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A Model Summer
An incisive, beautifully written first novel by a former supermodel that explores the glamorous and gritty world she inhabitedOnly a handful of women in the world have experienced what Paulina Porizkova has -- being whisked away to model in Paris while still a teenager, reaching the pinnacle of the profession before her schoolmates had even graduated -- and fewer still hav...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
April 10th 2007
by Hyperion
(first published 2007)
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Acabei de ler o livro e gostei bastante. Paulina Poriskova foi uma modelo na era das supermodelos, na década de 80, e ela retrata o início de sua carreira em Paris, no verão, com apenas 15 anos. Pode ser ou não a sua história, mas parece bem com o seu passado.
Modelo de verão mostra como uma menina saída da Suéica se torna uma mulher em apenas 3 meses, com sofrimento, perda, e muito aprendizado. Como uma menina de 15 anos, sem muita informação consegue sobreviver na selva da moda. Esta é a person...more
Modelo de verão mostra como uma menina saída da Suéica se torna uma mulher em apenas 3 meses, com sofrimento, perda, e muito aprendizado. Como uma menina de 15 anos, sem muita informação consegue sobreviver na selva da moda. Esta é a person...more
I love Pauline Porizkova, but that is not why I bought this book. The week it came out.
I bought it because of the hilarious review in the NYTimes Book Review. I think this was a reward of some kind, perhaps for finishing grad school (MFA, Creative Writing-- was this an ironic reward?)
The book is thinly-veiled autobiography and it is trashy and pretentious, which I love! As is often the case with "fiction" that is totally memoir with the names changed, the author shows no self-awareness whatsoeve...more
I bought it because of the hilarious review in the NYTimes Book Review. I think this was a reward of some kind, perhaps for finishing grad school (MFA, Creative Writing-- was this an ironic reward?)
The book is thinly-veiled autobiography and it is trashy and pretentious, which I love! As is often the case with "fiction" that is totally memoir with the names changed, the author shows no self-awareness whatsoeve...more
I'm always a bit skeptical of works written by celebrity authors, but former model Paulina Porizkova shows she can write--and well--in A Model Summer. The novel relays what happens to a 15-year-old girl who goes to Paris for the summer to work as a model. Porizkova's descriptions are keen, allowing me to feel as if I am there. She also displays a sense of humor in descriptions such as the following, quoted from the first page of Chapter 5:
"Inside, however, the house is furnished with--gasp--blac...more
"Inside, however, the house is furnished with--gasp--blac...more
This is a coming-of-age story about a 15 year old girl who tries to break into the modeling world. She starts out likable but has a major guilt complex. I can relate to the guilt complex, but not to this characters belief that her virginity is a liability which she needs to get rid of as soon as possible.
The book begins to go downhill for me in the scene where she loses her virginity. The way it happened was so tragic I simply wanted to cry, and then the girls judment gets progressively worse....more
The book begins to go downhill for me in the scene where she loses her virginity. The way it happened was so tragic I simply wanted to cry, and then the girls judment gets progressively worse....more
I was surprised by the level of vitriol in some reviews of Paulina's book. Certainly, it was no Tale of Two Cities, but I thought the first half of the book displayed intelligent writing and a few lovely metaphors. I also thought that the mechanics of the industry were laid out in a comprehensible way.
The second half of the book, however, is as if a different author took over. The main character transitions from an innocent, to a cold-blooded, jaded, drinking, drugged out, caricature of a model...more
The second half of the book, however, is as if a different author took over. The main character transitions from an innocent, to a cold-blooded, jaded, drinking, drugged out, caricature of a model...more
Who isn't a little curious about the world of models. To someone on the outside, it sounds pretty glamorous: Traveling, cute clothes, being thin and pretty. I've never wanted to be a model, and after reading this, I would never want to be.
It was a really good book, hard to put down. It follows the story of Jirina, a 15 year old from Sweden who goes to Paris for the summer to be a model. It takes place in 1980, so hopefully things have changed. When she first gets there, she rooms with another g...more
It was a really good book, hard to put down. It follows the story of Jirina, a 15 year old from Sweden who goes to Paris for the summer to be a model. It takes place in 1980, so hopefully things have changed. When she first gets there, she rooms with another g...more
Paulina is the former 80's model who married Ric Ocasek. She claims to have actually written this one through years of writing workshops, unlike other books "written" by celebrities (I'm looking at you Nicole Ritchie). The book follows a 15 year old girl from Sweden who is discovered and goes to work as a model for a summer in the early 80's. She has a low self esteem, not being traditionally pretty, and often doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. The book is a fun trashy read, as she a...more
Paulina can write well and she's gorgeous and articulate. How unfair! This fictionalized tale of her first summer modeling in Paris in 1980 dropped me into a super-cool new wave world. She reveals all the downsides to the modeling world and doesn't mince words. I wasn't 100% sold on the ambiguous ending, but overall this book surprised me in a really positive way. Paulina won me over.
I liked the first half of the book, but then the story takes a turn and never seems to get back on track. The tale of a naïve, young model develops into a series of events representing the seedy side of the industry and everything that can go wrong. I continued reading hoping that there would be some sort of redemption for the main character, or at least acknowledgment that she had become the type of person she despised at the beginning. Porizkova has the narrator get everything she wants and at...more
I was curious. The cover captured me and perhaps that is a complement to Porizkova, who has been a model for a long time, and her knowing that the picture on the cover would be so important. As a 32 year old, I can remember when I was 15 and I was not like the main character- far from it. She is thrust into such an adult world, you forget that she is so young and that the whole story takes place in a matter of months. I have an idea that this book is what Sophie Dahl had in mind for her coming o...more
The cover of this book really pulled me in, and actually, this was the hairstyle that I was going for at Christina and Gilbert's wedding. I think the stylist was surprised when I pulled out a novel as an example of what I wanted. As you would probably expect from a super-model turned author, the writing wasn't great. It was entertaining, and it provided some behind the scenes glimpses into the international modeling life, but I was turned off by all the drugs and exploitation of young girls that...more
I think this novel had a lot of potential, but Porizkova fumbled shortly after the first half. I quickly lost my concern for the main character, Jirina, who despite her constant mentions of 'Anna Karenina' and Mozart got dumber as the novel progressed. The author seems semi-obsessed with bodily functions. Someone was always pooping, vomiting, menstruating or doing something I don't want to read about over lunch. On a positive note, I think Porizkova‘s descriptions of go-sees and Paris seem reali...more
Porizkova's book is very easy to read and to enjoy. The transformation of the fifteen-year-old who is quite naive and who suffers throughout most of the book with an insecurity complex is riveting for those of us who surmise as much about e modeling industry. It is really no surprise to me that the models are envious if one another and deliberately act on resentment. This is perhaps not the deepest book for someone searching for a deeper message but it contains a very intriguing story for an adu...more
I have to admit that when I realized that the model, Paulina Porizkova, wrote this book, I chuckled and thought, "Ha! A model writing a book!" but I was quick to eat my words. I really enjoyed this! It was a little shaky at parts - the transition of the main character from a 15 year old shy, green little girl to a hard edged, coke taking model wasn't easy to buy but other than that, I thought it was a good, fun read. Clearly Porizkova knows her subject well which only made it that much more beli...more
I didn't know this was a novel. I like Porizkova's writing on Huffington Post - she has a gorgeous head stuffed with smarts and sense. This book covers what a 15-year old would do if suddenly shoved into the tungsten light of celebrity and income, in 24/7 contact with creative types. Creative types are wacky and in groups are downright dangerous. I grimaced a little at Jirina's behavior, until I remembered she's 15. Her brain isn't even fully formed yet. Well written, fast-paced and I enjoyed th...more
I didn't know what to expect when I began this book. I adore Paris, which was probably the main reason I decided to buy this book. I guess you could say that it was different than I expected. I kind of thought it would be really superficial and all the characters would be super-bitchy. I was wrong. The main character, Jirina, is one of the most naive girl I have ever encountered in a book. She leaves Sweden for Paris not knowing anything, literally, about anything. She's like a child almost. The...more
Achei que “Modelo de Verão” é a analogia perfeita da maioria das modelos que circulam por aí: bonito por fora (uma capa linda), mas sem muito conteúdo por dentro... Retrata bem a superficialidade do mundo e da vida de modelo, no qual a aparência vale mais que a essência, onde as relações não se aprofundam, onde um dia é de rainha e outro de borralheira. Mas dá para tirar lições dele, principalmente as meninas que sonham com esta carreira e idealizam uma vida de pouco trabalho e muito glamour. O...more
Shy, gawky, fifteen-year-old Jirina (Yee-ree-na) is invited to come to Paris for the summer by the owner of a modeling agency. He sees a special beauty in the girl that no one else has ever noticed. Jirina has always been too tall and too skinny to consider herself attractive, and her schoolmates are of much the same opinion based on the insults they toss at her so easily.
Jirina meets her roommate Britta at the airport. Britta is perfect, blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful, everything that Jirina h...more
Jirina meets her roommate Britta at the airport. Britta is perfect, blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful, everything that Jirina h...more
I did enjoy reading this book. It was entertaining and engaging--no small feat for a writer, esp. a new one like Paulina P.--but it wasn't very deep. I kept wanting it to be more than what it was, to go a little deeper than it did. Every expected, somewhat stereotypical place she could go, she did. Of course the narrator did drugs, drank, had a skevy first time, had a bad friend, got pregnant, got with the object of her affection. Of course she did.
I also felt that the narrator was a little unde...more
I also felt that the narrator was a little unde...more
A good and engaging, but pleasantly light read for me. Like other reviewers, I picked this up after being drawn to the cover, and--like other reviewers, as well--was disappointed by the lack of closure in this book. Nothing was resolved. It's like the author decided she couldn't make the choice for her own character and left it hanging completely. Too much is left open-ended, and thus the satisfaction level declines. However, I would pass this on to a friend if they felt like a beach read.
Way, way darker than I expected -- but oddly better, too. I wouldn't call this a beach read, even though it's written by a former supermodel / former America's Next Top Model judge. I love Paulina and thought she seemed bright and cheerful in interviews and on ANTM, but this novel -- although *good*, was a little depressing. Reminded me a little bit of White Oleander, although I *loved* that book and gave it five stars. This is in a similar vein though.
This book was so much fun. I loved reading it. I learned a lot about the modeling industry, and it is really an awful industry, it appears. But, overall, this book was good, escapist fun and was written quite intelligently, in my opinion. I hope Paulina will do a sequel. I'm surprised it didn't make a bigger splash. It's really quite a fun read. Having read this book, I now do not think any young ladies should go into modeling. It's very debauched. I wonder how much of this book is true/things t...more
Thought it ended at the point where the real conflict was just starting...kind of a cop out not allowing us to see how the main character dealt with it all. But all-in-all it was a pretty compelling read and no doubt an expose' of sorts of the modeling industry.
P.S. Paulina was my favorite model during her heyday. Always thought she was a class act, and even more so now that she has shown she has some literary talent.
P.S. Paulina was my favorite model during her heyday. Always thought she was a class act, and even more so now that she has shown she has some literary talent.
I was very impressed by Ms. Porizkova's level of writing. Her style intrigued me. I really liked the whole book, although the second half couldn't keep my attention as well as the first half and seemed a bit jumpy. Nevertheless, I do not regret reading this book. The situations presented may seem extreme, but I believe they really reflect the modeling world. This is definitely a good book to read if you are fascinated by that world.
This book was interesting in that I really quite enjoyed the level of detail the author gave the audience about what the modeling/fashion industry is like for those who are just starting out. Fashion, particularly the photography side of it, has always fascinated me.
I just wish the novel had more meat in it than it did. Not a whole lot happened.
I just wish the novel had more meat in it than it did. Not a whole lot happened.
A nice piece of summer fluff. I often wondered which models the characters were reflecting. The ending is vague, too vague. I get the impression Paulina Porizkova thinks she was being artistic in leaving such an open ending, but it doesn't work with this book. There are too many variables at play so the reader can't really envision a direction Jirina (the main character) will go. If you want a good beach book, this one fits the bill.
Gritty and beautiful! A must read for all of you who love reading Vogue and are mesmerized by beautiful people. This look into the world of modeling forever changes the way I look at the profession and the fashion world in general. I was pleasantly surprised at the eloquent prose and beautiful language, too.
Really, a must read!!! :)
Really, a must read!!! :)
Nov 24, 2008
Sunflower
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of America's next Top Model
Shelves:
fiction-read-2008,
library
Written from her own modelling experience, this is an ugly-duckling-made-good account of a (very) young model's arrival in Paris for her first modelling experiences. It is very readable, probably because she is so frank about her life, but I found myself hoping that for her sake the author hadn't really made all those mistakes herself.
The book that convinced me there is little actual glamor in modeling. How does a sheltered fifteen year old girl spending her summer working as a model in Paris fare? The answer is not surprising. As the quote on the back of the book says, the novel "bravely offers no easy answers." Engrossing and disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book. I usually shy away from and am incredibly picky with fiction, because it's usually way too unrealistic and cheesy for me, but this book I couldn't put down. I think part of the reason I enjoyed it, is because it's loosely based on Paulina's own experiences and her writing style was realistic and believable. I'd suggest it as a quick easy read, and a glimpse inside the glamoure but also dark side to modeling.
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