A Memoir: David Ruffin - My Temptation

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Summary: I see a movie on the horizon
Review: A riveting, touching, sad, desperate, happy, joyous journey through a life with one of R&B's greatest voices. This book makes every human emotion run the gamut in this behind-the-scenes look of Motown, when it was at it's peak. A must-read book for those wanting to know about David Ruffin--the family man--or for the healing of abusive and/or abused relationships. This book isn't about the bad things in life, it's about surviving. I see a movie on the horizon.--Jimmy Plank, musician

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Summary: A Memoir David Ruffn My Temptation
Review: After reading Otis Williams book, I was very interested in learning more about the Temptations. David Ruffin in particular. The title would suggest that book would shed insight on David Ruffin the man. This book did not meet any of my expectations.This woman was no more than a glorified groupie,that David got pregnant. Genna,it seems is trying to capitalize on the fact the she slept with this Superstar. The disrespectful things she wrote about Tammi Terell shows how bitter this woman is. When in fact she was involved with a married msn,that never gave her his name,and left her for Tammi. I think I understand why Otis Williams didnt mention her in his book or movie.....She wasn't that important. Just one of many of David Ruffuns women.

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Summary: Snake Oil
Review: From reading all the promises made by this author on message boards,web sites ect. about the content of this book it fell very short. Sapia is like a snake oil salesman promising her book will answer questions and give the reader an indepth look at David Ruffin. And just like a snake oil salesman her product does not deliver. I bought this book at a garage sale,so I can't cpomplain about the .50 I paid for it. It was at least worth that much.

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Summary: Pure Trash
Review: Having known David BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the Temptations I have to qualify this book as pure trash. I am a female friend, nothing more and nothing less and for all of us who loved and respected David we knew that he certainly was not the monster she claims he was in this book. He did have a serious drug problem but was a very kind and loving man when not on drugs. I have seen his kindness to others many times and they are too numerous to write about here. This is a bitter woman who tried to get David to want her and because he did not she in reality hated him. I don't agree with the way he treated her but many times she was so annoying that it is like a fly buzzing around, you need to swat it to get it to stop bothering you and bother him she did. She was jealous of his attention to friends, male or female. Her whole self worth is wrapped up in her knowing David. Even all of these years after his death she is still bitter and refuses to get on with her life. Okay she had a son but how many women do you see coming forward with this type of revelation? Why? because she needs and craves the attention and no one ever gave it to her. The fact that she uses his name with out benefit of a marriage license shows her desperation and need for attention. All I can say is that you need to get a life, he did not respect you in life and he certainly did not come back to honor you after death. You were a groupie nothing more, the only difference in you and other groupie types is that you did not have the good sense to take it for what it was worth at the time and go on with your life afterward.

Rating:
Summary: Trash
Review: How did this book get published? I was very much a part of this era,and the author was a very well kept secret. Thats probably the reason she doesn't go into area's of this Great Entertainers life that would be of interest to his fans. Red flag was the book cover,with a picture of her on the cover. That had a lot of people saying Who Is This Woman??? She was smart enough to save her reasons for taking the mans name at the end of this msitake in judgement.
I believe she is the only living person to have had a "converstion" with David since his death!!!

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Summary: 5 STARS FOR MAKING YOURSELF LOOK LIKE A FOOL TO THE WORLD
Review: I gave 5 stars because she must have a lot of guts to write this book and look like a fool to the world. I read a lot of books written by groupies but this is the worse. This woman is pathetic. I can't feel sorry for a fool. I don't care if a man is famous and rich I wouldn't stay with a man who disrespects and beats me. David Ruffin is a wonderful performer, but I don't like the way he lived but he paid for his wrongs. But I don't want to compare how great a performer he was to the type of person he was, I won't make any excuses for his bad ways, but some things shouldn't be said. Obviously this woman is trying to make money and damage David and try to make herself famous, but really she's making herself look like a fool. She thought by writing this book the spotlight would be on her and people will feel sorry for her, instead people think she's stupid- but I have to say she has a lot of guts to write this book, she should know she would get bashed, but she's making money because people are wanting to read about David, even with these bad reviews people will still buy this book just to have their own scenario, but money don't buy love. If I was Genna Sapia I wouldn't want the world to know all this, I would be ashamed. Like the one reviewer said you should of did something with your life, got an education or something. No woman deserves to be treated badly, no matter if the man is famous. Everyone is wrong but Genna. I have to say Genna got what was coming to her- she dated a married man, had a child out of wedlock- what made you think he would be faithful to you and quit his wild life. If he cheated on his wife to be with you, you should know he would do it to you. But this woman blaims everyone but herself- she's the good "righteous" one, everyone else "bad". I don't know what David Ruffin had but obviously women are still crazy about him. This woman changed her name to Ruffin and wasn't even married to him, if he treated me like he treated you, I wouldn't dare change my name- she says he came to her after his death and told her it was okay for her to have his name. Well, I wonder how many other women he came to after his death and told that. This woman needs help, she need to discover herself and find out where she came from. If she wants another David Ruffin that actor Leon who played David looks a lot like David, I bet she fell in love with him also. I bet it was deja vu again for her. You need Dr. Phil.

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Summary: The exploitation of David Ruffin continues
Review: I got this book quite some time ago and I just didn't know what to make of it. As a fan of the Temptations from 1964-1968 I was expecting to read some real in depth info about the life and career of David Ruffin. He was one of my favorite singers. But instead I read the memoirs of a Temptations groupie who was impregnated by the singer (she wasn't the only one), who was abused by him and her feelings of rejection because he never married her but married other women instead (yet she uses his name and calls herself his 'wife'). I've seen the word 'bitter' used in other reviews of this book, and I have to concur. Her obvious jealousy over Ruffin's love for Tammi Terrell caused her to badmouth the deceased singing partner of Marvin Gaye in everyway possible (David left Genna to be with Tammi), and she still hasn't gotten over it. It's also evident to me that because of her relationship with Ruffin, Ms. Sapia is exploiting that relationship to make money. Her lashing out at Otis Williams for not mentioning her in that TV movie was uncalled for. Why should they have mentioned her? Just because she gave birth to one of David's kids? Big deal. As I said, she wasn't the only one! She's imagining herself to have more importance than she really did, and she has allowed a long-dead relationship with Ruffin to define and consume her entire life. That fact in itself makes this story tragic. Out of all the Temptations-related books I've read, this one without a doubt was the worse...

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Summary: Don't know what to think!
Review: I had mixed feelings about this book. I agree with the people who say that the author really trashed David to excess. I never knew the man, but I do know some other celebrities. They are just like everyone else--human beings. We all have our up sides and down sides, whether we are famous, or not. However, upon reading this book, I have noticed that she focused way too much on David's faults and not enough on his assets. I'm sure he was a much nicer man than what she portrayed him to be. If the beatings were true, and the excessive drug use was true, then he definitely had problems. But think about it--many people who abuse substances, whether alcohol or other drugs, are very sensitive people who are hurt easily and this is their way to cope and/or escape from things that bother them. Not that I condone this, but I UNDERSTAND it. And I've come to find out that these people, because they ARE sensitive, are very nice human beings.

Again, as others have said, I do think this was written out of bitterness. A truthful book about somebody should have equal balance--if you're going to write about the bad, write an equal amount about the good, also.

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Summary: DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB
Review: I HAVE READ COOK BOOK RECIPES THAT WERE MORE STIMULATING
THAN THIS BOOK, I COULDA HAD A V-8..........PATHETIC.

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed
Review: I love to read,but this book was a BIG waste of time. I knew David Ruffin and Tammi Terrell very well. I loved them both. Gena has disrespected the memory of both of them in this book. She managed to attack every person that associated with David. His wife,his brother,and his love Tammi. I have heard her referred to as the "wife" of David Ruffin in the promotion of this book.People that knew David knew better. How pitiful is this person? She paid to have her name changed to Ruffin. How sad is she? This book was awful.