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| Life with My Sister Madonna | 
 enlarge | Author: Leigh, Christopher, Wendy Ciccone
Publisher: audible.com
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $15.73
You Save: $14.22 (47%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  194 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B001CTWH40
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Product Description
Madonna up close, by the brother who knows her better than anyone. Christopher Ciccone's extraordinary memoir is based on his forty-seven years of growing up with, working with, and understanding the most famous woman of our time, who has intrigued, scandalized, and entertained millions for half a century. Through most of the iconic star's kaleidoscopic career, Christopher played an important role in her life: as her backup dancer, her personal assistant, her dresser, her decorator, her art director, her tour director. If you think you know everything there is to know about Madonna, you are wrong. Only Christopher can tell the full scale, riveting untold story behind Madonna's carefully constructed mythology, and the real woman behind the glittering facade. From their shared Michigan childhood, which Madonna transcended, then whisked Christopher to Manhattan with her in the early eighties, where he slepton her roach-infested floor and danced with her in clubs all over town -- Christopher was with her every step of the way, experiencing her first hand in all her incarnations. The spoiled daddy's girl, the punk drummer, the raunchy Boy Toy, Material Girl, Mrs. Sean Penn, Warren Beatty's glamorous Hollywood paramour, loving mother, Mrs. Guy Ritchie, English grande dame -- Christopher witnessed and understood all of them, as his own life was inexorably entwined with that of his chameleon sister. He tangled with a cast of characters from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Demi Moore, and, of course, Guy Ritchie, whose advent in Madonna's life splintered the loving relationship Christopher once had with her. The mirror image of his legendary sister, with his acid Ciccone tongue, Christopher pulls no punches as he tells his astonishing story. Life with My Sister Madonna is the juicy, can't-put-it-down story you've always wanted to hear, as told by Madonna's younger brother.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 189 more reviews...
 Insight Into an Icon July 14, 2008
127 out of 143 found this review helpful
Life with My Sister Madonna, by Christopher Ciccone, is a revealing look into the life of Madonna, the "global icon". It is also about Christopher, their relationship, family, friends and fans.
The book begins with a prologue that takes place in London in 1993 and portrays the good times between brother and sister. Christopher explains that Madonna is an insomniac: "unbridled desire for fame and fortune, you see, is incompatible with sleep."
Madonna is portrayed as someone with both a massive ego and riddled with insecurities. She was very nervous about performing for the 1991 Academy Awards, because it was in front of established actors, "whose respect she desperately wanted to win."
Those who worked for her--including Christopher--knew to praise her during and after performances and movie premiers--no matter how poorly she acted, no matter what. When Madonna hired a new person to dress her between performances, for example, Christopher told him to keep quiet, except when Madonna asked, How do I look?" The reply: "Wonderful Madonna, wonderful."
Ciccone writes that Madonna wanted to be a great movie star: "I wish her well, but secretly believe that the only part that she is truly capable of playing is that of herself, Madonna, a part that she has created and curated."
Ouch.
The first chapter begins with their childhood in Rochester, Michigan. Tragically, their mother died when Christopher was 3 years old and Madonna, 5. The father remarries and there are 8 children.
The children are expected to do daily chores and are punished for transgressions; all save Madonna. Christopher writes that she rarely had to do chores and was virtually never punished. He wrote that Joan, his step mom, even seemed a bit afraid of Madonna.
Turns out, Madonna looks like their mother and is dad's favorite.
The book progresses though their lives. In high school, Madonna secretly took ballet classes and got Christopher involved as well. He explains that it was not for his company--which he desperately wanted; rather, the instructor, who Madonna adored, needed a male dancer.
Christopher believes that the disputes between brother and sister come with the addition of Guy Richie into Madonna's life. Richie is portrayed a homophobic jerk and it is obvious that there is no love between the author and Richie.
Ciccone writes that in 2001, Madonna: "treats me as if I am nothing other than a serf paid to decorate her house." He writes about how cheap Madonna is, especially in light of how much money she makes. In 2001, Richie and Madonnas worth were said to be worth $260 million. And Madonna had the highest female annual income in Britain of $43.8 million dollars. Ciccone writes that Madonna perpetually underpaid him, disputed payments and blackmailed Christopher over money. For example, he would not get paid unless he took Kabbalah classes with her.
No matter how badly Madonna treated her brother, he always came back for more, incapable of stopping himself. Madonna's power, so the book indicates, strong from childhood, only got stronger as she aged--making her a powerful, successful magnet that nobody--not even her brother--could resist.
A compelling read.
By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet.
Most riveting, accurate book on who Madonna is personally July 15, 2008
100 out of 129 found this review helpful
Fairly, extraordinary tale of what it's like growing up and being close to one of the most famous female entertainers in the world. It's a voyeuristic view, one sided, naturally. If we all wrote a book about someone we were close to for 47 years, it would be pretty darn accurate. It's not a slanderous book despite what the press or Madonna fans might say. It's a truthful memoir and a fascinating one, probably the closest information that anyone may ever find out in getting to know about one of the world's most incredible performers, Madonna. Christopher Ciccone is Madonna's younger brother by two years. He looked up to her growing up, has, and had been her best friend up until recently. The falling out wasn't on Madonna's end or Christopher's, but rather Madonna's husband Guy Ritchie. The book explains in detail. I've wrote a postive review on this book and I am a strong supporter of Madonna as well.
 Madonna is self-absorbed and fame corrupts July 16, 2008
85 out of 101 found this review helpful
Those are the two main lessons from this quite entertaining account of Madonna's career, written from her brother's perspective.
She comes across as extremely egotistical, self-centered, and quite boring. However, anyone who has seen her interviewed on television will have witnessed those qualities so no surprise there. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how miserly she is. Numerous examples of her penny-pinching ways are offered, including her refusal to pay for her sister's airfare to her lavish wedding in Scotland, despite the fact that her sister does not earn a lot of money.
Christopher's inability to forge his own life outside of Madonna's bubble seems to be his main problem. It's hard to sympathize with him when he could have established his own business and worked for other clients - especially if he as talented as he claims to be.
Clearly the allure of celebrity kept him going back for more. Something he has in common with Madonna.
If nothing else, this book will reduce any envy you may feel towards celebrities. Madonna's incessant and insatiable need for attention is ultimately quite sad and somewhat pathological. The book reveals the limits that fame places on the lives of those who have it. A worthwhile and enjoyable summer read.
Be Cautious in the Divas You Support.... July 17, 2008
40 out of 50 found this review helpful
I identified with most every page in this book. I live in Hollywood and have worked with--and been very close to- THREE worldwide famous Divas, and two of those "relationships" ended up disasteroulsy for all of the same reasons mentioned in this book. Even the third Diva, whom I am still close with, has been hurtful to me more times than I can ever count.
The problem starts, when they begin to believe their own publicity. They begin to BELIEVE they are immortal and that the rest of us are "mere mortals." Where 'we' must we must be held accountable for any bad behavior, cruelties and occasional thoughtlessness, THEY are magically forgiven, thus living by a completely different set of social rules. They feel they are ABOVE the rules in society that the rest of us must follow. Often their egos and demands go far beyond the norm, and that is when their more personal relationships fail. Often....they don't even notice (or care).
How does this happen? It happens because of you. The sychophants that forgive any and all bad things a famous person may say or do, because you can DANCE to their music, or sadly, because you may be an admirer of bitchiness. The person I saw in the vile "Truth or Dare" film is NOT someone I would admire. I saw a shallow, demanding, thoughtless, totally self-centered brat who managed to make every young gay guy aspire to be rich and bitchy, yet DEVOID of any substancial talent. It looks as though things haven't changed much.
TWO of the Divas I mentioned above have a LEGION of gay fans and LET ME TELL YOU, they are not nearly as supportive of YOU, as you are of them. YOU PAY THEIR BILLS and keep their names in the papers! I am dying to reveal their names, but I won't. The gay community is easily used. Indeed Madonna is gay friendly. But why then, does she let her current husband chronically say homophobic remarks and not defend her obvious supporters? Or even her own brother! BELIEVE ME---gay guys will defend Madonna TO THE DEATH (I have been witness to it!) but she will not do the same for them. This needs to be exploited and I am happy that aspect is included in this book.
As of 2008, we live in a very celebrity obsessed culture. It gets a little dangerous when we begin to think of them as Gods and Godesses and imortals and p@%#$ on those who are not "famous." This book shows you the REAL Madonna, as a human being, one on one. If she were at all talented (which in her case is EXTREMELY arguable) one might be able to back her up to some degree. But as it is---she was always bratty--always got what she wanted by whatever means possible, often at other's expense--thus leaning on very, very limited talent. Now before these young queens bash me and continue to aspire to be brats, bitchy and rich with limited talent---consider this: Madonna is a HETEROSEXUAL FEMALE, in a HETEROSEXUAL MALE dominated world. She can get away with this for obvious reasons. Can a gay man get the same results? NOT BY A LONG SHOT. Not a chance. Hell...a gay man can hardly aspire to that pathetic Tila Tequila's level of fame, much less Madonnas! Madonna has never been an outsider (as you will read) rarely had hard times, and certainly never faced murderous discrimination. In fact, she even MADE UP most of her hard times so you could "idenify" with her on SOME level! So this complete and total adoration and TOTAL forgiveness of any and all of her bad behavior is unfathomable to many. It's got to stop, and I hope this book is the beginning of that. These bitches need to THANK those "little people" who helped get them to where they are today.
"But why write it in a BOOK!?" you ask. Because with he public AT LARGE reading it---is the only way to get her attention apparently. That is all she appears to care about. I know only too well, the irrationality, the petulance, and the way these kind of ladies can make themselves impossible to contact to work out problems privately.
 Forgettable but fun July 17, 2008
38 out of 41 found this review helpful
This is far from being the most well-written book that I've read, but it does make fascinating reading, both as a fly-on-the-wall view of Madonna's life and for the very raw expose of a highly dysfunctional brother/sister relationship. It's also rich in gossip, though not as much as I expected: a lot of famous names make appearances (Gwyneth, Demi, John F Kennedy Jr etc) but you don't get much sense of what they are like. The screaming fights between Madonna and Sean Penn are described but there is less insight into her relationship with Guy Ritchie (who clearly doesn't get on with Christopher), other than it evidently being a relationship that Madonna put considerable energy and effort into.
There is nothing impartial about Christopher's account and while that's to be expected, it does get a little tiresome. He's full of anger and hurt at the way she treated him and so it never feels like a balanced interpretation of events. For example, he is very scathing about her motivations to adopt a child from Malawi (essentially he says it's about trying to one up Angelina Jolie). Nevertheless, Madonna comes across pretty much as you'd expect her to: extremely charismatic but also highly self-centered, demanding and narcissistic with little sense of how normal people behave - as an example, she invites Demi and Ashton to dinner and then tells them that she and Guy are going to the cinema but they are welcome to stay behind and make themselves at home.
The book tears along and makes a fast read. It includes a number of photographs from Madonna's childhood and early career that I had never seen before.
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