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Rating: 
Summary: Aretha, Please
Review: Aretha,
Why didn't you tell what you know.
You should have explained fully what it was like being a mom at 14 and having to face the criticisms of a large congregation.
What about your father's illness? Did you not think that the church would not hire another minister to take your Dad's place?
The WORD will be preached regardless of the vessel.
You act as if your father owned New Bethel, The church belongs to GOD.
Why should Erma have had to take off from her job when you didn't have anything else to do but care for Carolyn.
Your book makes you out to be somewhat shallow and unhumble but I believe that you would not have made it this far without humility.
Please leave the writing to the pros!!!
Rating: 
Summary: I Love To Sing And Eat .... But Mostly I Love To Eat!
Review: I have been a life long fan of Miss Franklin's. I have listened to her promise a book that would set the record straight abought rumors, innacuracies and fables for along time. Was this it? Aretha wants us to believe that her father was a paragon of virtue and a dedicated pastor though he lived with a woman to whom he was not married (Lola). He seemed to be no fine example of Christian morality perhaps that is why he was so cool with her two pregnancies. I personally did not need to know the names of her children's fathers but something, even a little something of what is was like to be a teen mother not once but twice before she was 17. I am well aqauinted with black church culture and I KNOW there was a lot of drama there especially in the era she became pregnant. Aretha left out many relevant points of her life (and her father's) that would have made a more honest and readable tome. We really learn nothing about the lady's true feelings about nothing; other than her father. Miss Franklin reveals herself as a petty, ego-rich diva; talented but vey shallow. If this is not the case then she should've written a more detailed and honest book. The best parts of the book are her remembrances of all the food she ate throughout her life and career. These are vivid and full of lucious detail. In one part of the book, in a mere 4 paragraphs there were no less than four food references; they seem to be memory starters for her. She can recall with great verve and relish the food experiences she's had; from the Apollo Theater in New York to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles. I wish she'd been more forthcoming with her life experiences. This book was a true waste of my hard earned money. I enjoyed Patti Labelle's memoirs much more. They were honest, balanced and did not always paint the author in the most flattering light. In other words she was real. C'mon Auntie Ree what's the real deal. Give me something I can feel.
Rating: 
Summary: Aretha loves food almost as much as she loves herself.
Review: Let me first state: I love Aretha. However, co-author David Ritz fails to curb the Queen's self-aggrandizement in this sometimes fascinating account, which is part self-promotion, part dining guide. While juicy, Franklin's comments about rival divas Gladys Knight, Cissy Houston, and Natalie Cole come off as unflattering and unworthy of her. Also, the book lacks detail about the men in Aretha's life (e.g., her stormy marriage to Ted White) as well as her children, who are given less ink than Aretha's favorite foods and grub spots throughout the country. Throughout these pages, Aretha seizes the opportunity both to give herself credit and to play the unsuspecting victim. While the title "queen" gives Aretha stature, it obviously doesn't buy her class.
Rating:
Summary: Aretha's From These Roots Just Made Me Hungry!
Review: This book was a disappointment and I should have known it would be. Aretha is never candid or openly confessional in her interviews on television or print, so I should have known she wouldn't be too forthcoming about her personal life.
I was also amused by the numerous references to all the food she's eaten. Hell, all those memories of her favorite foods just made me hungry. I must say, she didn't lie about how tasty a Vernor's Float (a beverage made of Vernor's Ginger Ale and vanilla ice cream). I'm a former Detroiter and have had many of those sweet treats.
This has to be one of the most disappointing rock biographies off all time. I'm waiting for a well-researched and much more candid biography by some other author. Lady Soul didn't give it up!
Rating:
Summary: Like other fans, I don't like the putdowns
Review: While I wasn't bored by this book (as a musical retrospective of her career, it is good) I was put off by Aretha's comments about other singers. She comes off as cold, arrogant and self-serving. I was particularly disappointed in her comments about Cissy Houston and especially Gladys Knight (she says that Gladys has been under "stress" due to "career disappointments" and that she will pray for her. Whatever). That is a cheap shot and Ms. Knight is totally undeserving of that comment because 1)despite some lows, Gladys Knight has had many successes in her career and 2)it only makes Aretha look petty. While Aretha does give herself too much credit in terms of her musical influence (humility is not one of her strong points), you cannot deny how integral she has been to the growth of modern pop/soul music. I did enjoy reading about the making of the "Amazing Grace" album and its aborted film project (which remains unrelased, unfortunately) as well as her years at Atlantic and Arista, respectively. It would have been nice if there was some additional text from her music producers and collaborators. I do recommend the book if you are interested in reading about her music career. But just hold your tongue whenever her pen embarks upon writing about other female singers.
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