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Through The Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World
We all want our children to succeed. What happens when they do?
Britney Spears wanted to sing ever since she was a little girl. But the years of sacrifices, auditions, performances, albums, fame, and paparazzi left the little Louisiana family swept up and spun around, and nothing turned out the way anyone ever imagined or wanted. Now Lynne shares the inside story of the Spears family as only a mother can.
Through the Storm takes readers outside the narrow orbit of the Hollywood glitterati. Lynne shares how fame forever changed their family; her regrets letting managers, agents, and record companies direct the lives of her children; the challenges that shaped Lynne and Jamie's failed marriage and how they affected Bryan, Britney, and Jamie Lynn; the startling events that led to Britney's breakdown; the aftermath of Jamie Lynn's pregnancy; and how the family has tried pulling together to recapture a sense of hope and purpose.
Through the Storm, says Lynne, is "the story of one simple Southern woman whose family got caught in a tornado called fame, and who is still trying to sort through the debris scattered all over her life in the aftermath. It's who I am, warts and all, with some true confessions that took a long time to get up the nerve to discuss."
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2008
29 people are currently reading
1262 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Spears
5 books19 followersLynne Irene Spears is an author and the mother of pop singer Britney Spears and teen actress Jamie Lynn Spears.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
February 26, 2009
You know how sometimes you're in a library with a massive migraine medication hangover and you pick out books that seem like a good idea at the time, but of course they are not? :) Well, this is one of those books for me.
The author is the mother of Britney and Jaime Lynn Spears, and she does a fabulous job of not spilling any dirt on her famous children beyond the embarrassing childhood stories which are completely harmless. I have a lot of respect for her for this, as well as for her strong Christian faith which she emphasizes throughout the book. Unfortunately, as a story, this book doesn't hang together well as a result. We don't really come to understand exactly how the events unfolded or why she made the choices she did (other than her own admission that she deferred too many decisions to the "experts" managing her children's careers and would do it differently if she could). And in some places this vagueness is very unsettling, as in the part where she tells of a car accident where she was driving and someone in the other car ended up dead. She avoids saying directly what happened, saying only that the victim "was hit". My overall impression is that this is a woman who lets life happen to her rather than taking control of it. So she has no real advice to offer anyone for anything - this book is just a vague story and nothing more.
The author is the mother of Britney and Jaime Lynn Spears, and she does a fabulous job of not spilling any dirt on her famous children beyond the embarrassing childhood stories which are completely harmless. I have a lot of respect for her for this, as well as for her strong Christian faith which she emphasizes throughout the book. Unfortunately, as a story, this book doesn't hang together well as a result. We don't really come to understand exactly how the events unfolded or why she made the choices she did (other than her own admission that she deferred too many decisions to the "experts" managing her children's careers and would do it differently if she could). And in some places this vagueness is very unsettling, as in the part where she tells of a car accident where she was driving and someone in the other car ended up dead. She avoids saying directly what happened, saying only that the victim "was hit". My overall impression is that this is a woman who lets life happen to her rather than taking control of it. So she has no real advice to offer anyone for anything - this book is just a vague story and nothing more.
November 13, 2008
I became interested in this book because I recently became addicted to the Britney Spears “Womanizer” song. I know! You do not have to say it…I know. Anyway…
When I read the introduction to the book I was hopeful that it would be a heartfelt memoir from a mother who loves all her children unconditionally. Lynne Spears begins the book by asserting that this book is dedicated to her children and she wants them to know how much she loves them, no matter what horrible things have happened in their lives. She goes on to state that this book will not be gossip about her children but is instead her own memoir and thoughts on the fame and tabloid stories her daughters have experienced.
The beginning of the book is about Lynne’s parents, her childhood, adolescence, marriage, and relationships with her sister and friends. The deeper into the book I delved the more annoyed I became. Lynne constantly mentioned Britney’s and Jamie Lynn’s situations throughout her own history. Though she mentioned her first born, Bryan, in the beginning and throughout the book his part seemed to be an afterthought that was added in later when she realized he should be a part of the story.
I felt as if Lynne Spears was “name dropping” throughout the book and making herself seem more important than she actually is. She mentioned her own heartache by watching Britney’s career and its downward spiral. Including how devastated she was as she watched her middle child shave her head on television.
I also noticed that throughout the story she made excuses as to why she could not be with Britney in certain instances. She did not travel with Britney when she recorded her first album. She was not with Britney when her children were taken away. She was not with Britney when she spiraled out of control and infamously shaved her head. The book was riddled with instances of how she was needed elsewhere.
All in all, I believe this book was Lynne’s attempt to clear her name in the public eye and make her children out to be victims of fame and fortune. The book was erratic at best and followed no true timeline or direction. I am glad I did not purchase this book as I would have been disappointed by the loss of money. But then, who am I? Each reader forms his or her opinions independent of my thoughts or perceptions. But if you choose to partake in this “narrative” be wary of the strategies that went into this book.
When I read the introduction to the book I was hopeful that it would be a heartfelt memoir from a mother who loves all her children unconditionally. Lynne Spears begins the book by asserting that this book is dedicated to her children and she wants them to know how much she loves them, no matter what horrible things have happened in their lives. She goes on to state that this book will not be gossip about her children but is instead her own memoir and thoughts on the fame and tabloid stories her daughters have experienced.
The beginning of the book is about Lynne’s parents, her childhood, adolescence, marriage, and relationships with her sister and friends. The deeper into the book I delved the more annoyed I became. Lynne constantly mentioned Britney’s and Jamie Lynn’s situations throughout her own history. Though she mentioned her first born, Bryan, in the beginning and throughout the book his part seemed to be an afterthought that was added in later when she realized he should be a part of the story.
I felt as if Lynne Spears was “name dropping” throughout the book and making herself seem more important than she actually is. She mentioned her own heartache by watching Britney’s career and its downward spiral. Including how devastated she was as she watched her middle child shave her head on television.
I also noticed that throughout the story she made excuses as to why she could not be with Britney in certain instances. She did not travel with Britney when she recorded her first album. She was not with Britney when her children were taken away. She was not with Britney when she spiraled out of control and infamously shaved her head. The book was riddled with instances of how she was needed elsewhere.
All in all, I believe this book was Lynne’s attempt to clear her name in the public eye and make her children out to be victims of fame and fortune. The book was erratic at best and followed no true timeline or direction. I am glad I did not purchase this book as I would have been disappointed by the loss of money. But then, who am I? Each reader forms his or her opinions independent of my thoughts or perceptions. But if you choose to partake in this “narrative” be wary of the strategies that went into this book.
December 17, 2020
Free Britney
March 13, 2009
A simple southern schoolteacher. A Simple southern mama. A Simple this and a simple that.
That's all good and fine- but actions speak louder than words. None of the the simple southern people I've ever seen, besides Spears of course, are seen "dripping in diamonds"- I should note here that the diamonds she's dripping in aren't read- they're fake. Hmmmmm. Not buying it.
I went into this with a very open mind. I'm not ashamed to have bought the book myself. I'm not ashamed to like Britney- I like her a lot actually. But the book itself is really very mediocre. Lynne was trying to get the world to believe her and not the media. I would do the same I'm sure. The only problem is that Lynne doesn't come off as being honest. In fact, she fails miserably.
Don't get me wrong- there were some parts that were okay. The parts where she talked about how she loves being a mother struck home and struck me as real- because I love being a mother.
I had a problem with the parts- and there were many- where she put the blame on anyone else- except Lynne Spears. Then, at the end, she tells us mothers to embrace ourselved and not to live with regret, that we all make mistakes we wish we could have a chance to do over. Well, everything else she wrote in the book went against that.
She never did this that the media portrayed, she never did that. She never let Jamie Lynn sleep with that boy, she never was going to have Britney locked up, she never "wanted" Britney to become so large, she never took money for an interview- matter of fact, she never even gave an interview. All the 'exclusives' we've all seen have come from her innocent words to strangers in public places. Yeah, I guess that's normal...I always air my dirty laundry to the woman behind me at Dunkin Donuts.
I wish I could have done this review as I was reading but my computer was down yesterday and it's a fast read- it only took me about a day and a half. (Keep in mind I was reading it for 25 points for my Spring Challenge also.) I've forgotten a lot of the little things I wanted to mention.
That's neither here nor there because anyone who has read or who does read the book will of course come to their own conclusions. It's really not very hard to see at all what Lynne tried to do. She wants the blame on anyone else but herself. Whatever, that doesn't effect me so I can't honestly say I care. She could have tried to be a little more compelling though in my opinion.
I like the woman really- moms do make mistakes. Being pushed into sudden fame of that magnitude had to be crazy. I probably would have thought the industry people knew better than me also.
Another thing I didn't like that didn't get too bad until the end was the religious aspect. The entire book it was there but kind of in the background which was cool. We actually share the same religon and most of the same beliefs....but....I still don't like anything religiosu being shoved down my throat and at the end there was a lot of shoving. I don't need Lynne Spears to tell me God holds me in His hand. I either beleieve that or I don't and nothing she does or says will change that. I don't need her to let me know that He forgives me for my sins. She really should stick to worrying about her sins and not what God is doing.
That's all good and fine- but actions speak louder than words. None of the the simple southern people I've ever seen, besides Spears of course, are seen "dripping in diamonds"- I should note here that the diamonds she's dripping in aren't read- they're fake. Hmmmmm. Not buying it.
I went into this with a very open mind. I'm not ashamed to have bought the book myself. I'm not ashamed to like Britney- I like her a lot actually. But the book itself is really very mediocre. Lynne was trying to get the world to believe her and not the media. I would do the same I'm sure. The only problem is that Lynne doesn't come off as being honest. In fact, she fails miserably.
Don't get me wrong- there were some parts that were okay. The parts where she talked about how she loves being a mother struck home and struck me as real- because I love being a mother.
I had a problem with the parts- and there were many- where she put the blame on anyone else- except Lynne Spears. Then, at the end, she tells us mothers to embrace ourselved and not to live with regret, that we all make mistakes we wish we could have a chance to do over. Well, everything else she wrote in the book went against that.
She never did this that the media portrayed, she never did that. She never let Jamie Lynn sleep with that boy, she never was going to have Britney locked up, she never "wanted" Britney to become so large, she never took money for an interview- matter of fact, she never even gave an interview. All the 'exclusives' we've all seen have come from her innocent words to strangers in public places. Yeah, I guess that's normal...I always air my dirty laundry to the woman behind me at Dunkin Donuts.
I wish I could have done this review as I was reading but my computer was down yesterday and it's a fast read- it only took me about a day and a half. (Keep in mind I was reading it for 25 points for my Spring Challenge also.) I've forgotten a lot of the little things I wanted to mention.
That's neither here nor there because anyone who has read or who does read the book will of course come to their own conclusions. It's really not very hard to see at all what Lynne tried to do. She wants the blame on anyone else but herself. Whatever, that doesn't effect me so I can't honestly say I care. She could have tried to be a little more compelling though in my opinion.
I like the woman really- moms do make mistakes. Being pushed into sudden fame of that magnitude had to be crazy. I probably would have thought the industry people knew better than me also.
Another thing I didn't like that didn't get too bad until the end was the religious aspect. The entire book it was there but kind of in the background which was cool. We actually share the same religon and most of the same beliefs....but....I still don't like anything religiosu being shoved down my throat and at the end there was a lot of shoving. I don't need Lynne Spears to tell me God holds me in His hand. I either beleieve that or I don't and nothing she does or says will change that. I don't need her to let me know that He forgives me for my sins. She really should stick to worrying about her sins and not what God is doing.
February 1, 2013
So, in a nutshell... Anything that has ever happened to Britney and her siblings in their lives is because of their alcoholic father... Absolutely no blame can be placed on their saint of a mother... 99% of the book was spent bashing her kid's father. This woman makes me want to puke.
November 20, 2023
If you want to be even more fired up about Britney, read this. A delusional mother who truly thinks she has done nothing wrong. It took me so long to read because I would get so mad I had to take breaks!
October 29, 2023
Exploiting her daughter
October 25, 2023
Lynn Spears is TRASH. #BelieveBritney
March 13, 2024
Fuck you, you evil bitch of a “mother”
December 17, 2023
Didn't read the book. Just hate what she did to Britney
November 19, 2023
Incredibly boring with way too many religious rants and references to God and felt like it was a narcissistic grab at Lynn trying to convince us what a marvelous mother teacher and everything else she is.
January 9, 2015
Not as good as I thought it would be, although it does shed light on what happened to Britney during her "shaving her head" phase. I am a true Britney fan though and was pleased that her mom wrote about her kids in a good light and stuck up for the struggle that her daughter went through. I could have done without the preaching though.
July 15, 2009
I really struggled with how to review this book. On the one hand, the writing is atrocious. I can't even begin to explain how bad it is, needless to say there are lots of exclamation marks.
On the other hand, I couldn't put it down. It was like watching a train wreck. So that means there must've been something worthwhile about it.
On the other hand, I couldn't put it down. It was like watching a train wreck. So that means there must've been something worthwhile about it.
August 7, 2011
I'm ashamed I read this book. But I did, and it was every bit as horrible as I expected. I don't recommend it. Her writing style is the worst I think I've ever seen in published work.
December 24, 2023
Boring boring boring. Horrible mother and horrible person. I hope your daughter is through with you and that demon of a father.
March 26, 2017
"At some point, children are going to make their own choices, regardless of the parenting they received." - Lynn Spears
I wholeheartedly agree with this quote. Not because this is one of the points Lynn tries to make in this book, but because it seriously bugs me when parents are blamed for their children's mistakes.
Anyhow.
I enjoyed this book - but like 90 percent of my enjoyment was because I'm biased - I was a huge fan of Britney and Jamie Lynn growing up (which is the only reason I picked up this book).
On that note - the point of this book was to illustrate how fame and the tabloids affected the Spears family. I feel that she spent a bit too much time talking about her parents lives and her life and marriage pre-kids and pre-fame, her friends... Etc. Like, it's not really relevant. It was annoying. It has nothing to do with anything.
I don't want to complain about her writing style because she's just a mom telling her story. But even ignoring that- why the poems? Why the snippets from her journal? So many time she said "if you've ever experienced x then you've felt x and know what I'm talking about" - UM yes we all know that's how things work.
The stories of her children were quite vague or under-detailed summaries of events. I mean, I can understand no juicy gossip - but any other stories would've sufficed. It was mostly "oh my kid did this thing and I was furious but by the grace of God we will get through this"
Toward the end of the book- the last few chapters discussing Britney post-2007-meltdown but pre-comeback - Lynn's trauma of that situation is reflected so well on those pages - and just her writing style in general got better - if she wrote a mystery/suspense novel like that I would eat it up!
I realise that this review doesn't make much sense. Oops.
I wholeheartedly agree with this quote. Not because this is one of the points Lynn tries to make in this book, but because it seriously bugs me when parents are blamed for their children's mistakes.
Anyhow.
I enjoyed this book - but like 90 percent of my enjoyment was because I'm biased - I was a huge fan of Britney and Jamie Lynn growing up (which is the only reason I picked up this book).
On that note - the point of this book was to illustrate how fame and the tabloids affected the Spears family. I feel that she spent a bit too much time talking about her parents lives and her life and marriage pre-kids and pre-fame, her friends... Etc. Like, it's not really relevant. It was annoying. It has nothing to do with anything.
I don't want to complain about her writing style because she's just a mom telling her story. But even ignoring that- why the poems? Why the snippets from her journal? So many time she said "if you've ever experienced x then you've felt x and know what I'm talking about" - UM yes we all know that's how things work.
The stories of her children were quite vague or under-detailed summaries of events. I mean, I can understand no juicy gossip - but any other stories would've sufficed. It was mostly "oh my kid did this thing and I was furious but by the grace of God we will get through this"
Toward the end of the book- the last few chapters discussing Britney post-2007-meltdown but pre-comeback - Lynn's trauma of that situation is reflected so well on those pages - and just her writing style in general got better - if she wrote a mystery/suspense novel like that I would eat it up!
I realise that this review doesn't make much sense. Oops.
March 6, 2009
hmmm…what can I say about this book. Let’s start with what I already knew and what is it that I know now.
What the book is about: This book is an autobiography of Britney Spears mother, Lynne Spears. As the front cover put’s it, the book is ‘A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid’.
What I already knew: Whether you like Britney Spears or not, no one can deny that almost everyone knows her. I knew a little about her career graph, her breakup with Justin, her first marriage fiasco, her second marriage to Kevin and also that she has 2 sons. Recently I read that her younger sister Jamie was pregnant (I didn’t know she was in showbiz too) I had read a little on Sam Mufti but wasn’t too familiar with him and his relationship with Britney. I liked Britney and I do like her even now (I know). There is something about her that does not make me hate or dislike her. I just feel really bad about her life and what it has become.
My impressions on the book: When you read a memoir or an autobiography it is very difficult to separate the person from the book. Judging the book is judging the person writing it. I’ll try not to but it might be a little difficult here.
When I saw Britney’s shaved head splashing on the television all I could think was, ‘poor girl, why is she doing this? Where is her family?’ Specifically, ‘Where is her mother?’.
I knew absolutely nothing about her mother. This book is more about her life and how she faced the difficult times. She clears at the beginning of the book that this book does not contain any gossip. I did not start this book in intention of getting any inside scoop, I just wanted to know how an extremely successful pop star who had everything could throw away her life like this. As I said I really like Britney Spears.
Lynne Spears was born in a small town in Kentwood, Louisiana. She was very close to her mom who was a war bride from London. I think she had one sister Sandra and a brother Sonny. There is in fact a lot on Sandra in the book. Lynne married Jamie Spears and gave birth to Brian after a short time. After that she had Britney and 10 years later, an unplanned child Jamie Lynn(named after herself and her husband).
Jamie was an on-off alcoholic and Lynne had to struggle with managing the finances and also worrying about her relationship with her husband. Although I have read a lot of reviews which said she tried to blame Jamie for many things that went wrong, I don’t see it that way. Living with an alcoholic is very difficult and something that has permanent consequences on any family. I don’t think there was a blame game as far as Jamie was concerned.
Britney was very talented and loved performing since she was really young. Although the tabloids said she was a stage mom and wanted to gain fame and wealth through her daughter, Lynne Spears denies it. She says she never pushed her daughter into something she didn’t want to do. As she puts it, ‘doors opened and we just walked in’. As Britney became famous after her single ‘baby one more time’, she lost control of her daughter. She left everything to Britney’s managers and the record company.
After a while, she and Britney were estranged. She does not really go much into why and how. When Sam Mufti came into the picture she decided to take control of the situation with the help of her husband persuaded the court to put a restraining order on him. I felt really uncomfortable and sad after reading the section on Sam Mufti. I never liked him in the first place and reading the book has intensified my dislike.
Lynne does not give any more information on Britney than the tabloids did and that’s something I really liked about the book. She has also written some really disturbing incidents concerning the media which were really shocking. She says although she knew fame comes with a price, she didn’t know how big the price would be.
Conclusion: This book is a good reminder of what a perfectly normal, close knit family from a rural American town can go through when they are thrown into sudden fame and scrutiny. I think the real purpose in writing this book was to clear her side of the things (although Lynne says it isn’t), but that’s how the book comes across. From the way I see it, Lynne and her family was incapable of handling the package that fame comes in. The only accusation I’ll throw on her after reading the book is being too passive and naive. She trusted other people and even her daughters too much. I think she did her best with whatever she had and the only way she knew how to. I have a more compassion towards Britney and her family now and I really hope that Britney manages to come out of it.
P.S: The writing is bad but the book is an easy read, good to breeze through.
originally posted at http://violetcrush.wordpress.com
What the book is about: This book is an autobiography of Britney Spears mother, Lynne Spears. As the front cover put’s it, the book is ‘A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid’.
What I already knew: Whether you like Britney Spears or not, no one can deny that almost everyone knows her. I knew a little about her career graph, her breakup with Justin, her first marriage fiasco, her second marriage to Kevin and also that she has 2 sons. Recently I read that her younger sister Jamie was pregnant (I didn’t know she was in showbiz too) I had read a little on Sam Mufti but wasn’t too familiar with him and his relationship with Britney. I liked Britney and I do like her even now (I know). There is something about her that does not make me hate or dislike her. I just feel really bad about her life and what it has become.
My impressions on the book: When you read a memoir or an autobiography it is very difficult to separate the person from the book. Judging the book is judging the person writing it. I’ll try not to but it might be a little difficult here.
When I saw Britney’s shaved head splashing on the television all I could think was, ‘poor girl, why is she doing this? Where is her family?’ Specifically, ‘Where is her mother?’.
I knew absolutely nothing about her mother. This book is more about her life and how she faced the difficult times. She clears at the beginning of the book that this book does not contain any gossip. I did not start this book in intention of getting any inside scoop, I just wanted to know how an extremely successful pop star who had everything could throw away her life like this. As I said I really like Britney Spears.
Lynne Spears was born in a small town in Kentwood, Louisiana. She was very close to her mom who was a war bride from London. I think she had one sister Sandra and a brother Sonny. There is in fact a lot on Sandra in the book. Lynne married Jamie Spears and gave birth to Brian after a short time. After that she had Britney and 10 years later, an unplanned child Jamie Lynn(named after herself and her husband).
Jamie was an on-off alcoholic and Lynne had to struggle with managing the finances and also worrying about her relationship with her husband. Although I have read a lot of reviews which said she tried to blame Jamie for many things that went wrong, I don’t see it that way. Living with an alcoholic is very difficult and something that has permanent consequences on any family. I don’t think there was a blame game as far as Jamie was concerned.
Britney was very talented and loved performing since she was really young. Although the tabloids said she was a stage mom and wanted to gain fame and wealth through her daughter, Lynne Spears denies it. She says she never pushed her daughter into something she didn’t want to do. As she puts it, ‘doors opened and we just walked in’. As Britney became famous after her single ‘baby one more time’, she lost control of her daughter. She left everything to Britney’s managers and the record company.
After a while, she and Britney were estranged. She does not really go much into why and how. When Sam Mufti came into the picture she decided to take control of the situation with the help of her husband persuaded the court to put a restraining order on him. I felt really uncomfortable and sad after reading the section on Sam Mufti. I never liked him in the first place and reading the book has intensified my dislike.
Lynne does not give any more information on Britney than the tabloids did and that’s something I really liked about the book. She has also written some really disturbing incidents concerning the media which were really shocking. She says although she knew fame comes with a price, she didn’t know how big the price would be.
Conclusion: This book is a good reminder of what a perfectly normal, close knit family from a rural American town can go through when they are thrown into sudden fame and scrutiny. I think the real purpose in writing this book was to clear her side of the things (although Lynne says it isn’t), but that’s how the book comes across. From the way I see it, Lynne and her family was incapable of handling the package that fame comes in. The only accusation I’ll throw on her after reading the book is being too passive and naive. She trusted other people and even her daughters too much. I think she did her best with whatever she had and the only way she knew how to. I have a more compassion towards Britney and her family now and I really hope that Britney manages to come out of it.
P.S: The writing is bad but the book is an easy read, good to breeze through.
originally posted at http://violetcrush.wordpress.com
March 29, 2015
Source: I own a copy of this book.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
Let me start out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a fan of the Spears family and reading this book, I felt I got a better look into who they are.
Plain and simple: The Spears family are just that. They are people. The tabloids do a good job glamorizing and trashing celebrities, but they forget that in the end they are people with lives and history like everyone else.
Lynne Spears is one strong woman. She did a fantastic job detailing her version of who the Spears family really are in this book. From dealing with an alcoholic husband and divorce, to almost losing a child, losing many family members, dealing with bankruptcy, to the rise to fame her daughters achieved and all the struggles that came along with that, Lynne Spears has had quite a life.
What this book is not:
1. A tell all gossip book about her famous daughters.
2. A book story told to make you feel sympathy for the family.
What this book is:
1. A book detailing the life of Lynne Spears.
2. A book detailing the struggles and setbacks the Spears family faced throughout their lives.
3. Details briefly what Jamie Lynn and Britney went through while accomplishing their dreams.
Do Not buy this book if you are looking for gossip. Its not in these pages. While Lynne touches briefly on the show biz aspect of her daughter's careers and their struggles with their lives, Lynne mainly focuses on her life and her struggles and how she dealt with everything that happened.
Note: These are my personal opinions. I received no outside person comments or opinions.
Let me start out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a fan of the Spears family and reading this book, I felt I got a better look into who they are.
Plain and simple: The Spears family are just that. They are people. The tabloids do a good job glamorizing and trashing celebrities, but they forget that in the end they are people with lives and history like everyone else.
Lynne Spears is one strong woman. She did a fantastic job detailing her version of who the Spears family really are in this book. From dealing with an alcoholic husband and divorce, to almost losing a child, losing many family members, dealing with bankruptcy, to the rise to fame her daughters achieved and all the struggles that came along with that, Lynne Spears has had quite a life.
What this book is not:
1. A tell all gossip book about her famous daughters.
2. A book story told to make you feel sympathy for the family.
What this book is:
1. A book detailing the life of Lynne Spears.
2. A book detailing the struggles and setbacks the Spears family faced throughout their lives.
3. Details briefly what Jamie Lynn and Britney went through while accomplishing their dreams.
Do Not buy this book if you are looking for gossip. Its not in these pages. While Lynne touches briefly on the show biz aspect of her daughter's careers and their struggles with their lives, Lynne mainly focuses on her life and her struggles and how she dealt with everything that happened.
December 29, 2008
I liked this book more than I thought I would. I figured it would be some tabloid-esque piece of trivia. What I found, instead, was a thoughtful book written by a loving mother. Lynne shares her story and that of her famous family. She shares the ups and downs as well as her fears.
An incredibly easy book to read and while somewhat shallow and trivial, I came away with the impression that Lynne was very naive and trusting when it came to allowing her daughters to pursue their dreams of entertaining. She blindly trusted too many people, rather than educating herself about the entertainment world and taking an active role in her daughters' careers.
I also understood her fear and distrust of the media. I believe very little of what I read and hear reported by media outlets. I think that the entertainment media, especially, have a distinct lack of integrity in their reporting.
I don't follow Britney Spears in the media. I really don't care about her or her life. I did, however, appreciate the viewpoint her mother gives about how difficult life in the public eye can be. I"m sure that Lynne Spears is a loving, concerned mother just like the rest of us. Parenting itself is difficult, parenting in a fishbowl must be a nightmare.
An incredibly easy book to read and while somewhat shallow and trivial, I came away with the impression that Lynne was very naive and trusting when it came to allowing her daughters to pursue their dreams of entertaining. She blindly trusted too many people, rather than educating herself about the entertainment world and taking an active role in her daughters' careers.
I also understood her fear and distrust of the media. I believe very little of what I read and hear reported by media outlets. I think that the entertainment media, especially, have a distinct lack of integrity in their reporting.
I don't follow Britney Spears in the media. I really don't care about her or her life. I did, however, appreciate the viewpoint her mother gives about how difficult life in the public eye can be. I"m sure that Lynne Spears is a loving, concerned mother just like the rest of us. Parenting itself is difficult, parenting in a fishbowl must be a nightmare.
January 29, 2024
Starts by saying this isn't a book about dirt on her children, then proceeds talk all about her children's personal lives.
I listened to someone read it on youtube cause I didn't want to waste money on it. I'm glad I did. It's nonsense.
To me, it shows she has an odd way of thinking that clearly isn't serving her. She puts everything on God so she doesn't have any responsibility.
I listened to someone read it on youtube cause I didn't want to waste money on it. I'm glad I did. It's nonsense.
To me, it shows she has an odd way of thinking that clearly isn't serving her. She puts everything on God so she doesn't have any responsibility.
April 3, 2022
Okay, maybe I am a tad biased because I have been a fan of her daughters since practically day one, but I didn't really expect this to be a tell-all book and I gotta say that I'm thrilled that it wasn't.
Through The Storm is an autobiography of Lynne's viewpoint of Britney's career, but at the same time, she also dives into HER history. There were a lot of things in this book regarding her daughter Britney, the well-known Princess of Pop, and I was SHOCKED by the things I learned surrounding Britney's all too public breakdown. I've already known for awhile now that you cannot believe everything you hear.
For random example, apparently, the British boy Band ONE DIRECTION is rumoured to be performing in the BUFF! It could be true, but I highly doubt it! You cannot believe everything you read.
I do find that after reading this book that my opinion of the paparazzi has completely drilled through the ground, and I didn't think my opinion could sink any lower. I first got a glimpse of what Britney has to endure when I saw the documentary For The Record. There's a scene in there where she can't even get out of the van because the press is all up in arms about her presence. I was unaware however that there were people close to Britney that were making her breakdown far worse than it could have been.
It was interesting learning about where Britney came from, but it was also interesting reading what her mother wanted to say.
I admit that I sort of fell into the negative talk of Britney, and I regret that in the respect that I know I bought into the press just like they want us too. I don't pretend that people don't go into fame and want certain things hidden, but when the press begins making stuff up, I revert to saying, You cannot believe everything you read!
Britney's song 'Piece of Me' finally makes more sense. And it also makes more sense why several of Britney's video deal with mock paparazzi. Also, her song, 'If You Seek Amy,' makes more sense, even though that one didn't make much less sense before reading this book as Piece of Me did.
This is the second book I've read where Lynne was the author or at least the co-author and I can say that this was as compelling as the story she wrote with Britney in 2001, A Mother's Gift. 5/5 Stars, not because I am biased, but because I could really comprehend several things in this book and empathize.
EDIT 4-3-2022: Given recent events and with what has become known in the past 2 years, I am not sure how much of this book can be believed. Therefore, I am reducing my rating to 1 star. It's disappointing. I'm sorry Britney's family did this to her.
Through The Storm is an autobiography of Lynne's viewpoint of Britney's career, but at the same time, she also dives into HER history. There were a lot of things in this book regarding her daughter Britney, the well-known Princess of Pop, and I was SHOCKED by the things I learned surrounding Britney's all too public breakdown. I've already known for awhile now that you cannot believe everything you hear.
For random example, apparently, the British boy Band ONE DIRECTION is rumoured to be performing in the BUFF! It could be true, but I highly doubt it! You cannot believe everything you read.
I do find that after reading this book that my opinion of the paparazzi has completely drilled through the ground, and I didn't think my opinion could sink any lower. I first got a glimpse of what Britney has to endure when I saw the documentary For The Record. There's a scene in there where she can't even get out of the van because the press is all up in arms about her presence. I was unaware however that there were people close to Britney that were making her breakdown far worse than it could have been.
It was interesting learning about where Britney came from, but it was also interesting reading what her mother wanted to say.
I admit that I sort of fell into the negative talk of Britney, and I regret that in the respect that I know I bought into the press just like they want us too. I don't pretend that people don't go into fame and want certain things hidden, but when the press begins making stuff up, I revert to saying, You cannot believe everything you read!
Britney's song 'Piece of Me' finally makes more sense. And it also makes more sense why several of Britney's video deal with mock paparazzi. Also, her song, 'If You Seek Amy,' makes more sense, even though that one didn't make much less sense before reading this book as Piece of Me did.
This is the second book I've read where Lynne was the author or at least the co-author and I can say that this was as compelling as the story she wrote with Britney in 2001, A Mother's Gift. 5/5 Stars, not because I am biased, but because I could really comprehend several things in this book and empathize.
EDIT 4-3-2022: Given recent events and with what has become known in the past 2 years, I am not sure how much of this book can be believed. Therefore, I am reducing my rating to 1 star. It's disappointing. I'm sorry Britney's family did this to her.
March 28, 2014
Picked this book up as a light, silly read. It did not disappoint. It was interesting in ways the author probably did not intend. If you can take the author’s view of reality with a grain of salt, it is an entertaining read.
By page 13, you can see the makings of a train wreck waiting to happen. On page two, she talks about her happiest days when Britney was building her a “grandeose” home. She contrasts this with her lowest point - when Britney shaved off her hair. Interestingly, she doesn’t include her sister’s death or Jaime Lynn’s pregnancy as a low point. Later, she also admits to killing a young boy (she hit him with her car), but this only gets a couple paragraphs and is not included in any of her great regrets.
She tellingly writes that she has spent her entire life seeking someone who would take care of her as well as her “daddy” did. Note: As a Northener it felt very weird to read a grown woman address her parents as “daddy” and “mama”. Reading in between the lines, it is easy to tell the family had to constantly manage Lynn and her emotions. She spends much of this book discussing her emotions and obviously has a very high regard for them.
I found it very interesting how a women with such a storied past can talk so self righteously about herself and her family. She seems to be open and honest about her past (or at least her perception of it) but has no shame about anything. For example, she says she doesn’t believe in divorce while talking about how she married a previously divorced man and then eventually divorced him herself. She doesn’t see the contradiction between her statements and her actions. She definitely enspouses a philosophy of relativism.
She also has a weird understanding of spirituality. It made me cringe that Lynn Spears frequently referenced her faith and the bible. She bends religion to suit her desires and gives Christians a very bad image. She uses her faith as a shield against responsibility and an excuse for her actions. For example, she repeats a couple times that God opened the doors for Britney’s stardom, so she can’t be faulted for allowing the family to “walk through a door God himself opened”.
I did read the entire book. It was refreshingly short and had nice chapter breaks. It was very readable in terms of writing style. Reading this book was like a blast from the past, reminding me of a time when people cared about Britney and were scandalized by her.
By page 13, you can see the makings of a train wreck waiting to happen. On page two, she talks about her happiest days when Britney was building her a “grandeose” home. She contrasts this with her lowest point - when Britney shaved off her hair. Interestingly, she doesn’t include her sister’s death or Jaime Lynn’s pregnancy as a low point. Later, she also admits to killing a young boy (she hit him with her car), but this only gets a couple paragraphs and is not included in any of her great regrets.
She tellingly writes that she has spent her entire life seeking someone who would take care of her as well as her “daddy” did. Note: As a Northener it felt very weird to read a grown woman address her parents as “daddy” and “mama”. Reading in between the lines, it is easy to tell the family had to constantly manage Lynn and her emotions. She spends much of this book discussing her emotions and obviously has a very high regard for them.
I found it very interesting how a women with such a storied past can talk so self righteously about herself and her family. She seems to be open and honest about her past (or at least her perception of it) but has no shame about anything. For example, she says she doesn’t believe in divorce while talking about how she married a previously divorced man and then eventually divorced him herself. She doesn’t see the contradiction between her statements and her actions. She definitely enspouses a philosophy of relativism.
She also has a weird understanding of spirituality. It made me cringe that Lynn Spears frequently referenced her faith and the bible. She bends religion to suit her desires and gives Christians a very bad image. She uses her faith as a shield against responsibility and an excuse for her actions. For example, she repeats a couple times that God opened the doors for Britney’s stardom, so she can’t be faulted for allowing the family to “walk through a door God himself opened”.
I did read the entire book. It was refreshingly short and had nice chapter breaks. It was very readable in terms of writing style. Reading this book was like a blast from the past, reminding me of a time when people cared about Britney and were scandalized by her.
July 26, 2022
As a big fan of Britney Spears and the #FreeBritney movement, I added this book to my wishlist a few years ago believing that I'll learn more about the conservatorship that Britney was put in (thankfully she's now free and I cannot wait for her lawyer to sue everyone involved). There were perhaps one or two lines about it and nothing more.
While this gives a considerable backstory to Lynne Spears' life, it's obvious from the start that she is weak and just goes along with everything. There are some heartfelt moments, it was great to hear about her values, her Christian life, and her backstory, as well as her mother coming to the US from the UK - which explains Britney's love for the UK and her love of putting on a British accent.
Lynne Spears mainly highlights the ups and downs of her children's lives and how they went down the superstar route, whilst also showcasing that Jamie Spears wasn't much a part of Britney's career-focused life - that much we knew, but how he ended up managing to get a conservatorship out on his daughter is still unknown. Lynne Spears doesn't just focus on Britney's life, though, she does mention Jamie-Lynn and her teenage pregnancy, and she does mention Brian a few times.
By the end of this, I didn't feel anything, I didn't get anything. It upset me to tears to think of Britney needing support and therapy, not being put into a conservatorship. There's also mention of Sam Lufti, and it was somewhat interesting to read from Lynne's perspective on this - I was too young at the time to fully understand what was going on even though I was a fan of Britney. The book just feels like Lynne used this as an opportunity to be in the limelight herself... Years later, Jamie-Lynn seems to follow in her footsteps with her own book release.
While this gives a considerable backstory to Lynne Spears' life, it's obvious from the start that she is weak and just goes along with everything. There are some heartfelt moments, it was great to hear about her values, her Christian life, and her backstory, as well as her mother coming to the US from the UK - which explains Britney's love for the UK and her love of putting on a British accent.
Lynne Spears mainly highlights the ups and downs of her children's lives and how they went down the superstar route, whilst also showcasing that Jamie Spears wasn't much a part of Britney's career-focused life - that much we knew, but how he ended up managing to get a conservatorship out on his daughter is still unknown. Lynne Spears doesn't just focus on Britney's life, though, she does mention Jamie-Lynn and her teenage pregnancy, and she does mention Brian a few times.
By the end of this, I didn't feel anything, I didn't get anything. It upset me to tears to think of Britney needing support and therapy, not being put into a conservatorship. There's also mention of Sam Lufti, and it was somewhat interesting to read from Lynne's perspective on this - I was too young at the time to fully understand what was going on even though I was a fan of Britney. The book just feels like Lynne used this as an opportunity to be in the limelight herself... Years later, Jamie-Lynn seems to follow in her footsteps with her own book release.
January 14, 2024
Oof.
I'm torn about my rating for this book simply because it was written in 2008, and I read it in 2024... so much has happened since then that's not covered in the book!
She must have lots of extra pairs of rose colored glasses to wear when her current pair are covered in mud and she can't see.
Content:
First: interesting to see her perspective on life events and comparing it to Jamie Lynn's and Britney's (I read their books, too). Sometimes, it doesn't add up at all. Other times, it's interesting to see their perspectives of the same incident.
Second: I wish she would take more responsibility for her actions. Her codependent behaviors with an alcoholic husband absolutely had a huge impact on their household and children. Own up!
Third: if what she says is true...about Sam slipping Britney drugs and the only way to take control was by a restraining order and conservatorship...I can kind of see that. Britney was in dire straights. But that got out of hand really quick and stuck around for 13 years. There's more to this story.
Four: she praises Casey (Jamie Lynn's baby daddy) when that guy is terrible and a criminal.
The writing:
Why does the end of every chapter have a "cliffhanger" or some type of pun? Reminds me of Keith Morrison on Dateline. Example: "When fame turned the corner, if you will, I was in for a rude awakening."
Or "If only I had known that within a few years, the bad would far outweigh the good."
Though these can be true, I was bothered by the "cliffhangers" at the end of every single chapter.
This book was written way too early. There's more to this story that has yet to be revealed (see what I did there?).
I'm torn about my rating for this book simply because it was written in 2008, and I read it in 2024... so much has happened since then that's not covered in the book!
She must have lots of extra pairs of rose colored glasses to wear when her current pair are covered in mud and she can't see.
Content:
First: interesting to see her perspective on life events and comparing it to Jamie Lynn's and Britney's (I read their books, too). Sometimes, it doesn't add up at all. Other times, it's interesting to see their perspectives of the same incident.
Second: I wish she would take more responsibility for her actions. Her codependent behaviors with an alcoholic husband absolutely had a huge impact on their household and children. Own up!
Third: if what she says is true...about Sam slipping Britney drugs and the only way to take control was by a restraining order and conservatorship...I can kind of see that. Britney was in dire straights. But that got out of hand really quick and stuck around for 13 years. There's more to this story.
Four: she praises Casey (Jamie Lynn's baby daddy) when that guy is terrible and a criminal.
The writing:
Why does the end of every chapter have a "cliffhanger" or some type of pun? Reminds me of Keith Morrison on Dateline. Example: "When fame turned the corner, if you will, I was in for a rude awakening."
Or "If only I had known that within a few years, the bad would far outweigh the good."
Though these can be true, I was bothered by the "cliffhangers" at the end of every single chapter.
This book was written way too early. There's more to this story that has yet to be revealed (see what I did there?).
October 22, 2008
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review.
Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World from Thomas Nelson Publishers is nearly an autobiography of Lynne Spears. Mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears.
Why read this book? If for no other reason than to glean some wise words from a mother who has rode waves that few of us will ever see. I believe that is reason enough. If you are a pop-culture addict, this will likely give you a fix too. I'm pretty pop-ignorant so several issues were new to me.
The book is an easy read; set aside a mere four hours to make it cover to cover. It is well written and is formulated similar to a screenplay -- a foreshadow perhaps? The primary story arc is about Lynne, with a second encompassing the eldest daughter; however, there are other subplots which are diverse and interspersed enough to keep you engaged. The book has thirty chapters and i only found myself frustrated with a couple of them (ie. screaming move along).
Lynne is a mom who loves her children and is forced to deal with some surreal circumstances that sound sadly familiar coming from Hollywood land -- the Sheen/Estévez family comes to mind. While Mrs. Spears is quick to tell you where the media was wrong in their portrayal of her in the many public sagas, she makes no attempt to paint herself as a perfect mother.
Lastly, i had no idea that paparazzi is the plural form of paparrazo.
Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World from Thomas Nelson Publishers is nearly an autobiography of Lynne Spears. Mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears.
Why read this book? If for no other reason than to glean some wise words from a mother who has rode waves that few of us will ever see. I believe that is reason enough. If you are a pop-culture addict, this will likely give you a fix too. I'm pretty pop-ignorant so several issues were new to me.
The book is an easy read; set aside a mere four hours to make it cover to cover. It is well written and is formulated similar to a screenplay -- a foreshadow perhaps? The primary story arc is about Lynne, with a second encompassing the eldest daughter; however, there are other subplots which are diverse and interspersed enough to keep you engaged. The book has thirty chapters and i only found myself frustrated with a couple of them (ie. screaming move along).
Lynne is a mom who loves her children and is forced to deal with some surreal circumstances that sound sadly familiar coming from Hollywood land -- the Sheen/Estévez family comes to mind. While Mrs. Spears is quick to tell you where the media was wrong in their portrayal of her in the many public sagas, she makes no attempt to paint herself as a perfect mother.
Lastly, i had no idea that paparazzi is the plural form of paparrazo.
November 7, 2008
I read this book because I thought it might have some interesting stories about Britney Spears, but the famous daughter is a distant figure here. Front and center is the author, who gives a superficial gloss of her life story.
According to Lynn Spears, Britney's career stemmed more from her natural talent and self-motivation to succeed than from her mother's machinations. Spears claims she was happiest as a second-grade teacher, and she wishes she still had that job. She pines for her family's former, ordinary existence. Perhaps that's why this book focuses mainly on her own boring biography.
I suppose that anyone's life story could be made into a meaningful book, with a sufficient level of introspection and a sharing of lessons learned. Yet, although Lynn Spears has made quite a few mistakes in her life, they don't seem to have prompted deep reflection. For instance, her son ended up in a full body cast from riding a motor bike at the age of eight. He still had that bike--which facilitated another big crash--when he was ten. Spears devotes more words to explaining how she didn't know a photo of teenage Britney in a bra would appear on the cover of Rolling Stone than she does to reflecting on her role as driver in a car crash that killed a boy. Going so deep into debt that she and her ex-husband had to file for bankruptcy? That, apparently, is just something that happened.
According to Lynn Spears, Britney's career stemmed more from her natural talent and self-motivation to succeed than from her mother's machinations. Spears claims she was happiest as a second-grade teacher, and she wishes she still had that job. She pines for her family's former, ordinary existence. Perhaps that's why this book focuses mainly on her own boring biography.
I suppose that anyone's life story could be made into a meaningful book, with a sufficient level of introspection and a sharing of lessons learned. Yet, although Lynn Spears has made quite a few mistakes in her life, they don't seem to have prompted deep reflection. For instance, her son ended up in a full body cast from riding a motor bike at the age of eight. He still had that bike--which facilitated another big crash--when he was ten. Spears devotes more words to explaining how she didn't know a photo of teenage Britney in a bra would appear on the cover of Rolling Stone than she does to reflecting on her role as driver in a car crash that killed a boy. Going so deep into debt that she and her ex-husband had to file for bankruptcy? That, apparently, is just something that happened.
June 18, 2019
Glad I finally read it. But sickened to see both authors’ acknowledgements mention Lou Taylor and to understand that it was she that made this book happen. That fact also explains the heavy leaning on God and faith throughout the book, which seems to ramp up more and more towards the end, where it gets almost unbearable tbh.
I dunno, I guess ultimately it was exactly what I was expecting. I feel like it was interesting at the beginning, when she was talking about her background, and then when she was talking about how hard Britney worked for her success. But it feels like as soon as the story moves onto the release of BOMT, it starts getting... obviously fake? It’s interesting how sparse the details are for most of it, but then the episode with Britney and Sam Lutfi seems to be described in great detail, to an almost unnecessary level. Like, I do think Sam Lutfi was and is a dangerous character that’s not to be trusted but... it’s weird that there are so many details provided there. Lou Taylor really hates Sam Lutfi so like, were all of those details her doing?
Anyway, this is a super quick read, and it’s definitely interesting looking at it all through the lens of 2019 and the #FreeBritney movement.
I dunno, I guess ultimately it was exactly what I was expecting. I feel like it was interesting at the beginning, when she was talking about her background, and then when she was talking about how hard Britney worked for her success. But it feels like as soon as the story moves onto the release of BOMT, it starts getting... obviously fake? It’s interesting how sparse the details are for most of it, but then the episode with Britney and Sam Lutfi seems to be described in great detail, to an almost unnecessary level. Like, I do think Sam Lutfi was and is a dangerous character that’s not to be trusted but... it’s weird that there are so many details provided there. Lou Taylor really hates Sam Lutfi so like, were all of those details her doing?
Anyway, this is a super quick read, and it’s definitely interesting looking at it all through the lens of 2019 and the #FreeBritney movement.
October 26, 2023
At times I was on board, but in the end the obsession with Christianity was too much.
August 15, 2021
Leaves you with that “It’s okay to exploit and capitalize the only talented person in your family for personal gain no matter the cost” feeling…in my opinion.
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