I loved the book and all the facts about Diana Ross? It showed me that if you are coming from a not so wealthy background,and you can still make something out of your life when you are odler.

There was a time that J. Randy was a freind of the diva Miss Ross. I guess he was her Linda Tripp! Since she did find out that he was writing a book about her,without telling her, I think confidences shared would be expected to be kept silent. After all, he was the president of the Supremes fan club, and had access to Diana, THE GIRLS, and the people at Motown.I think a more balanced account of her life and the MYTHS surrounding her is to be found in a chapter of a new book called "DIVAS". Anyone interested in anather slant on The Supremes and Diana should read "ALL THAT GLITTERS". Iam a big fan-I try to be objective, but Diana has gotten a bad rap, especially since 1985. Get the "DIVAS" book for a really more balanced viewpoint of the star and the myths surrounding her life. The music still stands!

I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Diana Ross. It was very informational and inspirational. Great Book!!!

Randy Taraborelli did a wonderful job writing this book. It really shows Diana Ross as the superstar she used to be in those days (remember this book was written in the mid-eighties!). Young people might not know how big Diana Ross was in the sixties and in the seventies. She was extremely successful, riding high in the charts and gave electrifying concerts all over the world. She surely was the ultimate black diva, a very beautiful woman and a wonderful singer. Every fan should reach out and get this book, because it really pays tribute to one of the best and most successful female singers of the last century. (And don't forget: She is still around - spreading love!)

With Soulful Divas, David Nathan - a true lover of r&B music - has compiled interviews with many of his favorite singers of the past 40 years. Some of the subjects, like that of the humorously raunchy Millie Jackson and the troubled Nina Simone, make for compelling reading. Most suffer from his endless fawning however. Take, for instance, Diana Ross. By all other accounts, Miss Ross is a difficult person, yet Nathan makes her out to be practically a saint.

Nathan's frequent access to all of the top divas exposes the modern journalist's dilemma: if he fully captures his subjects in print, warts and all, he risks alienating them and being denied interview access to them in the future. Instead, Nathan fawns all over his subjects and gets repeat interviews with high-profile women who are often leery of the press (Aretha Franklin for one). Because of his "tactics", we are able to enjoy his many interviews in one setting (this book). Too bad most of his portraits don't penetrate the surface.

David Nathan has given us all a wonderful gift in writing this book. One of the leading journalists in rhythm & blues over the past 25 years, he presents thoughtful and incisive portraits of some of the greatest ladies of soul (kudos for including two of my all-time favorites, Esther Phillips and Millie Jackson). Rather than merely rehashing career informaion, David lets us observe, through his keen eye for detail, the often difficult process behind the interviews themselves. The chapter on Phyllis Hyman is especially revealing: at one point, David is ready to interview her, but she insists on watching television! We see how the manic depressive behavior that led to her demise seeped into her business relationships. Other chapters, such as the compelling profiles of Chaka Khan and Patti LaBelle, contain equally telling observations.

Entertaining, informative, and often endearing, The Soulful Divas is a must-have for any comprehensive music library.

David Nathan KNOWS his R & B. For close to four decades, the book's author has been a contributor, in some way or another, to the production of over 500 albums of soul music. He has done countless interviews, provided liner notes for recordings, served as producer on several, and even done a little background singing. It is obvious that if anyone knows what a "diva" truly is, David Nathan is that man.

"The Soulful Divas" covers the recording careers of the ladies profiled with little snippets of their non-professional beginnings, as well as individual highs and lows. However, it's these little "peeks" into the artists' characters that make the book such a fascinating read.

Not meaning to reveal much of the text, there are many little known facts reported in each profile. Each of the women has experienced her share of failed romantic relationships, legal battles with recording companies, perceived public opinions, peaks and valleys in album sales, and personal tragedies.

Most tragic of all showcased within the pages of the expose is the late Phyllis Hyman, a diva in every sense of the word. Like Nathan, I am a fan of hers, also, and her untimely demise still brings a lump in my throat.

But, the chapter on Millie Jackson is a welcome find. Jackson is the only diva profiled that is not represented in my musical library, save for a duet album with Isaac Hayes. However, after reading about the singer's body of work, as well as her down-to-earth and honest demeanor, I think that this is about to change.

I am curious about a certain "expletive deleted" symphony that she composed.

Note for the author: The next time around, include Patti Austin in volume two.

The diva, Miss Ross has got to be my all-time favorite female artist. I have many of her concerts on tape: TCB, GIT with the Tempts, Central Park, An Evening with (1977) and many of her world-wide tours from Japan and Denmark. I've also read 4 bio's about her and even invested in her 4 CD box-set. Having read the outstanding work Davis did on Marin Gaye, 'I heard it through the Grapevine', I was anxious to pick this one up. I'm sorry I wasted my money-although new insight on Ross is always a good thing, this FOCUS gave little, if none at all. Any decent Diana Ross fan website can fill you in on the reviews of her CD's, chart placement of her singles or awards she's won.

Davis also GLAZES over many known details, such as the 'success' of Motown 25. We all know that Ross pushed Mary twice during the telecast and tried to grab the microphone away from her when she tried to speak to Gordy. It may not be nice but we all love Ross for her jaunty behavior :o). Davis also called Ross's Working Overtime CD a 'healthy seller'. Any Ross fan-even Ross herself-knows her return to Motown was a dismal failure due to lack of promotion. I have the CD in my Walkman right now and there's no reason why 'Overtime' did not score at least two top ten hits. Even the cancellation of her much hyped Return to Love Tour is glazed over. No talk about the controversy, no talk about Mary or Cindy and no talk about the tour not even selling out Detroit!

Oh well, the book does have decent never before seen pics of the diva and the 70's Supremes but any other work on Diana has the same stuff times 4. For Die-hard Ross fans just borrow this one for the pics. Long live Diana! I'm waiting for her Real Bio, not 'Secrets', to set the world straight. We love Ross!

I got this book because of the author Sharon Davis' past work, in particular Motown: The History, a thorough look at Motown from its humble beginnings through the mid-80s that featured vivid portraits of even the lesser known, talented, artists like Blinky, the Monitors, and the Elgins.

Unfortunately, this book is not so objective as that effort. Ross cooperated with the creation of this book and it is easy to see why. Davis portrays her in only flattering tones - and, as anyone who has followed Miss Ross and her career knows, she is a complex, often difficult, diva.

Also frustrating are Davis' evaulations of Ross' musical, tv, and film ventures. Every project Ross did is considered to be a major success. Even duds like Ross' '80s tv special Red Hot Rhythm & Blues which failed to crack the Nielsen ratings' top 50 in the US, and her box-office disaster The Wiz.

Curiously, this book, which is supposed to be solely focused on Miss Ross, devotes a large section to the post-Ross Supremes. While among the more interesting reading in the book, it is clearly out of place in this Ross lovefest.

Where this book does succeed is as eye candy. It is over-sized, with beautiful, full-page pictures (some previously unpublished) and would make a nice addition to any coffee table.

this is a cool Book&Overview on Diana Ross.Diana Ross always had Style&you couldn't take your eye off Her.also She is a very Attractive Lady.I've enjoyed Her Music mainly the Older stuff of course but She is something else.this is a cool Book.

This book seems as if most parts of it have been directly quoted out of Mary Wilson's "Dreamgirl--My Life as a Supreme". I read Mary's book first, and the parts in the Diana Ross book pertaining to the Supremes, almost all matched Mary's quotes, exactly.

I didn't feel like I learned too much, and since this is an "unauthorized" biography, I feel that one cannot tell what is true or untrue. Of course, out of the 3 original Supremes, Diana was my LEAST favorite, so it doesn't upset me to read anything negative. After all, we are all human, and anyone who can't have ANYTHING written about them, cannot be human! At any rate, I was not too satisfied with the information I received from this book in terms of completeness.

This book is not all sugar-coated and sweet, but one that truly gets down to the nitty-gritty and tells what (if we can believe what we read) Miss Ross is all about. For anyone who is a product of the 60's and is wondering whatever happened to the fantastic group known as "The Supremes," this is an in-depth account. From the growing years of the group, the aches and pains, glitz and glamour, tragedy and sorrow, to the solo career of Miss Ross, every page of this very lengthy book is worth reading. The book often portrays a self-centred, critical side of Miss Ross, for example, her actions at Flo Ballard's funneral. However, one must also bear in mind, we all deal with grief in our own way. If one reads between the lines, Miss Ross definitely appears to be carrying around her own share of hurt and insecurities - there are two sides to every story. Overall, the book is informative and enlightning. Whether you agree, or disagree, with the author's portrayal of Diana Ross's true character, the book will take you through a whirlwind thirty year span of her legendary and illustrious career.

512 Fantastic PAGES of the Diva--Miss Ross. Even the pictures are reason enough to get it. For true fans, THIS is the bio to read, NOT EVEN Secrets of a Sparrow (Diana Ross 250 PAGES) comes even close to the revelations put forth about Ross. CALL HER MISS ROSS and two other books, 'All That Glittered' (Tony Turner), 'Dreamgirls/My Life As A Supreme (Mary Wilson) can come close to this one. The relationship b/w Ross, Berry Gordy and her first husband Bob Ellis (Silberstein) are exposed for the first and only time. Not even Ross talks about this touchy subject in her book.

Ross claims that she was controlled by Berry but J. Randy uncovered the truth. He shares with the world how Ross used the power she was given to step all over members of The Supremes and most of the Motown family. Martha Reeves, Gladys Knight-even Patti Labelle confirms this in their respected bio's.
Even though the very, very bad is displayed-so is the very, very good. The author does an excellent job of painting both sides. He gives insight into Ross's business's, her children and her relationship with her undying fans (me included). This book only made me want to know more about the diva. If you are already a fan...don't listen to what you might have heard about this book. Pick it up; you're sure to enjoy it!

Once again, in their zeal to demonize Diana Ross, critics of this book have missed the point. If one READS the foreword and text, this book is NOT a career retrospective, per se. It is an exploration of Diana Ross as a FASHION ICON. This is why the book is separated by FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS, and not done in a chronological manner.

Also, the majority of photos were culled from Ross' own personal collection and her Image Equity firm, which controls any photographic image of her post-1981. The early Supremes photos are, by and large, from the Motown archives--and since Diana Ross is no longer with that label, one could reasonably expect that she would not be looking for any favors from them.

In any event, the images presented here make a fair case for the argument that Diana Ross, had she not become a superstar entertainer, could very well have become a fashion model. Her lithe frame, expressive eyes and distinctively different "look" make her the ideal photographic subject. As legendary costumier Bob Mackie puts it in his charming foreword: "I always wondered where goddesses came from. I guess it must be Detroit."

Diana Ross is definitly beautiful! Her attire is beautiful but could be a little more modest. I am glad it was just about her I am not interested in The Supremes. The only dissapointment is not much reading in it; I would have liked to have had her write some more in this book. But it was worth the money with all those big color photos of her.

Before going any further I have to say that this is not a Supremes book and it was not intended to be. Going Back is a photographic journey of Diana Ross and her style. The images in the book are photographs that Diana Ross has the rights to (not Motown) and this is one of the reasons why the Supremes aren't featured and most of the picutres are post 80's. In addition, for fans that want Supreme images, wait for Mary Wilson's coffee table book...I am sure that those will contain Supreme images galore. Now on to the book.....

This remarkable book shows how versatile Diana Ross is in front of the camera. Beautiful photographs from the Josephine Baker sessions, Vouge and numerous other sessions. For the person who loves photography and especially fashion, this is a must have. I highly recommend this book to any fan of Diana Ross, the entertainer or the fashion icon.

Without a doubt, Diana Ross "use to be" the ultimate diva, multi-talented?... YES, honest?...NO. Don't bother getting this book, its all Diana's self glorification. Not honest at all.

I really enjoyed this book when I first read it. I was in middle school and needed a pick-me-up, something that read like a sappy greeting card. However, I've read the book again since, and have realized that it's so factually inaccurate that it probably wasn't worth reading at all. Diana Ross is a very talented singer, but the way she glossed over the truth in this book was terrible.

I've been a huge fan of Diana Ross since I was a child and this book has been long anticipated to me to finally hear her life story. Unlike many autobiographies this one focuses on her life as an entertainer, a mother, a wife, and her early childhood years and most importantly no dirt on other entertainers. I don't know about you guys, but writing trash about other people you don't really know, especially if they're not true is kinda getting old and way annoying. Diana is true 'CLASS'! I'm glad I purchased this book not only being a fan of Diana Ross, but also the inspiration she delivers through her words. If you want to read positive views on life and love from an entertainer with "CLASS", then this book is definitely one worth reading.

Let me start by saying that Miss Ross is the most successful female artist of allll time and I will love her till the day I die! Her legacy is a great one--no an excellent one and Ross has lived the musical life that others only dream about. Not Whitney, Not Celine No one can touch what she has done..period! This is why I am so SEVERELY disappointed. 2 stars for the pics.
I could not BUHLEEVE this bio! I'm shocked, horrified, mystified, petrified! After reading 'All That Glittered' (Tony Turner), 'Dreamgirls/My Life As A Supreme and the outstanding 'Call Her Miss Ross' (J. Randy Taraborrelli) I was looking forward to THIS BIO to set the record straight. Let me tell yah---this sparrow told absolutely NO SECRECTS. Her childhood was completely glazed over. Ross said that she always felt that her older sister was more loved and more beautiful than she was/is so she always tried harder to get her parents-particularly her father's attention. I suppose this experience lead to her famous drive and ambitious behavior. Ross's GLAZED over 'early years just leaves you hanging on. Again, I could not BUHLEEVE it--virtually nothing about her siblings.

Her meetings with Mary and Florence before they became the Supremes-her recordings-LEAD recordings of the songs that built Motown-the shows (Sullivan, Hullaballo)-Florence exiting the group-Cindy joining-her relationship with Berry Gordy-the fact that she was pregnant with Rhonda (Gordy's child) when she married Bob Ellis-her solo years--her years at RCA! Again, I could not BUHLEEVE it-I read this paltry 250 pg bio in just one day-I laughed and cried (not really but you get the message) at the end. Ross GLAZED over sooooo many vital parts---she should open up her own bakery or better yet, bottle and patent her super duper secret GLAZE recipe.

The bio's mentioned above, talk about Ross receiving so much power and attention from Gordy, that she became a tyrant. According to Gladys Knight's bio, Ross had them kicked of a tour that they (Pips) served as the opening act. They got one too many standing ovations for Ross to stand. Martha Reeves said in her bio that Ross would sweep in--late-- with Gordy on her arm-- to one of her many concerts. Ross apparently would whisper nasty things to Gordy during Reeves's performance-then backstage Gordy would ridicule Reeves. Even the fantastic Patti Labelle in her bio talked about Ross's behavior (Ross found out what dresses The Bluebelles were wearing and got three identical ones, The Supremes sang right before them-get the pic?). Ross talks about none of this but says that Berry chose her-the way a father chooses a favorite child. Ross says that he would pit other stars against her by saying, why can't you (fill in the blank) be more like Diana? Many stars were jealous of me because of that-- this was not my fault she says (very innocently). She never took advantage of the fact that she was sleeping with and carrying the child of the most powerful music mogul at the time.

I was, am-- and will always be disappointed with this bio. Why? I LOVE this woman sooo much. I love your insecurities, your HAUNTY ways; I even love your innocence. She is and will always be an inspiration to me. ... Your life story is greater than anyone I can imagine. Please hire a ghostwriter and this time write a BIO that your fans deserve! PUHLEEZE! OH by the way... lots of great pics. The pics are the only reason why I will not resell this book!

I commend Ross for NOT slinging the trash and I, personally, commend her for it. Regrettably, there will be plenty critics who will feel that she didn't address the ISSUES, as they see them. If you choose to enter her autobiographical take on her life, thus far, and with an unbiased approach, then you, the reader, may learn quite a bit about an extraordinary artist, performer, and most of all, person. She is spreading love. That's all. The hate-mongers should look elsewhere, though. She takes the high road and anyone willing, should do likewise. I loved her writing (and reading) of her own book. You will too! I'm waiting for the follow-up impatiently!

This book is writen by Diana Ross herself and tells many of her trials and tribulations. The author of "Call Her Miss Ross" was rediculous. This book gives detail and truth to the life of Miss Ross. From her struggles as a child with being black to her marriage to Arne Neas. In my opinion, for her writing debut, she did a quintessential job. Perfect, with over fifty pictures of the diva with her family, co-workers, on stage and in her own element. Beautiful woman, beautiful voice, beautiful book.

Ms. Ross should have put her ego asided and hired a good ghostwriter like David Ritz to tell her story. One of the most shallow autobiographies I've ever read

Diana Ross, stung by all of the juicy insider gossip and unauthorized biographies, wanted to sit down and tell her own side of the tale. The only problem with that is, she took the word too literally. While she does give little-known family anecdotes and photographs, she manages to smooth over every negative aspect of anything without seeming to own up to her part in it, or even acknowledging that some fault (or bad judgment, youthful naivete, whatever) of hers even exists. She treats the late Florence Ballard's alcoholism like it was a character flaw, like she and Berry played no part in her eventual destruction. And when she brings up leaving Motown or the Supremes, she waxes rhapsody like it was just a learning experience and not an attempt at (music) world domination. The result is that she paints herself to be a saint and makes her mistakes look even worse, almost as if she thinks that people who followed her career, fans or not, are stupid enough to believe in her "innocence". By attempting to hide the ugly parts, Ms. Ross only magnifies her self-deluding tendencies and she takes absolutely no responsibility for her wrongdoings, something that she should be confident enough to do at this stage in life. But since she isn't, this book is nothing but a fairy tale. If you want the REAL deal, check out "Call Her Miss Ross" and read the quotation from her at the beginning. It sums up her attitude completely. Nice try, Diana.