Shakira: Woman Full of Grace (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I am a walking contradiction..." (more)
Key Phrases: los ladrones, next album, United States, Buenos Aires, Latin American (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Written by StarMedia.com entertainment editor Diego, this unauthorized biography is a useful primer for those who have been intrigued by the beautiful Latina rocker. The subtitle refers to the Arabic meaning of Shakira's name, and Diego tells the story of how Shakira's New York-born father of Lebanese descent served as her first muse. Her mother, a constant companion, is her most devoted fan, as well as her manager. The book also tells us what most Shakira fans know that she was a prodigious child who composed her first songs while still in grammar school. But this biography will leave diehard Shakira fans disappointed. Its style is simple and timid unlike the subject, who is complex, driven, talented, sassy, and wise beyond her 24 years. Relying on published newspaper, magazine, and tabloid press accounts, the author sheds little new light on the woman who wooed Latin America with her politically conscious and soulful compositions on the hit albums Pies descalzos (Barefoot) and Donde est n los ladrones? (Where Are the Theives?). Still, Spanish-reading teenaged Latinas in particular will get a kick out of reading this book. Two other noteworthy biographies, both titled Shakira, were published this year by Planeta and Grijalbo. Recommended for public libraries and bookstores. [The English translation, Shakira: Woman Full of Grace, is also available from Fireside (ISBN 0-7432-1623-7). Ed.] Sandra Guzman, New Yor.
- Sandra Guzman, New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Ernesto Lechner Interview Thanks to her memorable hooks, gorgeous looks, and impromptu belly-dancing sessions, Shakira is currently the most popular Latin female singer in all of the Americas. -- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (July 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743216237
• ISBN-13: 978-0743216234
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #751,811 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars this is about shakira!, July 30, 2003

By	Carol Solie Davis (Marion, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

yeah, it is! there's not a bunch about columbia, it's about shakira! you get the info about her childhood, little known facts(she used to want to be an astronaut, did you know that?) people who didn't believe in her(her music teacher told her she had a voice like a goat) and info about her first two albums. The reason I give this 4 stars is because of the lack of photos-we could have some childhood photos here! Other than that, don't listen to the other guy, this book is worth a look!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Basic "Shakira", July 30, 2003

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Shakira's rousing Latin music, belly-dancing and pleasant personality have snagged the attention of the American public. Alas, now she has her own fan-oriented biography -- a rather vague background outline, peppered with career information and talk of how great she is.

"Woman" follows Shakira from her childhood as a bright, talented child to a burgeoning singing sensation in her native Columbia, then finding instant stardom in the US. Her religion, her family, her boyfriends, and her insights into life (such as when a bag of her songs was stolen) are gone into, but not in-depth.

Few biographies of actors or singers who are still alive are any good. However, "Woman" is lacking even among the quickie celebrity biographies. Ximena Diego, a Spanish-language entertainment editor, shoots for a professional look at Shakira, and succeeds in outlining her career, her CDs, her career ups-and-downs, and the festivals and concerts she played at. Unfortunately, there isn't much more to the biography than that.

Ximena Diego is a fan of Shakira's, and it shows. We're told frequently how talented, how sweet, how wonderful Shakira is. Why do we need to be told at all? The most frustrating thing is that while Diego has clearly done her research, she fails to balance out Shakira's personal interactions with her professional life. There's hardly anything about her friends or non-music accomplishments.

Die-hard Shakira completists may want this, or people who are just finding out about her. But for those who want something of substance about the "woman full of grace," wait for the next book.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A school report about Columbia by a Shakira fan, February 17, 2003

By	"pennutz" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This book reads like a report on Columbia. I don't care about the number one exports, all I care about is Shakira. A little bit of info is dispersed among lots of factoids about her homeland.