When I started the audiobook—I have the hardback for the pictures of course—I was a little skeptical. The stories LMP and her daughter include, shared in Riley’s voice and Julia Roberts standing in for LRP, are a little scattered and erratic, to the point that I wondered if I would finish. But the sadness and insight and addiction and parallels and yes, the celebrity, draw readers in. I mean, the stories about MJ alone are exciting, but not in a way that he or his story is betrayed. And then suddenly, the story concludes, gently, succinctly, and sadly. This book does an amazing job in illustrating how complex and confusing and beautiful and empowering and suffocating complex grief can be and often is, and how often we lean into it, honored to be consumed by it regardless of how dark, and how painful joy can feel, experiencing that after the loss of those we adore and always long for. I am so grateful to have leaned into this piece. Do yourself a favor and invest in the audiobook…listening to LMP, her voice and her words, is moving and startling and sad and, raw, especially when she asks what being strong has ever done for her.
From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir
4.6 | 6,168 ratings
Price: 19.69
Last update: 12-23-2024
About this item
Top reviews from the United States
Steelersgirl75
RE: Unexpectedly Raw
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2024
Megan
Painfully beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2024
WR-36
Intriguing and Too short
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2024
WR-36
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2024
Lisa's life, like most peoples - is filled with her & others around her doing some bad, neutral, good & morally questionable things. So if you're a unrealistic super fan of Elvis, Lisa or MJ I have no idea how to explain my reaction to the content of this book to you.
As for everyone else I'll try not to reveal too much so that if you're interested it'll still be worth reading.
PROS:
Uniquely done with both Lisa and her daughter telling the story.
Gritty, Humorous, Genuine
All the things a person looks for in memoir. Whether you're a fan or just kind of curious it's worth a read or listen.
Riley & Julia do a beautiful job on the audiobook.
CONS:
If subjects like assault, addiction and death are too much for you - don't read this.
SHORT
While I learned a lot of things I didn't know before & it is wonderfully told...
it does kind of feel like a filled in highlight reel.
ASSUMPTIONS
It seems to assume that you've read/watched interviews that Lisa has given.
EXAMPLE & MINOR SPOILERS
Lisa has previously talked about how her marriage to Danny was always strained because he - a struggling musician- was always resentful of her fame & the fact that she had so much more money than him.
In the book it doesn't touch on it that much but, it is brought up when she & MJ are starting to get close. If I hadn't read those interviews I would think that she just threw away Danny out of nowhere to hook up with Michael.
SCIENTOLOGY
Her unhappy break up with Scientology is not really mentioned at all.
POSSIBLE CONS ?
If you hate cursing this book is filled with it.
The audiobook does have Lisa's voice but most of her words are said by Julia Roberts and as good as a job that Julia did I was a little disappointed to not hear Lisa narrate her parts.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A riveting read that feels a little too short. I understand wanting to keep some stories
to yourself - but the book just felt like it needed... more. The * Spoilers*
around 6 year on and off again relationship with MJ alone could've been a book it's self. It feels like a lot was left out for legal - Lockwood and Scientology- reasons.
It could have easily been 100 pages longer without feeling like it was dragging.
Note:
Lisa asked for help with this book because she didn't know what it should contain.
And Riley probably wanted to finish this book before it turned into a ' I'll do it later' project that's placed on a to-do-list for years. So I understand it's shortness & missing info even though I don't like it. It was probably the best Riley could do with what she had.
*
I doubt you're reading this but I've been a fan of your mother for many years and though I've never met her, I believe she would be so proud of you for finishing her book. She clearly loved her babies so much.
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Friend Zone
Incredibly moving
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2024
Friend Zone
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2024
I did have a few issues with the book—for instance, almost nothing is said about Scientology (Lisa Marie left the church, and as her son Ben said before he died, “that religion messes kids up”). [fwiw, I don’t have strong opinions on it myself; I feel that *all* organized religions have significant downsides.] Also, there is very little said by Lisa Marie about her marriages—I mean, I would have liked to have known what she thought about Michael Jackson’s extreme surgeries (was it weird to her?) and what she thought about Nicolas Cage being a huge Elvis fan (did she feel like the ultimate collector’s item?). Nothing is said about the family’s involvement with the 2022 movie “Elvis.” What’s more, the book leaves out the custody battle Lisa Marie was fighting with the father of her twins at the time of her death, and also Priscilla’s lawsuit against her granddaughter for control of the Presley estate.
But truly, this memoir isn’t so much about facts as it is about feelings and the human experience—and as such, it is successful. It’s one of the most moving books I have ever read.
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