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shannanh's review
4.0
This was an interesting story of the life of Florence Ballard, from her beginnings, to her rise and downfall through Motown as told to Peter Benjaminson. This was such a sad read and it's a shame the way they treated her. I truly felt sorry for her.
beverleefernandez's review
3.0
If I could, I'd give The Lost Supreme 3 1/2 stars.
The Supremes are one of the greatest "girl" trios to sing in my opinion. I read Mary Wilson's account a long time ago & have always wondered "what about Flo?" Reading Flo's biography made me feel a range of emotions: glad that her story is available to the masses, sad that she went through such an ordeal after being fired, angry that she let others take advantage of her & that the powers that be felt there was no wrong in their actions.
Flo's story is so short, I can't help but wonder if there's more to it. Probably none of my business, but...
Biographies are different to critique. I tend to be a details type of person & reading such a short life story really accentuates the meaning of lost. 30-anything is too young to pass away & knowing Flo only shared a small portion of her talent in a few years is a loss for all Motown fans.
Rest in Heaven Ms. Ballard.
The Supremes are one of the greatest "girl" trios to sing in my opinion. I read Mary Wilson's account a long time ago & have always wondered "what about Flo?" Reading Flo's biography made me feel a range of emotions: glad that her story is available to the masses, sad that she went through such an ordeal after being fired, angry that she let others take advantage of her & that the powers that be felt there was no wrong in their actions.
Flo's story is so short, I can't help but wonder if there's more to it. Probably none of my business, but...
Biographies are different to critique. I tend to be a details type of person & reading such a short life story really accentuates the meaning of lost. 30-anything is too young to pass away & knowing Flo only shared a small portion of her talent in a few years is a loss for all Motown fans.
Rest in Heaven Ms. Ballard.
booksuperpower's review
3.0
The Lost Supreme-: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard by Peter Benjaminson is a 2008 Chicago Review Press publication.
I found this book while checking out the new Hoopla service provided by my library. I knew little or nothing about this artist so I decided to check it out.
The bulk of the book came from several taped interviews the author did shortly before Ms. Ballard's death. The tapes were transcribed for publication but it wasn't until the movie “Dreamgirls” that the interest was high enough to garner attention for the book.
For the most part the focus is on Florence's career as a Supreme and her subsequent fall from grace that left her in financial straights with very little recourse.
This book is Florence's take on things and the author doesn't water anything down or sugarcoat her feelings or attitude. This is not to say her version of events is the whole story or that others may have a different point of view on the matter, which I am sure they do. But, I think she probably had the real gist of things and her story felt real, down to earth and quite believable.
One must keep in mind that this book was constructed from interview tapes and then fleshed out from there to give us an up close and personal view of Florence's short life. At times the writing gets a little choppy, and it's not written or organized in the typical biographical manner.
The main thing that stands out about this book is how strong Florence's voice is throughout. Lots of passages are told in a first person accounting of her experiences with The Supremes and Motown. There were funny stories about being on the Ed Sullivan show and her encounter with the Beatles that ended up being more awkward than anything else. These stories told in her own words are haunting and poignant as it also chronicles the height of success she reached, which is in stark contrast to her life at the time these interviews were recorded.
The story of Florence's life is not a happy or uplifting one, in fact it's really sad. But, I do recommend reading this book, since I have never found much material on this fabulous and original member of The Supremes and it not only gives insight into her life, but also into the music business and the inner workings of Motown.
I did have some issues with the formatting and Hoopla has assured me they are working on that, so if you come across this book and enjoy performance art, biographies, music, or are a big fan of The Supremes, you might want to give it a look.
3 stars
I found this book while checking out the new Hoopla service provided by my library. I knew little or nothing about this artist so I decided to check it out.
The bulk of the book came from several taped interviews the author did shortly before Ms. Ballard's death. The tapes were transcribed for publication but it wasn't until the movie “Dreamgirls” that the interest was high enough to garner attention for the book.
For the most part the focus is on Florence's career as a Supreme and her subsequent fall from grace that left her in financial straights with very little recourse.
This book is Florence's take on things and the author doesn't water anything down or sugarcoat her feelings or attitude. This is not to say her version of events is the whole story or that others may have a different point of view on the matter, which I am sure they do. But, I think she probably had the real gist of things and her story felt real, down to earth and quite believable.
One must keep in mind that this book was constructed from interview tapes and then fleshed out from there to give us an up close and personal view of Florence's short life. At times the writing gets a little choppy, and it's not written or organized in the typical biographical manner.
The main thing that stands out about this book is how strong Florence's voice is throughout. Lots of passages are told in a first person accounting of her experiences with The Supremes and Motown. There were funny stories about being on the Ed Sullivan show and her encounter with the Beatles that ended up being more awkward than anything else. These stories told in her own words are haunting and poignant as it also chronicles the height of success she reached, which is in stark contrast to her life at the time these interviews were recorded.
The story of Florence's life is not a happy or uplifting one, in fact it's really sad. But, I do recommend reading this book, since I have never found much material on this fabulous and original member of The Supremes and it not only gives insight into her life, but also into the music business and the inner workings of Motown.
I did have some issues with the formatting and Hoopla has assured me they are working on that, so if you come across this book and enjoy performance art, biographies, music, or are a big fan of The Supremes, you might want to give it a look.
3 stars
komet2020's review
5.0
Peter Benjaminson was a 29-year old journalist with the Detroit Free Press in 1975 when he was asked if he wanted to do a story on the ex-Supreme Florence Ballard (in light of the public disclosure that was made earlier that year, revealing that Ballard, a mother with 3 young daughters, was on welfare). It had come as a shock to the public (both in the U.S. and across the world) that someone who had been a founding member of the most successful girl singing group in the 1960s was living in poverty in Detroit. Benjaminson eagerly undertook this assignment and went to Ballard's house to interview her. He would go on, over a period of several weeks, to conduct a series of taped interviews with Ballard. These interviews help to vivify and enliven this biography considerably, giving the reader full, rich and often poignant views and perspectives on Florence Ballard's life. A life that emerged from poverty in Detroit during the 1940s and 1950s to dizzying fame and success with Motown (with the Supremes), and then, following Ballard's abrupt dismissal from the Supremes in July 1967, attempts at a solo music career, declining fortunes, depression, and death in February 1976.
Reading this biography was a deeply personal experience for me. I grew up in Michigan and was steeped in Motown's music from the late 1960s onward. I was a preteen when Florence Ballard died and I remember very well the news coverage of her funeral. For anyone interested in knowing more about what the Supremes were and what they meant to the world, read this biography. I highly recommend it.
Reading this biography was a deeply personal experience for me. I grew up in Michigan and was steeped in Motown's music from the late 1960s onward. I was a preteen when Florence Ballard died and I remember very well the news coverage of her funeral. For anyone interested in knowing more about what the Supremes were and what they meant to the world, read this biography. I highly recommend it.
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