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The Cher Memoir #1
Cher: The Memoir: Part One
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Memoir (2025)The extraordinary life of Cher can be told by only one person . . . Cher herself.
After more than seventy years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail, in a two-part memoir.
Her remarkable career is unique and unparalleled. The only woman to top Billboard charts in seven consecutive decades, she is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, and an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who has been lauded by the Kennedy Center.
She is a lifelong activist and philanthropist.
As a dyslexic child who dreamed of becoming famous, Cher was raised in often-chaotic circumstances, surrounded by singers, actors, and a mother who inspired her in spite of their difficult relationship.
With her trademark honesty and humor, Cher: The Memoir traces how this diamond in the rough succeeded with no plan and little confidence to become the trailblazing superstar the world has been unable to ignore for more than half a century.
Cher: The Memoir, Part One follows her extraordinary beginnings through childhood to meeting and marrying Sonny Bono—and reveals the highly complicated relationship that made them world-famous, but eventually drove them apart.
Cher: The Memoir reveals the daughter, the sister, the wife, the lover, the mother, and the superstar.
It is a life too immense for only one book.
After more than seventy years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail, in a two-part memoir.
Her remarkable career is unique and unparalleled. The only woman to top Billboard charts in seven consecutive decades, she is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, and an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who has been lauded by the Kennedy Center.
She is a lifelong activist and philanthropist.
As a dyslexic child who dreamed of becoming famous, Cher was raised in often-chaotic circumstances, surrounded by singers, actors, and a mother who inspired her in spite of their difficult relationship.
With her trademark honesty and humor, Cher: The Memoir traces how this diamond in the rough succeeded with no plan and little confidence to become the trailblazing superstar the world has been unable to ignore for more than half a century.
Cher: The Memoir, Part One follows her extraordinary beginnings through childhood to meeting and marrying Sonny Bono—and reveals the highly complicated relationship that made them world-famous, but eventually drove them apart.
Cher: The Memoir reveals the daughter, the sister, the wife, the lover, the mother, and the superstar.
It is a life too immense for only one book.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published November 19, 2024
5347 people are currently reading
37472 people want to read
About the author
Cher
26 books311 followersCher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian, later adopted by Gilbert LaPierre) is an American pop singer, actress, songwriter, film director, record producer and author. Among her many career accomplishments in music, television and film, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards among others.
Cher first rose to prominence in 1965 as one half of the pop/rock duo Sonny & Cher. She also established herself as a solo recording artist, releasing 25 albums, contributing to numerous compilations, and tallying 34 Billboard Top 40 entries in the U.S. over her career, both solo and with Sonny. These include eighteen Top 10 singles and five number one singles. Cher has had 16 Top 10 hits in the UK Singles Chart between 1965 and 2003, four of which reached number one.
She became a television star in the 1970s and a film actress in the 1980s. In 1987, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the romantic comedy Moonstruck.
With a career surpassing 40 years, Cher is an enduring pop icon and one of the most popular female artists in music history. Since her debut in 1964, Cher has sold over 200 million records worldwide as a solo artist[3] and 75 million more as half of the duo Sonny and Cher.
Cher first rose to prominence in 1965 as one half of the pop/rock duo Sonny & Cher. She also established herself as a solo recording artist, releasing 25 albums, contributing to numerous compilations, and tallying 34 Billboard Top 40 entries in the U.S. over her career, both solo and with Sonny. These include eighteen Top 10 singles and five number one singles. Cher has had 16 Top 10 hits in the UK Singles Chart between 1965 and 2003, four of which reached number one.
She became a television star in the 1970s and a film actress in the 1980s. In 1987, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the romantic comedy Moonstruck.
With a career surpassing 40 years, Cher is an enduring pop icon and one of the most popular female artists in music history. Since her debut in 1964, Cher has sold over 200 million records worldwide as a solo artist[3] and 75 million more as half of the duo Sonny and Cher.
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November 25, 2024Honestly, everything a celebrity memoir should be. So introspective, detailed, and constantly interesting. I feel like I just lived Cher's life. Also obsessed that this is almost 500 pages and it's called Cher Part One
December 21, 2024
I remember the start of my Cher obsession like it was yesterday instead of over thirty years ago (ok, Granny, tell us more!). I would sneak my mom’s cassette case and pluck this cassette out –
Sometimes I would choose the Cocktail soundtrack to listen to “Kokomo” eleven million times, but it was usually this one. But I digress.
As I flipped that little cassette over and over and over, I belted my little heart out to things I wouldn’t understand for years and years. I was obsessed. I knew that some day when a small town dude with a big city attitude came struttin’ into town, I could take it because if this heart was gonna break, it was going to take a lot to break it.
Cher is an icon.
You know this. I know this. The scraggly stray mewing at your backdoor knows this.
So I was fully expecting in my face, balls to the wall diva.
And while she is a self-proclaimed diva, what we get here instead is vulnerability and transparency and insight.
It’s hard to explain complicated people, and everyone in my life seemed to be so complicated and fragile, always acting out—me included.
Now this is a memoir.
You know those “memoirs” where hardly anything is divulged, so you’re politely like, “Well, it’s their story to tell or not tell” but are secretly really disappointed because where the hell is all the good stuff?
Yeah, this is the opposite of that.
This book is only Part 1 (cue crazy fangirl screaming that there will be more memoir to read), so we are led up to around the late 1970s. There is a lot about Cher’s childhood, her relationship with Sonny, her children, her rise to fame and then a decline and then another rise (and so on and so on), and her post-Sonny relationships.
This woman has stories. There are some memoirs out there where they say what happened but not how they felt. There are others where they give scant details to what really happened but tell how they were feeling. Cher gives us both.
There are very specific details on music and fashion and decor and conversations and people. And she is a pro-name dropper! None of that “so and so who shall not be named” nonsense happening here. There are also photos - TONS of photos. I flipped to them dozens of times while reading because often the people she referred to were in the photos. And because I couldn't stop looking at her gorgeousness.
Cher is a no bs type of woman, and her voice is clear as a bell here. This doesn't sound like someone writing how they want to sound rather than just being genuine. It sounds exactly how she speaks, and I didn’t even listen to the audio version (although I did purchase it just to listen to this again in that format). She manages to sound sensitive, reflective, tough, and funny -
I was a huge Dylan fan and loved his writing, as did Sonny, although he never thought much of his voice, which was a bit rich coming from him.
- without ever seeming inauthentic or insincere.
Never in a million years would I have thought I’d find Cher relatable, but by the end of this I was convinced we were twins (insert my sister rolling her eyes here). Both of us are Taurus, both are lovers of classic movies and classic movie stars, both of us had marriages to charismatic (and less appealing qualities) men unravel. When she said these things, I felt it –
I was able to live with him because I compartmentalized my feelings and was used to censoring what I said and did around him. Since we’d been together since I was so young, I knew the rules and how I should behave not to cause any problems.
Sonny had given me expensive jewelry, but it always felt like a way to show other people the money he had, not something heartfelt for me.
. . . finally I went to Sonny and told him, “Son, I’m unhappy. I don’t know why, but I’m so sad.” He took a beat, then exploded. He yelled, “You’re so ungrateful. Do you want me to divorce you?” I was stunned. The first thing in my mind was I’m never going to tell you how I feel again.
But back to us being twins. While we both had a defining moment in our childhoods of watching The Wizard of Oz, I do not, unfortunately, have an amazing voice and millions of dollars. ☹ So semi-twins!
This is an amazing memoir. I’ll be hassling everyone to read it. I’d recommend it to fans and non-fans (what is wrong with you?!) alike. I CANNOT WAIT FOR PART 2!
5 Stars
-----------------------------------------------------------
If I could turn back time, I would have known about this book before now.
Wait. Not releasing until November?
What am I supposed to do? Sit around and wait for you?
Well, I can do that.
I'm already obsessed.
Sometimes I would choose the Cocktail soundtrack to listen to “Kokomo” eleven million times, but it was usually this one. But I digress.
As I flipped that little cassette over and over and over, I belted my little heart out to things I wouldn’t understand for years and years. I was obsessed. I knew that some day when a small town dude with a big city attitude came struttin’ into town, I could take it because if this heart was gonna break, it was going to take a lot to break it.
Cher is an icon.
You know this. I know this. The scraggly stray mewing at your backdoor knows this.
So I was fully expecting in my face, balls to the wall diva.
And while she is a self-proclaimed diva, what we get here instead is vulnerability and transparency and insight.
It’s hard to explain complicated people, and everyone in my life seemed to be so complicated and fragile, always acting out—me included.
Now this is a memoir.
You know those “memoirs” where hardly anything is divulged, so you’re politely like, “Well, it’s their story to tell or not tell” but are secretly really disappointed because where the hell is all the good stuff?
Yeah, this is the opposite of that.
This book is only Part 1 (cue crazy fangirl screaming that there will be more memoir to read), so we are led up to around the late 1970s. There is a lot about Cher’s childhood, her relationship with Sonny, her children, her rise to fame and then a decline and then another rise (and so on and so on), and her post-Sonny relationships.
This woman has stories. There are some memoirs out there where they say what happened but not how they felt. There are others where they give scant details to what really happened but tell how they were feeling. Cher gives us both.
There are very specific details on music and fashion and decor and conversations and people. And she is a pro-name dropper! None of that “so and so who shall not be named” nonsense happening here. There are also photos - TONS of photos. I flipped to them dozens of times while reading because often the people she referred to were in the photos. And because I couldn't stop looking at her gorgeousness.
Cher is a no bs type of woman, and her voice is clear as a bell here. This doesn't sound like someone writing how they want to sound rather than just being genuine. It sounds exactly how she speaks, and I didn’t even listen to the audio version (although I did purchase it just to listen to this again in that format). She manages to sound sensitive, reflective, tough, and funny -
I was a huge Dylan fan and loved his writing, as did Sonny, although he never thought much of his voice, which was a bit rich coming from him.
- without ever seeming inauthentic or insincere.
Never in a million years would I have thought I’d find Cher relatable, but by the end of this I was convinced we were twins (insert my sister rolling her eyes here). Both of us are Taurus, both are lovers of classic movies and classic movie stars, both of us had marriages to charismatic (and less appealing qualities) men unravel. When she said these things, I felt it –
I was able to live with him because I compartmentalized my feelings and was used to censoring what I said and did around him. Since we’d been together since I was so young, I knew the rules and how I should behave not to cause any problems.
Sonny had given me expensive jewelry, but it always felt like a way to show other people the money he had, not something heartfelt for me.
. . . finally I went to Sonny and told him, “Son, I’m unhappy. I don’t know why, but I’m so sad.” He took a beat, then exploded. He yelled, “You’re so ungrateful. Do you want me to divorce you?” I was stunned. The first thing in my mind was I’m never going to tell you how I feel again.
But back to us being twins. While we both had a defining moment in our childhoods of watching The Wizard of Oz, I do not, unfortunately, have an amazing voice and millions of dollars. ☹ So semi-twins!
This is an amazing memoir. I’ll be hassling everyone to read it. I’d recommend it to fans and non-fans (what is wrong with you?!) alike. I CANNOT WAIT FOR PART 2!
5 Stars
-----------------------------------------------------------
If I could turn back time, I would have known about this book before now.
Wait. Not releasing until November?
What am I supposed to do? Sit around and wait for you?
Well, I can do that.
I'm already obsessed.
January 3, 2025
Devoured the book. Candid stories on Cher’s life that provide insight on how she became the badass we know. Sad learning how controlling Sonny was for her life and career. Shocking that she had to ask Sonny for every dollar she spent, and Sonny told her how to dress and who she could talk to. Great quote, “I left Sonny for another woman, me”. Loved the stories of all her famous friends. Part two starting in the 80s and focusing on Cher’s movie career can’t get here fast enough.
May 9, 2025
I was nine when my gay ears first heard "Believe." It was all over the radio, of course, but even my tough-guy brother had bought the CD-single. I played that disc over and over on the boombox, enjoying the remixes as much as the original. It's hard to describe the spiritual connection I had with the song. Sometimes I'd cry while listening to it. Love was still a foreign concept, but it was something I'd become interested in. The song's journey through love, heartbreak and recovery felt like a whole education to my young mind. I couldn't quite make sense of the lyrics—I still can't—but I FELT everything.
Reading Part One of Cher's memoirs, I think I finally understand why "Believe" is so powerful. The relationship she had with Sonny was so complicated, romantic, horrific, traumatic, that I couldn't look away from her harrowing descriptions. It was like getting an education all over again. Whether or not Cher thought about Sonny when she belted out the oft-repeated chorus is anyone's guess—maybe we'll find out in Part Two?—but certainly she sings with the voice of experience.
Of course, Cher had other lovers who could be sources of inspiration. Her parents were also a complicated mix of love and hate. One thing is immediately clear, she had no shortage of adventure and misadventure throughout her long, historied life and career.
I don't think you have to be a Cher superfan to enjoy this book. Unlike other celebrity memoirs, which often feel like Wikipedia articles on their many accomplishments, this one is heavy on emotion. She's more focused on the experience of being a daughter, a parent, a wife, a woman, a superstar. I knew almost nothing about her Sonny & Cher era and even less about the gossip which followed her over the years. Maybe because of that, it was all news to me. Others can say if this book is a rehash of past interviews or common knowledge. It feels far more vulnerable than a simple interview, though. Much more like a true confession only possible in the 2020s and with the knowledge that she's running out of time to get it all out there.
Concluding in the early 1980s, it's miraculous to think about how many of Cher's greatest successes are still ahead of her. Whether you're a Cher fan, history enthusiast, or just want to read a good story about an exceptional life, I have a feeling that the combined impact of Part One and Part Two will be monumental.
Reading Part One of Cher's memoirs, I think I finally understand why "Believe" is so powerful. The relationship she had with Sonny was so complicated, romantic, horrific, traumatic, that I couldn't look away from her harrowing descriptions. It was like getting an education all over again. Whether or not Cher thought about Sonny when she belted out the oft-repeated chorus is anyone's guess—maybe we'll find out in Part Two?—but certainly she sings with the voice of experience.
Of course, Cher had other lovers who could be sources of inspiration. Her parents were also a complicated mix of love and hate. One thing is immediately clear, she had no shortage of adventure and misadventure throughout her long, historied life and career.
I don't think you have to be a Cher superfan to enjoy this book. Unlike other celebrity memoirs, which often feel like Wikipedia articles on their many accomplishments, this one is heavy on emotion. She's more focused on the experience of being a daughter, a parent, a wife, a woman, a superstar. I knew almost nothing about her Sonny & Cher era and even less about the gossip which followed her over the years. Maybe because of that, it was all news to me. Others can say if this book is a rehash of past interviews or common knowledge. It feels far more vulnerable than a simple interview, though. Much more like a true confession only possible in the 2020s and with the knowledge that she's running out of time to get it all out there.
Concluding in the early 1980s, it's miraculous to think about how many of Cher's greatest successes are still ahead of her. Whether you're a Cher fan, history enthusiast, or just want to read a good story about an exceptional life, I have a feeling that the combined impact of Part One and Part Two will be monumental.
May 3, 2025
A fact I did not know about Cher: she has dyslexia.
So when she says in the introduction of Cher: The Memoir, Part One that it was really hard for her to write it, I believe her. And I’m guessing her dyslexia is also why she narrates only part of the audiobook. She begins reading each chapter, but then after so long Stephanie Block takes over. Block is a smart choice, though, because she won a Tony Award for playing Cher on Broadway in The Cher Show and reads with a similar voice and cadence. It’s almost eerie, how much she sounds like Cher.
Cher having dyslexia isn’t the only tidbit I learned by listening to her memoir. She doesn’t hold back with the juicy stories, and she shares so much about her childhood and family, her career, and her relationships. Sonny Bono is the predominant presence in her life, for better and definitely for worse, but once you learn more about Cher’s upbringing you see how and why she became entangled with him. She also discusses her short marriage to Gregg Allman and her relationships with music executive David Geffen and Kiss’s Gene Simmons, who I had no clue she ever dated.
Cher is forthright, bold, and unapologetic for her life choices. She fought so hard for her independence from Bono and for her career – for years, he practically owned her – and I admire her for escaping his control and abuse though he still remained in her life. Their relationship evolved a lot over the years, but always present was a certain level of codependence that they could never shake even after they divorced. (At least in this book. We’ll see what transpires in Part Two.)
The memoir is a bit slow to start as she is too detailed about her childhood and mother and grandmother, but once she meets Bono it takes off and becomes so very interesting. No doubt I’ll be coming back for Part Two when it’s published.
So when she says in the introduction of Cher: The Memoir, Part One that it was really hard for her to write it, I believe her. And I’m guessing her dyslexia is also why she narrates only part of the audiobook. She begins reading each chapter, but then after so long Stephanie Block takes over. Block is a smart choice, though, because she won a Tony Award for playing Cher on Broadway in The Cher Show and reads with a similar voice and cadence. It’s almost eerie, how much she sounds like Cher.
Cher having dyslexia isn’t the only tidbit I learned by listening to her memoir. She doesn’t hold back with the juicy stories, and she shares so much about her childhood and family, her career, and her relationships. Sonny Bono is the predominant presence in her life, for better and definitely for worse, but once you learn more about Cher’s upbringing you see how and why she became entangled with him. She also discusses her short marriage to Gregg Allman and her relationships with music executive David Geffen and Kiss’s Gene Simmons, who I had no clue she ever dated.
Cher is forthright, bold, and unapologetic for her life choices. She fought so hard for her independence from Bono and for her career – for years, he practically owned her – and I admire her for escaping his control and abuse though he still remained in her life. Their relationship evolved a lot over the years, but always present was a certain level of codependence that they could never shake even after they divorced. (At least in this book. We’ll see what transpires in Part Two.)
The memoir is a bit slow to start as she is too detailed about her childhood and mother and grandmother, but once she meets Bono it takes off and becomes so very interesting. No doubt I’ll be coming back for Part Two when it’s published.
December 14, 2024
As other reviewers have said, this is one of the best memoirs in a long time. Introspective and candid, Cher walks us through her family history before she was born, which was engaging and revealing. Cher was always a star, and to make it through the abuse and control she suffered a the hands of Sonny Bono which started from the age of sixteen (and he was 28) is a feat in itself, alongside building and maintaining her amazing career. I don’t want to mention her abuser too much, but there are potential triggers here for those that have experienced DV, coercive control and all kinds of abuse. All I will say is that I am a big believer in karma, and I’m glad Sonny got his in the end. Cher is a timeless legend, and I can’t wait for part 2 of this amazing memoir. One not to be missed.
December 9, 2024
I fondly remember watching "The Sonny & Cher Show" with my mom growing up in the seventies. As a kid, I also remember discussing with my neighborhood girlfriends how Cher was the most beautiful ideal when asking each other who was the prettiest celebrity at the time.
I listened to the audio for the first 40% of the book because I found that part harder to get through. It delved deeply into her complicated childhood with her wanna-be-famous mother and endless parade of husbands, having to move a lot, being passed around to grandparents and others temporarily because her mother couldn't take care of her for awhile. A sobering thought- Cher was seconds away from being aborted as her mother leapt off the table at the last minute after changing her mind.
Once Cher met Sonny Bono and iconic record producer Phil Spector, the book took off for me and I shifted over to reading the ebook. Cher got her performing feet wet by singing backup vocals on some major Spector hits, and this sent me off to listen on YouTube to try and pick out her voice. Sonny & Cher's singing act organically evolved from straight singing into somewhat of a comedy act with their in between song banter. This launched their weekly TV show and catapulted them to fame.
I was particularly interested in reading about Cher's romantic trysts after her breakup with Sonny, and she talked about her relationships with David Geffen, Greg Allman, and Gene Simmons of KISS. There was a lot of discussion about the clothing she wore over the years, and of course the incredible costumes/gowns created by fashion designer to the stars Bob Mackie. The book ended rather abruptly without me expecting it to, with a hint that Volume 2 (to be released in 2025) will introduce Cher's movie acting career. There were also some great personal photos included at the end of the ebook.
* A note about the audio version: Cher alternates narrating her story with another woman named Stephanie J. Block, an American actress and singer that starred in the Broadway musical "The Cher Show". This was quite an interesting experience, because you would think it would be preferable to hear the actual "Cher" narrate her own story. However, surprisingly, it was more pleasurable listening to the actress narrate! She gave the story all the right nuances and had a more youthful sounding voice that eerily sounded very Cher-like. When the actual Cher would narrate it was a kind of assault to the senses because now that she's almost eighty her voice sounds so deep and unsettling.
I listened to the audio for the first 40% of the book because I found that part harder to get through. It delved deeply into her complicated childhood with her wanna-be-famous mother and endless parade of husbands, having to move a lot, being passed around to grandparents and others temporarily because her mother couldn't take care of her for awhile. A sobering thought- Cher was seconds away from being aborted as her mother leapt off the table at the last minute after changing her mind.
Once Cher met Sonny Bono and iconic record producer Phil Spector, the book took off for me and I shifted over to reading the ebook. Cher got her performing feet wet by singing backup vocals on some major Spector hits, and this sent me off to listen on YouTube to try and pick out her voice. Sonny & Cher's singing act organically evolved from straight singing into somewhat of a comedy act with their in between song banter. This launched their weekly TV show and catapulted them to fame.
I was particularly interested in reading about Cher's romantic trysts after her breakup with Sonny, and she talked about her relationships with David Geffen, Greg Allman, and Gene Simmons of KISS. There was a lot of discussion about the clothing she wore over the years, and of course the incredible costumes/gowns created by fashion designer to the stars Bob Mackie. The book ended rather abruptly without me expecting it to, with a hint that Volume 2 (to be released in 2025) will introduce Cher's movie acting career. There were also some great personal photos included at the end of the ebook.
* A note about the audio version: Cher alternates narrating her story with another woman named Stephanie J. Block, an American actress and singer that starred in the Broadway musical "The Cher Show". This was quite an interesting experience, because you would think it would be preferable to hear the actual "Cher" narrate her own story. However, surprisingly, it was more pleasurable listening to the actress narrate! She gave the story all the right nuances and had a more youthful sounding voice that eerily sounded very Cher-like. When the actual Cher would narrate it was a kind of assault to the senses because now that she's almost eighty her voice sounds so deep and unsettling.
November 27, 2024
I love Cher and it was like reading a history that I was part of. My high school boyfriend sang ‘I got you Babe’ to me. The book, however is a kind of stream of consciousness and you can tell it is Cher talking about her life, and unedited. Yes, I’m glad I read it. Would I recommend it? Not fully.
March 16, 2025
“I’ve been brought down to my knees
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking,
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me…”
-You haven’t seen the last of me – song by Cher
Look at the cover of this book. There is something beautiful about the picture featured to represent Cher’s stage of life for this book. In many ways it is representative of her-story. Her-story from birth, to family, to Sonny, to Sonny and Cher, to her child, Chas(ity), to their two-television series (The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Show), to her second marriage with Gregory Allman and son, Elijah, to her solo singing career, and, finally; to the beginning of her emergence into movies. She also shares pictures throughout the book that give an intimate view of her and the people in her life.
And, for any of us who may have been a part of the Sonny and Cher generation, or even looked forward to the Sonny and Cher show each week, this book was a nice visit to that past with her. For those just curious about Cher, you won’t be disappointed when you enter these pages. You will learn much about her.
As readers, we get a lot from her-story. A lot more than we ever expected. A raw realness of what life was for her, even if in her words, “this memoir is based on my (sometimes imperfect) memory.”
If anyone could be considered resilient as an artist, it would be Cher. She wasn’t afraid to shine her own light, especially when it came to defying traditional style. Readers will learn about her past upbringing, one that didn’t come with a silver spoon or fairy tale beginning or middle. In fact, it was quite the contrary. There were rough, difficult times for her and her family. With not much stability, it was not surprising that she would grow up fast into Sonny Bono’s life by the age of 16.
We will come to learn how “I Got You Babe” brought them worldwide attention. We will also come to see the sexiness of Cher and chemistry between her and Sonny that made them extremely likable to audiences.
And, throughout her-story, there are a lot of details about what worked and didn’t with all her relationships that may be interesting for gossip fodder.
Certainly, there was curiosity as to what led her to leave Sonny. Was it another man? Cher writes…
“No. I left him for another woman. Me.”
And, those of us who are fans, this reader included, would simply agree that, that is what we love about her. Her candidness and strength, especially through adversity.
Mostly, for those who love Cher, or who may be interested in learning more about her, or are just curious, this may be a memoir to just read for enjoyment or to learn about “those” days. Readers just may appreciate her candor in saying it like it is, because that is truly who she is.
And, for those of us who just enjoy that real talk, we will most likely look forward to what she will want to tell us when Part 2 comes out in 2025.
For me, maybe then, I can discuss how I feel every time I listen to her sing “Fernando” from “Here We Go Again” – Sequel to Mamma Mia.” If you haven’t listened to her sing it before or if it has been a while for you, too…go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vte8...
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking,
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me…”
-You haven’t seen the last of me – song by Cher
Look at the cover of this book. There is something beautiful about the picture featured to represent Cher’s stage of life for this book. In many ways it is representative of her-story. Her-story from birth, to family, to Sonny, to Sonny and Cher, to her child, Chas(ity), to their two-television series (The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Show), to her second marriage with Gregory Allman and son, Elijah, to her solo singing career, and, finally; to the beginning of her emergence into movies. She also shares pictures throughout the book that give an intimate view of her and the people in her life.
And, for any of us who may have been a part of the Sonny and Cher generation, or even looked forward to the Sonny and Cher show each week, this book was a nice visit to that past with her. For those just curious about Cher, you won’t be disappointed when you enter these pages. You will learn much about her.
As readers, we get a lot from her-story. A lot more than we ever expected. A raw realness of what life was for her, even if in her words, “this memoir is based on my (sometimes imperfect) memory.”
If anyone could be considered resilient as an artist, it would be Cher. She wasn’t afraid to shine her own light, especially when it came to defying traditional style. Readers will learn about her past upbringing, one that didn’t come with a silver spoon or fairy tale beginning or middle. In fact, it was quite the contrary. There were rough, difficult times for her and her family. With not much stability, it was not surprising that she would grow up fast into Sonny Bono’s life by the age of 16.
We will come to learn how “I Got You Babe” brought them worldwide attention. We will also come to see the sexiness of Cher and chemistry between her and Sonny that made them extremely likable to audiences.
And, throughout her-story, there are a lot of details about what worked and didn’t with all her relationships that may be interesting for gossip fodder.
Certainly, there was curiosity as to what led her to leave Sonny. Was it another man? Cher writes…
“No. I left him for another woman. Me.”
And, those of us who are fans, this reader included, would simply agree that, that is what we love about her. Her candidness and strength, especially through adversity.
Mostly, for those who love Cher, or who may be interested in learning more about her, or are just curious, this may be a memoir to just read for enjoyment or to learn about “those” days. Readers just may appreciate her candor in saying it like it is, because that is truly who she is.
And, for those of us who just enjoy that real talk, we will most likely look forward to what she will want to tell us when Part 2 comes out in 2025.
For me, maybe then, I can discuss how I feel every time I listen to her sing “Fernando” from “Here We Go Again” – Sequel to Mamma Mia.” If you haven’t listened to her sing it before or if it has been a while for you, too…go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vte8...
February 6, 2025
Actual footage of me the second this audiobook went to the credits . . . . .
But seriously, though, how long to I have to wait for the next one?????
If you aren’t a fan of Cher, well, then I probably don’t really want to know you because she’s fucking fantastic. This “Part 1” takes you from childhood right up until the point where an encounter with Francis Ford Coppola after one of her shows at her Caesar’s residency in Vegas convinced her to revive her dream of becoming an actor. And you know what eventually happens??????
Complete with Oscar win!
I walked nine miles one day listening to this audiobook and if that isn’t praise I have no clue what is. Believe it or not, Cher was actually famous before I was even born, but I have been a fan as long as I can remember and loved hearing her story (I also didn’t realize how YOUNG she was back in the Sonny and Cher days). What a remarkable life. I can’t wait to listen to the second half of it.
And for those of you who might not realize how fabulous she is, check out her social media every once in awhile . . .
Really the only complaint I have here is that Cher narrates the beginnings of each chapter and then a long-time friend/business associate takes over the remainder until the next chapter. I think most of us can agree that when choosing a celebrity memoir, we want the celebrity to voice it, but it was so good I’m not deducting any Stars.
But seriously, though, how long to I have to wait for the next one?????
If you aren’t a fan of Cher, well, then I probably don’t really want to know you because she’s fucking fantastic. This “Part 1” takes you from childhood right up until the point where an encounter with Francis Ford Coppola after one of her shows at her Caesar’s residency in Vegas convinced her to revive her dream of becoming an actor. And you know what eventually happens??????
Complete with Oscar win!
I walked nine miles one day listening to this audiobook and if that isn’t praise I have no clue what is. Believe it or not, Cher was actually famous before I was even born, but I have been a fan as long as I can remember and loved hearing her story (I also didn’t realize how YOUNG she was back in the Sonny and Cher days). What a remarkable life. I can’t wait to listen to the second half of it.
And for those of you who might not realize how fabulous she is, check out her social media every once in awhile . . .
Really the only complaint I have here is that Cher narrates the beginnings of each chapter and then a long-time friend/business associate takes over the remainder until the next chapter. I think most of us can agree that when choosing a celebrity memoir, we want the celebrity to voice it, but it was so good I’m not deducting any Stars.
January 14, 2025
4.5 Stars
This memoir is Part 1. I don't know how many parts it will have but I will be reading them all.
Cher is a global icon. She has been famous not only for my whole life but for the majority of my dad's life. He still thinks of her from when he watched her on The Sonny & Cher show. I know her for being on her "Farewell Tour" for my whole life. She's a singer, an Academy Award winning actress and a comedian. She does it all and I think she's still amazing. I don't care about her plastic surgery because it's not my face. She's like 80 years old and I think she looks fantastic.
I learned alot in this book. I didn't know much about her personal life other than that she has a Transgender son, she likes dating younger men and she's funny. I could have read this book faster but Sonny Bono got on my last nerve...I'm so happy that man went skiing. He started dating Cher when she was 15 and he was pushing 30 and going through a divorce...he also had a daughter. He lied to, stole from her, cheated on, and manipulated her. She never describes his behavior as abuse but it is. She's way nicer to him than I think he deserves. She says multiple times that he was her best friend so I guess we all make allowances for our friends but it just really got on my nerves.
I don't have a list a favorite Cher because I need more time for a deeper dive into her discography. The first song I can remember hearing by her was Believe and I'm not a fan. I Got You Babe is a banger tho.
Of her movies I've only seen Mermaids and that was a long time ago. Hopefully by time Part 2 drops I will be able to tell you my favorite Cher songs and movies.
Overall I really did enjoy this book. I could hear Cher telling me this story despite the fact I read it with my eyes. You don't need to know anything about her to enjoy this book(like me) but if you are a fan I think you'll get even more out of it. Despite her larger than life persona, Cher is a very relatable and down to earth person. She reminds me of some of my mom's friends.
I can't wait for Part 2. I was telling my dad that since I don't know that much about her, the book kinda ended of a cliffhanger for me. In Part 2, we will see how Cher becomes an actress despite everyone thinking she was hasbeen at 30.
I highly recommend this book....obviously!
This memoir is Part 1. I don't know how many parts it will have but I will be reading them all.
Cher is a global icon. She has been famous not only for my whole life but for the majority of my dad's life. He still thinks of her from when he watched her on The Sonny & Cher show. I know her for being on her "Farewell Tour" for my whole life. She's a singer, an Academy Award winning actress and a comedian. She does it all and I think she's still amazing. I don't care about her plastic surgery because it's not my face. She's like 80 years old and I think she looks fantastic.
I learned alot in this book. I didn't know much about her personal life other than that she has a Transgender son, she likes dating younger men and she's funny. I could have read this book faster but Sonny Bono got on my last nerve...I'm so happy that man went skiing. He started dating Cher when she was 15 and he was pushing 30 and going through a divorce...he also had a daughter. He lied to, stole from her, cheated on, and manipulated her. She never describes his behavior as abuse but it is. She's way nicer to him than I think he deserves. She says multiple times that he was her best friend so I guess we all make allowances for our friends but it just really got on my nerves.
I don't have a list a favorite Cher because I need more time for a deeper dive into her discography. The first song I can remember hearing by her was Believe and I'm not a fan. I Got You Babe is a banger tho.
Of her movies I've only seen Mermaids and that was a long time ago. Hopefully by time Part 2 drops I will be able to tell you my favorite Cher songs and movies.
Overall I really did enjoy this book. I could hear Cher telling me this story despite the fact I read it with my eyes. You don't need to know anything about her to enjoy this book(like me) but if you are a fan I think you'll get even more out of it. Despite her larger than life persona, Cher is a very relatable and down to earth person. She reminds me of some of my mom's friends.
I can't wait for Part 2. I was telling my dad that since I don't know that much about her, the book kinda ended of a cliffhanger for me. In Part 2, we will see how Cher becomes an actress despite everyone thinking she was hasbeen at 30.
I highly recommend this book....obviously!
September 26, 2025
Cher’s been a familiar face for as long as I can remember, even growing up in French. By the time I was old enough to truly pay a bit more attention to pop culture, she was doing movies, and in fact I may have first encountered her in translation. I’m neither a fan nor a critic; I like her, I know her, she’s Cher.
Becoming aware of them only in retrospect, her 70s outfits were something else, she always stood out, and it makes my day a little when vintage footage of her old shows randomly pops up on social media nowadays. This book spans Cher’s roller-coaster first decades, stopping short of the 80s. A lengthy tribute to her mother’s own life and showbiz aspirations made the memoir’s first hundred pages or so a sluggish start for me, though the context was useful; then, things picked up. Candid stories of going onstage, and being onstage, kept me softly entertained.
This was an impulse purchase. I like to surprise myself. I often succeed; I succeeded again! My favourite band of all time is probably Radiohead.
Becoming aware of them only in retrospect, her 70s outfits were something else, she always stood out, and it makes my day a little when vintage footage of her old shows randomly pops up on social media nowadays. This book spans Cher’s roller-coaster first decades, stopping short of the 80s. A lengthy tribute to her mother’s own life and showbiz aspirations made the memoir’s first hundred pages or so a sluggish start for me, though the context was useful; then, things picked up. Candid stories of going onstage, and being onstage, kept me softly entertained.
This was an impulse purchase. I like to surprise myself. I often succeed; I succeeded again! My favourite band of all time is probably Radiohead.
November 23, 2024
In 1999, I was watching Cher's episode of Behind the Music. During that interview, she was asked about why she dates younger men. She responded, "If I was a man, we wouldn't even have this conversation. And that sucks out loud." In that moment, I realized the power of women when they don't give a f*** and speak their minds. From that moment on, I was obsessed.
This is the first volume in her life story, starting with her unique childhood. Cher delves into her life with her mother, Georgia, an actress who searches for fame with her leading lady looks and powerful singing voice. Cher's openness and honesty about her early days set the stage for her life as she grows up, knowing she is destined to be somebody too. A chance meeting with Sonny Bono leads them to become one of the most famous duos in pop culture history. As Cher goes from being a young woman to a wife, mother, and worldwide icon, she takes control of her life for the first time, finding she has gained wisdom and strength.
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I tore through it. Cher has been a part of the cultural zeitgeist for decades now, and we begin to understand who she is through this unflinchingly honest memoir. She goes in-depth about her tumultuous childhood as her mother moved her around the country in search of an entertainment career and love, having to depend on family, and even going so far as placing Cher in an orphanage as she struggled to make ends meet. Cher's rise to fame includes modeling, singing in Phil Spector's studio, and her eventual team-up with Sonny Bono. The behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry at the time gives the reader an idea of how hard they had to work and how often women were wholly exploited by the men running the show. Cher's awakening to how poorly Sonny treated her personally and financially was pivotal in her life. Cher reveals that Lucille Ball was who she sought advice from regarding ending her marriage. “I called Lucille Ball to ask for her advice,” the singer wrote. “I told her, ‘Lucy, I want to leave Sonny and you’re the only one I know that’s ever been in this same situation. What should I do?’ She told me, ‘F— him, you’re the one with the talent.’” This story of rags to riches and female empowerment will leave you breathlessly anticipating Volume 2!
This is the first volume in her life story, starting with her unique childhood. Cher delves into her life with her mother, Georgia, an actress who searches for fame with her leading lady looks and powerful singing voice. Cher's openness and honesty about her early days set the stage for her life as she grows up, knowing she is destined to be somebody too. A chance meeting with Sonny Bono leads them to become one of the most famous duos in pop culture history. As Cher goes from being a young woman to a wife, mother, and worldwide icon, she takes control of her life for the first time, finding she has gained wisdom and strength.
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I tore through it. Cher has been a part of the cultural zeitgeist for decades now, and we begin to understand who she is through this unflinchingly honest memoir. She goes in-depth about her tumultuous childhood as her mother moved her around the country in search of an entertainment career and love, having to depend on family, and even going so far as placing Cher in an orphanage as she struggled to make ends meet. Cher's rise to fame includes modeling, singing in Phil Spector's studio, and her eventual team-up with Sonny Bono. The behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry at the time gives the reader an idea of how hard they had to work and how often women were wholly exploited by the men running the show. Cher's awakening to how poorly Sonny treated her personally and financially was pivotal in her life. Cher reveals that Lucille Ball was who she sought advice from regarding ending her marriage. “I called Lucille Ball to ask for her advice,” the singer wrote. “I told her, ‘Lucy, I want to leave Sonny and you’re the only one I know that’s ever been in this same situation. What should I do?’ She told me, ‘F— him, you’re the one with the talent.’” This story of rags to riches and female empowerment will leave you breathlessly anticipating Volume 2!
February 2, 2025
I want to make it clear at the outset that my middling three-star rating for this book in no way reflects my feelings about Cher, whom I have loved since I was a little girl. She wasn’t much more than a child herself when I discovered The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, but I didn’t know that then. I thought she was one of the coolest adults I’d seen. In an era when America’s idea of beauty was white, blue-eyed blondes with conventional features (even more than it is now), I thought her exotic look was gorgeous, her sense of humor hilarious, and her belt-it-out song delivery delicious. And no matter what you may think of her talent level, she is always wonderfully, entertainingly, unabashedly herself.
This book is a rigidly chronological recounting of Cher Sarkisian’s life events, including her grandparents’ and parents’ backgrounds, which had a huge influence on her upbringing. And a very chaotic upbringing it was, with her mother always chasing new opportunities, mostly in the form of various husbands who could provide her and her two daughters a decent and stable lifestyle, a strategy that was only occasionally successful. There were plenty of stepfathers of different social classes, economic success, and temperaments, and much moving around.
In addition to stories about her crazy childhood, there was also plenty of drama in the rise of her partnership in Sonny & Cher, their break-up, her second marriage to Greg Allman, and her subsequent floundering about for her next phase in her mid-30s, bringing us up to 1980 at the end of Part One.. I learned a lot about her life that I didn’t know. You’ll notice that this volume is called Cher: Part One: The Memoir. She is currently 78 and the second half of her life will, I assume, be covered in Cher: Part Two.
While the title calls it a memoir, this appeared to me to be more of an autobiography, with a straight-forward episodic telling of her life story. While there is some explanation about her experiences and motivations based on later self-awareness, I would have appreciated a more careful selection of experiences that would have allowed more reflection and personal revelations about lessons learned from her indisputably full, busy, and eventful life. I think it would also have been better if the text had been more streamlined and more thoughtfully edited. Some of the anecdotes were sometimes a little bloated, often including tangential factoids of dubious value. While some of this may have been for historical context, there were quite a few occasions when the unnecessary verbiage related to some experience, description, or colleague seemed to contribute nothing but word count. Could this have been a desire on the part of the publisher to expand her story to two volumes? But this is a minor quibble.
But all in all, I enjoyed the first half of Cher’s life story well enough. The stories were entertaining and very much in her style of expressing herself. In fact, instead of the sort of non-voice I usually experience when I read silently, with the words just translating themselves silently in my brain into imagery and ideas with no noticeable audio, while reading Cher, I could actually hear in my head Cher’s distinctive contralto voice and unique inflections that are so familiar to me after all these decades of fandom, which was kind of fun.
This book is a rigidly chronological recounting of Cher Sarkisian’s life events, including her grandparents’ and parents’ backgrounds, which had a huge influence on her upbringing. And a very chaotic upbringing it was, with her mother always chasing new opportunities, mostly in the form of various husbands who could provide her and her two daughters a decent and stable lifestyle, a strategy that was only occasionally successful. There were plenty of stepfathers of different social classes, economic success, and temperaments, and much moving around.
In addition to stories about her crazy childhood, there was also plenty of drama in the rise of her partnership in Sonny & Cher, their break-up, her second marriage to Greg Allman, and her subsequent floundering about for her next phase in her mid-30s, bringing us up to 1980 at the end of Part One.. I learned a lot about her life that I didn’t know. You’ll notice that this volume is called Cher: Part One: The Memoir. She is currently 78 and the second half of her life will, I assume, be covered in Cher: Part Two.
While the title calls it a memoir, this appeared to me to be more of an autobiography, with a straight-forward episodic telling of her life story. While there is some explanation about her experiences and motivations based on later self-awareness, I would have appreciated a more careful selection of experiences that would have allowed more reflection and personal revelations about lessons learned from her indisputably full, busy, and eventful life. I think it would also have been better if the text had been more streamlined and more thoughtfully edited. Some of the anecdotes were sometimes a little bloated, often including tangential factoids of dubious value. While some of this may have been for historical context, there were quite a few occasions when the unnecessary verbiage related to some experience, description, or colleague seemed to contribute nothing but word count. Could this have been a desire on the part of the publisher to expand her story to two volumes? But this is a minor quibble.
But all in all, I enjoyed the first half of Cher’s life story well enough. The stories were entertaining and very much in her style of expressing herself. In fact, instead of the sort of non-voice I usually experience when I read silently, with the words just translating themselves silently in my brain into imagery and ideas with no noticeable audio, while reading Cher, I could actually hear in my head Cher’s distinctive contralto voice and unique inflections that are so familiar to me after all these decades of fandom, which was kind of fun.
December 4, 2024
Cher’s memoir is exactly what you’d expect: bold, honest, and full of personality. She shares her journey in her own words, reflecting on her tough childhood marked by dyslexia and constant moving from place to place with her mother and sister. From dreaming of fame at a young age to becoming an icon—singer, actress, Oscar and Emmy winner—Cher reveals many details of her incredible life.
Her stories are vivid, whether she’s meeting Warren Beatty on the street, navigating Hollywood, or detailing her complicated, controlling partnership with Sonny Bono. But she’s never bitter, just refreshingly candid. This is a memoir done right, and I’m already eager for part two.
Her stories are vivid, whether she’s meeting Warren Beatty on the street, navigating Hollywood, or detailing her complicated, controlling partnership with Sonny Bono. But she’s never bitter, just refreshingly candid. This is a memoir done right, and I’m already eager for part two.
Read
November 26, 2024love how she wanted to be dumbo
December 4, 2024
Woof. I had such high hopes for this book, but the editors were asleep at the wheel! Overall, it suffers from the same affliction as the Streisand book: too much input from a powerful memoirist. "I was so great, and here are all the people who also thought I was so great." That was to be expected, but the problems were so much worse than just that.
In several instances, events are told (or mentioned) oddly out of order. For example, she talks about living in Texas early in the book and mentions Gee. I know that's her sister, but in what has been a linear tale of her childhood up to that point, she hasn't mentioned that her sister was born yet. Later in the book, she talks about having the band The Tubes on her TV show. In a subsequent story, she talks about someone introducing her to the band, whom she'd "never heard of."
She talks about Phil Spector, whom she annoyingly refers to as Phillip, as just a quirky dude and tells a ridiculous story about him pulling a gun on her. She supposedly blew him off as if it was a harmless prank. So many seriously problematic men, including Sonny, are given the "boys will be boys" treatment. It's sickening.
The book has typos (like "Larverne"), questionable grammar, and clunky vocabulary ("incredible" and "incredulous" are not interchangeable). The audiobook is even worse. People's names and random words are mispronounced (sometimes two different ways in the same sentence). There are two narrators, Cher and a friend of hers, and they both make these kinds of mistakes. Again, where were the editors?
Needless to say, I'll pass on Part Two.
In several instances, events are told (or mentioned) oddly out of order. For example, she talks about living in Texas early in the book and mentions Gee. I know that's her sister, but in what has been a linear tale of her childhood up to that point, she hasn't mentioned that her sister was born yet. Later in the book, she talks about having the band The Tubes on her TV show. In a subsequent story, she talks about someone introducing her to the band, whom she'd "never heard of."
She talks about Phil Spector, whom she annoyingly refers to as Phillip, as just a quirky dude and tells a ridiculous story about him pulling a gun on her. She supposedly blew him off as if it was a harmless prank. So many seriously problematic men, including Sonny, are given the "boys will be boys" treatment. It's sickening.
The book has typos (like "Larverne"), questionable grammar, and clunky vocabulary ("incredible" and "incredulous" are not interchangeable). The audiobook is even worse. People's names and random words are mispronounced (sometimes two different ways in the same sentence). There are two narrators, Cher and a friend of hers, and they both make these kinds of mistakes. Again, where were the editors?
Needless to say, I'll pass on Part Two.
December 14, 2024
There's an episode of Sex and the City where Charlotte is dating a man who may or may not be gay. He's cooking her dinner (I think, might be time for a rewatch) and turns on some music. "Is this...Cher?" Charlotte asks, with trepedation. "Oh, yeah!" he says. "She's such a survivor!"
I didn't understand that statement as fully as I do having read the first part of Cher's memoir. I was among the people making jokes about her releasing it in two parts ("Only Obama can get away with that!" I said), but it makes perfect sense. Cher, part one (that is, the first part of her life) is almost entirely defined by Cher as part of Sonny and Cher, and her memoir reflects that. What's more, is that she survives being part of Sonny and Cher after a brutally inconsistent childhood that could have easily wore her down. It's an inspiring story, though I should know better after reading 6 women's memoirs—they usually are.
My only complaint is that Cher rushes through the post-Sonny pre-film career years. If she's going to make her memoir two parts, why not take her time a little bit more? Even still, I wound up unable to put this down. Whether I knew what happened or not, the story is wholly in Cher's voice, and that makes it feel even more authentic. I can't wait for part two.
I didn't understand that statement as fully as I do having read the first part of Cher's memoir. I was among the people making jokes about her releasing it in two parts ("Only Obama can get away with that!" I said), but it makes perfect sense. Cher, part one (that is, the first part of her life) is almost entirely defined by Cher as part of Sonny and Cher, and her memoir reflects that. What's more, is that she survives being part of Sonny and Cher after a brutally inconsistent childhood that could have easily wore her down. It's an inspiring story, though I should know better after reading 6 women's memoirs—they usually are.
My only complaint is that Cher rushes through the post-Sonny pre-film career years. If she's going to make her memoir two parts, why not take her time a little bit more? Even still, I wound up unable to put this down. Whether I knew what happened or not, the story is wholly in Cher's voice, and that makes it feel even more authentic. I can't wait for part two.
November 25, 2024
Of course her life is fascinating. But there are a LOT of weird inconsistencies like talking about a character and then mentioning who the person is a few pages later. Weirdly badly written. But of course I need to read the second half!
April 2, 2025
I started this memoir really, really enjoying it. Cher is a remarkably interesting person, and she tells the story of her life in a very frank, honest way that is remarkably humble, unassuming, and refreshing. Learning about how remarkably traumatic her childhood was (and that of her mother, for that matter), just makes her shine even brighter. Seeing her grow up and thrust into adulthood at far too early of an age, only to see what she wants to grasp onto it, evokes a sympathy for a childhood she never had and an awe for what she has done.
I won’t lie, though. As the memoir goes on it rambles quite a bit, often about non sequiturs and small details that maybe add color to our understanding of Cher’s life the first time those kinds of details are shared, but not when they are shared again and again and again. The writing is incredibly informal and conversational. She sets this tone very early in the memoir and it works, it is both disarming and humanizing. And, more importantly, it feels genuine. But it is within this conversational, story-telling mode that her story sometimes gets lost in details that don’t feel like they contribute. This is even more noticeable in the final few chapters, which feel like a whirlwind, rushing through years of her life when previous chapters were meandering and doddering about.
I read this not as a fan, but as someone that is appreciative of her contemporary music (and personal) and vaguely aware of what her popularity and status once was. So maybe if you have had a decades’ long fascination with her then all of her tangential details will fill you with glee, let you feel like an insider to her life. The writing style and tone is intimate and is certainly inviting a type of camaraderie. But they were a bit too much for me, and by the halfway point it really felt like it started to drag. Obviously she is telling the story of her real life, and real lives aren’t plotted out as conveniently as a novel, but this memoir could have benefited from some streamlining and, for lack of a better description, better plotting.
Also, I would have liked a little more introspection. She is incredibly honest, and there are little snippets of introspection here and there. She doesn’t ever seem like she is hiding anything from the reader, especially when she makes big decisions (good or bad ones). But so much of her life is so wildly outside of the norm that there are moments when I really would have preferred her to dig into what she was feeling or thinking about some of the things she describes than giving specific lines of dialogue from her comedy routines and so on. So much of her life is already documented in the public eye that I was hoping for maybe a little more depth, where this seemed to be constantly floating on the surface and only occasionally dipping into anything deeper.
It is hard to recommend this to someone who isn’t already a fan, but if you are a fan you will likely enjoy this quite a bit. Even though I feel like it rambles and definitely needs some trimming, it is really readable, has a very friendly and conversational tone, is inviting, and, ultimately, has an optimistic and inspirational sense about it that is hard to deny.
I won’t lie, though. As the memoir goes on it rambles quite a bit, often about non sequiturs and small details that maybe add color to our understanding of Cher’s life the first time those kinds of details are shared, but not when they are shared again and again and again. The writing is incredibly informal and conversational. She sets this tone very early in the memoir and it works, it is both disarming and humanizing. And, more importantly, it feels genuine. But it is within this conversational, story-telling mode that her story sometimes gets lost in details that don’t feel like they contribute. This is even more noticeable in the final few chapters, which feel like a whirlwind, rushing through years of her life when previous chapters were meandering and doddering about.
I read this not as a fan, but as someone that is appreciative of her contemporary music (and personal) and vaguely aware of what her popularity and status once was. So maybe if you have had a decades’ long fascination with her then all of her tangential details will fill you with glee, let you feel like an insider to her life. The writing style and tone is intimate and is certainly inviting a type of camaraderie. But they were a bit too much for me, and by the halfway point it really felt like it started to drag. Obviously she is telling the story of her real life, and real lives aren’t plotted out as conveniently as a novel, but this memoir could have benefited from some streamlining and, for lack of a better description, better plotting.
Also, I would have liked a little more introspection. She is incredibly honest, and there are little snippets of introspection here and there. She doesn’t ever seem like she is hiding anything from the reader, especially when she makes big decisions (good or bad ones). But so much of her life is so wildly outside of the norm that there are moments when I really would have preferred her to dig into what she was feeling or thinking about some of the things she describes than giving specific lines of dialogue from her comedy routines and so on. So much of her life is already documented in the public eye that I was hoping for maybe a little more depth, where this seemed to be constantly floating on the surface and only occasionally dipping into anything deeper.
It is hard to recommend this to someone who isn’t already a fan, but if you are a fan you will likely enjoy this quite a bit. Even though I feel like it rambles and definitely needs some trimming, it is really readable, has a very friendly and conversational tone, is inviting, and, ultimately, has an optimistic and inspirational sense about it that is hard to deny.
December 30, 2024
This book is an essential for memoir readers!!!!
I was blown away by chers tied to stardom and life struggles. I also loved the Lucille Ball hints that kept popping up! I even learned more about the I love Lucy show from it!
“Lucy I want to leave Sonny and you’re the only one I know that’s ever been in this same situation. What should I do? She told me f**k him your the one with the talent”
… BEST LINE of the book ❤️ cannot wait for the next volume of this story next fall!
I was blown away by chers tied to stardom and life struggles. I also loved the Lucille Ball hints that kept popping up! I even learned more about the I love Lucy show from it!
“Lucy I want to leave Sonny and you’re the only one I know that’s ever been in this same situation. What should I do? She told me f**k him your the one with the talent”
… BEST LINE of the book ❤️ cannot wait for the next volume of this story next fall!
September 29, 2025
Giving this a 3.5 rating....
An enjoyable memoir of Cher's early life and the start of her career. Cher's personality shines through the stories, she offers details about her family and emotional life, as well as famous people. It brought back some nostalgia as I read about the 1970s and early 1980s.
An enjoyable memoir of Cher's early life and the start of her career. Cher's personality shines through the stories, she offers details about her family and emotional life, as well as famous people. It brought back some nostalgia as I read about the 1970s and early 1980s.
December 5, 2024
I can see why she needed to separate this into two volumes because she's had such an interesting life. Can't wait to read the next one!
July 15, 2025
This is the first part of Cher’s 2-part memoir. It appears to be an honest and very detailed account of her childhood and teenage years, her mother, her fame and success with Sony Bono, and her time with the troubled Gregg Allman. The book is interesting and flows well. Part 2 is scheduled to be released in the fall.
December 8, 2024
As a devoted fan since 1999, I eagerly dived into Part 1 of Cher's memoir, and it did not disappoint. Cher's signature wit and honesty shine through every page, drawing readers into her remarkable journey from the humble beginnings of her childhood to the roller coaster of the first 20 years of her career.
Her storytelling is both heartfelt and humorous, revealing the struggles and triumphs that have shaped her into the icon we adore today. Cher’s reflections on her relationships—especially the complicated one with Sonny Bono—her music, and the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry are particularly engaging. She shares candid anecdotes that highlight her determination, making it clear why she remains a beloved figure.
The memoir is not just a chronicle of her life; it’s also a testament to the power of resilience. Cher’s ability to adapt and thrive through the decades is inspiring, and her insights into fame and personal growth are thought-provoking.
For long-time fans and newcomers alike, Cher's memoir is a must-read. It captures the essence of a true legend and leaves you eagerly anticipating the next chapter of her extraordinary life.
Her storytelling is both heartfelt and humorous, revealing the struggles and triumphs that have shaped her into the icon we adore today. Cher’s reflections on her relationships—especially the complicated one with Sonny Bono—her music, and the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry are particularly engaging. She shares candid anecdotes that highlight her determination, making it clear why she remains a beloved figure.
The memoir is not just a chronicle of her life; it’s also a testament to the power of resilience. Cher’s ability to adapt and thrive through the decades is inspiring, and her insights into fame and personal growth are thought-provoking.
For long-time fans and newcomers alike, Cher's memoir is a must-read. It captures the essence of a true legend and leaves you eagerly anticipating the next chapter of her extraordinary life.
March 30, 2025
Cher's seen by women as independent female model, but she continued to be dependent on men. Sonny meets her at 16, 60's pop success, comeback 70s tv show. But their marriage falling apart, Sonny controlled everything, including her money. Eventually she rebels. Bitter divorce battles, suing each other, but whenever they're playing their "Sonny and Cher" persona, still able to laugh. Despite her relationships with David Geffen, Gene Simmons, Greg Allman, it's Sonny she keeps coming back to for support. Shes a survivor and seems honest throughout book (several ghostwriters). First 1/4 of book shows she didn't have good examples for relationships with a poor, dysfunctional family and many times married mother. Will be interesting in next instalment why later she had so many plastic surgeries; perhaps a combination of confidence and insecurity she seems to be.
November 25, 2024
I cannot wait a year
Want to read
February 10, 2025Getting ready to buddy read this behemoth! And it's only volume one! But it's Cher, so about that. Her voice is immortal. I hope NASA is playing her music in outer space, because by the looks of her audiences and fans, we will all feel as one when we meet.
2/9 I can’t I just can’t. This book is so wastefully detailed I’m waiting to read about her bathroom habits. I really do not need to know all of this. Besides how can she possibly remember all of this? My daughter is one of those special people with the mind that can actually remember back to babyhood. It’s pretty freaky. And I’ve yet to hear her be incorrect. Maybe Cher is like that?
2/9 I can’t I just can’t. This book is so wastefully detailed I’m waiting to read about her bathroom habits. I really do not need to know all of this. Besides how can she possibly remember all of this? My daughter is one of those special people with the mind that can actually remember back to babyhood. It’s pretty freaky. And I’ve yet to hear her be incorrect. Maybe Cher is like that?
March 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Excellent looking forward to reading Part 2.
Excellent looking forward to reading Part 2.
November 26, 2024
I want part 2 now!
This has to be one of the best memoirs I've ever read, and it's only the first part. Of course, with a life that Cher has been living, it all speaks to the imagination. It is a lot though, so brace yourself when you start reading it. there's a lot of info about her youth and her marriage with Sonny, and not all of it is pleasant. But Cher fought through it all, and then the story ends here, right before the '80's and her true victories on the big screen.
I've read one review here of someone giving it 1 star and talking about 'outfits bought'... that person didn't read this book, because it's far from that. So get ready and read about this remarkable life and then, like me, you'll hate the fact that part two will be released in 2025.
loved every second of this!!
This has to be one of the best memoirs I've ever read, and it's only the first part. Of course, with a life that Cher has been living, it all speaks to the imagination. It is a lot though, so brace yourself when you start reading it. there's a lot of info about her youth and her marriage with Sonny, and not all of it is pleasant. But Cher fought through it all, and then the story ends here, right before the '80's and her true victories on the big screen.
I've read one review here of someone giving it 1 star and talking about 'outfits bought'... that person didn't read this book, because it's far from that. So get ready and read about this remarkable life and then, like me, you'll hate the fact that part two will be released in 2025.
loved every second of this!!
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