Scan barcode
Reviews
The Face That Changed It All: A Memoir by Beverly Johnson, André Leon Talley, Allison Samuels
shannanh's review against another edition
4.0
I saw this at the library, and decided to pick it up. I learned a lot about Ms. Johnson, and I enjoyed the story very much. She talks about her being a model during the 70's when there were not a lot of African Americans in that job profession, as well as what was going on in her personal life.
somojones's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good memoir no great omg moments but interesting and blunt.
robinsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
So do I give this 2 stars because by the end of the book I ended up really annoyed with the author over the many bad choices she made in life plus her general attitude? Or do I give it a higher rating because I really couldn't put the darn thing down? I'll compromise and give a three star rating. That means if you want to read it, do so at the risk of occasionally wanting to throw the book across the room.
I wanted to read this as I still remember the novelty and newness of an African-American face gracing the cover of my Glamour magazines from the early 1970s, and I was interested in how she fared over the years. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her rise to fame in the modeling world along with her experiences with many of the celebrities she met over the years. What I didn't enjoy was the constant name-dropping and how *she* influenced so many of these people (she even indirectly took a little “credit” for the death of Bob Marley--kid you not).
The other part of this book that I found exasperating was Johnson’s feeling of entitlement, something experienced by so many celebrities who have come into great wealth. At one point, thanks to her second husband, Beverly was completely broke (she once had over $1 million savings) and ended up not only losing custody of her daughter, but also had no home and no funds for rent. So what does she do as soon as she receives a large settlement? Buys a champagne colored Mercedes so she can look good while driving to see her daughter.
Finally, near the end of the book, regarding a possible third marriage, the author writes, “In the end, I realized we both love high drama. That was good for a movie, but not for a marriage.” It was a little too late in life for Beverly to find this out about herself, and that’s a shame.
If you are of the age who remembers Beverly or want to read about her experience with Bill Cosby, by all means read this memoir. I’m sure you won’t be able to put the dang thing down either. And if you really want to get a feel for Beverly’s personality, watch a few YouTube clips of her reality show, Beverly’s Full House.
I wanted to read this as I still remember the novelty and newness of an African-American face gracing the cover of my Glamour magazines from the early 1970s, and I was interested in how she fared over the years. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her rise to fame in the modeling world along with her experiences with many of the celebrities she met over the years. What I didn't enjoy was the constant name-dropping and how *she* influenced so many of these people (she even indirectly took a little “credit” for the death of Bob Marley--kid you not).
The other part of this book that I found exasperating was Johnson’s feeling of entitlement, something experienced by so many celebrities who have come into great wealth. At one point, thanks to her second husband, Beverly was completely broke (she once had over $1 million savings) and ended up not only losing custody of her daughter, but also had no home and no funds for rent. So what does she do as soon as she receives a large settlement? Buys a champagne colored Mercedes so she can look good while driving to see her daughter.
Finally, near the end of the book, regarding a possible third marriage, the author writes, “In the end, I realized we both love high drama. That was good for a movie, but not for a marriage.” It was a little too late in life for Beverly to find this out about herself, and that’s a shame.
If you are of the age who remembers Beverly or want to read about her experience with Bill Cosby, by all means read this memoir. I’m sure you won’t be able to put the dang thing down either. And if you really want to get a feel for Beverly’s personality, watch a few YouTube clips of her reality show, Beverly’s Full House.
More...