I have to admit, as a 26F I didn’t plan on really reading this book to emotionally connect. I read it because I grew up dancing to her music and then watching her “breakdown” happen. When it was announced for release I thought (based on her instagram posts) this was going to be a comical piece of literature with victim mentality. I was interested, but for all the wrong reasons.
I read it straight though today. Started about 10:40 this morning and finished it by 3:30 this afternoon. I was beyond wrong and feel terrible for never looking into what was going on beyond the shaved head photos and magazine headlines in the grocery store checkout lines. I am not a tabloid person but also, when that all was happening I was very young and had no reason to question why she was being portrayed that way.
It’s so hard as a reader to know we’re only getting an ounce of the pain she suffered in all those years. Such a bubbly soul, completely demoralized and left to wither. A slave in her own career, trapped in the empire she built but not allowed to expand on it as she grew. Absolutely enraging and heartbreaking. She took accountability for the things she made mistakes on too, which was admirable.
I appreciate her for being so raw and vulnerable. All she ever wanted was to feel peace and live out her dream, and she worked so damn hard for that only to have it ripped away. Fame doesn’t make her less human and the memoir was all the good, bad, and downright ugly that comes with being a human.
I’m interested in now in reading Jayme Lynn’s book as well as her mother’s. Wondering the contrasts or if it’ll alter my feelings (or possibly fuel my current). Has anyone read those?
TL DR; I thought the book would be a joke, I was utterly wrong. I am sad for her. Have you read her sister/mom’s books?
by Abbeysugrue
26 Comments
I just finished it today too. Her dad should be in jail. It’s disgusting what her family did to her.
The entire world -save the Leave Britney Alone dude (who also ended up mocked)- did her wrong back in 2007 when she had the breakdown. I was still pretty young then and thus probably missed anything that may have been more sympathetic toward her, but all I remember seeing was endless mocking and joking about it and how utterly *acceptable* it seemed to be to do so. In hindsight it’s breathtakingly shocking and utterly abhorrent that she was treated so poorly and it was just… OK to mock her.
Have not read any Spears memoir but I’m still dropping a tangentially related comment because I’m still not over it.
It was always shocking to me how much vitriol was thrown at her during her breakdown.
Seems that if a woman doesn’t conform to societies expectations of how to behave the gloves come off. It is like a free for all to treat a woman like shit.
I will not read any of the other Spears’s books as I don’t want to give them any money. The Britney memoir was heartbreaking.
I remember thinking some one should write a book on how western society sexualises and discards women/ girls. Her first breakdown happened when she was in her early 20s. The amount of media criticism of her looks was off the charts. It was shocking, as if only male rockstars are allowed to act out. As an immigrant woman I slowly understood the constraints on women in this apparently free culture
I haven’t read the other books but I watched a YouTube review for her sister’s book. According to that one review the book seemed heavily sanitized and defensive and ultimately had nothing of real emotional contet (as it pertained to Britney, there was some stuff about her personal life that might be emotional)
The other celebrity book I recommend is Jennette McCurdy’s.
Just finished the audio book version today. I find it so wild how her parents did this to her, do they not have a guilty conscience at all? They sound like true Narcissists. I’m so happy she finally found the strength to fight for her rights. She was a true icon and still is! Even more so now.
I was never a Britney fan, but when news of her conservatorship was everywhere I looked into it. I quickly learned how fucked up her life was and felt bad for her. I’m interested in reading this, and it sounds like it’s worth it.
I listened to a podcast review in which they said it is a family tradition to throw wives in a mental institution. Britney’s grandma was institutionalized by grandpa when she was sad that her newborn died. 🤦♀️ The idea that her dad and Jamie Lynn are just alive in this world, spending Britney’s money after doing that to her is so horrible.
ETA: The NYT reviewed the book today, and reminded me of the detail that Britney’s grandpa ALSO institutionalized his second wife after his first wife killed herself in the horrible institution. They were both put on lithium. That is the environment Britney’s dad grew up in. Then he put Britney on lithium.
What on earth made you think this was going to be comical?
Listen to the podcast episodes from “celebrity memoir bookclub” on Jamie Lynn and Lynn Spears’ books. Don’t purchase their books to support them. The episodes will cover everything you need to know.
I have not read it yet but I plan to. I have felt for a long time that the world preyed on her problems. She became a clown for public consumption when she was clearly in need of some help.
It is beyond sad that instead of getting her that help, her family controlled her life for so long just so they could steal from her. Truly disgusting.
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I love Britney Spears and have since I was a tiny, closeted gay. Reading this book was heartbreaking because I listened to her records, I flew my boyfriend and I out to Vegas to have front row tickets to her show. I financially supported this mechanism she hated. It makes me feel sort of bad, but she does say nothing but good things about her fans in the book.
It’s a really quick read and really eye opening to how the music industry treats young women.
The remark that hit me the hardest was a comment about her mom’s book. I don’t recall it verbatim, but it was something about Lynne doing a publicity round and talking to Meredith Viera about her daughter’s mental health crisis instead of actually helping her daughter.
I do have all 3, but have only read Britney’s. I started the mom’s and so far (only at very couple pages of beginning, since it’s not available on kindle & I have a hard time reading physical copies because of health and mainly reading at night) Lynn’s account does match Britney’s. Mostly background, but shows honesty in my opinion, from Britney and possibly mom (I may change this as I read further, since I already feel a sort of disbelief in Britney’s family, from their own actions). Her mothers was written prior to Britney’s breakdown and released soon after iirc , so likely won’t deal with same, but hoping to see varied accounts and like that it shows Britney sort of got some background from mom on her grandma and such and used her honest recollection to give us an account. Hope this makes sense, I wouldn’t trust Lynn or Jamie Lynn over Britney, but do think it’s sort of more binding and helpful to Britney (for those who might question her) that mundane details are nearly identical thus far.
I feel very bad for Britney and hope she finds peace, love, support, and all she hopes for.
If you liked Britney’s memoir I highly recommend Paris Hilton’s Paris: a Memoir. I also recommend the audiobook version read by her! She also talks about Britney and the abuse by media they all suffered.
I was one of the types who was inclined to sympathize with her back in the day. I thought she was being treated unfairly, and just wanted to shout to the world to leave her alone and let her be. One day, I came across a popular video of another person who felt the same way, on YouTube. It was a guy under the bedsheets who was very emotional and saying people should leave Britney alone.
But halfway through it, I realized that it was only popular because it was a satire or people used it to make fun of people who felt the way I did. After that, I became very demoralized about the whole thing and forgot about it. I’m glad that, after such a long time, people are finally having their eyes opened about what happened.
>I read it straight though today. Started about 10:40 this morning and finished it by 3:30 this afternoon. I was beyond wrong and feel terrible for never looking into what was going on beyond the shaved head photos and magazine headlines in the grocery store checkout lines. I am not a tabloid person but also, when that all was happening I was very young and had no reason to question why she was being portrayed that way.
I remember when we all made fun of the “Leave Britney alone!” guy (Chris? Chris Crocker or something?) but he ended up being right.
Yes I felt the same way! Though I had followed the Free Britney movement on YouTube so had a better idea of what was going on, but before and especially when I was a child, I laughed at her like everyone else.
Another book you should check out is Paris Hilton’s memoir. Again, a female celebrity who was mocked constantly and followed by paparazzi, but what she went through as a teenager will seriously break your heart.
These are truly amazing women who were famous at a terrible time.
I did not expect to come out of that book absolutely furious but I was. I still am. They stole so much from her and I hate to say it but I think it caused irreparable damage to her mentally. You can see it when she talks about regressing to a younger age. You can feel it when she talks about finally being allowed to be a “woman”. She missed out on a major developmental period because the people who were trusted to help her simply didn’t. They just farmed her for cash. I’m so angry. Getting her freedom isn’t enough, what was done to her was criminal.
I am still reading the book. I also grew with her music and media presence. I remember questioning why papparazzis were so obsessed with her, and also strongly believing that JT was not a saint as he was trying us to believe.
I started reading this book because I have always been a hardcore fan of Britney, but as you have described the book is surprising, it tell us how a woman felt after being kept for 13 years.
Since she got out of the conservationship, I have tried to understand her odd behaviour (not going to lie is ver infantile) and reading the book it reasonates the way she proyects herself to the world. She has not experienced or mature the same ways we have done with the year due to being held captive for so long.
I will not give my money to Jamie Lynn, her mother o father ever!
Anyone else on an early 2000s high (possible obsession) since reading Britney’s memoir? Old music videos, interviews, commercials… enjoying them again with 30+ year old eyes and a whole new perspective. *Sigh* to be young again!
Anyone else reading or catching up on things from this time because of the book? Only thing I refuse is to read books from her fam…
I am definitely not the target demographic for Britney’s book. I say this because I want to show that my words are an unbiased source. I’m a 33 year old heterosexual male who mainly reads horror and listens to punk rock and metal. People around me were surprised to see me sitting down with a Britney Spears memoir in my hands. But damn, what a story. There was one line that tore my heart out. “I’m Britney Spears now”. Absolute daggers. As a huge horror fan, I guess I’m not far off from the target demographic after all. What Britney went through is an honest to god horror.
Highly recommend this book. Even if you’re not a Britney Spears fan.
I normally don’t have any interest in this sort of tell all memoir, but after reading the reviews and literally everyone I know getting the audiobook I decided to use my monthly credit on it (usually reserved for science fiction/fantasy or horror I can’t get on Libby).
I’ve always had sympathy for Britney but now I feel an attachment that I’ve never felt for a celebrity before. Especially one whose art I don’t really care for. I’d suggest this book to anyone, even if they have no interest in Britney. It paints a vivid picture and is at times just heartbreaking and infuriating.