Too long to get to The Pretenders...

I got restless waiting to get to The Pretenders. Most of this book is Chrissie's story before The Pretenders, and then when we finally get to The Pretenders they only get a couple of chapters and the story ends with the deaths of Pete and Jimmy. There was no mention of everything that followed, which I was really interested in. Also, Rosanna Arquette has a really squeaky, grating voice and she reads this book as if she's reading a children's book in front of a class of 10 year olds. She overacts throughout her entire performance. Why didn't Chrissie read it herself? I had just finished Pete Townshend's and Patti Smith's autobiographies which were both beautifully written, so maybe I'm a little spoiled, but this could have been a lot better.

11 people found this helpful

Not as good as I hoped.

Chrissie's story is her story. Ms. Arquette didn't do it justice. In my opinion the flow wasn't great - some should have been edited. Too bad Chrissie could have read her own story as Patti Smith did.

7 people found this helpful

Straight-talkin' rock goddess

Loved this memoir. Rosanna Arquette has a softer voice but channels Hynde expertly.

Hynde documents the transformation of a 1950s girl from Ohio into one of the great "frontmen" of the 70s and 80s, leading the Pretenders. A great songwriter, Hynde created rock classics like Brass In Pocket.

She spends a lot of time on her childhood and a good deal more on early 70s London as punk hit. The chapters on the Pretenders go by in a breeze.

But that is okay. This is a musician's coming of age story. And she came of age at a colorful time and place. She knew the Pistols, the Clash and Iggy Pop. She does a great job talking about the rise of that scene while also paying due adoration to her 60s predecessors.

The Pretenders ended in that incarnation when two band mates died within a year. And though Hynde went on to more albums, her book ends with their deaths.

7 people found this helpful

Love Chrissie but this came up short

What did you like best about Reckless? What did you like least?

Her rawness of becoming a female rock n roll star!

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Her honesty about her parents.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Rosanna Arquette and Chrissie Hynde ?

Determined by content by story.

Was Reckless worth the listening time?

I wish she went on past her bandmates deaths. I wanted to know more about the development and songs beyond the first two albums. She is so much more.

Any additional comments?

I would like to more in depth of a women in the harsh world of rock n' roll. I felt this was written with kindness and not just harsh reality with respect.

6 people found this helpful

Real Chrissie Hynde - Great book!

Would you listen to Reckless again? Why?

I love Chrissie Hynde, The Pretenders and anything from that era, especially UK punk, the kind described in this book. Reckless gives us some insight into a time that changed music forever and how icons like Chrissie, John Lydon, Lemmy, and Iggy Pop started out and made it happen. What a time it must have been!

What did you like best about this story?

I am amazed how brave she was to go after her dream, despite it seeming impossible at times. I could really relate to her relationship with her parents and her need to escape from her life in Ohio.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I believe that Rosanna Arquette may be a close friend to Chrissie Hynde and a good actress, which would make one think that she could really deliver. However,I did not especially care for her reading of this book. In my opinion, the audio sounded heavily edited in the beginning and Ms. Arquette stumbles over words throughout the reading which is distracting.

Any additional comments?

Do not expect a tell-all book of her whole career...this is truly her story of getting into music and told in a way that she wants to tell it. Sometimes vague on the details of exactly what happened, she is telling you as much as she feels is needed to get the story told and this should give the reader/listener even more insight into who she really is as a person/musician. She proves that she is and has been, all about the music.

5 people found this helpful

Even better than expected

At first, I thought Rosanna Arquette voice would be confusing, a little more like her story then Chrissys but I was wrong. It is really a great tellingly a period of time that you think I know but now I know even better. Written with humor times and pacing for the hard stuff.

5 people found this helpful

Arquette???

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I've seen the Pretenders and I've heard Chrissie speak. How in the world did they choose Rosanna Arquette to read this? Really disconnected me from the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Rosanna Arquette and Chrissie Hynde ’s performances?

Chrissie yes.. Rosanna no!

11 people found this helpful

Pretending to be the book I hoped for

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Too much focus on early life in Ohio.

What do you think your next listen will be?

In Autobiographies, David Spade's book.

How could the performance have been better?

Chrissie should have narrated, the description is wrong, she doesn't narrate at all

Could you see Reckless being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

If the subject matter was more detailed and focused on her music career, then I could see this being a movie.

Any additional comments?

As a fan, I was disappointed.

3 people found this helpful

Good story, not so great narration voice.

While I do like Rosanna Arquette, I felt her sing song voice didn't work for Chrissie Hynde's deeper, rock and roll sound, which at times was too distracting and I had to take a break.
Loved the back stories and have been a big fan forever.

2 people found this helpful

Must read

But I need the 2nd half of her life. The ending leaves you with wanting more.

2 people found this helpful