Background
Published on November 19, 2024, “Cher: The Memoir, Part One” chronicles the early life of the iconic entertainer Cher, from her birth in 1946 up to the late 1970s. Born Cherilyn Sarkisian, she faced a tumultuous childhood marked by poverty and instability, including periods when her mother, Georgia, had to leave her in care due to financial hardships. The memoir delves into her rise to fame alongside Sonny Bono, detailing their partnership both on and off the stage, the creation of the hit “I Got You Babe,” and the complexities of their personal and professional relationship. Cher candidly discusses Sonny’s controlling behavior and infidelities, shedding light on the challenges she faced in asserting her independence.
My Thoughts
Whenever you are feeling bad about yourself or your childhood, grab a biography of someone famous and hold on for the ride. Cher is no exception to this rule. She had a messed up childhood, growing up, and adulthood. I just hope she gets a break in Part 2.
However, I didn’t know much about Cher from her early career. My memories of her were after the events covered, it isn’t a surprise that most of this was a surprise. I knew of Sonny and Cher but had never seen anything from them. I didn’t know about their troubles, her relationships after Sonny and really anything about her until the 80s.
I’m glad to hear she didn’t use drugs and seemed to want to do the right thing. I hope that persists as well in the next volume.
Recommendation
Not a bad read and I learned a lot.