The Whitney I Knew [Hardcover]

Bebe Winans (Author), Timothy Willard (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

A virtual album of BeBe Winans' treasured memories of his friend and "sister," Whitney Houston.

In the years between the first time BeBe Winans and Whitney Houston met in 1985, to the day he delivered the tribute that touched a watching nation at Houston's funeral, a deep and unique friendship bloomed and thrived. They considered each other family in the truest sense of the word.

Now this very personal collection of remembrances offers us a seat at the table during Whitney's most unguarded moments. Here we see her in all her quirky, passionate, fiercely loyal glory though the eyes of her "brother", BeBe.

For most of her public life, Whitney Houston was a mystery. In The Whitney I Knew, Winans has given us a wonderful gift---the gift of understanding. From profoundly moving personal moments to eye-opening accounts of triumph to the heartbreaking realities that led to her ultimate defeat, the untold stories are intimately woven throughout this book---along with online video links to behind-the-scenes moments, highlights of her career, and never-before-seen video of Whitney. Also included is an extensive photo section from BeBe's personal collection.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Here is the Whitney only family would know

Somewhere outside the glare of the concert spotlights...behind the tawdry entertainment news headlines...beyond the crush of the scandal-seeking paparazzi...lies the truth about Whitney Houston. And few individuals are better qualified to show us that complicated, funny, generous, troubled, extremely loyal Whitney than the friend she called "brother," BeBe Winans.

With obvious affection and yet remarkable transparency, Winans opens a window into their twenty-eight years of friendship and family closeness to offer a view of the Whitney only a handful of people knew--- the Whitney beyond The Voice.

The entertainment press incessantly told us what Whitney did. Now, thanks to this tender, honest account, we understand what she thought and felt. Winans' book is a beautifully honest portrait of this astonishingly gifted woman, offering tremendous inspiration and deeper understanding of human nature and God's grace.

About the Author

BeBe Winans met Whitney Houston 28 years ago, and they quickly developed a family bond. Winans is a groundbreaking inspirational, R&B, and gospel vocalist, writer, and producer whose albums have reached platinum status and who has recorded with such entertainers as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, and many more. He has won six Grammy® Awards, three NAACP Awards, 10 Dove Awards, six Stellar Awards, and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with sister CeCe Winans. He also launched a syndicated radio show and enjoys acting in both film and theater. Winans’ latest album honoring our nation’s heritage, America America, was released by Raxor & Tie in June 2012.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 219 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing; First Edition edition (July 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161795084X
• ISBN-13: 978-1617950841
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.9 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BeBe Winans is a groundbreaking inspirational, R&B, and gospel vocalist, writer, and producer who has recorded with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, and Whitney Houston. He has won 4 Grammy awards, 10 Dove awards, and 6 Stellar awards, has had a syndicated radio show, and has acted in both film and theater. In 1987 he teamed up with sister CeCe Winans for an amazing run of smash hits and platinum-selling albums. BeBe resides with his family in Nashville, Tennessee.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Written With Dignity July 14, 2012

By Masako Jackson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just finished reading "The Whitney I Knew" and I enjoyed it. The only reason I bought this book is because I know that she was close to BeBe and CeCe and therefore the chances of reading a bunch of lies were slim to none. BeBe wrote with dignity and love and although I enjoyed the entire book, the funny personal stories are the best. It's so refreshing to finally read about Whitney in a positive light and more importantly as a regular person. People have this perception that being a star makes one immune to the challenges of life, and that is so far from the truth. Thank you BeBe for sharing a little of Whitney with us. In my opinion Whitney was the greatest and I'm glad I was able to grow up listening to her music.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A slow burner... July 27, 2012

By JNic

Format:Hardcover

I really enjoyed this book far more than I expected to. I received an ARC from Worthy Publishing through NetGalley and began reading immediately. Initially, I was a bit reluctant to even read the book because I thought it was just going to be BeBe capitalizing on his connection to Nip with no real insight. As I trudged on, however, I found a book that was written by a friend who is truly still in mourning and missing Nip like WE (the fans) miss her. If you're looking for a sensationalized accounting of the bold and brash Whitney Houston that the media liked to highlight, you've got the wrong book. The title alone lets you know that this is all from BeBe's perspective and at his discretion. Could he have gone into a bit more detail about some portions of Whitney's life? Absolutely! Did we necessarily need him to? Not at all. He shared the portions of his friend with which he felt comfortable and I was pleased.

This book left me with a sadness, still. Just when I thought I'd gotten used to living in a world without Whitney, TWIK brought back all of the feelings that night when I heard she'd passed. I'm not really a huge worshiper of celebs, but Whitney's talent touched me in a way few can compare. I found myself missing her immensely as I read BeBe's accounts of their friendship.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Real & Sentimental August 1, 2012

By NinaBena

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As I read the book, I immediately picked up two things right from the start: 1. Be Be not only loved Whitney, I would say it went much further than that -- he was 'in love' with Whitney. 2. Whitney was a real person -- not a machine. The book read like a love story, really. I coudn't put it down. I skipped dinner. The book was my dinner. Be Be no doubt had a deep, heart-felt, brotherly love for Whitney but at times the love for her seemed unequivocally more secular than spiritual. Nevertheless it was real and poignant. I read the book with such intensity that the moment's Be Be would share a funny story...I laughed...a sad story...my eyes swelled with tears. It was conversational, personable and lovingly done. It was refreshing to read about her as a person -- not the media version who took snapshots of her life and pieced them together like a papier-mâché project -- but an account from a friend and a loyal one (insert here The Pact). People want to rush and say Be Be and even her mother, Cissy, are trying to make money off her death -- but if they read this book -- they will know he has given us glimpses of the other Whitney we never heard about-- to allow her fans to read about who she was -- a loving, dignified person -- yes, with flaws. Be Be opened our eyes to her pain -- and to her joys. The industry exploited her gift -- used her up and then took no accountability when she descended into a world of darkness. Be Be revealed just how that can cause a person -- who wanted normalcy at any cost -- to succumb to temptation -- to get lost before they are found again. He demonstrated countless times how celebrities of her caliber are not one dimensional - they are mind, body and spirit -- as we all are. I don't know how this world has gotten so twisted that they forget celebrities are human -- they breathe, they cry, they bleed, they fall, they stumble, and get back up again -- just like us. I have always felt the media and the internet have told it the way they wanted to tell it -- wrongly portraying Whitney especially in her last days as a junkie, a brawler, a mess. Even after her death, they have been vicious -- saying unflattering things about her other than what she was -- a Child of God. I am so grateful to Be Be (her extended family) for giving us a tasteful, inside look at Whitney's true character -- her loyalty as a friend, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a cousin, an aunt, and even a spouse. She is one of the most unforgettable singers of our era -- and she deserves to be laid to rest with honor, with dignity, with respect. Someone like her does come once in a lifetime (as Clive said) but at a cost -- and she paid it. She is finally at rest. Thank you for the book -- it was impeccably, well written by -- a friend.