Rating: 
Summary: Thing of Beauty: The Tragedy of Supermodel Gia
Review: This book is more than a biography. I bought the book to better understand Gia's life after seeing her movie. I expected to read about her life. Unfortunately, the author Stephen Fried was too devoted to the minute details of the fashion industry to stay focused on his subject. This is an insider's view of the fashion industry from the 1970s-1980s; Gia was merely an example of this life. It's obvious Fried spent hundreds of hours researching his book. Unfortunately, he didn't spend the necessary time editing the superfluous information out of his book. In a 25 page chapter, he seemed to mention Gia as an afterthought in the last three pages. Gia didn't come into greater focus until the 13th chapter of the book. (The book only has 18 chapters!) When Fried did examine Gia's life, I was impressed with the vivid insights he provided. Yet if he had cut out 100 hundred pages from the 403 page book, it would have been a tighter and more enjoyable story.
Rating: 
Summary: Remarkable
Review: This book really went into depth about the life of Gia. The author did a great job painting a beautiful picture of a gorgeous woman who rose to fame overnight and vanished in a blink of an eye. Gia didn't really have a strong woman figure in her life, until she met Wilhemina. Once Wilhemina die, Gia lost her soul. This novel is inspiring, heart-breaking, dark and touching. It really shows how you can have all the success and money in the world but it doesn't buy happiness.
Rating:
Summary: Great Resource of Information
Review: This book took me awhile to get through, but the more time I spent with it, the more I appreciated the tremendous amount of time and research that the author went through to put it together. I have not been able to find much else that documents the time period and the industry so well. Although it is focused on the life of 1 person, it provides an interesting commentary on the late 70's and early 80's. Stephen Fried deserves praise for preserving the memories of interesting and influential people who otherwise could be forgotten by many. On another level it would be easy to say that the story of Gia was one of fame and fortune that came too quickly and went unchecked and without a mentor, but Gia seemed too smart for that. With all the turmoil in her life, she always seemed to know what was going on and what she was doing to herself. She just chose to ignor it. Just like so many people, it appears that she never found her true calling and in her frustration/boredom turned to escapist activities which eventually contributed to her death. If you enjoy reading well researched and detailed biographies, then I highly recommend this book. You will leave with a different perspective of the fashion industry, and if you are like me, this book will spark your curiousity as to what became of some of the other celebrities of the period. Had she survived her drug use, I can not help but wonder where she would be today. Would she have devoted herself to working in the rehabilitation industry, or perhaps become an activist in the gay and lesbian community. I was interested to learn that some popular actors began their careers as her peers in the modeling business. We will never know, but through this work we will always remember her.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book was truly a dedication to the late great & wonderful Gia. Stephen captured the passion and carefree attitude that was Gia. If you are interested in her life and the lives of models in the late seventies, this is a great read. After you read this you'll be fascinated with her life & your next stop will be blockbuster, to rent the dvd.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent novel on life -- the truth behind beauty
Review: This is a novel for all mothers and daughters to read -- together. The passion Gia threw forth only to be greeted by betrayal was meant for her mother...the mother Gia wanted more then anything to love her. The sad thing was that Gia's mother only wanted the same thing. A beautifully intriguing story that makes one want to cry and actually do end up crying....Gia was something special and only wanted love from one person...a person she never believed she received it from. It was only at the end of her life that she realized what she wanted and that was her mother. This tale will anger you...make you want to hold all young models in your arms and make them see that their is more to love then sex...that it is also about acceptance. For the people portrayed in the novel...I would think they would be ashamed. To know that they could have reached out in the beginning and said..."I love you" instead of accepting Gia's attempts at pushing them away. I have never been moved by a novel such as this and the horrible thing is was that it was true...that Gia was abused and ignored...only wanted for her beauty. Not only should all mothers and daughters read this novel but all young girls wanting to be models.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable
Review: This is the book that launched my interest in Gia. Stephen Fried compiles an unbelievable amout of research and creates a necessary book, particularly for young people. However, "Tragedy" portrays just the surface of Gia. I finished reading the book not really able to imagine how the real person must have been. The book chronicles the fashion world of that time period, and at times creates much more vivid portraits of supporting figures in Gia's life than of Gia herself. "Why" is the unanswered question here: why was Gia the way she was? I don't understand how life's everyday traumas (which most of us can experience and handle normally) could propel Gia to destroy her life. She made it to a place that millions dream of, and squandered it so swiftly and horrifically. I think it's a cop-out to blame most of Gia's behavior on the mother, though "Mom" seemed to have a particular preoccupation with herself and her own material gain. This was a disadvantage to the kids, who could have been more, shall we say, properly guided during their younger years. I found the workings and anecdotes of the fashion industry completely fascinating thanks to Fried's exhaustive research. However, I am critical of the author's numerous shots at The Reagans, which came across as transparent, patronizing propaganda. All criticism aside, this is must-read material.
Rating: 
Summary: Exhaustively Researched....
Review: This is the book that launched my interest in Gia. Stephen Fried compiles an unbelievable amout of research and creates a necessary book, particularly for young people. However, "Tragedy" portrays just the surface of Gia. I finished reading the book not really able to imagine how the real person must have been. The book chronicles the fashion world of that time period, and at times creates much more vivid portraits of supporting figures in Gia's life than of Gia herself. "Why" is the unanswered question here: why was Gia the way she was? I don't understand how life's everyday traumas (which most of us can experience and handle normally) could propel Gia to destroy her life. She made it to a place that millions dream of, and squandered it so swiftly and horrifically. I think it's a cop-out to blame most of Gia's behavior on the mother, though "Mom" seemed to have a particular preoccupation with herself and her own material gain. This was a disadvantage to the kids, who could have been more, shall we say, properly guided during their younger years. I found the workings and anecdotes of the fashion industry completely fascinating thanks to Fried's exhaustive research. However, I am critical of the author's numerous shots at The Reagans, which came across as transparent, patronizing propaganda. All criticism aside, this is must-read material.
Rating:
Summary: Exhaustively Researched....
Review: This is the book that launched my interest in Gia. Stephen Fried compiles an unbelievable amout of research and creates a necessary book, particularly for young people. However, "Tragedy" portrays just the surface of Gia. I finished reading the book not really able to imagine how the real person must have been. The book chronicles the fashion world of that time period, and at times creates much more vivid portraits of supporting figures in Gia's life than of Gia herself. "Why" is the unanswered question here: why was Gia the way she was? I don't understand how life's everyday traumas (which most of us can experience and handle normally) could propel Gia to destroy her life. She made it to a place that millions dream of, and squandered it so swiftly and horrifically. I think it's a cop-out to blame most of Gia's behavior on the mother, though "Mom" seemed to have a particular preoccupation with herself and her own material gain. This was a disadvantage to the kids, who could have been more, shall we say, properly guided during their younger years. I found the workings and anecdotes of the fashion industry completely fascinating thanks to Fried's exhaustive research. However, I am critical of the author's numerous shots at The Reagans, which came across as transparent, patronizing propaganda. All criticism aside, this is must-read material.
Rating:
Summary: Too Much and Not Enough
Review: This isn't the story of Gia's life whereas she never had much of a life...she was used as a doll to vicariously live through by her mother, she used others to fulfill the love she so desperately craved-and couldn't give herself-and was used by an industry that cared less if it's workers lived/died/whatever, as evidenced by the (non)reactions to her death. Gia deserved better than this, we all do, it's a pity that people (mentioned in the book, not the readers) are more interested in knowing the real person posthumously than they were when she was alive, breathing, and searching for love, a place to belong, and a way to achieve inner beauty. If anything, this is more a cautionary tale about dysfunctional family life and it's effect on young, growing children rather than a warning about the fashion industry, more of us probably fall into the former category rather than under the label "supermodel."
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read
Review: This story is completely absorbing. Gia's life was so interesting, out of the ordinary & so sad. This is the story of one of the most beautiful, daring, experimental, unafraid & unpredictable models of all time. It is also the story of a sad, emotionally injured girl who's life could have been wonderful but instead became a short trip to the grave.
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