**THIS ONE IS MORE OF MY FEELINGS AND OPINION OF KAREN AND HER LIFE, THAN THE BOOK**
To be honest I forgot that my Goodreads is attached to the blog, and the whole world sees what I read. Kind of strange to think about it now. This is a book I read for me and my mother. She loved Karen Carpenter, and thought she was a victim of circumstance and an overbearing family as well as the fame.
This book dives into her entire life, even the not so glamorous times, and the low points. There are a lot of interviews with her friends in this book, which is the reason I decided to read it. I know the music, but who was she? My take on Karen is she was a beautiful soul looking for unconditional love, and a life as a wife and mother that she could be proud of. She had this amazing gift, that voice was so unique and so recognizable. I didn’t know until this book that she recorded a solo album while Richard was in Rehab for his addiction issues. While reading this book told by some of her closest friends, there were times when I was so mad for her. I was so angry, when I found out about the solo album, and then to find out they made her shelf it. They told her it wasn’t good enough. I think they were afraid. They were afraid to release it. What made me the most mad was that they released it after her death. My favorite Karen Carpenter song is on this album. I wish she could have seen how many people loved that album.
So many people controlling her life and micromanaging her. She was already a perfectionist when it came to her singing. The constant comments about her weight in the beginning, to the butting in of her relationships with men. She never had a moments peace. When she found out the truth about her fiancé being a fraud, it is said she wanted to cancel the wedding. Her friend claims her mother wouldn’t here of it, too many invitations had gone out. It would have been too embarrassing. So she married a con man who blew almost all her money, and it is said he even told her ” Look at you, I would never have a child with you, you look sick. Nothing but skin and bones, how can I love that”. It is no wonder she sought refuge in the few who did love her as she was. She tried to be perfect on the outside in front of the world, but she forgot to love herself. This is why my mother told me this story, so I can always remember to love myself first.
She tried to fight her bulimia and anorexia, she was doing well, but she just couldn’t get that monkey off her back. Some friends say she was taking a prescription medicine, instead of her usual laxatives, but some friends truly thought she had beaten it. Some say she was doing so well. Her autopsy says she did have the prescription in her system, but some say it was because she was sick. I say no matter what we lost a great artist, and an amazing woman, who never got to live up to her full potential. I listen to her music almost daily, and I am saddened by the fact that she didn’t get to see how many people still listen even now.
Here is my favorite song from her solo album. I hope you enjoy it. *of course I do not own the rights to this song*
Peace,
Les
Geek Sneak Peek 