Madonna (book)
Madonna is a biography by English author Andrew Morton, chronicling the life of American recording artist Madonna. The book was released in November 2001 by St. Martin's Press in the United States and by Michael O'Mara Books in the United Kingdom. Morton decided to write a biography on Madonna in 2000. The release was announced in April 2001 by St. Martin's Press. President and publisher Sally Richardson described the biography to contain details about Madonna's ambitions, her relationships and her lifestyle.
For other books with similar titles, see Bibliography of works on Madonna.Author
Morton interviewed about 70 people who had known Madonna since her youth. He spent many evenings in bars and clubs in New York chatting to people—including artists, musicians, and directors—who had an interesting perspective on Madonna and the world. After its release, Madonna received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who panned Morton's writing skills and felt that the book did not present anything new about the singer. The book was a commercial disappointment. In the United States, the book reached eight on The New York Times Best Seller list, and sold half of its initial print.
Madonna herself was critical of Morton writing a biography on her life, and sent a letter to him, asking him to stay away from her family and friends. Morton remained unabashed, saying that he wrote the book because of his interest in the star, not least because she has made a "difference" to pop culture and modern culture. In 2004, a lawsuit was filed against the author by Jim Albright, one of Madonna's ex-lovers mentioned in the book. The lawsuit regarded an image in the book, portraying one of Madonna's gay dancers—with Albright's name underneath. United States District Court ruled out the lawsuit explaining that stating someone is homosexual does not libel or slander them.
Summary[edit]
The book opens with Madonna's birth, her early years in Michigan, and her 1977 move to New York City where she was involved with modern dance, two pop groups, composing, and releasing her 1983 debut album, Madonna. Her rise to superstardom as a pop icon is chronicled and her cutting-edge music videos, albums, first concert tour, film roles, and marriage and divorce to Sean Penn are examined. The book investigates her controversial religious imagery and her erotic productions, Erotica, Sex, and Body of Evidence. The book describes a mellowing in her appearance and provocativeness, and, among other things, the release of her next several albums, her Golden Globe Award-winning musical film portrayal of Eva Peron, and her high-grossing Drowned World Tour. The birth of her daughter and son are chronicled and her marriage to Guy Ritchie. Madonna includes detailed descriptions of her relationships with people including John F. Kennedy Jr. and Michael Jackson.
Critical response[edit]
The book received mixed reviews. Richard Lautens from Toronto Star said that "Madonna is a thorough, if slightly workmanlike, retelling of its namesake's well-documented slog from lowly Midwestern beginnings to squeaky-voiced sex kitten to professional button-pusher to mother and respected, vaguely Bowie-esque, chameleonic figure, a cultural bloodhound always on the scent of the fresh, cool and credible."[8] Helen Bushby from BBC commented that "[t]he book is certainly detailed, and will no doubt keep Madonna fanatics happy, although it is perhaps more of a reference book than a page-turner. But Morton is a good businessman, and is canny in his choice of subjects."[7] Michael Sneed from Chicago Sun-Times gave a negative review of the book and felt that Morton's previous works had been better.[9] George Rush from New York Daily News commented: "Despite her best efforts to discourage friends from cooperating with him, Andrew Morton has come forth with a book that portrays Madge as an insecure manipulator so ravenous for affection that she scared off some boyfriends, cheated on most of them and made a lot of foolish choices."[10] In another review, Sherryl Connelly from the same publication was of the opinion that Madonna was mostly similar to J. Randy Taraborrelli's biography on her, Madonna: An Intimate Biography. She added, "At least, it's the story made familiar by Madonna, a woman who has always taken for granted the world's interest in her life."[11]
Rick Thames, editor of The Charlotte Observer, criticized the book's packaging calling the cover as "tacky, hot pink-and-acid green sleeves, featuring an unflattering photo of the dished artist."[12] Barry Didcock from Sunday Herald felt that "Morton [had failed] to find the face of Madonna." He criticized Morton's sketchy portrayal of Madonna's relationship with deceased artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, saying "he commits an error by doing so because, unusually for Madonna, this was a relationship of equals."[13] Gregg Barrios from Daily Star was critical of the book, saying " The fatal flaw of these quickie knockoffs is that they have no real ending or any way of predicting what the fates have in store for Madonna Louise Penn [Guy Ritchie] nee Ciccone. Once the next Madonna tour, CD, marriage or film appears, their shelf life is cut short."[14] Barbara Ellen from The Guardian criticized Morton's writing by saying, "Andrew Morton achieves the implausible: he takes an interesting woman and an astonishing life and makes them both seem incredibly boring in his life of Madonna.... Once you get used to Morton's pace (dull plod, with occasional snooze), it becomes quite amusing joining him on the journey, a bit like watching someone dragging a dead body around, trying to find some place to hide it. Even luminaries such as Madonna exes Sean Penn and Warren Beatty are reduced to flailing around like disenfranchised phantoms in the shallows of Morton's blandly automatic insight."[15]
Lawsuit[edit]
Madonna faced a lawsuit in 2004 over an image in the book.[20] Titled Amarak Productions, Inc. vs. Morton, Madonna's former bodyguard and ex-lover Jim Albright brought a defamation case against Morton and St. Martin's Press, based on an incorrect photo caption.[20] Amarak Productions, Inc. had employed Albright as Madonna's bodyguard in 1992, and he had later become romantically involved with the singer. While writing the book, Morton had contacted Albright to gather information on their relationship. One of the picture's caption in the book identified the subject as Albright, but it was actually Madonna's gay back-up dancer Jose Gutierez. On discovering the misleading image, the lawsuit was filed by Albright who objected to the caption.[21]
On 30 May 2004, US District judge Nancy Gertner ruled out the lawsuit explaining that stating someone is homosexual does not libel or slander them, particularly in light of new court decisions granting more LGBT rights.[21] Gertner first rejected the idea that the mistake in the caption meant that it promoted Albright as gay. She added: "Private biases may be outside the reach of the law, but the law cannot, directly or indirectly give them effect. In this day and age, recent rulings by the Supreme Court and the Supreme Judiciary Court of Massachusetts undermine any suggestion that a statement implying that an individual is homosexual is defamatory."[21]