- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (8 April 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060508205
- ISBN-13: 978-0060508203
- Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 16.3 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
821,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #40 in Books > Biography > Social & Health Issues > Pornography
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Traci Lords: Underneath It All is the autobiography of the infamous porn starlet. Nora Kuzma was a troubled teenager from Steubenville, Ohio; Traci Lords was the underage glamour mag/porn queen who became the centerpiece of the adult-video industry's greatest scandal. In reality, they were one and the same, the subject of this slick, if thin autobiography. But what's striking here is not the familiar story line--confused, sexually abused teen falls in with drugs and the wrong Southern California crowd, forges fake IDs to become Penthouse Pet of the Month at 16 and the 80s hottest adult star, then arrested as focus of the Reagan administration's crackdown on porn, only to become reborn as cleaned-up, psychoanalysed/rehabed purveyor of legitimate film, TV and music career. Rather, what's striking is Lords' capacity for denial, compartmentalisation and myopia when it serves her own ends.
Her scandalous tenure in the porn trade--undeniably the sole basis for her infamy and subsequent legitimate career--is glossed over here in a few dozen pages, with more attention paid to the heavy-metal musicians that dotted her life than the motivations and machinations of the Feds who literally changed her life; Slash's snake gets more ink here than Attorney General Ed Meese. Quick to ladle generous sympathy on her own plight, she heaps little but scorn upon those from the seedy past of her porn-star alter-ego, yet seems to have had few qualms about formally adopting that moniker as her legal name.
Many of her former cohorts in the adult industry (some of whom were jailed as targets of Federal law enforcement and tax probes related to her case) have long claimed that Lords was little more than a scheming careerist, and a careful reading of her own words does little to undermine their case. There are indeed many insights to Lords's troubled life here, with more than a few lurking between the lines. --Jerry McCulley, Amazon.com
Review
"Frank, opinionated, intelligent, drenched in emotion....Will have readers cheering Lords on as they speed through its gritty, big-souled pages."--Publishers Weekly
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First Sentence
I grew up in a dirty little steel town called Steubenville, in eastern Ohio. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
I grew up in a dirty little steel town called Steubenville, in eastern Ohio. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
An autobiography that attempts to write a book about her life while trying to avoid the parts that everybody wants to hear about. Lets all be dead honest here, if you know Traci Lords then you are probably looking to hear about the story that made news in the 80's regarding an underage pornography scandal, and you are only mildly (if at all) interested in her 1990's B-grade movie and music credits. It is thus unfortunate that the entire purpose of this book seems to be to rid herself (and resultantly us) of her past while trying to divert our focus onto the present and future. I found about 1/2 of this book truely interesting, certainly well written, and even inspirational at times. I persisted on with the 'work' that involved finishing the book and hearing about her shallow experience in movies and music, unfortunately combined with a distinctly righteous attitude towards the adult industry in general. We (and she) need to realise that there are literally tens of thousands of people with the shallow movie industry experience that Mrs Lords has, and the random ramblings of Traci doesnt add much value to us, nor generate much interest for your average reader.
Despite my reservations about the 2nd half of the book, I was glad that I made the purchase and believe that the 1st half makes for interesting reading and warrants the price tag. If you can pull yourself to stop reading and not feel 'guilty' for putting the book back on the shelf at the halfway point, then this book might be for you. If your like me and need to finish a book once its started, then be prepared for a couple of hundred pages of work to get you through to the end.
Generally enjoyable, but be prepared to work for it.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Traci Lords has, undoubtedly, had an extremely ineteresting life. This book charts her journey through a shaky start in life, a childhood rape, running away from home and becoming a hit porn star and drug addict long before her 18th birthday.
Yes, this autobiography is self serving, one-sided and narcissistic. But it is also well written and absorbing.
Yes, this autobiography is self serving, one-sided and narcissistic. But it is also well written and absorbing.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
i read this autobiography in the hope of finding out about the real traci and what really happened in the 80s but instead she tries desperately to paint an image of an abused angel who could do no wrong. i dont believe she is as naive or innnocent as she claims in her one sided biased book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Sooooo boring!
Do yourself a favour and save your money. This must be the most sleep enducing load of rubbish I have ever come across.
Published 22 months ago by FAT MOLLY
The Most Interesting book I have read so Far
I got this book on the 15th of spethmeber 2005 from my bookshop i go to and I took it home and i could not put it down it was interestering some of it to read was hard as for wat... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2005 by aussie_chick
A great read
Traci Lords' life is nothing short of amazing. She has overcome obstacles that most people would never want to overcome. Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2004
a rip off
don't buy it!!!! large print, loads of chapter's many pictures, a real con.... avoid
Published on 6 Jan 2004 by "filmnut40"
An old sob story...yuck!
If you want to read a contradicting sob story with explicit pictures, go a head purchase this one. If you want to read a real story what goes on in the industry of today by "Cut... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2003 by Sharon
Inspirational
I really enjoyed reading this, its not often I can find a read that's so compelling that I just couldn't put it down and this is a book of that quality. Read more
Published on 4 Sep 2003 by "behavedave"
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