Helpful Score: 5
A wounded adult tells her story, and if you're thinking it's racy or sexy, you'll be disappointed. Her revealing story often gave me an upset stomach. Sometimes Traci Elizabeth Lord's simplistic writing seemed to have too many cliches but it helped me to believe the story is truly written in her own words. Lord was an abused, molested and neglected child turned insecure teen turned porn star turned drug addict.(While reading the book I wondered what this beautiful woman might have become if she had received proper male affection and real fatherly love?) Some critics of the book doubt Traci's specific memories, details and conversations as a child (especially with her father.) I had no trouble believing her memories. Bad, scary and hurtful memories are often stronger than the good ones. Remarkably, I can remember events and words spoken more than 30 years ago so I didn't doubt Lord's memories. Because they were painful I've moved on but they are always there reminding me of my vulnerability and even by the end of Lord's book, her own vulnerability can be felt. Lord's early memories are fascinating. Through the eyes of a child she witnessed her parents violent relationship and eventual divorce. Her well-intentioned mother couldn't get it right and early in the book I wanted her mother's boyfriend to rot in hell. Readers learn about her short-lived life in the sexually explicit porn world but I don't think she wrote the book to impress anyone with that, she wrote the book to heal her childhood wounds.
Helpful Score: 2
I had heard about the scandal in the media, Traci Lords, underage porn star, the princess of porn, but it hadn't occur to me that she had entered the world of pornography unwillingly, a victim of sexual abuse, neglect. Being so young and naive, she was greedily exploited, a child of the night. It's no wonder she abused drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. I understood her need to defend herself after all these years with this tell all book, make peace with her past, put it behind her. I'm glad she found happiness and success as a serious actress and recording artist, an interesting book with many photos of Traci Lords.
Helpful Score: 1
Read it in a short period of time. really interesting to learn about the real traci lords and why and how she became who she is. Lots of photos too. She's not just another pretty face. She is very smart and talented in many areas. A good read.
Helpful Score: 1
Well written I think it speaks to a lost generation of kids who were being raised in hard times by young single mothers.Traci speaks to the lost little girls who find themselves abused or ignored by all the people who should be there to have helped them. The porn part is just a fragment of a shattered life slowly put back on track.
Helpful Score: 1
Not a bad book. Gives good insight into Traci Lords life & how she struggled to change for the good. Book started off good. Read the first half in 2hrs. The last half was alot slower & had a hard time finishing it.
Helpful Score: 1
Actually a pretty interesting read, if you like the juicy hollywood lives and gossip.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was a really good and showed a whole side of Traci Lords that the media tends to overlook. I was shocked reading it to learn that she had only made all her "porn" when she was in her teens, which was when I was about 8 or 9 I think. It's sad because I've always know of her as "Porn Princess" too, yet it was before I was even old enough to know what porn really was. Yet throughout her whole life it's a title she's been trying to get away from, unsuccessfully.
I don't consider myself to be a judgmental person, yet I had always assumed Traci Lords made thousands of porn films, just from the way she is portrayed. It's odd when you find out that she doesn't and hasn't for many, many years.
Her story is also very sad. There are a lot of things that she went through that nobody should have to deal with and I can understand her story so well that I can see that really all she was doing was finding a way to get by in life, and unfortunately without guidance, she made some mistakes.
I don't consider myself to be a judgmental person, yet I had always assumed Traci Lords made thousands of porn films, just from the way she is portrayed. It's odd when you find out that she doesn't and hasn't for many, many years.
Her story is also very sad. There are a lot of things that she went through that nobody should have to deal with and I can understand her story so well that I can see that really all she was doing was finding a way to get by in life, and unfortunately without guidance, she made some mistakes.
Helpful Score: 1
If you want to find out the real truth about the "teen queen of porn" read this book. It's an eye opener.
I really enjoyed this book. Traci Lords is a much better writer than I would have expected.
In 'Underneath it All,' Traci Lords details how as a teenager, she became a victim in the seedy world of pornography. Traci, like most teenagers, and probably many porn stars in the industry today, came from a broken and abusive home. She ran away, trusted the wrong people who abused her and unknowingly stumbled into the porn industry. Fueled by drugs and booze from her 'friends,' her life became enveloped by the abusive porn industry. Luckily, Traci was rescued by the FBI who cracked down on child pornography. Traci was lucky; however, most former pornstars' lives spriral out of control. I do wish she spoke more about her relationship with her sisters and her mother but overall this was an interesting autobiography.
Wow, What an amazing woman. Very good book, page turner! Traci is beautiful inside and out. She doesn't hold back... very honest.
Not bad at all. Somewhat whitewashed and who knows what's true and what isn't but still very interesting.
This book was actually a pretty good read, its amazing what Traci went through and had to overcome in her life.
i was expecting a bit more from this book since ive loved her for years. i was a bit bored, and thought there'd be more to it. she's come a long way, and her story is amazing, but the way it's told, is not.
A very interesting look at how Traci Lords became a teenage porn queen.
Very interesting read... better than I thought.
