Soulful DetroitArchives - July 2004 � Best and Worst Motown books Previous Next

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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 589
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 152.163.252.200
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 11:31 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Top 3 best
1)Whered Did Our Love Go-Nelson George-best music writer
2)Dreamgirl-MAry Wilson--raves from NYTimes etc--doesnt bash anyone-tells truth as kindly as possible--and shes honest about herself!!
3)Berry Me and Motown-painfully honest from the REAL Queen of Motown
Three Worst
1)To Be Loved - BG--to paint a pretty picture
2)Posner's Motown book-some good info tho ever hear about accuracy?did he do any research?-e.g.:"Mary and Cindy joining Diana on stage(at Motown 25) was unplanned and she did not look happy."You cant go by that Posner since when is Diana happy to share a stage!(LOL)
3)Confessions...Martha--where r the confessions-Martha sounds like a saint--self-serving.

PS--How could I forget Secrets of a Sparrow by Miss Ross what can one say except "people dont understand that having a lot of hair is a huge responsibility"!! A classic.

(Message edited by luke on September 04, 2004)
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Don (don)
6-Zenith
Username: don

Post Number: 750
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.75.174.61
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 12:05 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jimmy, I read Nelson George's book and couldn't put it down, to the point where'd I have to get the book stampt again at the library, over and over until I was finished with it. Mary, Raynoma and Martha are favorites. I didn't care much for Mary's second book accept in some chapters it picks up from her first book left off. I thought Martha's was the best that was publ during that time, I couldn't understand why she wanted to publ another and do it all over again-Why?
Don
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 590
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 152.163.252.200
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 1:08 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Don--Martha's wasnt one of my faves (eg everything that happened with the Vandellas was THEIR fault-I doubt Roz and Betty were total villains in their "dismissal"--hence I find it hard to trust everything Martha says--as I do when any other celeb does same thing) She said she left out a lot of stuff hence the poor sales so she was considering one with more inside info. PS Give Raynoma Gordy's a look-Berry Me and Motown-well written and very honest and informative). I still wish someone would do a book on the aborted RTL tour-that would be fascinating!!
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Boynextdoor (boynextdoor)
4-Laureate
Username: boynextdoor

Post Number: 79
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 4.229.252.13
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 1:50 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Best: 1) Dream Girl
2) Barry, Me and Motown
3) Reflections Mary's second book (I'm not sure how good it was, only being a huge 70's Supremes fan I found it interesting).

Worst: 1) All that Glittered (stank!)Most of it "seemed" made up to me?
2) new book on The Marvelettes (poorly written and said nothing new...filler space with old pictures of other girl groups (which served no purpose).
3) Martha's book seemed self-serving, but still kind of enjoyed it.
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 591
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 149.174.164.24
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 3:05 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Boy u got that per Marvelettes and Martha.

(Message edited by luke on September 04, 2004)
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NYC Diva (nyc_diva)
3-Pundit
Username: nyc_diva

Post Number: 62
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 4.236.195.89
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 9:57 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I agree about the Posner book...that book was straight garbage!! How in the WORLD can this man proclaim to be a "Motown expert" (as he was referred to on the E! True Hollywood Story about Diana Ross) when he just read a couple of books and decided to write a book of his own?! He didn't know anything about Motown beforehand. And he's not even a fan of the music, I'll bet! Hell, as many books as I've read about Motown, then that should qualify me as an "expert", too. I can write. Where's my book deal???? *shaking my head in disgust*
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 592
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 152.163.252.200
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 10:10 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

u go Diva--I heard he is notorious for inaccuracies in his other books.
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Davie Gordon (davie_gordon)
5-Doyen
Username: davie_gordon

Post Number: 197
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 80.225.154.29
Posted on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 10:58 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I don't know it's easily available in the States
but here's one that's worth looking for

"Celling Out Around The World : A Motown Reader"
edited by Kingsley Abbott
Publisher : Helter Skelter, London 2001
ISBN : i-900924-1-4-5

It's a collection of articles, interviews and think pieces and has some delightful surprises like an interview with Maxine Powell who was
in charge of Motown's "charm school".

Well worth the effort of finding - or get your library to get a copy. They should be able to track it down if you give them that ISBN number.

Props also to our good friend Weldon McDougal's
"Motown : The Golden Years" especially for
coverage of people like the Different Shades of Brown. Bill Dahl who was Weldon's co-writer
has articles in the "Motown Reader" on Junior
Walker and the Miracles.

Jimmy, thanks (?) for reminding me of how
awful "Secrets of a Sparrow" was - afraid that one destroyed any lingering shred of credibility
Diana Ross had with me. I have visions of the editors at her publishers suddenly finding they
just had to be somewhere else - anywhere else -
when Miss Ross came to see them.
As Dorothy Parker once said about something else
"not a book to be lightly tossed aside - it should be thrown with great force"
Total airhead stuff - definitely a warning about
the menace of "big hair" LOL

Davie
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BJL (bjl)
3-Pundit
Username: bjl

Post Number: 56
Registered: 5-2004
Posted From: 62.253.64.17
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 2:41 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Somewhere, I have a paperback novel which was allegedly based on goings-on at Motown. It came out in the early or mid '70s and apparently made BG etc pretty angry - is there any truth to this story? It'll take a while but I could probably dig the book out.
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Davie Gordon (davie_gordon)
5-Doyen
Username: davie_gordon

Post Number: 198
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 80.225.154.36
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 4:37 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

BJL, the book's by Elaine Jesmer - "Number One
With A Bullet" - as far as I know it's never been
reprinted since its original appearance. That was
around '75.

There was a rumour that BG bought up the film
rights so it could never be made into a movie
- not sure about that since the owner of the
film rights would presumably be Ms. Jesmer herself. Probably just one of those BG stories.

Why it was never reprinted is another story - maybe it just didn't sell enough to warrant
reprinting although if I remember rightly the
publisher of the UK paperback (Futura ?) went
bankrupt so it may have ended up in some legal
limbo.

It's been, what, thirty years since I read it -
my copy's long since disappeared - I don't remember it as being all that great apart from the obvious fun of trying to identify who the book's characters were meant to portray.

Davie
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John Lester (theboyfromxtown)
4-Laureate
Username: theboyfromxtown

Post Number: 134
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 217.44.166.84
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 5:34 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Elaine Jesmer was a Motown publicist.....
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Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (weldon)
5-Doyen
Username: weldon

Post Number: 312
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.80.162.3
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 9:06 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Elaine Jesmer is a friend of mine, she never worked at Motown,
Weldon
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Eli (phillysoulman)
6-Zenith
Username: phillysoulman

Post Number: 1526
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 64.12.116.138
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 10:53 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The best...IMO

Motown: The golden years
Motown(the big coffee table book with the gold cover)
Berry, me and Motown
Where did our love go
To be loved
Guitars, bars and Motown superstars

The worst-IMO

Eye on the sparrow
Posner book
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Davie Gordon (davie_gordon)
5-Doyen
Username: davie_gordon

Post Number: 199
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 80.225.148.65
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 12:01 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

John, I think Weldon's right - from what I remember she worked as a publicist but for a club
where some Motown acts were booked - Marvin Gaye ?

Davie
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Arcadia (arcadia)
4-Laureate
Username: arcadia

Post Number: 85
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 4.229.18.190
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 1:20 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Best:
Motown - The Golden Years (Weldon McDougal)
Berry, Me and Motown - Raymona Singleton-Gordy (spellings)
Deliver Us From Temptation - (Tony Turner)
Dreamgirl - Mary Wilson
Martha Reeves (not sure of the title). She was somewhat self diminished, but I appreciated the honesty of her story. Very honest and very painful.


Worst:

To Be Loved - Berry Gordy
Secrets of a Sparrow - Diane Ross (I saw a stacks of this book in Barnes and Nobel for .99 cents)
Mary Wilson's second book, Reflections.
Also, Otis Williams' book. Otis, next time give us MORE details about the Temps' music but less of you, you, YOU!

Web Books:

The Mike Hanks Story (Outstanding!)

NYC Diva! You are so correct in your assessment of Posner's book! Go ahead and write your book !

______________________________ ______________

Arcadia
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FrankM (frankm)
2-Debutant
Username: frankm

Post Number: 21
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 81.154.189.105
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 2:57 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Women of Motown: An Oral History (For the Record)
by Susan Whitall, Dave Marsh

Check this one out for the early history of Motown courtesy of a great interview with Mabel John.
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John Lester (theboyfromxtown)
4-Laureate
Username: theboyfromxtown

Post Number: 135
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 217.44.166.87
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 4:31 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Weldon and Davie...I agree with you both. She used to publicise Motown's acts - but the way I guess I said it, I agree it could be misunderstood. Thanks for making it clear.

The press that surrounded her book made it clear that Elaine had inside information about Motown's acts cos she had met them as a publicist. It was for that reason alone that I wanted to read the book.
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 593
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 149.174.164.24
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 6:52 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes Davie that book(Calling Out...) with interviews is great-even a brief one with Cindy Birdsong! And I thoroughly enjoyed the interview book on women of Motown, though Mary Wilson not a part of it(some fascinating,sad stuff about Mary Wells and she was working on an autobiography!).; I thought Martha's was as me me me as Otis' which I actually like more(Otis') and I dont think I learned one thing in Berry's book though I was surprised he said the competition in the Supremes was between Mary and Diana and not FLo). PS I would urge people to read Diana's just for the the incredible things she says.
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Ryon6 (tyrone)
3-Pundit
Username: tyrone

Post Number: 33
Registered: 5-2004
Posted From: 192.128.167.68
Posted on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 10:56 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Didn't Raynoma retract some of the things that she wrote about in her book, Berry Me and Motown.

Best:
Dreamgirls
Divided Soul (does it qualify)
Call Her Ms Ross

Worst:
All That Glitters
Tony Turner's second book about the Temptations
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Shawn1 (shawn1b)
4-Laureate
Username: shawn1b

Post Number: 153
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 65.30.14.44
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 12:01 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I loved Martha's book !But I felt she held back a lot and I hope she writes another one !I loved Both of Mary's books !I didn't like Diana's book because I didn't think she said anything but she had great photo's.I found Tony's books interesting just wonder if it's all true but then I know some was .Berry's book did nothing for me as I didn't think he would really tell on himself .The Marvelettes book to be honest kinda bored me .Shawn Martha's New Album Cover
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Wonder B (wonder_b)
6-Zenith
Username: wonder_b

Post Number: 686
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 80.13.38.29
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 4:24 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I also liked these books...
SDMot
by Sharon Davis

rs
by Raynoma Singleton

pbm
by Peter Benjaminson

ja
Jack Ashford's book

Wonder B
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Phil (phil)
4-Laureate
Username: phil

Post Number: 167
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 213.36.162.175
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 7:57 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm surprised that nobody has mentionned Don Waller's "The Motown Story", for me it's as good as Weldon's book. Also, "The Motown Album", with plenty of beautiful pictures.
Davie, I didn't know "Calling out...", it's available on Barnes & Noble, and even on amazon.fr, where I'll order it soon. Thanks for letting us know.
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Davie Gordon (davie_gordon)
5-Doyen
Username: davie_gordon

Post Number: 206
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 80.225.154.39
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 8:19 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Phil, yes you're right about both those books -
I didn't mention them as I was trying to keep to things that were still in print but they're both worth looking for.

In fact I should be looking myself - I lent out the Don Waller book and didn't get it back. LOL
That's usually a sign of a good book.
Don's got a nice sense of humour - anybody who hasn't seen the book but has any of those old
Rhino "Best of the Rest" CD's will know him from the booklet notes he wrote for them.


"The Motown Album" has some amazing photos -
I love that one of the Narvelettes as a quartet
"on stage" in some cheesy looking club with a
painted background of what looks like a scene
ftom "The Sound Of Music" - the Marvelettes always
looked like they were having a great time on stage
no matter where they were.
You'll really enjoy "Calling .." - there's a lot
of good writing there and enough obscure information to keep collectors happy.

DAvie
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Phil (phil)
4-Laureate
Username: phil

Post Number: 168
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 213.36.162.175
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 8:39 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You're right, Davie, Don Waller, being mostly (I believe) a "Rock" writer, has a great sense of humour, and some distance from his subject, that makes the reading of his book so much fun. And I prefer this, rather than reading idolatric writings about the artists that we love.
I'm going to order "Calling out..." right NOW !!!
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Linda Di. (linda_di_fsg)
5-Doyen
Username: linda_di_fsg

Post Number: 187
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 66.67.198.38
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 11:36 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I enjoy Randy Taraborrelli's books. His Motown book (Hot Wax, City Cool and Solid Gold) is really informative. He's well known for "Call Her Miss Ross," but many people don't know that was his second Ross book. Both Ross books are good, IMO.
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Don (don)
6-Zenith
Username: don

Post Number: 764
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.75.49.44
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 12:13 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well Jimmy Mack, I don't know why a person buys books and waste their monies & energy reading and then disgard them in the first place. They may have some info to them? I disagreed with many at SD with the unfair treatment of a woman who was very close to David Ruffin and is the mother of his son. I'm not being argumentive just being fair. It doesn't matter what music critic or book witer that claimed to be the 'one' who knows/knew the sorted details about the life and times of David Ruffin. Because many writers that writes books always have a certain style of a so-call presentation, and I always can tell when it's not informative & richly in depth. I think hers we're I read a bit of the book to see that her book was direct, informative & in depth, but that's IMHO. But I think it was unjust the way the woman was being unfairly mistreated. We all all should remind ourselfs that we are all all still on the outside looking in, only she knows that. we all are given the opportunity to either write or to read the bio. And to be honest, the books I read so far was with the people who knew him and not personally interviewed the man himeslf-oh well?

Don
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Soulman (soulman)
2-Debutant
Username: soulman

Post Number: 13
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 81.76.57.110
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 12:30 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Motown The History One Brilliant Book Written By Sharon Davies,So Much Information.
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Vonnie (vonnie)
5-Doyen
Username: vonnie

Post Number: 279
Registered: 3-2004
Posted From: 152.163.252.200
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 1:35 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Don,

I agree with you, we do not know the real story between DR and the woman who shared her life with him. I do know that the book was a very hard read for me. It is not written in a easy to follow pattern and was not edited very well. The book also has a very obsessive and bitter tone:-(. It is not on my list of best reads.
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Don (don)
6-Zenith
Username: don

Post Number: 767
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.75.49.44
Posted on Monday, September 06, 2004 - 1:45 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ok, I can understand with the acessment. What little I did read was pretty much written shabbie.
Don

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