Bettye LaVette's New Book: hmmm, Yeah it's Hot!

[marv2]

She always did tell it like it is.
I love the story she recounts of Diana Ross & Eddie Holland's wife.

I love it too because several times over the years I have read where people [[Diana Ross fans) characterized Mary Wilson's book as nothing but fables. This is about the 7th or 8th time someone has come forward that was also around the scene in Detroit in those days and verified what Mary had said in her book was true!

[ivyfield]

Apologies for the quality but here's a review from the Times newspaper in the UK. Looks very interesting - unlike some of the awful bio's I've read over the years...

[detmotownguy]

Hi Marv:
From the point of view that Mary's book was a "tell all", I'd offer that Mary's book was hardly that, but more of a disappointment of a "friendship" [[if there really was one) gone bad. No monumental revelations, especially to Detroiters, of anything new. The early history of the group was very interesting, in addition to the vertical climb of success after 1964. It seemed that she should have quit reaching out for Diana years ago. After all, didn't we read somewhere that Diana told Mary that they were not friends or something to that effect?

Hope all is well.....

[marv2]

Hi Marv:
From the point of view that Mary's book was a "tell all", I'd offer that Mary's book was hardly that, but more of a disappointment of a "friendship" [[if there really was one) gone bad. No monumental revelations, especially to Detroiters, of anything new. The early history of the group was very interesting, in addition to the vertical climb of success after 1964. It seemed that she should have quit reaching out for Diana years ago. After all, didn't we read somewhere that Diana told Mary that they were not friends or something to that effect?

Hope all is well.....

Hey Detmotownguy! Yes things are fine and thanks for asking. I hope all is well with you too my friend. True, Mary's book was not exactly a tell all. [[Had she told ALL, many people would not have been able to take it!). I feel that Ms. Bettye has a more explosive book, even though I have not read it yet. I can just feel that she did not pull many punches in telling her story.

[TivoliEclipse]

I love it too because several times over the years I have read where people [[Diana Ross fans) characterized Mary Wilson's book as nothing but fables. This is about the 7th or 8th time someone has come forward that was also around the scene in Detroit in those days and verified what Mary had said in her book was true!

Will someone please enlighten me. Diana Ross was 18/19 years old, in a "din" of incestuous lions, sages, patrons, parasites, wise and unwise men and women, engaged in all sorts of bacchanalia -- watched while a wife they probably called, stripped a girl nearly naked for engaging in the same behavior they sanctioned/example they set? Now Bettye Lavette reports this story as if it is some indictment of Diana Ross and not some sorted lapse in judgement on her part... Bettye Lavette is no lady clearly. Imagine that fantastic scene -- the laughter... Jealous all of them. They knew she was the one who would/could dance with Sammy Davis Jr. and Fred Astaire, sing with Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, The Beatles, meet the Queen of England, love and be loved. Humph, Ms Ross got the last laugh didn't she -- but she's not laughing -- because she's the lady!