It certainly got mine when Lauren discussed her memoir, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem, on “The View.” She discussed how her teenage rebellion led her from stripping to prostitution to living in a harem, and that she chronicled it all in a newly published memoir. For days I looked forward to my next trip to Chapters.

After making my purchase, I spent every spare moment devouring Lauren’s writing. Lunch breaks, after dinner and before I fell asleep were times dedicated to reading Lauren’s account of her exhilarating life. Her writing is candid and brutally honest. Lauren describes searching for her ballerina birth mother, her first experiences as a prostitute, her dream of being an actress, and what it was like living with a gaggle of girls as an entertainer for Prince Jefri, or Robin, as Lauren calls him.

While living in a land most North Americans have never heard of, residing in a palace so extravagant most North Americans can’t even imagine, Lauren was lavished in jewels, designer garbs and money. For Lauren, living in Brunei was an escape from the mundane, and she left everything behind in order to fulfill her appetite for adventure.

I felt like I had walked onto the set of some 1930s MGM movie version of Salome. Surely a flock of harem-pants-clad showgirls was about to descend the stairs and launch into a Busby Berkeley dance number.

“It’s all real,” said Serena.

“Real what?”

“Like, the gold in the carpet is real gold. That ruby is a real ruby,” she said, pointing at a ceramic tiger that stood near the fountain. The tiger held in its mouth a round, red stone the size of a tennis ball.

I spotted what looked like a Picasso directly across from the front door-also real, I assumed. (82-83)

Reading is an escape. It is a time to set aside work documents, laundry and errands, to relax on the sofa and enjoy living someone else’s life through their own words. For readers, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem is an escape from everything you have ever read before. For readers, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem is an escape from the mundane.
New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

The intimidating fashion publicist from “Kell on Earth,” “The City” and “The Hills” has been addicted to drugs, homeless, gone through two divorces, and was single while pregnant- and she did all this while working up the ranks of the pr ladder.

Now, the “Momma Wolf” is sharing her story with the world in her new book, If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You. From relationships to religion, Cutrone bares all (literally, she writes about placentas and breastfeeding) in this page turner.

Cutrone, the founder of pr firm People’s Revolution, threads business advice throughout the book. From picking up the phone-instead of emailing- to paying your dues, Cutrone’s advice is not just limited to the fashion industry. Her tips apply to any trade, from fashion to journalism to business, and many other professions.

Cutrone doesn’t beat around the bushes, she takes charge in this book and tells readers exactly what they should and should not do in a professional setting, which is useful for anyone preparing for a successful career.

Follow me on twitter! @LAMcEachran

I’ve always been fascinated by Warhol and his superstars. Years ago I read Jean Stein’s Edie: American Girl, which used quotations of those in Edie Sedgwick’s life to tell the story of Warhol’s most famous superstar.The biography was a stunning look into such a tragic life, whose death many blame on the famous artist that took Edie under his wings.

But Edie: American Girl, like most Warhol superstar biographies, has a missing piece to the puzzle that is Edie Sedgwick’s life; Andy Warhol. Although the biography mentions Warhol’s involvement with Edie, it simply states the facts of their relationship: Andy took Edie to events, Edie met Andy’s mother, Edie got involved with the Factory inhabitants. And while reading the story of Edie Sedgwick, I couldn’t help but wonder who this illustrious man with so much power was and how he had such control?

This is why I was excited to read Andy Warhol; Prince of Pop by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. The biography tells the life story of the famous Pop artist from his birth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to his death in New York City, detailing his childhood, education, religion and, of course, the Factory. Since the silver-wigged artist diligently protected his private life, Andy Warhol; Prince of Pop, like Edie: American Girl, barely scratches the surface of Andy Warhol’s life.

Andy Warhola was born on August 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Andrej and Julia Warhola, an immigrant couple from Carpatho-Ruthenia. Born poor, Andy later said that “Being born is like being kidnapped. And then sold into slavery” (2). As a child, Andy shared a bed with his older brothers, Paul and John; the family bathtub sat in the middle of the kitchen. Julia would give the boys paper and crayons for a family colouring contest, which Andy always won; the prize was a giant Hershey bar.

Andy attended The Byzantine Catholic Church during the week and every Sunday, walking three miles to St. John Chrysostom. The church played a significant role in Andy’s art, as a golden screen stood at the alter, where “square upon square, row upon row of icons-sacred paintings of saints” hung. “These repetitive images would have a profound effect on Andy’s art” (3).

Throughout Andy Warhola’s childhood, he suffered bouts of illness. At age eight, Andy caught rheumatic fever and took a one month absence from school. Upon his return, Andy still felt sick. “His hands shook so badly he could not write on the blackboard; his knees buckled when he walked” (7). Andy was eventually diagnosed with chorea, a complication of rheumatic fever known as St. Vitus’ dance. His mother doted on him and his brother’s protected him; Andy was the fragile, gifted Warhola boy.

Andy was considered gifted from a young age, even attending art classes at the Carnegie Institute for gifted children. It is there where Andy was first exposed to the children of the upperclass. “The movies Andy loved showed Hollywood’s version of glittering extravagance, but now, on Saturday mornings at the museum, he gained a close-up view of an affluent and privileged way of life that looked out of reach for a Ruthenian boy from a blue collar family” (9).

Success is a Job in New York

From 1945 to 1949, Andy Warhola attended Carnegie Tech, a top school for artists. “They were tough, talented, and professional, but they didn’t always know what to make of Andy Warhola” (17). Although Carnegie Tech may not have known what to make of Andy Warhola, New York City sure did. After moving there in June 1949, Andy entered the world of art advertising.

It is in the world of magazines, where Andy Warhola became Andy Warhol. On his assignment “Success is a Job in New York” for Glamour, the credit line read Warhol instead of Warhola. As Andy always loved mistakes, he adapted the new name.

Years making art for advertisements allowed the successful Andy Warhol to take a stab at art for himself. Andy Warhol; the Prince of Pop chronicles his move from advertising to Pop art, creating the Factory, his superstars and film career. It is during these later years that the details of Warhol’s life become vague, including how he founded Interview magazine, which is barely mentioned in the biography.

The enigma that is Andy Warhol remains. As Andy said during his prosperous art career, he was “putting his Andy on.” Just like his art pieces, Andy Warhol leaves Andy Warhol up for interpretation.

In 1843, Charles Dickens read a parliamentary report called “Second Report of the Children’s Employment Commission,” which exposed the effects the Industrial Revolution had on poor children. Dickens visited the Cornish tin mines to see children working in tough conditions and went to London’s Field Lane Ragged School, a school for starving, illiterate street children. In May, Dickens considered publishing An Appeal to the People of England, on behalf of the Poor Man’s Child, a political pamphlet, but decided against it. Instead, Dickens thought up a better idea, which he believed would carry out his idea more forcefully; Dickens decided to write A Christmas Carol.

Published on December 19, 1843, the novella told the story of a cranky, old businessman named Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge’s business partner Jacob Marley had died seven years ago on Christmas Eve, and on the anniversary of his death, the ghost of Marley pays a visit to Mr. Scrooge. As a ghost, Marley carries heavy chains, which he warns will be Scrooge’s fate if he doesn’t change his greedy ways. To teach Scrooge his lesson, three other ghosts pay Scrooge a visit: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. In the novella, Scrooge revisits his childhood, views the lives his actions affects, like nephew Fred and Bob Cratchit’s family; and gets a glimpse of the future if he doesn’t change his lifestyle.

The novella followed Dickens’ “Carol philosophy,” which encouraged the wealthy to help the less fortunate. Dickens called upon individuals to help others, rather than pointing a finger at the government to assist. Through Scrooge helping Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim survived; and since there were many more children in need, A Christmas Carol called upon readers to help those in need.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been adapted for film, television, radio, plays and even operas. I went to see its latest adaptation, Robert Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol, featuring Jim Carrey as Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Past and Ghost of Christmas Present; Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and Marley; Colin Firth as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, and Robin Wright Penn as Belle. What makes this version of A Christmas Carol stand apart from previous adaptations is the 3D aspect. Wearing the black plastic, grey tinted 3D glasses, I was blown away with the visual effect. Characters popped out from the theatre screen and the scenery seemed so real; I spent much of the film ogling the 3D technology. As for the story aspect of this adaptation, it wasn’t anything unique; but the 3D experience made it special.

Like most North Americans, I grew up watching the various film and television adaptations of A Christmas Carol. From the oldies to Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983), Scrooged (1988) and even this year’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, I’ve seen a number of adaptations, but only two stand out from the rest: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) and the 1999 TV movie A Christmas Carol.

The Muppet Christmas Carol was a musical feature film starring The Muppets. Released in 1992, Michael Caine played Ebenezer Scrooge opposite Kermit the Frog’s Bob Cratchit. Watching this gem on VHS as a child, I thought it entertaining to watch my favourite muppets play Charles Dickens’ characters and was enchanted.

My next Christmas Carol favourite was a television movie I scored on VHS. Starring Patrick Stewart, the 1999 film A Christmas Carol was a bit darker than the rest. Produced after Stewart performed theatrical readings of the Dickens novella, A Christmas Carol had me glued to the TV set. Below is a clip from the film’s opening:

There are many wonderful adaptations of the Dickens classic, and it truly is a terrific way to get into the holiday spirit. From a 3D experience to The Muppets and Patrick Stewart, I’ve always enjoyed the lessons instilled by this popular Christmas classic.

David Gilmour with son Jesse.

David Gilmour’s son, Jesse, hates school with a passion. Jesse loathes attending the same mundane classes day after day after day. So David lets Jesse do what any rational father would; David suggests he drop out of school. “If you don’t want to go to school anymore, then you don’t have to,” (6) said David to his son, who in turn lept up with excitement.

In David Gilmour’s non-fiction novel The Film Club; A True Story of a Father and Son, the former CBC film critic writes about his decision to allow his teenage son to drop out of high school and the unconventional schooling he gave Jesse. In lieu of a traditional education, David schools Jesse in his area of expertise…film. From Basic Instinct to Chungking Express, David rents a variety of films, teaching Jesse things like directing, acting and building suspense, among other topics. The only catch? No drugs. “You don’t have to work, you don’t have to pay rent. You can sleep till five every day. But no drugs. Any drugs and the deal’s off,” (10) explains David to his son.

As David and Jesse’s mom are no longer together, David moves in with Jesse to keep an eye on him. They develop a very close relationship while watching movies together and quickly go from watching The 400 Blows to Jesse explaining his relationship with Rebecca Ng. David has the privilege of being close with his son during a time when children typically pull away from their parents.

While I don’t necessarily agree with David Gilmour allowing his teenage son to drop out of high school because Jesse doesn’t like it, this novel is certainly an interesting read for film lovers. Not only does Gilmour teach his son about film, he gives readers great insider tidbits.

Gilmour threads the novel with interesting film facts, here are some of my favourites from the novel:

• Alfred Hitchcock shot Psycho (1960) in 8mm to give it a “porno-film feel” (125) Hitchcock also added a second set of stairs for the ending of Notorious (1946) to add suspense (48)
• Director William Friedken, described as “a bully and a borderline psycho,” used a real priest to play a priest in The Exorcist (1973). According to one story, the priest wasn’t giving Friedkin “the performance he wanted. So he asked the priest, ‘Do you trust me?’ The man said yes, whereupon Willie drew back and smacked him across the face.” Apparently in the scene where Father Damien is getting the last rites, you can see the priest’s hands shaking (127)
• John Travolta insisted the dialogue from Elmore Leonard’s novel be used in Get Shorty (1995) (211)
• Stephen King hated The Shining (1980), describing it as a Cadillac without an engine. He believed director Stanley Kubrick didn’t understand horror nor how it worked and that Kubrick made films to “hurt people” (68)
• Harvard graduate Steve Zhan couldn’t get an audition for Out of Sight (1998), so he sent a videotape of his audition to director Steven Soderbergh. After fifteen seconds of Zahn’s audition for the role of stoner Glen, Soderbergh said, “here’s our guy” (212)

For more interesting film facts, read David Gilmour’s The Film Club; A True Story of a Father and Son.

To get myself off of a non-fiction reading binge (Augusten Burroughs, Chanel and Her World, Miss O’Dell), I realized I would need a “beach read” to take a break from memoirs and biographies. On the second floor of Indigo, tucked away on a bookshelf below Jennifer Weiner’s chick-lit, I found Patricia Weitz’s novel College Girl. The descriptive nature etched with moral lessons is reminiscent to Judy Bloom’s Forever, but the teenage narrator is replaced with a twenty-year-old college student. The narrator is Natalie Bloom, a beautiful and shy student at the University of Connecticut who spends her free time in the library and avoids people because of her own insecurities. During Natalie’s final year in college, she decides to live on campus. Although living on campus forces Natalie out of her shell, it ultimately causes the Russian history enthusiast to spiral out of control. When Natalie meets who she believes to be her Prince Charming, she desperately vies for his approval instead of accepting that he doesn’t love her. No longer does Natalie Bloom spend Friday nights at the library, but the alternative isn’t much better. Screenwriter Diablo Cody writes, “College Girl is a sensitive yet laser-precise look at the joy (and indignity) of college life. Weitz’s prose is lovely, direct, and wincingly honest.” Just as Judy Bloom’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a must read for girls, College Girl is a must read for high school seniors preparing for dorm life.

Patricia Weitz’s character had the opportunity to find her identity while studying at the University of Connecticut, but what about those with no such luxury; the young adults thrust into the spotlight, deciding who they want to be and securing their fate at a young age? For days now I have been haunted by The New York Times feature on Megan Fox, and personal identity is the reason.

Fox is a homebody with a long term relationship, and whose night on the town consists of a dinner at Red Lobster. She enjoys TLC reality television shows and has a self-deprecating sense of humour. The problem? The original image Fox created was an outgoing provocative alter-ego, and now she’s stuck with it. “I’ve learned that being a celebrity is like being a sacrificial lamb. At some point, no matter how high the pedestal that they put you on, they’re going to tear you down,” says Fox. “And I created a character as an offering for the sacrifice. I’m not willing to give my true self up. It’s a testament to my real personality that I would go so far as to make up another personality to give to the world. The reality is, I’m hidden amongst all the insanity. Nobody can find me.”

Fox created this alter-ego by studying celebrities. She has read biographies on Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor in hopes of achieving their success. It is clear Fox has a particular fascination with the late Marilyn Monroe, the stunning beauty who fell into the depth of despair. “She lived her whole life as a character playing other characters,” Fox said. “And that was her defense mechanism. But Marilyn stumbled and lost her way. She became overwhelmed by the character she created. Hollywood is filled with women who have tried to cope. I like to study them.”

Like Marilyn, it seems as if Megan Fox created her personal identity prematurely. “I have to pull back a little bit now,” Fox said. “I do live in a glass box. And I am on display for men to pay to look at me. And that bothers me. I don’t want to live that character.” But is it too late for Fox to leave “that character” behind? Her doppelganger Angelina Jolie was able to part ways with her own wild child persona, but can Megan Fox do the same? Jolie had Girl, Interrupted to her credit, while Fox clings to Transformers as her claim to fame. Perhaps if Fox departs from her male-ogling type cast roles she could work on emulating her idols; but playing the winged-girl on display at a freak show in 2010’s Passion Play, and a prostitute role in Jonah Hex indicate that Fox isn’t ready to part ways with “that character.”

Like College Girl’s Natalie Bloom, Megan Fox is finding her own personal identity. But unlike Natalie Bloom, Megan Fox is a real person that will suffer real consequences. Hopefully the actress follows the same fate as Patricia Weitz’s fictional character, and not that of her idols. Because even though there is only one Marilyn Monroe, the dime a dozen girls, like Natalie Bloom, are much happier.

While I’ve been itching to watch Coco Avant Chanel, the Gabrielle Chanel biopic starring Audrey Tautou,  it sadly has yet to make its way to my local theatre. So, I found the next best thing; Chanel and Her World.

Chanel and Her World; Friends, Fashion, and Fame by Edmonde Charles-Roux is a coffee table book about the life of the legendary fashion designer. But unlike In Vogue, I wanted to read every bit of text in this pictorial piece. From her birth in 1883 to her death in 1971, I read every page of the deliciously stylish book.

Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19, 1883. The daughter of small-wares peddler Albert Chanel and his companion Jeanne Devolle, Gabrielle Chanel was born in The Hospice General, a sign of extreme poverty. Jeanne walked herself to the hospital as Albert did not accompany her. The following day, three hospital employees took Gabrielle to the town hall to register her. The hospital employees were all illiterate and did not know how to spell “Chanel,” so the mayor guessed and spelt it “Chasnel.”

Chanel grew up very poor as her father struggled to make ends meet selling undergarments and work clothes. In 1895, Gabrielle Chanel’s mother died and Albert Chanel abandoned his daughters, forcing them to live in an orphanage. Gabrielle could not stay at the orphanage past age 18, so at nearly 19 years old she moved to Moulins where an institution by a congregation of canonesses accepted her. The institution viewed Gabrielle as a charity case; most likely her hair was cut by dog shearers who sold girls hair to rich women that wanted more for style. Compared to the rich girls at the institution who had numerous pieces of clothing made from cashmere, Gabrielle wore rough wool and second-hand boots. This was not a woman who grew up with means.

After two years in the institution, Gabrielle became a shop girl and started social climbing through men. Monsieur number one was Etienne Balsan of the 90th Infantry Regiment. But, of course, there were many more men in her life…

Gabrielle Chanel’s first ambition was not designing clothing; it was actually performing. In Moulins at La Rotonde, Gabrielle made her stage debut. But it wasn’t exactly the high-class fare; La Rotonde became known for its concert a quete, which was considered low-class. Chanel performed “Ko Ko Ri Ko” and “Qui qu’a vu Coco.” The audience began calling her “Coco,” the refrain in both songs.

Coco Chanel always had her own unique style. Well before she sold her pieces, Chanel dressed quite differently than the other women in France. On page 54, she is shown wearing a bow-tie, which certainly was not common. But her confidence in style did not transfer to a confidence of self; since Etienne Balsan was not her husband, Chanel was considered a “kept woman,” and therefore she was distanced from the wives.

In 1912, Chanel pinpointed what she wanted to do in life: sell clothing. “What did she want? To work. Her idleness weighed on Coco. She was bored. She wanted to go to Paris and make a career for herself as a modiste-a milliner. It was not that Etienne opposed the idea, but that he pretended to see the project as nothing more than a lark, whereas Gabrielle spoke in terms of a real metier” (78). While Etienne Balsan had no interest in Chanel’s career, another man did; Arthur “Boy” Capel supported Chanel’s career. Thus began a new love affair; not just of Chanel’s adoration for Boy, but for her devotion towards a career.

Edmond Charles-Roux’s Chanel and Her World; Friends, Fashion, and Fame is a fascinating look at the life of Gabrielle Chanel. Charles-Roux brings to light the designer’s mysterious childhood, exposing the secrets that Chanel kept so hidden. And although Chanel fought tooth-and-nail to keep her past private, it is clear that Gabrielle never forgot her family’s influence. On page 377, Gabrielle says, “It is in paintings or in family albums that traces of true fashion are to be found.”

In Vogue; The Illustrated History of the World’s Most Famous Fashion Magazine by Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Oliva is a beautiful coffee-table book featuring Vogue’s finest photographs. Not only does this book detail the history of Vogue itself with commentaries from its most influential, such as Anna Wintour; it also details the progression of fashion photography and how cutting-edge Vogue is. Long before America’s Next Top Model’s famous “underwater shots,” Toni Frissell shot Joan Dixon underwater in 1939 through the glass at an oceanarium in Marineland (82).

The book also chronicles the changes of fashion and fashionable body shapes. For instance, a photograph of a woman on the street wearing a long Dior dress with cinched waist, hat, gloves and heels for the 1948 article on the Paris spring collections (141) drastically compares to the 1969 photo of Marisa Berenson wearing a Saint Laurent mini-dress on the street (179).

Of course, not everything in Vogue is simply about fashion; Vogue also features informative articles and celeb interviews. Vogue has always been one to schmooze with the stars. Look for pictures of Keira Knightley (300), Truman Capote (149), Brigitte Bardot (162), Marilyn Monroe (175), Nicole Kidman (248), Christina Ricci (337), and Drew Barrymore (385), among others, in the book. Vogue also covers important societal topics, such as obesity. In 2004, Irving Penn photographed a grossly obese woman for an article about America’s obesity epidemic (297).

The book contains some of the most stunning and creative photographs I have ever seen, like -my personal favourite- Annie Leibovitz’s 2003 style essay called “Alice in Wonderland.” The piece stars Natalia Vodianova as Alice, Marc Jacobs as the Caterpillar, Jean Paul Gaultier as the Cheshire Cat, Viktor & Rolf as Tweedledee and Tweedledum, John Galliano as the Queen of Hearts, Karl Lagerfeld, Rupert Everett and Donnatella Versace as the Gryphon (268-271). It truly is a remarkable piece by the legendary photographer.

In Vogue; The Illustrated History of the World’s Most Famous Fashion Magazine is a telling piece about our society as a whole. Not only does the book chronicle the history of fashion as told through the images in Vogue magazine; it tells the changes of body image, current events, and the entertainment industry. Anyone interested in photography, fashion or popular culture is sure to love this masterpiece collection of Vogue’s finest work.

Such was the case of Chris O’Dell, a young American, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. When Chris met Derek Taylor of A&M Records in Los Angeles she was in awe of his connection to her favourite band, The Beatles. Months later she packed up and moved to London, hoping to secure a permanent position at Apple Corps. From cutting out news clippings to answering telephones, Chris kept herself busy and eventually was hired.

At Apple Corps., Chris became close to George Harrison, who offered her a job at his new home with Pattie Boyd. Living at Friar Park, Chris was freezing (they had no heat) but excited to be living with her idol, Pattie. Chris thought Pattie was beautiful and applied her makeup so perfectly, and they quickly became friends. Pattie learned to trust Chris because she was one of the few women loyal enough to Pattie not to engage in an affair with her husband.

One friend of Pattie’s without loyalty was Maureen, the wife of Ringo Starr. Chris O’Dell was sitting with George Harrison, Pattie Boyd, Maureen and Ringo when George announced “You know, Ringo, I’m in love with your wife” (263).

But O’Dell was no saint; when Ringo needed space from Maureen and visited Chris, they engaged in an affair of their own. Ringo even wrote a song for O’Dell (275), but his didn’t quite make the mark George Harrison’s did, the aptly titled “Miss O’Dell.” When George sang “Miss O’Dell” to Chris, she was dumbstruck. “He played the last chord, hands still on the guitar, and laughed. He knew full well what it meant to have a Beatle write a song about you, and he was getting a big kick out of my stupefied reaction” (190). Later, when O’Dell toured with Queen, the song “Miss O’Dell” gave her cred with Roger Taylor.

Being best friends with Pattie Boyd brought her close to another man, Eric Clapton, who didn’t enjoy Chris’ company like the Beatles had. Waiting to be with his “Layla” for years made Eric jealous of people who took Pattie away from him; and because Chris and Pattie were so close, he felt enraged by her. “Eric was possessive of [Pattie] and jealous of me, and I realized that I’d never felt like a third wheel with George, who had always treated me like part of the family, a ’sister,’ as Pattie sometimes called me. With Eric I felt more like a distant cousin, someone he had to put up with for Pattie’s sake” (287).

Although Chris was always a “Beatles girl,” she worked with many music acts, including The Rolling Stones. In 1971, O’Dell became the personal assistant to the Stones. From writing out Mick Jagger’s song lyrics to keeping Keith Richards company, O’Dell did it all. And being so close to the band gave her interesting insights, O’Dell writes, “[Keith Richards] could be terribly insecure. A few weeks earlier he had asked me to listen to his song ‘Happy.’ ‘Do you think it’s okay?’ he asked me, clearly nervous about my reaction… What a paradox Keith was-a sweet, sensitive soul who wrote songs about needing love to be happy and yet he lived his life as if he couldn’t give a shit about anything” (213).

However, O’Dell has Mick Jagger to thank for actually touring with them. Jagger needed his Ossie Clark stage outfits delivered from London and wanted Chris to bring them to Chicago. “‘You wanted to come on tour, didn’t you?’ he said, with that sly hint of mischief in his voice. I knew what he was thinking. See Chris? I found a way to get you here” (216).

As if The Beatles and The Rolling Stones weren’t enough, O’Dell toured with the great Bob Dylan. Not only that, she even danced with the soulful poet. “I put out my hand and he pulled me close, his arm around my waist, holding me tight. I literally felt the room spinning, for in that moment I feared that all my professional rules were at risk, especially my One Big Rule about romances on tour: never get involved with the Big Guy” (337).

Miss O’Dell tells the extraordinary story of a woman who knew some of music’s greats, battled with drug addiction, and married aristocracy. It is an incredible page-turner for those who always wanted to be in music’s “inner circle.” As the cover writes, “Chris O’Dell wasn’t famous. She wasn’t even almost famous. But she was there.”

Miss O’Dell; My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved by Chris O’Dell with Katherine Ketcham is $34 Canadian/$26 U.S.

I was hooked on Kathy Griffin’s outrageous humour on celebrity gossip, wishing that there were more episodes. So when I heard the release date of Official Book Club Selection; A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin was coming up, I pre-ordered it at my local book store. But don’t let Miss. Griffin’s savvy marketing skills fool you, Official Book Club Selection is not on Oprah’s book club.

The memoir’s foreward is  a letter to O herself, asking to be a guest on the popular talk show, writing “And you will have to introduce me using your signature vowel-elongating bellow. Repeat after me: ‘KAAAA-THAY GRA-A-A-A-FF-A-A-A-A-A-N!’ I already have chills.” But then delves into serious topics like after-school binge eating and a pedophile older brother.

Griffin does not shy away from her own mistakes, even including pictures of her botched plastic surgery (photo caption reads “My post-op lipo photos? Or first date with Chris Brown?”) She talks about her family’s heavy drinking and her own decision to never drink alcohol, short-lived relationships, and Andy Dick’s shocking performance at a college.

She throws every celebrity under the bus (you better read up Steve Martin, you’re in for a doozy!) and includes great anecdotes of her encounters with A-Listers. But even when she’s not discussing dating Jack Black and Quentin Tarantino, everything written is an incredible page turner.

Many comedians cannot seem to translate their humour from oral to written word. It either comes across as too serious or trying too hard. But Kathy Griffin fans will not be disappointed, this red-headed comedian is just as funny in text as she is in speech.

Anyone who loves the latest celeb dish (and that means you PerezHilton readers!) should pick up a copy of Official Book Club Selection; A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin.