Up, Up and Away (Learning to Fly - Victoria Beckham)

Member Name: JamesD22

Product:	Learning to Fly - Victoria Beckham
Date:	26/11/02 (1846 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Honest, To the point, Good story

Disadvantages: Sad, Sad, Sad

We have all been there, we have all done it, and to this day, no one really knows why! Love them or hate them we all slate the Beckham?s but for what?

Well I have always been a fan, you will see that from one of my earliest ever reviews, and it is still interesting to read the comments and people making their judgemental comments! David & Victoria are not idols of mine but they are two people that I rate very highly in British society and I do admire a lot.

They are hard working, perfect parents and take great pride in themselves. What better role models do we need?

I recently borrowed ?Learning to Fly? Victoria Beckham?s Biography / Autobiography can never remember which is which?

I am able to say that this is a fabulous read and was one of those books I find hard to put down! Nose stuck in it with a cup of tea and a biscuit.

Victoria now thinks it is time that the world gets to hear her side of the story and puts her life to us on a plate. Don?t get me wrong I know it is all to help her make some money but hey, that is her job is it not? She is an entertainer and she is entertaining by publishing her life story.

The book starts from Victoria?s school years and how she always found it difficult to fit in and always knew, what her dream was. After many days playing alone in the playground dreaming one day that she would be famous! How true could this girl at such an early have been?

Victoria decided that she wanted to be a star from the day she saw the film ?Fame? and harassed her mum to send her to all sorts of dance classes and even piano classes.

In the book, Victoria appears very frank and extremely honest. She admits in the book that she was not a clever kid and to this day is not super intelligent. She must be doing something right she is minted!

Victoria tells us how she suffered from acne and how it mad her life hell, how she was one of the worst dancers at dance school and was
always at the back. The grief she took from teachers and now in this book she is throwing it back in their faces. The film ?Fame? is where the books title is inspired from and how appropriate.

After her family years, we get Victoria?s insight to the Spice years.

This was an interesting part of the book for me as she goes into detail about their rise to fame. The Spice Girls formed almost two years before they had their first hit and Geri was the one who kept them all going. She was the guts and determination and a quality that Victoria also has.

She talks about their rise to fame. How crazy it all was, how they could be in two or three different countries in one day. How there manager tried to control their lives.

Then she delves into her most intimate part of her life David Beckham the man of her dreams and half the nations. How they met and how they had to be so secretive form the Spice Camp and from Manchester United bosses.

Their relationship must be strong as we a treated to some of the darkest moments that this glamorous couple have faced. Kidnapping threats, Football Jibes and a lot more.

Even though I am a fan and do feel that at one stage they were always in the limelight. It was not until reading the book you understand why. I will not spoil it for those who may wish to read. Someone they let close to them to protect them done more than that. It is not all good and makes a very heart-rending read.

Victoria is ever so protective of her son Brooklyn and tells in details of her and every mother?s horror of kidnap threats. Reading this book now makes me think what this poor woman must be going through right now.

Brooklyn was not an easy child to raise as he was very ill and had a food allergy (milk) and even in this day and age and all the money that parents have this is a difficult thing to cope with! Victoria tells how she coped and how her ill child caused scorn within the ranks at Manc
hester United for David. It cost him fifty thousand pounds fine for being concerned about his child and missing training.

We are given the true story behind the thrones at her wedding and why they chose to do this. It was a long life dream of the two of them to marry like a prince and princess and really, they were just living their dream. Just like someone who swishes to marry bungee jumping. What is wrong with that?

Overall, it is an honest insight into the amazing worlds of the Beckham?s as we don?t know it! What I mean is we all think we do. This sets the record straight.

The book published by Penguin books and has a range of photographs throughout from her early years to her most recent years. They are private and intimate pictures rarely seen and show what an ordinary couple they are. Although they are living, many peoples dream they seriously pay for the price of fame.

Retailing at 6.99 in all good retailers or cheaper elsewhere. I borrowed mine however, I am sure it will be added to my collection soon. A great read but very disturbing and very, very sad in parts.

© JamesD22 2002

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