Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Paris: The Memoir bonus chapter by Paris Hilton

83 reviews

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I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Paris Hilton and to anyone who has never given a flying hoot about Paris Hilton. Admittedly, I fall into the latter category. 

She has lived her entire life in the spotlight and has been judged globally. Yet at the same time, so much happened out of the public eye. I had no idea about the trauma she endured, the persona she created, anything about her friendships and romantic life, or her brand. 

This book was a wonderful window into her life told by her. 

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Maybe my expectations were set low, maybe the book really is just THAT good. Either way, this was well written and surprisingly easy to follow even with the jumps between moments on Paris’s life timeline. 

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Some of the book felt like one big advertisement.

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I would never have picked up this book if Jack Edwards hadn't recommended it so highly. I didn't care at all about the pop culture moments or references (there were some sprinkled in to appease the gossip mag readers), but I was blown away by the stories Paris told about her family, the times she was violated, and the period of her life spent in the troubled teen industry. I don't think I've experienced this range of emotion from a book in such a long time.

Her compassionate and empathetic reflections on her life, her family, and the moments when her loved ones betrayed her were such a testament to her character and strength. There were times when I was so angry and indignant for her, but she was able to redirect that anger towards those that really deserved it — the predators and the perpetrators of the troubled teen industry.

Her descriptions of the time she spent there were something straight out of a horror movie. No matter how she escaped, she would get caught and get brought back. The abuse and manipulation inflicted were horrendous and honestly really hard to listen to — I had to take frequent breaks to steel myself. If that was how I was feeling reading about it, imagine what it would be like to live it; for families who sent their children there to realise what hell they'd sent their children to. This was the hardest part to get through, but it plays such a central role in Paris's story.

The audiobook is read by Paris and it does hit harder when read in her voice. You understand how her mind jumps from thing to thing, and it makes sense. She 's a fabulous storyteller. However, towards the end, there are several editing mistakes where she repeats herself multiple times.

The other jarring thing I found is that Paris will just casually drop that she's on a yacht or whatnot and then talk about something else that is trying to get us to relate (like love or gratitude), and I'm like yeah it's obviously much easier to love or be grateful if you're rich. Paris does acknowledge her privilege from being born into the Hilton family, and I don't doubt she worked hard for her own success, but I think of all the people who had to work that hard just to get half the privileges that she got. To ger credit, she doesn't hide the privilege; it's just jarring.

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