The words that came first to my mind when I started writing a review of Tina Turner’s autobiography “My Love Story” – simply the best. I know it’s incredibly lame and exactly what can be expected when discussing the queen of rock & roll. But Tina Turner was so extraordinary, with her volcanic energy that is truly unsurpassed among past, present, and possibly future singers, that the line from the iconic song doesn’t seem ill-fitting here.
“…the truth is, it didn’t matter if five people came, or five hundred, I always believed that the audience was entitled to the same wonderful show…”
When I read this, it struck me that this is probably the reason why so many people fell in love with Tina Turner’s songs when they saw her performing on stage. They felt that for her, it was important that they have a good time. She didn’t do it for the money or only because she couldn’t earn money in any other way. For her, singing was a natural part of who she was. Performing was how she expressed herself; it brought her pure joy and true satisfaction. Nothing else could replace it, and that’s why she accepted the hardships that her career as a performing singer had brought with it.
I already mentioned in my review of Mariah Carey’s memoir that I’ve never been a fan of any particular artist or band. Maybe it’s because I grew up without MTV. Well, I did watch it, but I was already in my late teens when it came to the households in my part of the world, and by that time, my heart had already belonged to books. Anyway, what I want to say is that I’m not an expert in celebrities’ lives, and almost everything I read in their biographies and memoirs is news to me. I didn’t know much about Tina Turner’s personal life and her marriages before I read this book. Similarly, I had only vague knowledge of Mariah Carey’s personal circumstances. So I believe I’m not biased in the impressions I got from reading both divas’ memoirs.
Tina Turner’s first husband was not a good man. He was violent, abusive, and made her go through hell. Beatings were an integral part of their family life. Still, in her memoir, Tina Turner writes, “Why, I wonder, didn’t Ike treat me better?.. If he had been kind to me, if he’d been caring and respectful, I would have wanted to stay.” She analyses why Ike Turner was aggressive, and while she in no way justifies him, she shares an honest portrayal of him with us readers.
Since I read the autobiographies of both mega stars back to back, I couldn’t escape making some comparisons. Mariah Carey’s first husband made her a star when she was barely twenty. He didn’t beat her or make her come up on stage and perform two days after she gave birth to a child (It was Ike Turner who did that to Tina Turner). He controlled her career and didn’t let her express her opinions about the music business during dinners with friends. While I don’t argue that this marriage had its issues and Mariah Carey had every right to feel unhappy, reading about a physically degrading, life-threatening relationship Tina Turner had the strength and courage to escape but not before going through much suffering made me see a stark difference between an unhappy and a truly abusive marriage.
For me, reading each superstar’s story about their rising to stardom is fascinating. Talent is rare, but success is even more so. Why did Tina Turner become a legend and some other girl with a big voice from a small town didn’t? I think that it happened partly because she wasn’t afraid to dream.
“…I had dreams, and they were big. I wanted to fill concert halls and arenas, like the Rolling Stones…”
Tina Turner had dreams, and they drove her forward. But she also had the courage to pursue them, persistence not to give up on them, and a sense of humour to smile at her failures and always move on.
Eve's Book Diary 
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