Madonna up close, by the brother who knows her better than anyone.
Christopher Ciccone's extraordinary memoir is based on his forty-seven years of growing up with, working with, and understanding the most famous woman of our time, who has intrigued, scandalized, and entertained millions for half a century.
Through most of the iconic star's kaleidoscopic career, Christopher played an important role in her life: as her backup dancer, her personal assistant, her dresser, her decorator, her art director, her tour director.
If you think you know everything there is to know about Madonna, you are wrong. Only Christopher can tell the full scale, riveting untold story behind Madonna's carefully constructed mythology, and the real woman behind the glittering façade.
From their shared Michigan childhood, which Madonna transcended, then whisked Christopher to Manhattan with her in the early eighties, where he slepton her roach-infested floor and danced with her in clubs all over town -- Christopher was with her every step of the way, experiencing her first hand in all her incarnations. The spoiled daddy's girl, the punk drummer, the raunchy Boy Toy, Material Girl, Mrs. Sean Penn, Warren Beatty's glamorous Hollywood paramour, loving mother, Mrs. Guy Ritchie, English grande dame -- Christopher witnessed and understood all of them, as his own life was inexorably entwined with that of his chameleon sister.
He tangled with a cast of characters from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Demi Moore, and, of course, Guy Ritchie, whose advent in Madonna's life splintered the loving relationship Christopher once had with her.
The mirror image of his legendary sister, with his acid Ciccone tongue, Christopher pulls no punches as he tells his astonishing story.
Life with My Sister Madonna is the juicy, can't-put-it-down story you've always wanted to hear, as told by Madonna's younger brother.
I didn't gain any great insight into Madonna by reading this book, which is really the only reason most people will buy it. In fact, much of what he discusses is already known if you are even a mid-level Madonna fan. What became clear to me, in reading the book, is that Christopher uses Cocaine and Madonna has a problem with that. He talks about how she doesn't understand that he is just a "recreational drug user". Yet he mentions doing coke with about ten different people throughout the book. I don't know what he's been smoking, but I cannot imagine ANY brother or sister being OK with a sibling using cocaine. It sounds to me that Madonna tried to help him many times, but he refuses to give up his drugs of choice. I don't doubt that Guy Ritchie might be homophobic, but he never truly presents any examples of Guy doing someing homophobic. Instead, he talks about Guy's friends making homophobic remarks. What that has to do with Madonna is kind of beyond me. I felt sorry for both of them by the end of the book.
writes,
After finishing Christopher Ciccone's memoir I feel nothing but sadness for him and his sister. Accepting help from Madonna early in his career put him at a terrible (emotional and financial) disadvantage. He has never really been totally independent of her so, of course, their relationship was bound to run into trouble somewhere down the line--the imbalance is, and has always been (and always will be) much too great.
Madonna too, comes across as sad, someone who posesses talent, looks and a great deal of money but who, though immensely driven, is not at peace and not genuinely happy--or for that matter even contented. It does not appear that Christopher or his sister have ever gotten what they really wanted (what they really want is for them to figure out) only what was available to them.
I believe "Life With My Sister Madonna" is a good first step for Mr. Ciccone. It must be cathartic for him to finally be heard. To finally have an on-the-record opinion. To finally have his point of view, feelings, experiences and observations in the public domain. I wish them both well.
writes,
For any Madonna fan the narrative of this book will be startling familiar. Her life and psyche have been documented to excess. However, this is written by a one time insider and it's interesting enough. Both Madonna and Christopher are from a middle class background and found and sustained international fame without nary a college education. Hence smart and scappy sibilings creating an interesting life experience with little advantage. This is not the total diss the press would have you believe. Three fourths of the book Ciccone documents his love and admiration for his sister and all of her pop star accomplishments.
Overall I think his assessments of his sister are true and accurate but one is left with the feeling that his own issues with addiction and alcohol have been left largely unexamined. Ciccone fails to fess up to his own contribution to the unraveling of his relationship with his sister and pretty much plays the victim throughout. We all know there are two sides. But I must say it makes for a compelling "summer read" and can be read in one or two sittings by the pool.
