by Paris Hilton Publishers Weekly In this revealing memoir, Hilton (Confessions of an Heiress) pulls double duty, doling out obligatory TMZ bait while also opening up about the abuse she endured in what she dubs the “troubled-teen industry.” Detailing her horrific treatment—including cavity searches and staff-sanctioned sleep deprivation—at so-called “emotional growth boarding schools,” which targeted distraught parents in the aughts, the billionaire heiress pulls back the curtain on a little-discussed source of psychic damage for so-called “wayward teens.” On a lighter note, she provides running wardrobe commentary: “This dress is going to end up in a museum someday,” Hilton muses about the Julien Macdonald silver chain-mail dress she famously donned for her 21st birthday. Dishier topics include Hilton’s complicated relationship with her mother, lifelong friendship with Nicole Richie, and marriage to Carter Reum. She also dives into her ADHD diagnosis, which she deems a “superpower” she’s wielded to her advantage, though stories of managing the disorder with the help of organizational staff may fail to connect with less privileged readers challenged by the diagnosis. Even so, those unimpressed by the author’s occasional solipsism are likely to appreciate her advocacy for survivors of cultish care centers. Affecting and triumphant, this is a must-read for Little Hiltons. Agent: Albert Lee, United Talent Agency. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved Kirkus One of the world’s most recognizable personalities delivers a memoir with surprising depth and purpose. In her debut book, Hilton, with the assistance of a ghostwriter, presents a tender and triumphant account of her life so far. The author is furiously candid about multiple instances of sexual abuse she suffered as an adolescent. Like many survivors, she took refuge in her menagerie of pets. Had things gone differently, she might have been able to finish school and become the veterinarian she dreamed of becoming. However, because her parents thought she was partying too much in high school, they sent her to multiple facilities for so-called “troubled teens,” brutal institutions where occupants were subject to cavity searches, beatings, and solitary confinement. Reading like a prison-break movie, the text chronicles multiple escape attempts, each ending in failure. Breaking up the heartbreak are the author’s asides about her ADHD. Though she still suffers from PTSD, the author has become an advocate for shutting down facilities like the ones in which she suffered. She also points out that society is beginning to acknowledge the media’s relentlessly exploitative treatment of famous teenagers, especially young women. Hilton cites examples of her own as well as those of longtime friend Britney Spears. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this memoir is the gracious and compassionate eye with which Hilton views her past. Unlike many other similar stories, there is no tone of self-pity or martyrdom. Hilton has always been acutely aware of the agreement between celebrities and their fans, between the photographed and the photographers. She signed up to play the fame game and is determined to win, an attitude reflected in this inspiring and empowering book. Like the author, it is far more than its glossy exterior. Delivering a master class in owning your story, Hilton shows how to live with purpose, compassion, and beauty. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. Book list Paris Hilton has ADHD. It's one of the first things she mentions in her memoir as a way of explaining why she flits from topic to topic. She drops names of people and brands and describes a fabulous life as a fixture of the L.A. club scene in the late 1990s and early aughts. For Hilton, partying is an art form, and she takes her status as the "OG influencer" seriously. It wasn't all a party, though. There are horrific revelations here, mostly having to do with her time in various "tough love" residential schools, where she was abused physically, emotionally, and sexually. But Hilton isn't looking for pity. Partying may have become an escape from haunting memories, but she's more than a party girl. She's a businesswoman, a wife, and a dog mom. Readers will leave this book shocked at all she has endured—sexual assault and the sex tape are unflinchingly covered—and with a fuller picture of her life of privilege. Hilton's memoir is perfectly poised as society starts to reflect on how we treated young women in the early 2000s. An unputdownable reckoning for anyone who lived through that time.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Word of Hilton's staggering revelations has readers anxious to know more. From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. |
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