Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story

by J. Randy Taraborrelli

Beyoncé Knowles is a woman who began her career at the age of eight performing in pageant shows and talent contests, honing her craft through her teenage years until, at the age of 16, she had her first number one record with Destiny's Child. That hit-making trio launched Beyoncé's successful solo career, catapulting her, as of 2014, to #1 on Forbes annual list of most wealthy celebrities--the same year she made the cover of Time. BECOMING BEYONCÉ is not only the story of struggle, sacrifice, and what it takes to make it in the cut-throat record industry, it's the story of the great rewards of such success and the devastating toll it often takes on the human spirit.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Music, African American, Autobiography, Pop Culture, Contemporary

512 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

J. Randy Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia. He also appears on television as an entertainment news reporter on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning. Taraborrelli resides in Los Angeles, California.

Taraborrelli, who has written eighteen books (including updated and expanded editions), has had fourteen of them appear on the New York Times best seller list, the most recent of which was 2014's The Hiltons - The True Story of an American Dynasty. His first best seller was Call Her Miss Ross in 1989. His 2009 biography of Marilyn Monroe - The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe - made a re-appearance on the e-books best-seller list at number two in the summer of 2012.

In November of 2012, it was announced that Reelz cable channel had optioned Taraborrelli's New York Times best-selling book, After Camelot, as a miniseries. It will be his second television miniseries, the first airing on NBC in 2000 and based on his book, Jackie, Ethel, Joan.

Through his newly formed J. Randy Taraborrelli Productions, Taraborrelli is currently developing and producing a number of television projects.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching Homecoming (I've watched it 10x & the album is gonna stay in rotation for awhile) I need more Queen Bey so it was time for a reread.

Top 10 Beyonce Songs
1) Love On Top
2) Drunk In Love
3) Yonce
4)Partition
5) Me Myself and I
6) Pray You Catch Me
7) Countdown
8) I Miss You
9)Crazy In Love
10) Upgrade U

Honorable Mentions
Deja Vu
Resentment
Rocket


I'm obsessed with Beyonce as if you couldn't tell from my profile pic. I've been a fan since way before The Beyhive had a name. The first time I ever saw her(yes I remember!) was on a BET show called Teen Summit, she was performing with Destiny's Child and I loved them immediately. I have every Destiny's Child album, concert dvd, video collection, and almost every magazine they appeared on or in. I got my first job to support my Destiny's Child habit. When she went solo I followed right behind her. I have every album both standard and deluxe editions, most of her magazines (who reads magazines anymore), concert DVDs, and I've seen all her movies(most aren't that good). I've met her once, a million years ago(2001) when she was still with Destiny's Child. I got their autograph and I guard it with my life. I've only seen her in concert 2x once when Destiny's Child opened for Christina Aguilera and the second was the first On The Run tour with Jay Z. It may seem weird to have only seen her 2x but I HATE going to concerts, I've only been to 4 other concerts(Prince, Michael Jackson,Tina Turner and Blake Shelton(don't ask) so its actually not.

I just LOVE her!

My family and friends make fun of me for my Beyonce super fandom because I'm not the super fan type. I grow bored with everything and everyone very easily but not Beyonce. Don't ask me why because I don't know why? She just speaks to something within me. She makes me want to work harder and be better. After watching Homecoming ( the first time) I felt a little bit depressed because I realized that I wasn't working as hard as I should be to achieve my goals. So I played Homecoming again and I started making plans to lift myself out of my mini life slump. That's what Beyonce does to me. She inspires me.

Becoming Beyonce isn't just a Beyonce biography in fact I would argue its more of a biography of her parents Matthew Knowles and Tina Knowles-Lawson. In order for us to truly appreciate how Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter become BEYONCE we first need to first see how her parents despite their troubled marriage sacrificed everything to make her a star. Obviously if you know one thing about Beyonce its that her inner circle doesn't talk. We hear almost no leaks from her and her husband Jay Z's camp. So a lot of this book is sourced by people from her childhood or people from her outer circle. It must have been a Herculean feat for J. Randy Taraborrelli to get any info. That's probably why the book is mostly about her childhood and early fame. Once she becomes a star the sources are mostly just giving opinions based off the Beyonce they knew.

I mean will we ever really know who "Becky with the hair" is?

I mean we all know who we think it is but will anyone ever confirm it?

No!

Becoming Beyonce is as in depth a biography as we will probably ever see of Beyonce's meteoric rise to Icon status.

WATCH HOMECOMING and then buy the album!

YONCE4EVA!

[Bibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taraborrelli doesn't really give us any new information but what he does, is to create a timeline of events that allows her fans proper perspective on Beyonce's evolution from child prodigy to superstardom.

Additionally, if you're looking for salaciousness then you might need to move on bc this rarely paints B in an unflattering manner.

Overall, gripping and surprisingly easy to navigate.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt kind of like reading a gossip magazine.

It's interesting to read a biography about someone still alive without any contribution from that person.

With that being said, it is still very well organized and an entertaining read of how those around Beyoncé felt her life has gone.

4 Stars

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beyoncé is awesome, this book isn't.

[Ozma · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm one of those people that reads celebrity tell alls. Okay, fine, I'm a bad person for doing this, but, honestly, some of the best writing and most compelling stories come out of celebrity lives. On this book, the author (J. Randy Taraborrelli) literally gathered, mined, and compiled mountains of material into a fine, very readable book. I was addicted to this book, dying to know what would happen next. When an author can do this for a real life celebrity whom we all know, that is a pretty good feat! I loved reading about how Beyonce took control of her career, taking reins from her dad, and realizing her own power, how she, of not much musical experience but with a lot of raw, natural talent and a flair for experimental styles, would guide her fellow singers, producers, and writers to develop a really great and out there song (like Jumpin' Jumpin'; Say My Name; Listen; XO among many others). Here was a very talented young but shy girl who just loved belting it out on stage. Her parents noticed how much stage performance helped their shy oldest daughter and started putting her in pageants. Soon, she was "discovered" and put in a girls' band. All along, it was pretty obvious that she was the star. Because of her shyness, and because her dad was an aggressive salesman type, her father soon became her chief enforcer, making decisions that Beyonce didn't need to be troubled with and decisions to best benefit Beyonce. That often meant downplaying the other girls in the band. And, well, the story goes on from there. What I would have liked was more on the following: (1) the elevator incident where Solange kicked the crap out of Jay-Z -- some more analysis and description since that was such a juicy occasion; the author, and somewhat justifiably, explains the reason for the fight and ignores a lot of the drama and gossip about it, but that would have been fun to dive into; (2) Beyonce's censoring of her angry-mean-ugly Super Bowl photos; I was surprised Taraborrelli did not cover this since Beyonce's actions are so emblematic of her; he covered similar things but didn't cover this one in particular, which would have been fun; (3) I felt that the author could have drawn some themes out to put this book in a greater thematic context, something like Beyonce's having an Electra complex or the theme of her constant quest for perfection; the dots are there, but the author doesn't connect them and stops short of doing an authorial-like thesis on the themes of Beyonce's life; and (4) more pictures of Beyonce's hot mom! The author definitely has a good handle on Beyonce's mom, Tina, and she is an inspiration in herself. But we needed more pics of the sexy momma to understand how this woman must be seen and received and how much Beyonce is like a living doll testament to her mother's style, determination, and gritty femininity. In a way, and quietly, Tina Knowles is like the quiet heroine of this book, and Beyonce the avowed heroine, who was made into something by her own raw talent and her dad's aggressive sales style, but then who made herself again into her own creation of who she wanted to be and not a projection of others, including her dad. A great American tale of talent, family, and the music industry and what it can do if all the stars align.

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge Beyonce fan - there's simply no denying it. I bought this book impulsively when I saw it at the airport & it was an interesting read. Was it the best biography I've ever read? No. Do I regret reading it? No. But there are important things to note, the 1st being that is an "unauthorized biography". I knew this however I hated the "one source says" throughout the book. Nobody in Beyonce's immediate family or obviously she herself participated in the making of this book so it was largely based on alleged "sources". It also had dialogue from yearsss ago at some points. While I get the intention to recreate a scene, it could've been done without this. As someone who has an excellent memory, I cannot recall specific conversations word for word from 20 years ago and therefore assume it's unlikely another third-party could do so, accurately. Just my opinion but hey, this is my review.

There wasn't anything super "new" or revealing in the book either. A full, documented story about an amazing singer's rise to fame. It was detailed, it kept me interested, but it didn't provide much that I didn't already know as a longtime fan of the talented Beyonce.

Additionally, the book was loaded with typos & errors. Kandi Burruss's 1st marriage (that she never had)? LeToya in 1 line followed by LaToya in the next & yes, referring to the same person. I have little patience for a sloppy edit job. That said, as a huge Beyonce fan the book was interesting enough, I just wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it. If you too are a big fan and come across it, by all means, dive in. I am still holding out hope for Beyonce's autobiography or (authorized) bio, someday.

[I Be Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong four stars and a really engrossing read. If you want the tea on Beyoncé’s formative years, the creation and success of early Destiny’s Child and Mathew and Tina Knowles’ marriage, this is for you. If you want the juicy details of her life, say post “Dreamgirls”? You’ll just have to wait for King Bey to release it herself. Most of that portion of the book reads like a summary of events that were covered in the news.

That’s no fault of the author, IMO. Moreso a function of Beyoncé becoming much more private and guarded once she crossed a certain success threshold and either completely cutting off people from her early life and/or making her current relationships sign NDA’s.

Anyway, a good read and probably the best you’ll get if you have even a whiff of interest in the life and times of Beyoncé.

[Annabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a big fan of Beyoncé in the recent past. I think, the last song of hers which I really enjoyed was Survivor, which came out about 16 years ago. I am also not a big fan of her leaving the group. So, when I started reading this book, I was like : Such a thick book for someone not that BIG on my list? Well must be boring ,but interesting. It seemed interesting to me that someone not THAT BIG would have so many pages to be told about. While I was reading the book, my opinion of her didn't change. But what was very interesting for me was just simply to read about a family ( The Knowles)that defined its family's success around the achievements of their Elder daughter. I find it really sad to read about Biographies in which the 'future' star has to disengage from their family( parents and siblings) to become famous. This b00k is anything but that. The entire family works wholeheartedly to bring success into their Daughter's ( Beyoncé's) life. Ofcourse ,once she is grown up, she separates from family, but still you could feel that vibe of strong family bonding all the way to the end of the book.

Independence doesn't mean disengagement from the immediate family and this book proves that;)

[Tyler Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok Beyhive, put your stingers away. I think this biography actually did a good job at showing us Beyoncé’s rise to stardom. We see her as the young and humble girl from Houston, Texas who just wants to sing and please those around her. It’s hard to imagine one of the world’s biggest superstars at her start, before everyone knew who she was, but Taraborrelli uses tons of research, interviews, and other source material to guide us along her path. I think people will be surprised by many things in this book, I know I was. If you don’t know much about Beyoncé’s dad, then you’re also in for it. I didn’t realize he was such a problematic person in the overarching story of her life. I also wonder how Beyoncé would feel about this book. As someone who doesn’t share her private life very often, some of this book almost feels like a behind closed doors, maybe I shouldn’t be reading this experience (and I love it)!

Let’s be clear, although her beginnings were humble, Beyoncé was always a star. She did beauty pageants with her mother as a girl, which started her out feeling natural in the spotlight. When it was clear she could sing, her parents immediately started putting her in places where her voice could be highlighted. I really credit Taraborrelli for telling the untold story of Andretta Tillman and other strong women who were responsible for discovering Beyoncé and cultivating her dream (and making it their own). Without them, she would not be the woman she is today. It’s also clear that without her parents she wouldn’t be as successful. Her parents both had extremely hard work ethic. This obviously rubbed off on their daughter. Her father, Mathew, was notorious for his ruthlessness and business savviness, which made the family a lot of money and took Beyoncé to heights she always knew she could reach.

Now we all know some of the lore behind Beyoncé’s claim to fame, which is being in the girl group Destiny’s Child, but this book really gets into the nitty gritty of it all. I knew things were messy behind the scenes, but I had no idea they were truly as bad as they were. First off, I love that Beyoncé’s rise to stardom included Star Search like many other famous people of her era like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Usher among many other of her contemporaries. Destiny’s Child also had several different names before settling on their final namesake, most notably Girls Tyme. The sketchy side of fame starts to come out when the royalties start rolling in and each parent worries about highlighting their girl fairly in the group. This is when Beyoncé’s dad starts to kick it into high gear, eventually ousting Ashley, Nicki, Nina, LaTavia, LeToya, and finally Farrah. I really did feel bad for pretty much all the girls (except Farrah, girl you should’ve went to Australia, plus she joined the train late in the game). Most of the girls put their blood, sweat, tears, and time into the group, so it was heartbreaking to hear their stories. It was also amazing how Mathew also had to go toe to toe with almost every woman and mother who was a part of establishing the group. To say there were too many cooks in the kitchen is an understatement.

And although, I love my Destiny’s Child, there comes a time when every Supreme must spread her wings. Just like Diana did before her, Beyoncé knew she was the it girl with a calling and went for that solo career. Now granted, most of the vocals on Destiny’s Child were hers, it was time to step out on her own for real. I think a common misconception this book sets straight is that Michelle and then Kelly after her, both released their solo albums before Beyoncé released “Dangerously In Love,” which always throws me off even though I lived it. This is important because Beyoncé wasn’t so hungry to leave the group that she wanted her girls to suffer, which I love about her. She even held off on her second album, so she could finish a final album with Michelle and Kelly entitled Destiny Fulfilled. I point this out because once the girls whittled down to the last three, that unit was locked in and unbreakable. It may have taken them a while to get it right, but once they did, it was magic.

Taraborrelli seems to go through the later part of Beyoncé’s life quicker. I’m not sure if that’s because he had less material for those years or because it just became harder to find people to spill the tea about Beyoncé as she got more famous. Either way, I did appreciate the thread of Mathew appearing throughout the book, which is important, as we realize he will later go on to steal money from his daughter later in life, as well as cheat on Tina (her mother) and father a child with another woman. This was quite scandalous and I appreciate that Taraborrelli was willing to go there. I’m surprised he didn’t get served with a cease and desist from Bey’s team or her father. Despite the hardships with her dad, I think it needed to happen. It was important, creatively, for Beyoncé to not have her father’s input in everything. From her music, to her shows, to her projects, everything, he had a hand in until she stopped it. She was finally able to become her own woman, so his actions and presence is an essential part of her story.

There are parts of this book that are flawed, I can’t lie. The most questionable sections were those about Jay Z and Rihanna and the reason for the elevator fight, which I won’t spoil (mostly because I’m not sure I believe it). I also question some of the sources Taraborrelli cites, as well as the plausibility of much of his dialogue. At times it definitely does not feel like Beyoncé and her friends or family would say some of the things he has them reportedly saying. I also have to wonder how credible some people can be when they’re trying to get a piece of the pie or their 15 minutes of fame. Besides these small things, I do think most of the book is substantiated and based in fact, which I appreciate. I think Beyoncé is a hard person to tack down, but this book does a decent job. Interviews with former band members, her first and only official ex boyfriend, and others humanized someone who seems untouchable. She does always seem quite out of reach, so the author tries to anchor us in experiences of those who were there along the way. Maybe one day we’ll get an autobiography from the queen herself, but until that day comes, this will have to suffice.

[Kimberley · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for lots of revelations, you're not going to find those here. The author presents a fairly balanced view of the subject and her rise to fame, while giving enough details to appreciate where Beyoncé came from and how her childhood and adolescent experiences effected and continue to influence her to this day.

An interesting, and timely, read.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Beyoncé, so I suffered through this slog of a book hoping to learn at least one interesting thing about her, but I didn't. There were also a ton of minor factual errors throughout the book, so I feel like I could have written a more accurate bio than this guy.

[Bethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't exactly paint Queen Bey in a good light. It was an interesting read for a fan that couldn't really remember her Destiny's Child days but I don't think I'll be reading it again any time soon.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Lots of information about Queen Bey. Some nice, some not so nice. Interesting read.

[Madie Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this is a biography for a very famous celebrity, it is hard for an author to keep everyone happy. Everyone in the comments section has an opinion as to whether the author portrayed Beyonce correctly or not and if enough new information was given. To start, Beyonce is a very private person, so the amount of effort put forth and the great lengths the author had to go to to get this information on not only Beyonce, but her family and those in her history as well is astonishing. I applaud Taraborrelli for his efforts to verbalize who Beyonce is and the path she traveled on to get to where she is today. The average rating on the book was 3.6 stars. I think the rating was on the lower end was because readers were expecting this greatly exciting and emotional story of Beyonce’s life with sneak peeks into her private life; basically, readers were expecting a TMZ take on Beyonce’s entire life. Though the readers did not receive this, what they did get was a timeline of not only Beyonce’s work life, but her personal life as well. In this book, we follow Beyonce from her family history, through her life before fame, to her singing in Destiny’s Child in 2002 (side note: I read to page 300, so the book does go farther into her modern-day life).
This book is not for fans looking to get an inside scoop on Beyonce’s life because it is written from an outside third-party source. This book would be good for people looking to study celebrities and how their upbringing shaped them into the person they are today. “Becoming Beyonce” is for those who want to know the structural inner workings of the Carter house and how the culture that surrounds it made Beyonce into the person she is today, hence the title. This book follows the outline of a nonfiction or historical book more than a story, which may make it seem dry to people. Though, if you are able to look past the surface and become interested in the details of who Beyonce is and her family dynamic, you will be able to analyze the Carters and see how they help sculpt Beyonce. This book gives an objective look at Beyonce’s life without letting personal perceptions get in the way of the facts. I also took a liking to the direct quotes that Taraborrelli was able to get from people who had a part in Beyonce’s life. These anecdotes were able to bring a certain closeness and intimacy to the book that would have been lost without them.

[Fanni Szabó · Rating 3 out of 5]

500 oldalnyi fingfaragás! Bizonyos részek feleslegesen hosszúra lettek nyújtva, másról meg csak egy mondatban emlékezett meg a szerző, és a párbeszédek jelentős része szerintem szimplán az ő fejéből pattantak ki. A stílusa egészen élvezhető és nagyon olvasmányos volt, de a tényt, hogy a 200. oldalnál Beyoncé még csak 14 éves volt egyszerűen nevetségesnek tartottam. Kár érte, ez nagyon jó lehetett volna, tekintve Beyoncé érdekes életét, de nem igazán jött össze.

[Udhara De Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m fascinated by Beyoncé’s creativity, hustle and business skills as much as I love her music. This book is a slightly trashy but thoroughly investigated look into the makings of Destiny’s Child and Beyonce. A lot of insight has to be inferred, but there’s enough in the book to keep anyone from the Beyhive entertained.

[Isabella (isabunchofbooks)]

Read this for a class - not rating it. But... I wish I didn't have to read 500 pages of this. Whomp. And I'm a huge Beyoncé fan, so that's saying something.

[Priscilla Heard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book, but I feel that I learned more about everyone in her life except for Beyonce. She's had a closely guarded life and while that's commendable, it still doesn't make for a great biography.

The author had to guess at the reasoning or outcomes for a lot of subjects in Beyonce's life, simply because he didn't have the whole story to tell. I walked away from this book feeling more confused about who Beyonce is than I did before and suggest that others not expect any juicy details because they simply aren't included in this biography!

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was an awesome book to read. I couldn't put it down! I got to know every detail about Beyoncé and her life from the start. The huge amount of information that the author could collect and put in one book is fascinating! I went deep into her life. I thought I knew Beyoncé and her music but 90% of the whole document was new for me. Thank you very much for writing this book and putting so much effort into gathering all these details! I hope the author will write a book based on Meryl Streep or Lady Gaga's life!

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

TBH ... I picked up this book thinking that I would read some juicy gossip about Beyonce. And she is so private, I wanted to find out more about who she really is. There are no big surprises in this book, and I don't think that author really captured who she is. Having said that, it was well written and researched, and it was easy to read. I found out that I wouldn't really want to be Beyonce, and I kind of feel sorry for her.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book and told the story of the life of the singer from a child. It showed the influence that her parents had in her life. It makes you understand her work ethic. It also shows you different aspects of her personality. She is a very private person but the book gives you an insight into the singer and her family.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Something has to seriously be wrong for me not to devour this book. Returned it to library when it was due instead of renewing it - even though I wasn't (even close to) done. Also too heavy for one handed reading while breastfeeding

[Malika Lipscomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was relatively insightful, even if long-winded at some points, especially of pre-Destiny's Child days and just how ruthless Mathew was. Taraborrelli's writing is also admirable. Beyonce's life really does make for an interesting biopic/movie.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

How I Came to Read This Book: I got a copy of it through the publisher eons ago.

The Plot: This book details the rise of Beyonce, from her earliest days performing at church and starting a group called Girls Tyme, through to the elevator incident and the release of her 'Beyonce' album; notably, it does *not* go beyond that and everything that's happened since...Lemonade, her joint album with Jay-Z, etc. As an unauthorized biography, the book is largely made up of quotes from news articles, anonymous quotes, interviews with certain players in the Beyonce story (like her childhood boyfriend Lyndall Locke, the only guy she really dated before Jay), and a lot of legal documentation.

The Good & The Bad: I mean, on the whole, this book does a decent job of spinning the entire Beyonce story that it wants to tell - the story of someone who has always relentlessly pursued perfection, even at the cost of her own mental or even physical health. It paints Beyonce as something of a cipher; emotionless and driven only by her own standards for perfection. As an unofficial book, it also tells the only story it can tell, one that becomes increasingly fragmented as the book carries on.

That being said, it is full of little tidbits and interesting insights, like the long road to stardom Beyonce had to walk (and continues to carve out in her own unique fashion). The longtime struggle between her and Mathew and how everything kind of blew up toward the end was particularly interesting and a strong undercurrent in the book (and also really explains the song 'Daddy Lessons' on Lemonade).

I don't know that a BIG Beyonce fan would glean too many new insights but I certainly did, and again, found this particularly interesting to read a few years after publication, as it's almost quite prescient in a lot of ways about how much more firmly Beyonce would take stead of her career and music.

Stuff that's not so great? There's way too many sidebars based on the interviews the author IS able to get. Lyndall Locke is featured extensively, as is one of the women who Mathew fathered a child with. There's also some weirdly salacious writing in here when describing Beyonce's physical appearance, particularly at notable events. I get it, this is a woman who is sexy and gives off that impression by design, but I suspect it would have been written a little differently had a female authored this book.

In all, this isn't a must-read - I've literally been picking away at it for years - but it reads well enough and definitely gives you the inside scoop on what went down throughout large swaths of Bey's career (the breakup of Destiny's Child in its various formats is definitely a highlight).

The Bottom Line: About as good as you'd expect from an unauthorized Beyonce biography that manages to carry through an interesting throughline about becoming Beyonce that we know and worship today.

Anything Memorable?: Supposedly Beyonce's had a boob job? Among other surgery rumours tackled here. So if you ever feel downer that you don't look as fly as Bey, just remember - she's paid (and pays) to look that fierce.

2019 Book Challenge?: Book #51 in 2019

[Nicole Mackowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion, Becoming Beyoncé: the untold story was just an alright read. I have always loved Beyoncé as a person as well as an artist. Personally, I felt that she was not portrayed in the best way. Other readers on Goodreads had mentioned this. One person had even said that they felt that the book didn't even deserve any stars. Overall, I felt that the book was very dense. To me, it felt more like a textbook than a biography intended for enjoyment. I felt that I got lost in the amount of words that were on each page and that I wasn't paying close attention to the words at times.

I think that someone that is planning on creating a project on Beyoncé would enjoy this book. This book is filled with information that would be very helpful for someone creating a project on her. The author went into great detail on every topic that was presented. For example, the first 28 pages are just about Beyoncé’s parents and their upbringings. I found that some parts I was very intrigued and it didn't feel as if I was struggling through the pages. I appreciated the detail the author contributed in these cases, however the parts that I was uninterested in dragged.

I wish this book was formatted differently. Occasionally I would become confused because the author jumped from one topic to a completely different topic. Personally, I found it hard to keep track of the people being mentioned, which was very frustrating. I also wish there had been more direct quotes from Beyoncé herself.

Overall, this book was okay. It was definitely not my favorite biography that I have read, but it was very insightful. I would give it at 2.5 out of 5 stars.

[Anda Mtshemla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first memory of Beyoncé is being 3/4 years old listening to this EP my parents bought me featuring Destiny's Child's Say My Name along with 4(?) of its remixes. That's one of my earliest music memories and while I would not consider myself a member of The Hive (although I buzz nearby), I am a big fan of Bey and have massive respect for her.

With that being said, so many parts of this book really surprised me. I enjoyed reading a coherent account of the mysterious superstar's life which I have observed from a distance through interview clips and magazine interviews since I was a child. I was able to put together parts of her story I had seen or experienced but was too young to understand and that really surprised since I wasn't expecting to find anything new.

This book was initially difficult to get into because of the amount of creative licence he took with the dialogue. I suppose I've never actually read a biography like this and reading some of the lines in the book that were not direct quotes knowing that most of the people in the situation didn't say that really made me cringe. Maybe I'm less than smart, but I think the story was rich enough to have gone without it.

My only other criticism is that Taraborrelli is a fan and while I appreciated how that contributes to how respectfully he approached this story, I think his allegiance to Beyoncé didn't allow him to be truly objective, often coming to the singer's defence right after presenting a critique.

Other than that, I enjoyed this book and I think younger Beyoncé fans who know about her but haven't actively followed her career will find this unique and inspiring.

[Heba Mohamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyoncé the brand is a Company! It is an aggressive pressure selling industry called Beyoncé! Beyoncé the human, took years to be unpeeled now in 2021 years after this book was written, Beyoncé found herself praying and seeking forgiveness for her sins in her past live. This book is no longer dated.

Children, A Husband and a real life makes her a humble, loving, black woman who puts her Family first. She Sings, Dances, and Acts at home rather than in movie/Film theatres in comparison to ten years ago when she was a sensation in people mind!.

She is a woman of many lives and vices with an amazing sense of humor, a little child heart at times and a lot funny stories about the seriousness of a " Sinful" world: Entertainment: Laughing of serious things.

As to young women making it at 16 years old, a consensual age in most of the World that is book/novel she would have to write about.

What is her religion: Beyoncé grew up Baptist, the domination that she knows well, now like, Diddy, she believes in a One God.

Merry Christmas! To all the people who contributed to this unauthorized auto biography, and the discredited of it: By writing of a review of, " Becoming Beyoncé"! Here in Goodreads! Merry Christmas Beyoncé!.

[Cherrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for Beyonce and I've always admired her talent and her drive since her Destiny's Child days. While this book is entertaining (and reads like a gossip column), I am skeptical of the "sources" the author builds his story on. No testimonies from Beyonce or her immediate family show up in the book except what is already public knowledge via her documentary and press interviews. Totally understand that Beyonce is a very private person but this book doesn't really give insight into who she is and what drives her. Yes, Taraborrelli has speculations but that's really all that they are: unconfirmed speculations. And I just read all 450 pages of them, haha. I enjoy the background into the relationship and tension between Bey and her father, but, then again, the "facts" are compiled by people who supposedly have had a hand in Beyonce's life. The people Taraborrelli uses as sources may simply want to claim a part of the Beyonce pie and their testimonies/recollections may be flawed. Anyway, all in all, this book was great for Queen Bey junkies like me but should be taken with a grain of salt. Maybe with a lot of salt.

[JH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so well done! While I’m not a huge fan of Beyoncé’s music I recognize that she’s a huge star and piece of our culture, and I was curious to know more. I found myself looking up YouTube clips and listening to various referenced songs on Spotify while reading, which made this a very cool and layered experience.

It’s a long read, though! Long in page length and the way it’s written just feels long. You slog through business meetings in 1990s Houston and court hearings of the early 2000s. I don’t know how this author managed to make you feel like a fly on the wall in every scene (well, in the acknowledgements he thanks a talented private investigator so I guess that’s how) but the attention to detail was amazing- like “Tina was wearing xyz colored shirt and these accessories. As she looked at Ann she was thinking, “xyz...’” It’s insane! But great!