Open Book
Jessica Simpson spent most of her teenage and young adult years in the limelight, but her memoir Open Book is her chance to tell her story in her own words.
I can vividly recall lying on my mother’s bed with her gossip magazines and reading the stories about Jessica Simpson. These articles were mostly about her weight and her relationship with 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey. I remember staring at the unflattering photos of her and seeing how she was compared to other celebrities. I stopped reading those magazines over a decade ago, and I hadn’t actually thought much about Simpson until I saw her memoir on the shelf at my local bookstore. I’m not sure exactly what made me pick it up, but some part of me just knew I had to read it.
Simpson’s memoir impressed me more than I expected. Remembering her as the blonde airhead in her Daisy Duke shorts, I wasn’t sure what to think of this book. But as soon as I started, Simpson had me enthralled. She’s such a genuine person, so honest about her life, that I felt such a stirring of compassion for her, something I didn’t expect. To hear in her own words how she walked through unimaginable grief, body-shaming, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and alcoholism, was powerful.
Some of my favourite parts were when she described her relationship with her sister Ashlee. I remember listening to both sisters’ music in my pre-teen years, and I always liked Ashlee’s songs, so it was interesting to see how these talented sisters grew up and how their relationship changed over the years. I almost wish Ashlee would write her own memoir so I could see how she viewed her childhood, compared to Jessica’s memories of the same events. It would be interesting to see how they differed, and what stayed the same.
It was incredibly brave of Simpson to include her decision to go to treatment for alcoholism in this story. She wrote about her addiction in such a brutally honest way, it made me want to wrap her up in a tight hug. Her decision to get help and face her demons was important not only for herself and her family, but for her fans who may be facing similar struggles.
After reading her memoir, I hope Simpson decides to release more music in the future. I would love to see how her music has changed now that she is addressing her trauma.
Open Book Rating: ★★★★
I can vividly recall lying on my mother’s bed with her gossip magazines and reading the stories about Jessica Simpson. These articles were mostly about her weight and her relationship with 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey. I remember staring at the unflattering photos of her and seeing how she was compared to other celebrities. I stopped reading those magazines over a decade ago, and I hadn’t actually thought much about Simpson until I saw her memoir on the shelf at my local bookstore. I’m not sure exactly what made me pick it up, but some part of me just knew I had to read it.
Simpson’s memoir impressed me more than I expected. Remembering her as the blonde airhead in her Daisy Duke shorts, I wasn’t sure what to think of this book. But as soon as I started, Simpson had me enthralled. She’s such a genuine person, so honest about her life, that I felt such a stirring of compassion for her, something I didn’t expect. To hear in her own words how she walked through unimaginable grief, body-shaming, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and alcoholism, was powerful.
Some of my favourite parts were when she described her relationship with her sister Ashlee. I remember listening to both sisters’ music in my pre-teen years, and I always liked Ashlee’s songs, so it was interesting to see how these talented sisters grew up and how their relationship changed over the years. I almost wish Ashlee would write her own memoir so I could see how she viewed her childhood, compared to Jessica’s memories of the same events. It would be interesting to see how they differed, and what stayed the same.
It was incredibly brave of Simpson to include her decision to go to treatment for alcoholism in this story. She wrote about her addiction in such a brutally honest way, it made me want to wrap her up in a tight hug. Her decision to get help and face her demons was important not only for herself and her family, but for her fans who may be facing similar struggles.
After reading her memoir, I hope Simpson decides to release more music in the future. I would love to see how her music has changed now that she is addressing her trauma.
Open Book Rating: ★★★★