I Will Survive: The Book

by Gloria Gaynor

I Will Survive is the story of America's "Queen of Disco." It is the story of riches and fame, despair, and finally salvation. Her meteoric rise to stardom in the mid-1970s was nothing short of phenomenal, and hits poured forth that pushed her to the top of the charts, including "Honey Bee," "I Got You Under My Skin," "Never Can Say Goodbye," and the song that has immortalized her, "I Will Survive," which became a #1 international gold seller. With that song, Gloria heralded the international rise of disco that became synonymous with a way of life in the fast lane - the sweaty bodies at Studio 54, the lines of cocaine, the indescribable feeling that you could always be at the top of your game and never come down. But down she came after her early stardom, and problems followed in the wake, including the death of her mother, whose love had anchored the young singer, as well as constant battles with weight, drugs, and alcohol. While her fans always imagined her to be rich, her personal finances collapsed due to poor management; and while many envied her, she felt completely empty inside. In the early 1980s, sustained by her marriage to music publisher Linwood Simon, Gloria took three years off and reflected upon her life. She visited churches and revisited her mother's old Bible. Discovering the world of gospel, she made a commitment to Christ that sustains her to this day.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

300 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1997

About the author

Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (Hot 100 number 1, 1979), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (Hot 100 number 9, 1974), "Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (Hot 100 number 42, 1980) and "I Am What I Am" (R&B number 82, 1983).

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book due to 2 things. Firstly Gloria is a musician & i can relate to alot of her experiences being a pianist myself. Secondly, I have made some spiritual decisions regarding my lifestyle after being challenged by the events mentioned in the book and I'm feeling so much happier for doing just that.

[kelly cleland · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing much like I thought it would be

In my opinion I felt like it was more meant to be a personal diary. I was expecting more of a memoir about being a Christian going through recovery.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of experiences tied to Gloria Gaynor's famous song contains inspiring and horrifying stories of survival in all walks of life around the world. Each vignette stands alone so it's a great book to just read a few pages at a time. I would probably give it more like 3.5 stars, but at times it felt a bit repetitive. We all have our struggles and in the end our determination to survive coupled with the strength that God gives us can pull us through difficult and seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

[Darchelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a songstress myself, I have learned alot about life, living it and surviving in the vast world of music.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

People are amazing. The things they survive and then thrive. No. More. Victims!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I hadn't expended so much energy crying along, I would have bumped the rating by a star. Overall, a hopeful approach...but be prepared for much devastation.