Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everything you know IS wrong, 1 May 2004
By A Customer
I found this book to be very well written and a book that I couldn't put down easily. Being a long term Bob Geldof fan I was expecting the book to be more against him than it was, and yes in the start it was. The book does show you though how you can be influenced by what you are told and that you do not always know the whole story. I found it to be very well written and not just a re hash of the tabloid story, there is new information contained within its pages that will in some cases surprise but mostly clarify the whole story. Everything that Gerry and the other friends around her did they did (in relation to the drugs) to try and help them seek help because as they found the drugs were in the reach of the children and it was their safety that was paramount to them. I also think that it was not wrong to include the press in all of this as in the past Paula had herself use the press to get what she wanted in her life, namely Michael. She had used the press when it suited her and in turn they would be interested when something happened in her life. It also made it clear to me why I had found it difficult to read Paula's autobiograhy (I gave up after a couple of chapters)as she left a large amount of information out of it. A modern day tragedy but a story that had to be told. There are still a few unanswered questions but they will never be answered fully. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the lives of any of the subjects.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is no sensational tragic tale, 1 Dec 2003
Paula Yates fascinated me from a very early age. Many of my fashion statements were influenced by this woman and up until meeting Michael, she seems to have had it all. I tried not to read the accounts of her gradual downfall in the tabloid press, the romantic in me not wanting to believe she could have fallen so far from 'grace'. I guess for some of us she'd become more like an old friend than an untouchable celebrity over the years and it appeared as though like many of us, all she ever wanted was to be happy. I approached this book with a degree of trepidation, and left it a couple of days later with an overwhelming sense of sadness. I couldn't put the book down, being drawn deeper into it's stark revelations and knowing that with the turn of a page the image of 'our Paula' would be blown apart. It had to be done, the truth about these individuals had to be told, and it was told with style, sensitivity and astonishing attention to detail. Agar is indeed a woman with insight; she was obviously keeping a diary of her friendship with Paula - who wouldn't have?- and has skillfully managed to intertwine what could have become a simple date/time/incident account with moving and honest thoughts and feelings as the lives of all concerned were affected and torn apart by this destructive relationship. Agar's insight into Paula's personality was for the most part painful to read, her actions, the single-minded way in which she felt compelled to manipulate, lie and deceive all around her left a nasty taste in the mouth. Drugs, dependancy, obsession and the ultimate demise of two of the most colourful, talented, intelligent and fatally flawed individuals of our times are documented here in one of the most enthralling reads of recent years. Personally speaking, I think the author has achieved her goal. I've taken the time to stop and look at my life - there is need for change for most of us, maybe not on the scale of those detailed in this book, but change nontheless. Help is there if it is needed, if only we can be human enough to ask, honest enough to admit. Just one last thing. The British press and their relationship with those in the public eye - the revelations were shocking, the 'leaking' of stories and trading of gossip, are we the public really so gullible? Or so hungry and bored with our own lives that we need to perpetuate this feeding frenzy? Enough said.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A never ending tale, 20 Aug 2004
Having just finished the book, I have to admit that the tears welled up near to the end. The story of Paula, Michael and Bob is fraught with hatred, never ending love, too may drugs and too many lies. It is a harrowing read but reader's should remember this is only one side of the story. What would Paula say, what would Michael say. This tragedy will continue as we continue to see Fifi, Peaches, Tiger and Pixie grow up in a world with the press' varying views of their Mum (and Dad)
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