historical and personal photos. I highly recommend you buy and read Poisoned Heart - you will love it, and you will love Vera. In fact, I'm re-reading it right now. GO, Vera, and RIP Dee Dee!

This book is so poorly written that I deleted it half way through.While I'm sure Ms.Kings heart was in the right place,her writing left a lot to be desired. A good editor surely would have helped...

A touching, inspiring personal story. I knew many of the people in this book, and I also had the pleasure of being hostess at a private party thrown for Dee Dee and Vera at Max's Kansas City, where I worked. I had only met Vera that one time, but I always had a lovely memory of that event, so when I heard she had written this book, I was intrigued and wanted to read it. I had no idea what her life with Dee Dee was really like or what she went through.

The reviews below give you an excellent overview of that, and I don't think I can write anything that sums it up any better. Her sacrifices were enormous because she loved him dearly.

But the most difficult trial of her life was yet to come. Vera's battle with brain cancer later in her life was something that came close to home for me. A beloved member of my family battled brain cancer and sadly passed away.

Vera's account of this most difficult trial of her life, and her ultimate triumph over what seemed incredibly slim odds is truly inspiring. Vera, I wish you every happiness and continued good health. You are such a gentle soul.

I'm a huge Ramones fan, but I'm really glad that I borrowed this from the library rather than bought it. The main problem with the book is the writing - its terribly, terribly written. It reads like an extended high school essay. Vera really could have done with a co-writer on this. I read this one right after finishing I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE by Mickey Leigh with was co-written with Legs McNeil and (probably due to the involvement of Legs) that book is a much better read. Vera's book is slim, the time line is pretty wonky, and there are many historical inaccuracies (like the suggestion that nobody in the Ramones could play an instrument before they formed the band, contradicted by just about every other account of the Ramones, and something that should have been picked up if this book had a decent copy editor). Also, there are no real deep insights here that you could gather from other places like PLEASE KILL ME, the Micky Leigh book, or Dee Dee's own writings (LOBOTOMY, LEGEND OF A ROCK STAR, CHELSEA HORROR HOTEL). The impression of Dee Dee that emerges here is pretty sketchy, you get the sense that he was an extreme, volatile person (which we already knew) but if youre looking for any deeper insight you'll be left wanting.

The photos are a selling point though, as many of them appear here for the first time.

LOBOTOMY, while it wasn't what you would call "well written" in the traditional sense, had more of a sense of humor and style. And although Dee Dee's books probably dont represent the "full truth" either, they at least give a better impression of the fascinating, contradictory and legendary persona of Dee Dee Ramone... POISONED HEART definitely feels like a missed opportunity as Vera certainly had a story to tell, just not the ability to tell it well.

This is a hard-to-put-down, must-read for anyone who loves the Ramones. Vera's rollercoaster ride through life with Dee Dee is very compelling and very harrowing. The electric energy he channeled to write most of the Ramones' greatest songs is the same current that surged out of control through the extreme highs and lows of bipolar disorder. Vera kept him from completely losing his moorings during the time that they were together, but too often at the expense of her own safety and well-being. Read it, savor a time and place that will never be again, and enjoy the photos and handwritten lyrics Vera includes in her story of life with Dee Dee Ramone.

Well, I'm Glad that Vera can Finally Tell her story. I hated how she wasn't even Mentioned in Dee Dee's books (i now know Why)

She tell's the tale, in an inviting personal style, but she really didn't Make the Good Times seem So Great or the Scary Bad times, Scary Bad Enough! I think there was only a Few times I Felt for her Happy or Sad, or Scared! It would have been Nice to Hear How she dealt with being On the Road, Dealing with the Groupies etc...

I got tired of her telling me What a Great Guy/Husband he was, Or How much she Loved him, or how Complicated Guy he was, in the Same Way over & over...

I think The Ramones are/Were Amazing, so I'm going to read Most Books about them & I'm glad this one is here as well!

I wish Vera Well Too, I'm Glad she Made it through! She Is a Survivor!

I really don't find the lives of punk rockers of much interest, but a friend sent me Poisoned Heart. I couldn't put it down. What a fascinating life story! The fact that Dee Dee Ramone was a rock star, and that I knew how it ended, is secondary.

So much went on in their lives that most people were unaware of, and now Vera has opened it up for us. You can actually feel what she was going through. A great glimpse into a subculture.

I picked this book up initially because I'm a fan of The Ramones, but I was surprised. There is so much more to Vera's story than rock music or punk history. A very personal account of the years of being married to one of the most charismatic bass players in punk history, along with interesting storys of being on tour with and knowing the other members of The Ramones. Vera tells both the ups and downs of being married to Dee Dee, and shows the many sides of him, some we knew and some we didn't. She seems fair in her portrayal of him. She is honest about the difficult times and is very sentimental of the good times. The last chapters are very moving, right down to the LAST SENTANCE of the last page. If Dee Dee was still with us, I feel that he'd be happy with this.