From This Moment On [Hardcover]

 

 

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I picked up this book because I saw an interview with Shania and was impressed with how she came across. There is so much BS in the entertainment business and Shania just seemed... different. I'm not a big country fan, but I liked HER. She chose her words carefully, was thoughtful and polite, and didn't seem phony and self-involved like 99% of the other celebrities I see on TV.

So I brought the book home (I've actually never read a celebrity autobiography) and honestly, I was blown away. I could not put it down. It was like a window into her life. It's clear that Shania is a very private person but she's taken a big risk here, and her book is like a conversation with an incredibly thoughtful, honest, and down-to-earth person.

I take issue with some of the comments that other reviewers have made about her parents, because I myself was particularly impressed by her take on the abuse. Her discussions about her parents weren't black-and-white, but instead were textured and nuanced, which is a lot closer to how we actually experience these things in real life. It's so easy to make other people into monsters and it's much, much more difficult to see them as people, which is what they are. We are all capable of incredible darkness given the right (or wrong) conditions. This is her story. She was there. I wasn't.

I walk away from this book amazed by a woman who has overcome a lot, and is still working through stuff (and is honest about it!). It was downright inspiring, and I don't say that with even a hint of sarcasm.

Was it the best book I have ever read? no it was not! Was it truly a literary gem? again, no; however, I have no regrets regarding its purchase. I read it in a few days and it captivated me - maybe because I have been residing in her hometown for many years, and I remember her vaguely in our McDonald, in our malls, and maybe even heard her sing in a local bar. And although I am no country music fan, I appreciate that many of her songs are great for dancing. What I know for certain is that she had a story to tell, and I was interested in knowing what it was: a young woman from Timmins who successfully made it in the Nashville scene and of whom our city is extremely proud.

I believe that her autobiography was as honest an account of herself as she could make at this time: her experiences, her feelings, and her perceptions. How easy it seems to be for others, who have no inkling of Shania Twain as Eilleen, to judge, criticize and comment on matters that truly do not concern them. Shania shared a gift of some her most personal experiences with the readers, a gift probably intended for her fans as well as for her son.

The respect she speaks of for her parents (her father in particular) is not uncommon for any abuse survivor - she needed to see her parents as they truly were, and to acknowledge their strengths just as much - if not more - as she needed to accept their weaknessses - this was crucial to her survival and recovery. For better or for worse they were her parents, her family, her circumstances - they were who they were, who she had, and she loved them.

As far as those pages of "vitriol" she apparently spewed at that "other woman," I believe that she showed much restraint: I kept thinking, while I read those few pages, that if I were to face a similar situation, I would want to destroy that other woman ....

In previous reviews, there are comments that she does not seem to blame Mutt ... well put yourself in her shoes: he is the father of her child, and she loved him at one time (this does not mean, however that she did not feel shock, absolute devastation, and eventually extreme anger.) This book is written so that her son will understand, and he will: she did not hide the fact that Mutt was complicit in the betrayal, that he failed to inform her himself that he believed their marriage was over, that he refused to communicate with her and work on it .... I believe that the main message she wants to give her son is that she knew that her relationship with Mutt was in trouble, that the end of the marriage devasted her, and that she needs to respect the fact that he remains Eja's father. Her commenting further on any negative feelings for Mutt, or even his relationship with his son could be toxic for Eja.

She may follow this up with a second book later on and reveal more as memories come to her, as she creates new memories, or as her perceptions change. - and maybe not. For a person who has kept so much hidden from others, she had chosen a courageous path that should enable her to heal... I would think that she will continue to be private in her relationships, as she has every right to be. I can only wish her the best "From this moment on"

The book starts off talking about her childhood. Shania was poor (and I mean dirt poor.) She has been trough a lot growing up, including her parents death. I loved that she is a Canadian from northern ON, because i am as well. That part of her book was really interesting to read. I also enjoyed reading about her rise to fame. However it fell flat after that, and I was pretty much bored for the second half of it. I think if I read another autobiography I want it to be a little bit more juicy, and I want names! Any ideas?

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2.0 out of 5 stars Shania Twain - From This Moment On
From the moment I picked up this biography my opinion of Shania has changed. She has such a powerful story, yet she is so concerned with her public image that her biography comes... Read more

Published 4 months ago by pamrob

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!
If you love biographies, this is fascinating and inspirational. A truly wonderful person who beat the odds. Her story is one that shows there is always hope.

Published 4 months ago by Froggy

5.0 out of 5 stars we loved it
Our family listened to the book on audio CD (in the car) and were drawn in by her life story... especially how she went from such humble beginnings to super success story.. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Arlene Kipling

4.0 out of 5 stars Capturing
I really enjoyed reading about Shania Twain since it had been quit awhile we hadn't heard from her except for her divorce, once i got in it i found it capturing... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Johanne

4.0 out of 5 stars Candid Biography
Shania's writing is candid about her childhood, losses and the intensity of her music writing. This book is actually worth reading twice.

Published 11 months ago by dayna

5.0 out of 5 stars You Go Girl!!!!!
I loved this book, and was very moved by it. It seems Shania is getting a lot of flack for the respect she had for her stepfather and readers can't understand why she had that... Read more

Published 11 months ago by Joanna Bodrug

3.0 out of 5 stars Was this really written for her son?
I picked up this book having seen Shania on Oprah. She said she'd written the book because she wanted her son to know where she came from and she wanted him to have the details... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Customer

3.0 out of 5 stars Why were you so hurt by your first husband's betrayal...in the book I didn't feel that there ever was this great relationship...
Shania Twain's autobiography is interesting. But the most intriguing aspect of her life story is her claim that she was devastated when she found out her first husband was... Read more

Published 12 months ago by writer99

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, interesting, needed an honest editor.....
The first part of this book looks at Shania's hardscrabble childhood in northern Ontario and is very compelling. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Edison Chen

3.0 out of 5 stars Left wondering
By the end of it all, was just left wondering why she chose to go so easy on Mutt Lange? If there was any tenderness/chemistry between them it was not revealed in the pages of... Read more

Published 12 months ago by amr

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