Music wasn’t a huge part of my childhood. It only made an appearance when it came time to pick selections for figure skating performances. It wasn’t until the year after my mom died while attending a Bryan Adams concert that music took me to a happy place. His concert brought my smile back. I was hooked.
I bought every Bryan Adams record to date. I saved my allowance to go to Alley Cat Records to pour over the 45s selection. The possibilities were endless. Madonna, U2 and Cyndi Lauper were on constant loop on my record player. I was thrilled when cassettes came to the store. I worked hard to get my Sony Walkman. The songs made me have a childhood away from grief and pain.
Now as a mom of girls, I was thrilled when I got a copy of Cyndi Lauper’s memoir. I still know all the words to her iconic song Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Cyndi writes so candidly about her childhood in Queens, New York. She is brutally honest of how leaving home to live at her sister’s home at sixteen years old, busking to when she found her voice. She once was even a Girl Friday at Simon and Shuster, the very publisher of this book.
I loved the pace of the book. It was like she was telling you about her life while you were sitting together at a dinner party. Filled with pictures of her loved ones, former bands and family, I recommend this memoir to anyone who has felt like they were different while growing up. Read it, play her music for your teenagers and give the book to your kids.
Peace and love.
Danielle Christopher 