Star: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "They called her Star..." (more)
Key Phrases: makeup room, Los Angeles, Star Wood Leigh, Hammer Time (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Who knew? Pamela Anderson's debut novel Star is funny, sexy, and utterly compelling--a must read for chick lit fans, subscribers to US Weekly, and anyone with an ounce of curiosity about Hollywood. Still not convinced? Here are three reasons to read Star: it offers a gossipy glimpse into the extravagant lives of the rich and shameless; it’s funny--filled with laugh-out-loud memorable moments; and most surprising, it’s got a lot of heart--don't be surprised if you find yourself falling for this sweet, naïve, and lovable heroine.

Anyone remotely familiar with Anderson's life will recognize the playfully disguised true story behind Star Wood Leigh's tale--how a tight t-shirt and a football game led to her appearance in Mann Magazine, an accidental audition landed her a spot on the home improvement send-up Hammer Time, and a show called Lifeguards, Inc confirmed her arrival on the Hollywood scene. Anderson’s book is delightful--a playful blend of fact and fiction that’s a treat to read. The sex kitten with a heart of gold may be a familiar story, but Star offers what even the best chick lit and romance novels cannot--authenticity. Star is a novelization of Pamela Anderson’s life, and while it’s debatable what’s fact and what’s fiction (you'll never look at the Hollywood sign the same way again), the point is that it all could have happened to her. Star ends with a bit of a romantic cliffhanger, but anxious readers shouldn't fret--Anderson is hard at work on Star’s sequel, a "great exciting romance" featuring the face-licking, impish Jimi Deed. --Daphne Durham

From Publishers Weekly

In Anderson's lighter-than-air debut, our titular heroine bears more than a passing resemblance to the author herself. Aspiring cosmetologist Esther Wood Leigh, nicknamed "Star" as a kid for her irresistible charm, is impossibly naïve, untenably good-hearted and utterly pneumatic when a marketing exec from Zax beer discovers her, um, magnetism at a football game. In remarkably Anderson-like fashion, Star goes on to grace the cover of a Playboy-like magazine, land a role in a Baywatch-like television series and get entangled with a string of Tommy Lee– and Kid Rock–like rock stars. Naturally, her path to A-list celebrity is punctuated by a steady stream of lighthearted, cringe-inducing sexual adventures with actors ("not the most imaginative lover, but like a favorite dildo, he was always ready to go"), moguls ("the strained notes of the aria trailed up and concluded in concert with their own activity"), mechanics (" 'So which of these has the most comfortable backseat?' she asked, ad-libbing wildly") and the occasional gang of naked strangers ("Star was still having sex, but she no longer had any idea with who"). Anderson's range is predictably limited, and she abandons quite a few unrealized plot threads along the way. This thinly veiled novelization of her own life doesn't pretend to be anything but trashy and cheesy, which gives it an amiable charm.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atria (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743493729
• ISBN-13: 978-0743493727
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #777,705 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too many inconsistencies...., September 8, 2004

By	Amanda (Lyndhurst, Ohio) - See all my reviews

I wonder who edited this book? I really wanted to like it too, but it was all over the place. In the beginning, Star is described as a natural athlete who is super smart, then she is described as not a natural at anything but a really dedicated hard worker, and finally, she is described as someone who didn't work hard enough and wasn't really good at anything. And that's just in the first five chapters! I just can't figure out why nobody else picked up on all of the inconsistencies. (That was just one example!) I know this is fiction, and I have to give Anderson credit for writing a book, but it comes off as unpolished, and I really blame whoever told her that it was ready for print. A little bit more time and it could have been a really entertaining read! Don't waste your time, it's not worth it. And Pam, if you are going to write another book, find a new ghost writer and editor!

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Tease, September 14, 2004

By	R. Spell "raspell" (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this after seeing some favorable comments and knowing that it was a thinly veiled story of her life. And for the first few chapters it does have promise as this pretty, unworldly girl gets exposed to a life of which she never dreamed. But Pam is more than beautiful although she needs to drop most of the makeup and return to her original "girl next door" look. She has an engaging personality that comes across on screen and on guest spots such as Howard Stern. Her appeal is very "Marilyn Monroe-esque": Beauty, lust and cute charm when she opens her mouth.

But that only goes so far as everyone she meets in LA loves her, wants to help her, and also wants to sleep with her. And right when the book should be the most exciting, it becomes too repetitive. She goes from the small town girl you root for to the, well, the Pam Anderson caricature of herself that she currently is.

Did I like some parts of this book? Yes. But they are few and far between as the book goes on and I was happy to finish the book. Forget the hype. Don't read this book unless you have a specific interest in Pam Anderson. I agree with other reviewers. If you're going to write an autobiography, just right it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Would have been interesting if I was 13., October 6, 2004

By	Monica Foster - See all my reviews

Initially I was really looking forward to reading this book because I've always been intrigued by Ms. Anderson. I heard rumors that the book was supposed to be "losely autobiographical" so I expected the book to consist of an intense story and at least some sort of substance.
Instead this book is worse than a romance novel. In fact most romance novel authors could write something better than this book in their sleep. There didn't seem to be any depth to it. It just went on and on about how people tried to "stand in Star's way, but with luck things just worked out". The book depicts "Star" as this "incredibly innocent" young girl from Florida who makes it to the big city of LA and just takes it by storm because people are just so intrigued by how innocent she is.
Sorry but I just could buy the story. Even the most naive people have more sense than this character.
I really don't like the message that this book sends - what's scary is that something tells me that Anderson really saw herself as this character.
The only good thing about this book is that it's a fast and easy read that a 13 year old could easily comprehend. In fact I have a feeling that most 13 year olds would even think that aside from the weak sex scenes this is more of a "fairy tale" than anything else.
This book has totally slanted my once positive view of Anderson. If she is ANYTHING like this character, it just tells me that she's willing to "go with it" regardless of the situation just to "see what happens" rather than actually thinking something through. Being spontaneous is fine but COME ON!
The last thing I'm gonna say about this book is that what irritated me the most was the complete lack of effort put into it. Anderson - I get that you want to make some money the "legit" way, but at LEAST hire a better co-writer who will actually make your book worth while.