Don't Stop Believin'

It’s Olivia talking about her life. What is not to love. If you are a fan of Olivia this is a must buy. Five stars are not enough should be 10 out of 10. I have followed her music since the 1970’s. And I even learned things about her career.

I'm a fan so I knew I'd enjoy reading it but there are some sections (like when she met princess diana and the queen) where Liv just breezes thru saying, "I cant remember what we said." Would have liked some more depth and details and maybe a little more dishing. :) She also skims her 80s music career - I was hoping for some more insight into her various albums but she does go into detail about grease and xanadu which was fun. Still, it's an inspiring read overall.

As a fan of her music since 1972, honestly I was a little disappointed. The book is somewhat oxymoronic. A well written book but more of a promotion for her cancer center than a memoir. ONJ claims in the book that she does not really want to be associated or label herself as a cancer patient but 75% of the book covers her journey with cancer. Although her story is inspiring, the first part of the book goes discreetly into her early career life and then it goes more deeply into her cancer journey. If you are a cancer patient you will love the book. If not, then you may find it a bit tiresome in parts.

♥️ LOVE the narration! Olivia Newton-John has always had my favorite singing voice and she is so charming reading her own words. So much friendly nuance to hear vs my own private reading. ( I read the hardcover book first! ) It’s like our favorite girl next door to grow up with came over -after forging an iconic career and living a global life journey -to share all she learned and impart the wisdom that helped her along the way. I can’t recommend enough. The afterword so beautifully tied up little bows to a memoir that proved my belief correct - that Olivia’s greatness was always to be of what was next to come as an artist and humanitarian. In her choice to be living in the present moment....she’s walking her walk to be the sum of all her parts and it simply leaves me breathless and wanting more! ( ....for beautiful her and for me! )

I admit to buying this book because I've always been a fan of Olivia Newton-John. Memoirs don't usually appeal to me, as I think most of them as being fictional accounts of someone's life anyway (who can remember such things of decades past? And most of it never reveals the nitty gritty reality of the person.) Yet, I wanted to read about her journey with cancer. So, this review is for the book only, and it needed an editor. It appears that she might have started writing it years ago, because she mentions something about the pants she wore in Grease and how they withstood 22 years. The movie was released in 1978; it's now 2019, so do the math. She mentions more than once she isn't much of a drinker, but several times refers to vodka, dirty martinis, etc. She overly gushes about Australia, being Australian, and such, and that was the biggest surprise of the book for me. By birth, she's British, having moved with her parents as a child to Australia due to her father's job. Then only lived there a decade or so before embarking on her career and moving to London and then the US. Of course, she now owns property in Australia. I always thought she was Australian; no explanation in the book as to how/why she claims to be Australian (maybe changed her citizenship?). It would have been nice to know. I felt when reading this book, ONJ embraced the Sandy role from Grease in real life. That's how it comes across to me, as a persona for the world to see and believe. Everyone is wonderful, a great friend, etc, and I respect her positive outlook but I suppose I wanted to read about the reality of her situation. What I read wasn't reality, at least not in my opinion. I, too, agree in searching for alternative treatments and therapies, but when her husband was giving her "herbal treatments" that were "mind altering" and "hallucinogenic" (her words), then it crosses the line a little for me. She looks fabulous, and is still a very beautiful woman. I'm glad she has found peace and happiness with her husband and is living with less pain. I wish her all the best.