Cold Sweat

July 15, 2014
James Brown's daughter recounts her conflicted relationshipwith the "Godfather of Soul."Writing with Fisher (Narrative Journalism/Rutgers Univ.; After the Fire: A True Story of Friendshipand Survival, 2008, etc.), Yamma Brown recalls what it was like to grow upin the shadow of one of the most famous and influential entertainers of alltime, James Brown (1933-2006). The author begins at the end by recounting herfather's death and subsequent funeral in 2006, which was held at Harlem'sApollo Theater with the sort of ostentation and pomp that one would expect fromJames Brown, even in death. From there, she begins to reconstruct an ambivalentportrait of her father's life, from his time as a youngster shining shoes insmall-town Georgia to his eventual position of power in the entertainmentindustry and all the trappings of fame and celebrity. But in a somewhat jarringtransition, the book goes from rosy recollections of riding ponies on thefamily ranch to the chapter ominously entitled "Dad's Beating Mom Again."Suddenly, the memoir takes a seriously dark turn and never looks back. Theyoung author went about the traumatic business of trying to come to terms withdomestic violence from a tender age, watching her father physically abuse twounfortunate wives. But even more depressing is the author's own near-fataldealings with physical abuse from her own husband, coming about almost as if itwere an inherited trait from her battered mother. In fact, the author's storyof life with her conniving, violent, near-psychopath of a husband begins toovertake the story of her relationship with her father. Unfortunately, it tooka near-fatal beating from her lowlife husband before she finally scraped up thecourage to leave victimhood behind.A courageous and often unsettling look at thenot-so-glamorous consequences of being the offspring of a major celebrity.

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August 1, 2014

The oft-used and cliched phrase "living in the shadows" takes on a different meaning in this offering, in which Brown details her contradictory and complex relationship with her father, James Brown (1933-2006). The Godfather of Soul's heavily documented successes, drug addictions, and abusive marriages frame the author's own abusive marriage to a businessman of questionable background. This memoir serves as a case study of the effects of parental relationships on mate selection as well as a discussion of the impact of fame (and its downside) on the offspring of celebrities. Matters that would be private among family members are played out center stage (e.g., domestic violence, contested wills, funeral arrangements, etc.), with each family member a character in a drama fueled by a combustible mix of emotions and paparazzi attention. Each chapter is framed by relevant quotes from well-known authors, philosophers, and others, which adds poignancy to the story. Readers will share the grief, disappointment, and successes of both James and Yamma Brown while wishing for a "happily ever after." Although this book is less about "the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz" and more about the "making of Dr. Yamma Brown," the daughter's perspective provides insight into the father. VERDICT Recommended for readers interested in autobiographical accounts of the offspring of celebrities.--Tamela Chambers, Chicago Pub. Schs.

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