Customer Reviews

Shania Twain: An Intimate Portrait of a Country Music Diva

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

 

 

I thought this book was more or less a summary of the other three books about Shania that I have read. It did have a few new things that I did not know and the pictures in the book are great, but I wish it wouldn't have bashed her on one page and then prasied her on another. I give it four stars just because I love Shania and I really would read anything about her.

I have to agree with many of the reviews I have read about this book, there is nothing new, nothing different and nothing nice. The author repeats himself way too much and contradicts himself. At one time he is bashing her and the next saying that its easy to see why she is adored. I love Shania Twain and I felt like reading this book was just as bad as reading all the articles of people that love to bash her. Also, I agree that the author should have done a little more research instead of creating more rumors. Next time, try talking to Shania herself, thats the only book I want to read. I have read all the other books about Shania and they are so much more worthy. I will say one good thing, the info that is true in this book is written well, but I dont recommend buying it.

An "Intimate" portrait? Pfft! All this book has is the rags-to-riches story that has been retold so many times that any Shania fan can recite it in their sleep and a collection of quotes that, again, are nothing new. Mix it in with a couple of rumours, and you've got a disaster. Since when did Shania and Mutt run away to get married? Obviously the author hasn't seen the wedding picture of Shania with her siblings. And the red dress in the Whose Bed video is belly-bearing? It's very obvious that the author is not a fan, just an author doing his job. As I recall, Whose Bed and Any Man of Mine were definitely not rejected by radio and TV - they were being played just as much as any other new hit. There's no real proof to back most of his comments or retelling of rumours. The least he could've done is speak with a few people who know Shania, if not Shania herself, or at least do more research. Overall this is a big disappointment for Shania fans looking for more.

This book is very hipocritical. At points it complements and agress with Shania and then at times it turns her into a cold and calculating person! Don't buy this book it lies especially about the part with her firing Mary Bailey. I also have the book "Shania Twain" by Dallas Williams which is a very good book and it dosen't say anything about Shania being so harsh and cold towards Mary Bailey. If Shania was really this cold and calculating person why is she loved so much by her hometown and the rest of the world? this book does not display the true Shania. It is just another Nashville person trying to downplay who Shania really is.

Don't buy this book. I can't put it any simpler than that. Readers who want to get a little more insight into Shania Twain's life will be sorely disappointed. The title of this book shamelessly touts that it offers an intimate portrait of the popular singer. What it is is nothing more than a compilation of quotes from interviews of Shania from her magazine articles and TV and radio appearances. Any Shania fan who can put a sentence together could have written this book. This book does not enlighten nor entertain the reader. Thus, the only reason I can think of for the author writing this book is to exploit yet another famous celebrity for his own financial gain. The worst crime of all is that he's done so in the most unoriginal way.

i think this book was ok, but it was better than the one by dallas williams, and way worse than the one by barbara hager.

if you're gonna write a biography, you should interview the person for the book (or research a little, and not writing it on rumors).

over all, i guess it was an ok book

I am a come lately fan of Shania's and I was excited when I found the last copy of this at a local bookstore. The book was packaged as having some new and interesting insights on her life and work. Personally, I didn't like it. It was simply a patchwork collection of old articles and rumors. He painted her in contradictory shades of hometown girl and calculating megastar. One has a hard time believeing that the woman he writes as being very in touch with her roots is also the kind of woman that would fire a faithful friend, by way of Fed Express. I think he should have enlisted the help of friends and Shania insiders in compiling his information in this book. There are some very nice pictures of Shania, but I think the boast that they were never before seen photos are also inaccurate. All in all I don't reccommend this book.

I finished reading it two weeks ago, and I've bought three more copies, two for my best friends who also are big fans, and one for my sister. So I guess that tells you what I think about it! It's the second book on Shania I've read, and I liked this one more. It had more info in it and it was well-written, in my opinion.

I'm a professional Nashville songwriter who has had off-and-on success providing material for country singers over the last 15 to 20 years. Shania Twain has been somewhat of a mystery to me, and because I devour anything I can read about country music (or any popular music), I thought I'd pick up this book. I have to say I was influenced somewhat by being familiar with the author, who I don't know personally but am familiar with through his writing for publications in Nashville and in national publications about country music. His perspective is usually knowledgeable and sometimes controversial (at least around here in Tennessee), so I wanted to see what he had to say about Shania.

Well, there's not a lot of opinion in it, though he does do a fair job of explaining why so many fans like her and why some of us don't. What readers may find interesting, besides the details of Shania's climb to fame and the struggles and tragedies she overcame -- you certainly have to give her credit for that! -- is the segments where Mr. McCall goes into the current history of Nashville and how Ms. Twain has rebelled against the old guard and effected many changes on how songs are written and music recorded here (for better or worse, I might add!) I'd have to dispute the fellow here who says anyone could have written this book: believe me, telling a story simply and clearly is almost a lost art these days -- I know from how many people think they can write a country song! I've sometimes disagreed with McCall's writing and opinions, but he's always been a clear, direct writer who makes sense of complicated music bidness dealings. I learned something from reading this, and I think most other music fans will to.

Because I'm a singer, I love reading bios of other singers and performers. Shania's story is one of the best I've ever heard. She really had to go through so much to make it. Not only from when she was young when her parents died, but also after she went to Nashville. Her story is really inspiring to me and it will be to you. I've read 3 books on her now, and this is my favorite. It's easy to read, it has a lot of information in it I didn't know about, and besides telling me about a great singer it told me alot about the music biz too and how you really have to stick up for yourself and not be bossed around, but to be ambitious and driven and work hard and not give up. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes inspiring true stories or who is interested in entertainment and how it works.