Rating: 
Summary: A moving and honest biography of a complex woman
Review: "Hilary and Jackie" is a moving and honest, if somewhat ploddingly written, biography of a great cellist whose genius took over a family. Being a prodigy is not easy for anyone, nor is it easy for a family to have a member--even more than one member--who is ill. What I think is especially tragic is that Hilary too was gifted, and that got lost in both Jackie's pursuit of the cello and in Hilary being placed with the wrong flute teacher. One can only wonder what would have happened if Hilary had pursued her gifts in the way Jackie had.
What speaks so well for the book is that, despite all of Jackie's selfish behavior, she still comes across as a sympathetic person, as seen through the eyes of her brother and sister, especially her sister. While they pull no punches, they clearly love their talented sibling. And as we read about her, so do we. Sometimes, they come across like pushovers, especially Hilary, who needed to grow a backbone and tell her sister and husband no to their sexual shenanigans. But love and devotion can lead to strange things. Give the authors credit for being honest, and for researching MS and what it can do to people, without necessarily making excuses for Jackie.
Rating: 
Summary: This is an exciting memoir, but I felt like a voyeur.
Review: "Hilary and Jackie" goes too far in its depiction of the tempestuous life of Jacqueline du Pre, the gifted cellist who died of MS. Although I can appreciate the honesty of her siblings who alternate in writing this account, they are too revealing of the most intimate details of their lives, some of which would have been better left under wraps. Instead of preserving du Pre's memory, they are desecrating it by laying bare all the sordid details of Jackie's mental problems, her compulsions, and the slavish desire of her family to give in to her every whim. In spite of their talent, the family depicted here is dysfunctional. No family should cater to one person, no matter how gifted he or she is, leaving the others in that person's shadow. It throws everyone off balance, and it is terribly unfair. I don't think the du Pre's did Jackie a favor to treat her with kid gloves. She could have used a little normalcy in her life. Perhaps she would have been less tormented. Overall, this book is an extremely depressing account of a tragic family.
Rating: 
Summary: The most moving book I ever read.
Review: After I saw the movie "Hilary and Jackie" I decided to read the book as my interest in Jacqueline Du Pre became ignited. This book was a wonderful account of two sisters' undying love for each other. In reading sometimes I had a hard time understanding some of their issues but Hilary and Piers gives the reader specifics and you feel as if you are experiencing their ups and downs. You travel Europe with them and you feel as if you're sitting right in the concert hall. I recommend this book if you are a musician or not. You'll love it!
Rating:
Summary: The most moving book I ever read.
Review: After I saw the movie "Hilary and Jackie" I decided to read the book as my interest in Jacqueline Du Pre became ignited. This book was a wonderful account of two sisters' undying love for each other. In reading sometimes I had a hard time understanding some of their issues but Hilary and Piers gives the reader specifics and you feel as if you are experiencing their ups and downs. You travel Europe with them and you feel as if you're sitting right in the concert hall. I recommend this book if you are a musician or not. You'll love it!
Rating:
Summary: The most moving book I ever read.
Review: After I saw the movie "Hilary and Jackie" I decided to read the book as my interest in Jacqueline Du Pre became ignited. This book was a wonderful account of two sisters' undying love for each other. In reading sometimes I had a hard time understanding some of their issues but Hilary and Piers gives the reader specifics and you feel as if you are experiencing their ups and downs. You travel Europe with them and you feel as if you're sitting right in the concert hall. I recommend this book if you are a musician or not. You'll love it!
Rating:
Summary: The cost of Genius?
Review: Although a very badly written book I find myself forgiving the authors thier lack of literary expertise in their bravery in tellling this tale. They didn't have to. One can't help but wonder if the "devotion" of the mother somehow served to create the twisted and unhealthy family life these people found themselves a part of. Would this great genius have emerged if Jackie's mother had not completely subjugated her life and that of the other members of this family for the sake of one member and if so was it worth it? I'm not sure. That every member automatically accepted without question the fact that everything was for Jackie at any cost to themselves is very disturbing. What a price to pay. Perhaps there's lesson here. We benefited buat what cost. I do, as I say applaud Hilary and Piers and I'm pleased that they waited and sincerely hope they have been able to overcome this tragedy.
Rating:
Summary: An All Consuming Gift
Review: An All Consuming Gift This is a tough book to read. Ostensibly it is the story of the famous cellist Jacqueline du Pre as told by her older sister Hilary and her younger brother Piers. What emerges, however, is a testament to how one person's overwhelming needs and passions can color and overshadow the lives of those around her. Both Hilary and Piers talk about and relate the main incidents in Jackie's (Jacqueline's nickname) upbringing and life, but woven into those incidents are their own struggles to find and maintain their identities in a family that was focused around a star. Hilary in particular, a gifted and promising musician in her own right, was dealt a heavy blow as her younger sister's gifts began to emerge. Although still encouraged to pursue her musical studies, she was clearly assigned a secondary role when it came to time and attention from her mother. Soon the entire household revolved around Jackie - her physical needs, lessons, friends and performance schedule. The book would be easier to get through if the authors were able to include some insight into what went on in their family. Hilary says she thinks that the unusually close bond her mother formed with Jackie had to do with her father dying shortly before Jackie was born. Beyond that, the sad and convoluted tale simply spins itself out with both Hilary and Piers feeling caught in the maelstrom of Jackie's dramatic, often troubled career and personal life. As Jackie becomes more and more isolated and driven by her gifts, Hilary marries and starts a family to escape. Meanwhile Piers, who has flatly refused to have anything to do with music, becomes a pilot in order, as he puts it, "...to be appreciated for being me, not just the baby brother of Jacqueline du Pre." Even Derek du Pre, husband of Iris and father of Hilary, Jackie and Piers, buries himself in work, trying not to mind that his wife never has time for their relationship. Even with their own lives firmly established, however, no one in the family is safe from Jackie's needs. In fact, the habit of sacrificing for her is so ingrained in everyone that they are constantly putting their lives on hold and dropping whatever they are doing to take care of her. The greatest tragedy of this complex family saga is, of course, the loss of Jackie to multiple sclerosis. Anyone who has heard a performance by Jacqueline du Pre will find that this story of her life is much like her playing - intrepid, intense, and driven by a passion that left no room for moderation. "Was it worth it?" I asked myself as I finished the book and set it aside. "Or was the price that was paid to foster Jackie's genius too high?" I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Rating:
Summary: very worthwhile
Review: Before I get to the actual review, a couple of extra-literary complaints: 1) This was originally called "A Genius in the Family". It makes no sense (other than business sense) to retitle it "Hilary and Jackie". It is no more about or by Hilary du Pre than it is by or about Piers du Pre. It is especially absurd to put photographs of ACTORS on the front and back cover. 2) The amazon.com amateur "reviewers" who have abused this opportunity so as to hurl invective at Jackie or her family remind me of the strangers depicted in the book who send letters to Jackie and say such hurtful things as her conversion to Judaism is responsible for her multiple sclerosis. The authors are telling you what happened; they are not asking you to pass judgement. (For that matter, nonsensical psychobabble buzzwords such as "dysfunctional" and "enabler" should be expunged from the language.) Ad rem: In the main, this a gripping and surprisingly well-written story, considering that neither of the authors are professional writers. Don't get that idea, however, that it is in any way comparable to something like Hemingway's "A Movable Feast"; it isn't nearly THAT well written. Hilary does a better job than Piers, lapsing into banality significantly less often. Piers is better at describing Jackie than his life apart from her. We never catch his supposed enthusiasm for flying. His stilted account of his religious awakening seems wholly gratuitous and artificial. Considering that there is scarcely a whiff of didacticism in these pages, it is surprising that you end up learning so much of trenchant value about music, en passant, as it were.
Rating:
Summary: very worthwhile
Review: Before I get to the actual review, a couple of extra-literary complaints: 1) This was originally called "A Genius in the Family". It makes no sense (other than business sense) to retitle it "Hilary and Jackie". It is no more about or by Hilary du Pre than it is by or about Piers du Pre. It is especially absurd to put photographs of ACTORS on the front and back cover. 2) The amazon.com amateur "reviewers" who have abused this opportunity so as to hurl invective at Jackie or her family remind me of the strangers depicted in the book who send letters to Jackie and say such hurtful things as her conversion to Judaism is responsible for her multiple sclerosis. The authors are telling you what happened; they are not asking you to pass judgement. (For that matter, nonsensical psychobabble buzzwords such as "dysfunctional" and "enabler" should be expunged from the language.) Ad rem: In the main, this a gripping and surprisingly well-written story, considering that neither of the authors are professional writers. Don't get that idea, however, that it is in any way comparable to something like Hemingway's "A Movable Feast"; it isn't nearly THAT well written. Hilary does a better job than Piers, lapsing into banality significantly less often. Piers is better at describing Jackie than his life apart from her. We never catch his supposed enthusiasm for flying. His stilted account of his religious awakening seems wholly gratuitous and artificial. Considering that there is scarcely a whiff of didacticism in these pages, it is surprising that you end up learning so much of trenchant value about music, en passant, as it were.
Rating:
Summary: This's way too private to let people know such a story...
Review: For those who love Jackie, now can find out another side of her life and her family that can't be found in other books. Though it is quite nice, though it is touching indeed, but by knowing a person in such way won't have any benfits to her extraordinary performance in cello but want to know more about her private life, is that good? or just good for money?
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