ePub Have I Said Too Much?: My Life In and Out of The Model Agency by Carole White in Arts-Photography

Review

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Conflicted feelings from a Pretenders fanBy FLK6677Ive been a huge Pretenders fan for many years; so naturally I was drawn to this book. I dont regret reading it; and found it entertaining enough throughout to keep going; but I think being such a fan of the band actually made its flaws more apparent.First; theres only a small section of it at the end that takes place after the Pretenders form (which not surprisingly is the most interesting part). And the story ends after the second album; which means 25+ years of the Pretenders following that are essentially ignored. As a big fan; I wanted to know more. What was it like pushing on for the third album with half the original lineup tragically gone and now as a mother? How did the band continue to change throughout the 80s to the 00s; and how did Chrissie change with it? Surely there were interesting moments in her life after 1982 that deserved telling. The book did not feel complete.Also; Chrissie mentions more than once that "Reckless" is a story about drugs. Which I have to say is very accurate. While the account of how drugs impacted the original Pretenders lineup is interesting and very necessary to this story; her endless tales of drug and alcohol fueled debauchery that come before that start to get repetitive and tiresome. Chrissie describes doing so many stupid things time after time in her young life that you actually begin to feel frustrated with her while reading it. And she makes it seem like everyone of her generation were just as reckless and careless during that time; which I find very hard to believe.On the positive side; the book is written in a way that makes it easy to read and holds your attention; for the most part. Chrissies personality comes through in the writing. She has never been the most instantly likable person or tried to be--she is who she is; and that comes through here. She has a self-deprecating humor that I enjoy and that goes a long way in making the content entertaining.And even though more of the book should have been devoted to the Pretenders; the portion that does cover the band is captivating and sheds a good deal of light on what took place in the original lineup. That in itself makes it a worthwhile; yet far from perfect; read.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I liked this book but I was hoping for a bit ...By john fowlesseI liked this book but I was hoping for a bit more about why the original Pretenders ended so sadly with the deaths of two members on the verge of major stardom. There seems to be a lot of commentary regarding Chrissie Hyndes friends in the Punk music scene and this type of music I dont care for so I wasnt really interested in that. Also I feel Chrissie Hynde recorded some of her greatest music after the original Pretenders group broke up. For example; the incredible "packed" album contains some of her greatest music. There appears nothing much at all about the creation of this great work of hers and I wish there was more about the creation of her later albums in general.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good But Not GreatBy CustomerReckless: My Life as a Pretender was a good book. I was disappointed there wasnt more in it about The Pretenders; however. The book is full of tidbits about various famous figures and I did enjoy reading these different accounts (or different spins on accounts I had already read or heard). Chrissie doesnt begin the story of The Pretenders until over 2/3 of the way into the book and then recounts the story in bits and pieces. Perhaps it is just too painful for her. There isnt much about the later years of the various configurations of the group or Chrissie Hynde either. Maybe she is saving all of it for another book? I do know it is a good read and a must for any fan of The Pretenders.