Paris: The Memoir

Took a hard left from my Michael Koryta kick and landed on Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton.

Goodreads Stats

Why I Read This Book/How I Heard About It

I will admit that I pre-judged Ms. Paris Hilton for years. I actually waffled a bit about whether to read this one or not. It's not like I was a fan of hers. However, having changed my mind on other celebrities before after seeing their stories told (for example, Taylor Swift after I saw her Miss Americana documentary), I decided to give this a shot. I knew Paris had some sort of ordeal with an abusive boarding school and I was curious what that was all about.

Goodreads Summary

A MILLION MEANINGS IN A SINGLE NAME...

Heiress. Party girl. Problem child. Selfie taker. Model. Cover girl. Reality star.

These are labels that have been attached to Paris Hilton by others.

Founder. Entrepreneur. Pop Culture Maker. Innovator. Survivor. Activist. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Mom.

These are roles Paris Hilton embraces now as a fully realized woman.

Paris rose to prominence as an heiress to the Hilton Hotels empire, but cultivated her fame and fortune as the It Girl of the aughts, a time marked by the burgeoning twenty-four-hour entertainment news cycle and the advent of the celebrity blog. Using her celebrity brand, Paris set in motion her innovative business ventures, while being the constant target of tabloid culture that dismissively wrote her off as "famous for being famous." With tenacity, sharp business acumen, and grit, she built a global empire and, in the process, became a truly modern icon beloved around the world.

Now, with courage, honesty, and humor, Paris Hilton is ready to take stock, place it all in context, and share her story with the world. Separating the creation from the creator, the brand from the ambassador, Paris: The Memoir strips away all we thought we knew about a celebrity icon, taking us back to a privileged childhood lived through the lens of undiagnosed ADHD and teenage rebellion that triggered a panicked--and perilous--decision by her parents. Led to believe they were saving their child's life, Paris's mother and father had her kidnapped and sent to a series of "emotional growth boarding schools," where she survived almost two years of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. In the midst of a hell we now call the "troubled teen industry," Paris created a beautiful inner world where the ugliness couldn't touch her. She came out, resolving to trust no one but herself as she transformed that fantasy world into a multibillion-dollar reality.

Recounting her perilous journey through pre-#MeToo sexual politics with grace, dignity, and just the right amount of sass, Paris: The Memoir tracks the evolution of celebrity culture through the story of the figure at its leading edge, full of defining moments and marquee names. Most important, Paris shows us her path to peace while she challenges us to question our role in her story and in our own. Welcome to Paris.

First Impressions

I highly recommend the audiobook for this one, which is narrated by Paris herself. Full disclosure, the first couple chapters reinforced my previously held stereotypes about Paris being a typical ditzy white influencer. But things took a HARD TURN when she began to open up about the "reform schools" she was sent to and, from that point on, the book was extremely vulnerable and showed Paris's true colors.

Final Thoughts

I learned a lot about Paris Hilton. She survived something so horrific between the ages of 16-18 that many of us could never even fathom. The fact that she came out of those teen reform schools alive is a miracle in itself. But the way she came out of there with a sound mind and a definitive plan for her future - a way that she could build a business and keep herself safe for the rest of her life - is truly admirable.

I've often wondered if the Paris Hilton persona is an act or a character. Spoiler: it is. She knows what she's doing. She isn't a ditz. She isn't as innocent and clueless as she is portrayed to be in The Simple Life. She has known hard work, trauma, physical labor, abuse and fear. She still suffers from insomnia related to nightmares to this day.

And she is truly an icon, as the OG influencer. She invented the selfie and brand endorsements. What most people don't know is that she is a branding and business genius, super intelligent and incredibly driven to reach her goals.

In the end, I walked away from this book with a deep admiration for her stamina and her awareness about how she can best sell her brand and create security for herself.

Rating on Goodreads

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.

My rating method:

• I rarely rate books 5 stars. I save this for the absolute best books I've read. You know the ones...the ones that you can't get out of your head, even after you've finished them. The ones you think about for weeks afterwards.

• If a book is really, really good, I'll give it 4 stars. If you see a 4-star rating from me, I'd definitely recommend it to you to read.

• If it's just OK, it gets 3 stars. Basically, it means I could take it or leave it. I'd probably read it again because it wasn't terrible. But not like a favorite or anything.

• If I rate it 1 or 2 stars, I would not recommend anyone read it. It either didn't hold my interest or I couldn't relate to the characters/plot.