Vanna Speaks

by Vanna White, Patricia Romanowski

One of America's best-known and best-loved TV celebrities tells her inspiring story, and includes advice on how to be beautiful in mind, spirit, and body.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Autobiography

191 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1987

About the author

Vanna White is an American television personality, best known as puzzle-board presenter and co-host on the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune.

Reviews

[Kate Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first read this book ~10 years ago after Dorothy Zbornak (aka Bea Arthur) mentioned it on an episode of the "Golden Girls." She recommended it to Stan’s (STAN!) cousin Magda, saying, "It's a hell of a book." I was intrigued (it sounded juicy, but more importantly, one does not just disregard the opinion of one Dorothy Zbornak) so I ordered a used copy from Amazon, read it, and donated it to Goodwill years later not remembering much about it. I'm not sure why I decided to read it again — I think maybe my husband and I happened to catch a segment of "Wheel of Fortune" on TV recently? — but oh lordy, this book. Far be it from me to disagree with Dorothy Zbornak, but this book is not good.

Part of that assessment may be due to my own lack of context. I did a bit of Vanna White research while reading this thing for the second time (what is my life) and discovered that back in the early 1980s, when White first appeared on "Wheel of Fortune," she was a bit of a media sensation. This was known as Vannamania (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/19...), and it is a real and documented thing that I was too young to experience but seems to have been a more innocent (and quintessentially 80's) version of whatever the Kardashians are today. Which is to say: people were weirdly intrigued with Vanna White even though she was famous for no reason, and so suddenly, she was everywhere. (Including, for a time, on my nightstand, after my grandma bought me the Vanna White Barbie doll. I am pretty sure I did not ask for this, which demonstrates both White’s ubiquity and my sweet grandma’s dedication to the Home Shopping Network.)

Of course, like the Kardashians, that doesn't mean that White is particularly interesting, as this book illustrates. I liked reading about the behind-the-scenes stuff related to "Wheel of Fortune" (game shows are fun, although her repeated insistence that she is an integral part of the game because she turns the letters is kind of funny/sad now that the letters don't require turning), but ultimately, White's a bit of a ditz. For example: within the first 10 pages she's giving diet tips (she does 25 sit-ups in the morning, y'all!), and she recounts near the end an incident where David Letterman allegedly pinched her butt and she "got revenge" by having a T-shirt printed for him with the slogan "I goosed Vanna White." (She purportedly got "multiple requests" from "fans" for this shirt. Sorry boys! It's a one-time-only deal.)

There are real moments as well. White's relationship with her mother is touching, and her grief over losing her boyfriend to an untimely accident is palpable. Really, this book is fine. It's of its time. It's largely vapid, inconsequential, and somewhat entertaining. It's a memoir of an attractive woman who makes a living smiling silently on television, and in that way, it's exactly what you'd expect.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy recommends this book to Cousin Magda in Golden Girls...is there any better reason to read something?! As for the actual book...wtf did I just read?!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been curious about Vanna and this book for 30+ years. It took fewer than 3 hours and now I know something about Vanna, how one could build a modeling career in a medium sized city in the 1980's and a bit about how "The Wheel" is produced. There is a lot about fashion, dieting and generally looking good, which are the nuts and bots of Vanna's career.

Vanna has great attitude and while this book ends with the tragic death of her husband it is generally an uplifting story. She is not "telling all" or "telling on" perhaps that is why there is little enthusiasm for this book.

Vanna and/or Pat may be TV's longest running hosts. This show has buffeted and survived tremendous changes in tastes, media and technology.

[Cher · Rating 1 out of 5]

She didn't have much to say. She's a perfect size 5, so costuming is a breeze for her. If you want really nice teeth, she suggests you let the showerhead blast away at them for 5 minutes every morning. She had a happy childhood, loved being a cheerleader in high school, and is ever so happy with her manfriend. I think she may have shed a tear over losing a grandparent or a favorite aunt. She even includes a few knitting patterns to pad the covers.

[Lexie]

read this for a fun time. cried twice.

[Raven · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good god.

[Ruth York · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not have read this, but for that I have a goal to read a book pertaining to each person, event, and item in the song, "We Didn't Start the Fire." And I can't say, I was crazy about this. In fairness, this was written in the 80's, so a lot of this, along with her views, is severely dated. The first chapter really bothered me. Vanna White came across as condescending and annoying in her thoughts on weight loss. Thankfully, it was a very quick read, and I got through it. But I can't say I would recommend it.

[Brent Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but I didn’t feel it was “One hell of a book.” Per Dorothy Zbornak on Golden Girls. However, the book was written in 1987. It’s a product of its time. It was still enjoyable and learned a lot but it jumped around a bit. Some areas felt rushed. I would be interested to see what it would be like if she wrote it today. It’s a quick read. Easy read. Not bad but not what I was hoping. Still glad I read it though.

[Bradley Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Everyone has to tune in at seven. But it's more than turning the letters. I believe that Vanna is a good prototype for the future. In 1987 it was the best technology available, but soon it will be more than just speaking -- robots will move, walk, be no different from you and I. Best to get ready.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm thinking about starting a bookshelf called "Books I hate to admit I read much less liked" and this one would have to go on it. What can I say?

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story about model/television personality, Vanna White. It's interesting and nice to see that she can and does do more then just turn letters.

[Jon]

I'd had this one on my to-read list for a long time (as you might imagine, since it came out in 1987). Turned out like an eclair - quick, fluffy and not much substance. One of the things that was entertaining about reading Vanna's autobiography was that she was pretty much a contemporary, about the same age as the cheerleaders I had crushes on in high school, and coincidentally she was a cheerleader as well. Her younger brother graduated the same year I did. So, most of the musicians and pop culture she describes as part of her background is very familiar to me.

Vanna had always wanted to be a model and actress, and she had some early success soon after graduating from high school in the Atlanta area, working trade shows and other gigs. When she decided a few years later to move to L.A., things were pretty tough for a while, and she didn't really hit the big time until she got the job on Wheel of Fortune, where she's been ever since.

Though she seems to have led a fairy tale life with her success in Hollywood, she's been hit pretty hard by a number of personal tragedies, beginning with her mother's death from cancer just as she was beginning to achieve personal success, followed a few years later by her boyfriend, John Gibson's, death in a fiery plane crash. She and Gibson, a former Chippendale's dancer, were very close friends with Hugh Hefner of Playboy Magazine, and she was quite surprised when Hugh betrayed her trust by publishing some early lingerie photos she had thought long buried and forgotten after claiming he'd never do anything to hurt her. No honor among playboys, eh?

The main purpose of this book seems to be to answer all of the common questions that Vanna gets asked in her fan mail, all in one convenient location.

[E Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in 1987 when Vanna was 30 years old and been on Wheel of Fortune for 5 years.
Who knew she and Pat Sajak are still hosting the show 40years later.
I really don't think anyone should write a memoir before they're at least 50 years old, but Vanna was extremely popular at the time, and maybe she thought she needed to strike while the iron was hot.
At any rate, the book tells of her determination to make it big in modeling or TV or movies. She explains the making of Wheel of Fortune and even tells how to apply to be a contestant or be in the audience.
Some of the book reads like a young woman's diary with the names of high school boyfriends,
and the names of different roommates.
She goes into some of the pitfalls of being a celebrity with the tabloids making up stories about her, and even her friend, Hugh Hefner, going back on a promise not to publish some old photos she did not want publicized.
Her accounts of her mother's illness and death and the unexpected death of her boyfriend, John
Gibson were very poignant.
On TV she comes across as a down to earth, sincere, and kind person. She comes across the same in her book.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's be honest. We all read this book for the same reason...

The Golden Girls Season 5 Episode 21

Magda: What's to happen? Now that there is freedom in my country my people will read these books and be confused.
Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak: These books represent different ideas. While you're here there are two books I want you to read. The first one is Thomas Paine's Common Sense, I think you'll realize what I'm trying to say. The other is Vanna White's autobiography.
Magda: Why should I read that?
Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak: It's just a hell of a book.

I don't know if I would call it a hell of a book. Compared to memoirs these days, it was pretty tame. The chapter on Wheel of Fortune was interesting. Especially when you think of how the show is now. Her chapter of when her boyfriend died was sad.
She should write another book, I would be interested to see how different things are at Wheel of Fortune since this book came out in the 80s. And if she's still "a perfect size 5".

[Sierra Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many other folks, I came to this book because of Dorothy Zbornak.

While it isn't "a hell of a book," it was a generally interesting, short read. I don't understand why it seems like folks were expecting more than a celebrity memoir...out of a celebrity memoir. It is certainly of its time: Vanna waves off many instances where she was clearly taken advantage of by men, especially her first serious relationship with a MUCH older man, and she can't get off the weight-conscious rhetoric. However, her descriptions of grief are heartfelt and relatable, and I learned a lot about how Wheel of Fortune works.

If you aren't trying to read something revelatory or lofty, go ahead and give this a go. If you're looking for something you might actually call a "hell of a book" celebrity memoir written by a controversial, blonde lady, just go read The Woman in Me by Britney Spears.

[Pachyderm Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book when I was twenty-one with the glued binding split down the middle, but with both the front and back halves still attached to the inside front and back covers. My copy was discarded during a university used book sale sponsored by the college library. I got the book for one-dollar in the early eighties, and went. home to my dorm to find a rubber band to hold it together.

The next day I sent this by post office to a more gossipy high school friend who was getting into a supposed musical career out in California.

Ordinary writing from an ordinary woman only a little less ordinary than me, focusing mainly on her more-than-ordinary "human side."

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

If it were 1987 and Vanna White is at the height of her powers, I can understand why this book exists. You do not need to read it in 2020. The first chapter is bizarre, too. It details her morning "workout", includes a lengthy discussion of what we'd now call intermittent fasting, long passages about dressing for your type and details about her Wheel schedule that could have been pushed to a later, very specific chapter. There's even a pattern to crochet an afghan! It's a weird one.

[Robert Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's just a helluva book.

[Christie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dorothy Zbornak said, “It’s just a hell of a book”, so I had to read it! It was…interesting. Very of its time. Sorry Dorothy, can’t agree with you on this one. 😬

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's really just what you'd imagine a Vanna White memoir to be. Although Vanna did have a lot of tragedy in her life that I wasn't aware of. This books was written in the 80's and I'd be interested to see an updated memoir.

[Alan Hoffman]

Listened to a book on tape of this. Actually interesting. She has sense of humor about herself and the two-dimensional nature of her job. Started to break down on the recording when recalling the death of her first husband - which is moving to hear from a person who always seems so composed.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book would of been better if she had someone help her write it.
She seems like a nice lady. I wonder sometimes if she held back because of her reputation.
I would like to see an updated version of this with no holding back.

[Adam Spradlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I needed this to be campier. There were a few choice sentences/passages, but a lot of it was more boring than hilarious. Too bad. I've been hearing for years (years!) that this was supposed to be a hell of a book.

[Dale Stonehouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a white-bread, mostly vanilla pseudo-memoir by the beautiful letter-person on Wheel of Fortune. I read it so long ago that I have little memory of specifics, so this is only a general impression. It is certainly better than her TV movie around the same time.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the funniest part was reading her tips and daily routine. I was worried that the whole book would have the same tone, but it didn't which was nice. It was interesting to see how her life played out.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read this twice. It was on a shelf at work and I picked it up a few times over the years. Her story of losing her mom was the most powerful for me, followed next by losing her partner in a tragic way. But otherwise, it was a book by someone without that much to say.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting and a quick read but not particularly well written. Worth reading if you're looking for fluff and enjoy celeb memoirs.

[Victoria Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it so many stars based purely on it is comic relief w/out intending to be plus a great coffee table quirk!

[Michael Rand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining book to read

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the more lame autobiographies I've read. But it's her story. Hers didn't have the twists & turns as many celebrities do.