3/17/2024 0 Comments Last photo body karen carpenterFrom her beginning at such a young age to the journeys she would take to become "Superstar", the book is fascinating. Lucy O'Brien's LEAD SISTER is an excellent look at the life of Karen Carpenter as a person, not just a star. What I knew of the Carpenters was what I learned from their music. The influence they have had on much of the music that came after her death is still evident. Hearing any of their songs can take me back to a time when things were easier and the world was a better place. The music of Karen and Richard Carpenter is part of the background of my life. Thank you to Netgalley and Rowman & Littlefield for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily. I am glad to finally read a book that gives us a fuller understanding of who she was. But in this story, her talent and legacy shine through, especially as her friends described, her sense of humor. Her family (parents and brother Richard) do not come off well in my eyes - not only was Richard the favorite child, but her parents seemed withholding of love and nurturing which damages people's self esteem and confidence. The fact that she had anorexia nervosa before the medical establishment really understood the disease is a real tragedy. I learned so much about her musicianship - of course she was an incredible singer but I did not realize how gifted she was on drums as well since pretty early on in The Carpenters history she was told to move to the front to sing which in my view contributed to her feeling scrutinized and self-conscious about her body. It is meticulously researched and is told chronologically using interviews to add to the feeling of "you are there." I love the origin story of "Lead Sister" - it was a typo supposed to say Lead Singer and the moniker stuck. Lead sister is a book about Karen Carpenter through her career and personal life.
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