Kylie

by William Baker

"I am both spectator and participant, objective and subjective... I am celebrating and questioning what I have known and that includes the achievements and embarrassments, the loves, the lessons, the reality and the possibility." - Kylie Minogue Kylie is a vivid self-portrait of Kylie Minogue's many different personas, both public and private, as pop singer, actress, media focus, and mass cultural icon. Moving beyond autobiography, Kylie examines her iconic status, from early Neighbors appearances to gigantic music hits, and sheds light on its peculiar organic momentum. With an essay by renowned music journalist Chris Heath developed through conversations with Kylie, and with written and visual contributions from artists, photographers, musicians and designers, the book is both a celebration and an examination of this complex and well-loved figure. Contributors include, among others, Irvine Welsh, Pierre et Gilles, Wolfgang Tillmans, Sam Taylor Wood, Vivienne Westwood, Nick Cave and Ellen von Unwerth. Designed by Farrow Design. "[Kylie is] cool enough to embrace the freakier manifestations of her iconic status with ease."

- Irvine Welsh "Simply she is divine - and multi-talented." - Elton John Embossed Hardback with slipcase; 10 x 15", 200 full color images

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Photography, Biography, Celebrity, Pop Culture, Own

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

William Baker lives on the West Coast with his wife, son, and their two cats, Tiger and Panther. An avid reader across genres, he gravitates toward mystery and thrillers. Writing from childhood onward, he later trained as an economist, but storytelling endured, eventually drawing him back to writing for good.

Reviews

[Jan De la Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I lost this book for about a month and I was pretty depressed. Not only was it a gift, but it was also out of print. I cried in my sleep until I found it on a box full of old photos ans such. It has made me happy since day one. Beautiful edition with beautiful photos. A must for fans.

[Alannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredible collection of many of Kylie's amazing outfits from her various appearances, videos and performances through the years. Although it would be impossible to include everything she's worn through her career, there is a really good selection of most major pieces here. In general, there is a photo or two of each outfit, along with a small blurb about it. There is also a description of the materials used to make the outfit, along with the designer and where/when it was worn. I believe this book was made as a companion to her travelling exhibition that was shown in select museums in 2006, even though I was not lucky enough to see that in person. This book is really well done and very highly recommended!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

As near to a Kylie (auto)biography as there's likely to be for now, this is a fun look back at her career from Neighbours to Fever. Her gay best friend Will Baker (the author) is a witty guide, although he gets far too bogged down in the detail of tour costumes towards the end.

[Barendx van den Bergh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything in this book. She is my idol and I LOVE her!

[Barendx van den Bergh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photos are sensational! Each photo has a story to tell. Obviously not a major storyline in these books but it centered around the "main character", that we all truly love... GlitterDust! Bx

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pictures, love the cover, really informative and lots of great info for those interested in styling/the fashion industry.

[Tobias · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for a Kylie style biography, for example who made a dress or outfit for a certain tour or video, this is for you. This isn't rocket science however and Baker does seem to use some words like femininity and sensuality a lot in this book, and I finished it in a few days. "La La La" is also very short so if you're looking for a juicy read about Kylie's ups and downs, both professional and personal then I'd advise to look elsewhere, but if you prefer to read the 'official' version of things, this is the best you're going to get until Kylie decides to tell her own story.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Essentially a coffee table book, with text that you're never likely to read but plenty of pictures to make up for it. The fact that Ms Minogue is very photogenic is a bonus, as is the fact that she knows a lot of very good photographers. Nice to look at, but hard to recommend otherwise.

[CadyCan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning photo book. Can't remember when read it but was pre 2009

[Adrián · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the deConstruction era chapters, ``Impossible Princess´´ being my favorite album. Recommended to anyone who's really into fashion.