Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde

by Cathay Che

Long before fair–haired bad girls Courtney Love and Madonna, there was the blond ambition of Deborah Harry. She became a mainstream star, but her punk sensibility, unapologetic sexuality, and esoteric artiness, not to mention her close friendship with Andy Warhol, made her name synonymous with New York City cool and the intersecting worlds of punk, rock, art, film, and fashion. Written with the singer’s full cooperation, and as uncensored as the woman herself, this is a vivid portrait of a vastly influential artist.

Genres: Music, Biography

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 1999

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book placed quite an interesting perspective on Deborah Harry. I bought it on publication in 2001 but only read it this year, so the stuff about the reunion was rather outdated, however there are some interesting interviews with herself and Chris Stein and it was also intriguing to see how she has influenced others directly from their perspectives. It's certainly not warts 'n' all (and neither does it really need to be) and I note some reviewers consider it sycophantic. I don't think it quite crosses that line, but an good editor could have reigned in Cathay Che's gushing at times. We all know Deborah has a beautiful face, but one mention of that would have been sufficient. Cathay almost makes Deborah's looks the focal point whilst trying to say she's much more than that - but her constant repetition of 'how fantastically gorgeous' she is rather undermines that standpoint. Still, interesting on several levels and I didn't mind the flitting about in chronology. Anecdotal rather than critical, and that was fine for me.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars for the cover and photos. Disappointing. Messy, disjointed, not very well written. If it was proof read, they didn't do a very good job.

[Sonja Isaacson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I now know more about Debbie Harry, this book was not well done. Che includes a lot of quotes about Debbie by various people who worked with her, are her friends, or were her fans. There are also 4 chapters that are transcribed interviews. While this is interesting information, it just seems to be poorly put together. I don't see any major topics separating the chapters, or much of anything holding this together except that the author was just idolizing Debbie and seems to think everyone should. There are asides noting something was referred to in a previous chapter or that it would be expanded upon coming up, super annoying. There isn't much about her life growing up, not a whole lot about pre-Blondie, not much about what life was like during those 6 years of super-fame and how she found the time to promote, write, record, tour. A lot of references to Blondie's book "Making Tracks" so maybe that's what I should have read. This is more about how she is just so cool and edgy and continues to be. And that she knows very interesting people and continues to be on the art and music scene, and that the author really liked hanging out with her.

[John Lyman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I am a fan of Debbie Harry and Blondie. Wow! Was it an eyeopener! I didn't realize that I was dealing with a living saint! She has not only never done any wrong, other than peeing on the floor when the bathroom line was too long once, (TMI!), she singlehandedly set fashion trends for every human being on Planet Earth once she put on her first stitch of clothes!

This book is so fawning and full of flattery, it's like the author worships the woman and wanted to use this as a vehicle to gain her favor. I have never read a book that is so unrelenting in its doting and hero worship style. It took all my effort to finish. Now I have to go and build a shrine to Saint Deborah in my living room!