Britney: The Unauthorized Biography of Britney Spears by Sean Smith

Love her or hate her, I think we can all agree that Britney Spears is one of the most well-known and talked-about celebrities in the world. When I initially came across this book, I expected it to properly chronicle the astronomical fame, fortune, successes, and struggles Spears has experienced in her lifetime. I expected to read a biography that is well-written, well-formatted, and most of all, well-researched.

Unfortunately, “Britney: The Unauthorized Biography” did not deliver. Not in the slightest.

The book opens with a chapter detailing Spears’ birth chart, which I felt was totally unnecessary and a complete waste of paper. There are many other instances in the book in which the author relays unnecessary or irrelevant facts that do nothing but distract from the main attraction of the book – Britney Spears.

In addition, there are a countless number of typos throughout this book, including misspellings of important names and places. This is incredibly sloppy and careless, and I’m shocked the publisher (Pan Books) allowed the book to be published with so many errors.

Furthermore, the chronology of this book is all over the place. Rather than separating the chapters into years, the author separates them into “significant” periods in Spears’ life such as “Mouse Dancing” and “Mrs. Federline”. While this is all well and good, the author needs to honor the chronology of Spears’ life events. He jumps back and forth between years and periods in such a dizzying fashion that you never know which year he’s actually referring to.

Overall, this book was a mediocre disappointment. When one hears the name “Britney Spears”, one automatically expects her biography to be in the “gimme more” category (no pun intended). Perhaps the lackluster quality of this book lies in its “unauthorized” nature, but nevertheless, author Sean Smith had a ton of great material to work with, and I think he really dropped the ball on this one.

Bottom line – don’t waste your money.

Stages by Britney Spears and Sheryl Berk

This book is a wonderful addition for any Britney fan to add to their collection. With tons of pictures collected from her world tour and many more that were taken in between during photo shoots and down time, this is an excellant book that many people will cherish for a long time. Rarely has an artist opened up and shared so much of herself personally like Britney has in Stages; an intimate look at the last three days she spent in Mexico City on the Dream Within A Dream Tour. Britney writes in this book as though she were writing in a journal; a collection of private and sincere thoughts for only the eyes of the people she loves and trusts the most – her fans. No media, no rumors, this is Britney opening up about everything. Not too many artists would do such a beautiful thing. Accompanying this book is a cute black and white poster and a documentary style DVD. The DVD gives you a behind the scenes look at what went on and what goes on before, during and after her concerts; including the infamous concert where she was reportedly booed offstage after singing five songs and leaving. The DVD tells and shows all. It’s alot of fun watching this if you’re a major Britney fan. Watching her live such a normal life in front of so many cameras makes you both feel sympathetic and inspired. In one scene Britney breaks down in tears and you don’t know if you wanna hug her to make her stop crying or smile knowing that she’s such a kind hearted person who hasn’t lost touch with what’s important. Whether you’re a fan of Britney or not, I think everyone will love something about this book. It’s not really a book so much as a collection and one of the many stages in Britney’s life that reminds us all why she’s still on top.

Britney Spears’ Heart to Heart by Britney Spears

Britney and Lynne Spears have done a wonderful job writing Britney’s life story. The book chronicles Britney’s entire life from her birth to after the release of “Oops, I Did It Again”. The book shows that Britney wasn’t always rich, in fact her family did go through some financial problems. Britney and Lynne also write about how from an early age Britney showed her talent for singing and dancing. I specifically enjoyed reading about Britney’s childhood, there is a lot of information about young Britney that I loved reading about. It was also interesting to learn about how Britney got her record deal, and how nervous she and her mom were before her audition- the same one that ended up giving Britney a record deal! Britney and Lynne talk about mother-and-daughter issues, such as clothes, serious issues (such as sex and drugs), how to help each other over come obstacles, amd more. This was an awesome book, perfect for any Britney Spears fan. There were also tons of cool pictures, of Britney from when she was a baby, as a child, a teen, and all the way up to the year 2000. However, I feel as though Britney and Lynne should write another updated edition of the book soon, as it has been a while!

Britney Spears: The Unofficial Book by Molly Macdermot

I read this book after I finished “for whom the bells toll”, this was all on a long flight to s. africa. The teenagaer next to me was through with it so she let me read it, not mention she loved it. Instead of dying from bordom on a 18 hour flight I started to read it. I could’t get through the opening pages before succuming to shakes and shivers. Sorry this book may be good for a teenager, but give it to 29 traveling surfer is just not good. Recomended ages 9-14, and that’s pushing it.

A Mother’s Gift by Britney Spears and Lynne Spears

At fist, I tried to ignore this “book” by Britney Spears. But I was at my local dollar store and saw that they were carrying it for only a dollar! So, for whatever reason came over me, I picked up a copy and read it. Boy, what a big disapointment (which I figured it was)!

The plot is simple: A young girl named Holly has a natural talent for singing and wins a scholarship to the prestigious Harverty School of Music, which she has been eyeing. Her mother, Wanda, is a constant embrassasment to her. Plus, Wanda has a secret of her own, which leads in a struggle that could brake the bond between mother and daughter.

There are so many things wrong with this book. First off, the writing and pace of the story is done rather quickly, making the reader “hungry” for more. Also, the cookie-cutter characters are not believable, which also make the book strain. The plot is very good, but when you get characters that have rather silly names (such as McSpadden, for example) and among other things, it makes you think twice as to how much throught Britney and her mom, Lynne, put into it. The only pure reason why this “novella” was at all published is because of Britney’s once-popular star power.

The one thing I most disliked about the book was it’s treatment of the how the bond between a mother and her daughter will combat over anything and everything. It’s very common for writers’ to take their own experiences and intergrate them into their works, but this is complete ridiculous! The trails that Wanda and Holly go through seem empty; there is no meat added to this story. Plus, as the old saying goes, if you got the natural talent to write, then do so. But, it seems that Britney and Lynne need a few lessons in English Grammer first before they attempt to publish another novel.

If you want a better portral of mother-daughter bonding, I highly reccommend Any Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. Other than that, this is stricly to tweens and teeny-boppers only!

Britney: Every Step of the Way: A Friend’s Personal Scrapbook by Felicia Culotta

I must say, I am impressed. This was an AWESOME book, from the first page to the last! OMG, these are some of the BEST pics of Britney ever! It was written by her friend, Felicia Culotta, who is Britney’s personal chaperone who travels with her. These pictures all are private and have never been seen before! It is so cool, you feel like you personally know Britney from reading this super-cool book. Great job, Felicia, on a book well written!

Britneys Spears’s Crossroads Diary (Crossroads Film Tie in) by Britney Spears and Felicia Culotta

A brilliant book Crossraods starring Britney Spears made a smash hot in the theatres and in book stores.
Britney is struggling with a protective father who wants her to do what he feels is best for her. But when her and her childhood friends find eachother again and decide to take a road trip. thats when the journey begins.
“lucy” britney spears and her friends take a trip to California to discover their dreams. The book leads into many issues in todays teen world. Such as date rape, sex, and alcohol.
Overall the book is very well to read and has a awesome ending.

The Ultimate Britney Spears Quiz Book by Maggie Marron

Anyone who thinks they know everything about Britney Spears needs to read this book! You’ll find out things you never knew about her! These quizzes are awesome, I learned so much about Britney. There were a ton of fantastic pictures too! Any Britney Spears fan will love this book!

In the Zone by Britney Spears

Britney Spears released “In the Zone” as a record, only finding lukewarm reviews. Yet, if you have a piano, you will find it impossible to stop playing these irresistable tunes.
Surprisingly arranged, In the Zone is sometimes funner to play than it is to listen to. Some of the bigger hits off the album are actually the least playable. “Toxic,” “Me against the Music,” and “(I got that) Boom Boom” are the biggest hits, yet the least complicated of arrangements, while “Outrageous” is barely sheet music. The best arrangements are surprisingly the “forgotten” songs off the new album, the best being an beautiful arrangement of “Everytime,” and a delicate version of “Shadow.”
Also the club ready “Breath on me,” and “Touch of my hand” find great playablity. Jamacian flavored “The Hook up” plays well, while a bit repetative at times. “Showdown” and “Brave new girl” remain nearly as forgotten in this book as they do on the album, While “Early Morning” is a fun little piece that can be played with some jazzed up rhythm.
With great arrangments, “In the Zone” is one of the best popular music books out there. For fans it is a must, and for music lovers it is a need.

True Brit: The Story of Singing Sensation Britney Spears by Beth Peters and Eddie Malluk/Retna

This book is the best book I have ever read. SERIOUSLY! It’s wonderful. Beth Peters uses a great technique of writing to make it very interesting. It’s not just a book that you sit down and read through. It’s got quizzes about Brit, facts (from her fave things to the address of where to get a script of the play “Ruthless” that she stared in), and information on her former MMC stars and where they are now. In between all that, it tells the story of super star, Britney Spears. If you like Brit, and want to learn cool facts that you probably don’t know, but don’t feel like sitting and reading a whole book, get this. It’s interactive, and a bunch fun. GO GET IT!

Britney Spears Confidential by Molly MacDermot

this tells a lot about Britney and has some great stuff in it. the pictures are awsome and the setup is great.

Britney Spears: Stylin’ by Maggie Marron

If you want to learn more about Britney Spears, this is a great book to read. The author did a great job writing about Britney, and I thought the parts about Britney’s style were really cool. It’s a biography, starting from her birth all the way to the release of Baby One More Time. I just loved the pictures, they were all awesome. You learn a lot about Britney! This book is a must for all Britney Spears fans!

Britney Spears by Andrews McMeel Publishing

This was an ok book about Britney. It had cool pics, and I liked the quizzes. It really is just another biography of Brit. It starts from when she was first born, all the way to the release of Oops…I Did It Again. I really didn’t find the biography stuff that interesting since I knew most of it, and there were some errors. For example, the author says Britney’s natural hair color is blond. That’s not true. Her natural (underline) hair color is BROWN! Look at some pics of Britney as a kid and you’ll see! Well, overall this was a good book, but for a really good Britney Spears book read Heart to Heart, the book she wrote with her mother.

Baby… One More Time Pocket Video Britney Spears (Collector’s Flipbook Series) by Signatures Network

This flip book is very entertaining. You can have two scene’s from Britney Spears’s first video go everywhere with you. How cool is that? Very cool idea.

Britney Spears (Backstage Pass) by Michael Johns

This is informative with loads of great pictures and info on Britney. It is out of date now, but it’s still very well made with GREAT pictures of Britney.
It has lots of cute little tidbits of information. It also includes a profile on Britney, and her favourite things.
The book is a bit out of date, but still good. It’s a shame Britney is going down in history as being someone who was big for a few years and but then got unpopular because she ignored her fans. This is a nice book which shows Britney at the peak of her fame.

Britney Spears: Oops!…I Did It Again by Britney Spears

Poorly written book filled with fluff. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Britney Spears is a Three-Headed Alien by Mel Gilden

While the title of the book may make you turn away, the content is amusing and you just don’t want to put the book down. The book is cute about two friends in their teens following around an alien who has overtaken Britney’s body. I recommend this book for pop music fans who don’t want to take this book too seriously.

Britney Spears (Blue Banner Biographies) by Ann Gaines

I really loved this book. It’s filled with information about Britney that I haven’t seen in the other books I’ve read about her. It was cool to read about her childhood and especially how hard she worked to get where she is. This is a really great book for every Britney fan!

Britney Spears: Unstoppable! by John Delavan

Ok, Britney. This book was great, I couldn’t put it down. It had quizzes and it had this one quiz that I loved. It was actually hard for me. It was interesting it had an interview with her, a 50 question quiz, and 50 fun facts. It had pictures from Britney’s concerts or Britney and her fans. It had pictures of Britney just hanging out. It had pictures of Britney through out her school years. Ith ad also information on Britney that I didn’t even know. So if you are a Britney fan this book is for you. If you think you know Britney well, you don’t! Not until you read this book. Plus, her little sister Jamie Lynn is absolutely gorgeous just like Britney.

Britney Spears (Galaxy of Superstars) by Norma Jean Lutz

I am a very huge fan of Ms. Britney Spears, and I loved this book. To me, it was very informative. Although, when I bought ” Britney Spears: Heart To Heart” I thought that there was more informaton for less then the price of this book. So, please go out and get Heart To Heart. Thank you ever so much. …

They Must Be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It by Brigitte Gabriel

“… And we are not talking about the likes of Britney Spears dancing half naked with a live snake draped on her …”

We last saw Brigitte Gabriel emerging from her childhood, escaping Palestinian jihadis trying to kill her and her family for no better reason than that she was Christian, in her aptly-titled first book, Because They Hate. She was a forward scout in the resistance to jihad. Her first book was a literal debriefing, and They Must Be Stopped is an interpretive debriefing. Together they sound an alarm that must be heeded. Gabriel shows us that Islam is not a religion in the sense we understand the word. It is a doctrine, and the central tenet of that doctrine is the forced submission of all humanity. Gabriel gives us a concise summary of Islam’s evolution through the ages into the implacable doctrine of hate that it is today. She describes Islam’s rise (its occupation of the Holy Land and The Ottoman Empire) and its fall, which so perplexes muslims. Gabriel shows that it was the Industrial Revolution, which wholly bypassed the Islamic world, which ultimately defeated it. To this day muslims cannot fathom their humiliating status in the world, and they supplicate Allah to return their dignity and power.

They Must Be Stopped is a wake-up call for the West which “wallows in a state of denial and ignorance, bullied by political correctness and refusing to listen to our enemies who have an understanding of peace and tolerance different from ours.” She shows that democratization is not an end in itself. Hamas and Hezbollah, for instance, are democratically elected terrorist organizations. More elections in the Islamic world would only create more radical Islamic regimes opposed to and threatening Western values. The unfortunate truth is that the repressive regimes in Egypt, Saudia Arabia, and Jordan are our natural allies in that they keep the cork in the bottle of Islamic terrorism. For readers unfamiliar with the global extend of Islamic terrorism since 9/11, Gabriel provides a summary. Conclusion: they have been very busy, not as subdued as you might have thought.

And if you think Gabriel is being bombastic or is exaggerating the threat which she knows so intimately, listen to Ayatollah Khomeini, “The Almighty himself taught us how to kill.” Or read the Koran for yourself: “When you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle, smite their necks until you overpower them, killing and wounding many of them.” (Koran 47:4), or “Your Lord inspired the angels with the message: I am with you. Give firmness to the Believers. I will terrorize the unbelievers. Therefore smite them on their necks and every joint and incapacitate them. Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes.” (Koran 8:12). “Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah.” (Koran 8:39) “Prepare against them whatever arms and weaponry you can muster so that you may terrorize them. They are your enemy and Allah’s enemy.” (Koran 8:59)

Brigitte Gabriel is a crystal clear thinker and a compelling writer. She suggests, for instance, that if you think you know a “moderate” muslim, just ask him or her to condemn the atrocities committed against innocent civilians in the name of Islam, and you will learn just how thin that veneer of moderation actually is. She shows us how modern muslims veil terrorism by referring to it as “fourth generation warfare.” She shows us that radical Islam is an adversary which will not reason, will not rest, will not compromise; it is inspired by both victory and by defeat, and its goal is your elimination. They Must Be Stopped.

Gabriel concludes her vitally important book with commonsense prescriptions for meeting the threat from radical Islam. The fact is that you are actually going to have to do something. In order to stem the growing tide of jihad we are all going to have to join the resistance in some way. Gabriel provides a thoughtful list of actions you can take. She finishes with a note of emotional gratitude to American men and women in uniform. “Words tremble on my lips and emotions swell in my heart for in gratitude for your service and your sacrifice…for protecting America and the world…Let my grateful tears thank you…”

Dirty Girls on Top by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

“… kill them for the collective catharsis of the self-loathing masses. Britney Spears, her heart upon the platter, her life taken from her …”

The sucias are back and that’s a good thing even though their lives are even more complicated and dramatic from when we last saw them five years ago.
But that’s why these Latina professionals have each other. They can handle anything that comes their way, even a homicidal ex-husband, which adds to the fun literary ride that Valdes-Rodriguez takes the reader on.

As in their tradition, Valdes-Rodriguez opens the book as the women embark on meeting up at a resort in New Mexico for the annual sucias gathering. Here they catch up on and dish about what has been going in their lives. Well, almost. Some of the sucias don’t immediately reveal their secrets.

Usnavys: She’s still hoochie but that is what endeared her to her readers. She’s strong, real, and tells it like it is. She’s still a leader in the Boston community working with the United Way and she likes to show off the goods that God, Puerto Rico and her credit line have given her. This Latina bombshell even has a blog about being sexy. But underneath her thick tough exterior is una mujer who wants to feel like a doted and desired woman with her husband Juan, who has opted to stay at home to raise their daughter while Usnavys works. UsNavys yearns for the excitement of being in love and feeling like a wanted woman – by her husband. An affair with a hunky golf instructor may ruin all that.

Lauren: She’s still a newspaper columnist in Boston and enjoys her relationship with her thuggish Dominican boyfriend who seems to be getting one too many text messages on his phone. Lauren struggles with seeing the truth about her guy and herself. Confused, she decides to experiment sexually with one of the sucias. (Spoiler alert:) And when no one is around, she privately abuses alcohol and herself with trips to the bathroom. All combine to send her over the edge with the sucias to the rescue.

Elizabeth: Her Boston TV anchoring days behind her, this Colombian with the heart of a poet is enjoying being a new mother to a baby she and her partner adopted. Elizabeth loves motherhood but her partner doesn’t feel the same way That conflict pulls them apart and forces Elizabeth to realize that she may be a single gay mother after all in Brookline. Complicating matters, Elizabeth is secretly in love with one of the sucias.

Rebecca: Her Latina magazine is booming and so is her marriage. All she wants is a baby and health issues and work stress only complicate that.

Sara: She’s the Cuban-American Martha Stewart with a popular show that Elizabeth produces in Boston. She seems to have it all. She’s moved on from her abusive ex-husband who has fled the country and hasn’t been seen locally but she still aches for him, physically and emotionally. Through Sara, the reader sees the difficulty of letting go of an abusive relationship and the pull that one person can have on another when one lets someone else rent space in their head and heart.

Amber: Her music career is on a high note and she enjoys the freedom it brings – until she tries to ventures too experimental in her music and her sales and concerts dip. Her older manager, who acts a surrogate father and lover in one, may help her find her way, musically and emotionally.

Valdes-Rodriguez recaptures the charm and spirit of the first book. Both are fun and fast reads, as each chapter alternates through one of the narrators. But this is not just a book for the beach. Valdes-Rodriguez deftly conveys the complicated range of emotions of the women through crisp writing that offers deep introspection, almost a mirror for the characters to reflect on. These women feel real, people you would know in your family, circle of friends or at work. The fact that they are all Latinas is almost an afterthought.

The characters that resonated the most were Usnavys and Lauren. Their voices are the strongest and most developed. The reader sees their gradual metamorphosis, as Usnavys surrenders herself to being a wife and a mother while Lauren discovers the person she was meant to be through all her episodes with her health and her man. By the end of the book, Lauren is a more centered person spiritually and emotionally. She’s more at peace with her job, her looks and her insecurities. She shines the most in this novel and there are touching moments when she bonds with her editor and decides to mentor younger writers. Usnavys comes to terms with realizing that the world doesn’t revolve around her needs and doesn’t cater to her every whim. She learns that she has to check herself because her daughter and husband need her the most and that is what really matters.

Ironically, each of the sucias want what the other has. Rebecca has the marriage and career but not the family she desperately craves for while Elizabeth has the baby but not the ideal partner to share him with. Confident Usnavys has an earnest husband who does everything that is expected of him, which is what insecure Lauren wants in a man, someone to love and appreciate her and make her feel whole. The same goes for Amber. Sara has it all, two sons, a blooming career, but no man to share it with besides her homicidal ex-husband until a new love beckons.

My only critique of the book is this: some of the chicas don’t seem as close as they were in the first book. UsNavys and Lauren are the closest pair of the bunch while Elizabeth and Sara have their own tight friendship because of their business arrangement. I didn’t get the sense that these women (specifically, Rebecca and Amber) were very close to each other or to the others. It’s as if they the sucias have sub-cliques within their own clique.

But Hispanic or not, male or female, readers will find something to relate to by hanging out with the sucias all over again.

young Britney Spears

naked Britney Spears

drunked Britney Spears