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Didn't We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston

Didn't We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston

by Gerrick Kennedy; Brandy

Harry N. Abrams ·2022 ·306 pages
Maybe Someday
Maybe Someday
I Index
40/99
Maybe Someday

39/99

Critics' Rating Index

Maybe Someday

41/99

Readers' Rating Index

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Scholars' Citation Index

34/99

Volume of Reviews

48/99

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About This Book

An up-close and intimate journey through Whitney Houston's incredible ascent to stardom and her tragic fall from graceDidn't We Almost Have It All is a portrait of the woman behind one of the most famous voices in the world; a performer whose struggles and insecurities with race, sexuality, addiction, identity, abuse, faith, and class ultimately contributed to a heartbreaking demise that was devastating and inevitable in equal measure. Whitney Houston's story is a cautionary tale about the perils of fame and addiction, but it's also a story rife with emotions that are universal to the human experience. She lived much of her life trying to please others—her parents, her family, her mentor Clive Davis, the public—all people who made her a prisoner to her successes and failures in the last decade of her life. This groundbreaking new biography is centered around firsthand reporting that weaves together the story of a rising star and, for the first time, digs into the dark underbelly of the abuse, addiction, and anxiety that caused Houston's very public fall from grace and ultimately her death.


Reviews

"By telling Houston's story alongside those of contemporary Black celebrities including Beyoncé—who, Kennedy writes, have spent their careers walking the high wire between being 'too Black' and 'not Black enough'—the author both celebrates the legendary singer's inimitable talent and offers a rousing critique of oppressive systems still at work today."

Publishers Weekly Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"a collection of unsparing, deeply personal essays on the singer's life and career ..."

Allison Stewart· The Washington Post Read review ↗ Near the Top

"The thematic rather than chronological structure of the chapters results in some repetition."

Emily Dziuban· Booklist Read review ↗ Near the Top

"Thoughtful reading for Houston fans and music historians alike."

Kirkus Near the Top

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