Jordan: Pushed to the Limit [Paperback]

The book was brilliant. I just wish everyone would read it and see that she is not as she is portrayed and is a person with feelings.

Leave her alone.!!

I did not find this very stimulating read at all - in fact I didn't get too far through it before it found its' way to a charity shop. Only for die hard fans of Jordan; else it pushes the reader past the limit.

There are some biographies/auto-biographies out there that whether you have heard or not heard of the person; like, dislike or are indifferent about them, they are a fascinating read. This book is not one of them.

With the release of Jordan's third auto-biography (following on from 'Making a Clean Breast of Things') some people will probably feel that serialisation of her life has indeed been 'Pushed to the Limit'. I shall have to respectfully disagree, however. This book has more wonderful insights into her multi-faceted career- from her early work as a page-three girl to her forays into politics and music. Perhaps most enlightening of all, however, is the account of her recent work as a novelist.

Although critical acclaim for the book 'Crystal' was not as universally forthcoming as she might have hoped, there are many who regard it as being one of the most 'distinctive' examples of contemporary literature since the publication of 'Swan' by Naomi Campbell. Included within this volume are some insightful tips from Jordan, regarding her approach to the art:

"It don't matter if you can't spell, right! They change a lot of stuff anyway and sometimes they add a load of extra bits as well as what you done yourself, that makes it sound all clever and stuff."

She then goes on to suggest that:

"For one to touch the reader's soul in an intimate communion of spritual concordance, a naturalistic manner of syntax should be permitted to evolve from within the holistic depths of the innermost sanctum of conciousness, unimpeded by pedantic compulsions of adherence to archaic formalism, and all that."

Marvellous advice for any young writers out there, straight from the pen of one of the best-selling authors of our day!

I also enjoyed the account of her music career, which recently led to a popular album of duets with her husband Andre Agassi- an album which led one critic to describe the couple as being "the 'heirs apparent' to Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorgiu". I am a huge fan of Jordan's approach to singing. There is something very 'real' about her vocal timbre that may be owing to the fact that she has refrained from seeking formal vocal coaching. Indeed, she is gloriously unhindered by the stylistic restrictions imposed by the acquisition of traditional vocal technique (or by the stylistic restrictions imposed by the possession of god-given talent). Whether you have acquired a taste for her individual style or not, you could never accuse Jordan of being synthetic in any way. That girl sure has a natural pair of lungs on her!

As a whole, my only criticism is that I found the book to be a little 'top-heavy'. The last few chapters just seemed like filler, which I found slightly disappointing. I would never have guessed that a writer of Jordan's stature would have any great need for padding. Still, this is an excellent opportunity to keep abreast with the life of an authentic 'Jacqueline of all trades'. Unfortunately this book has come under a barrage of unjustified criticism, but women like Jordan will always have their knockers.