Rosie: Rosie O'Donnell's Biography - Hardcover

James Robert Parish delivers the first ever biography of Rosie O'Donnell in the matter of fact tone of a seasoned entertainment journalist. Rosie O'Donnell's Biography is a comprehensive story of this dynamic woman's life on both the public and private fronts. Parish digs deep to provide background on Rosie's tragic early years when, as a young child, she lost her mother to the triumphant adoption of her son in 1995. He follows her career too as it developed from the comedy clubs and into television appearances that paved the way to Rosie's success in films and her own wildly successful TV talk show. Throughout the book, Parish skillfully reveals the humanity of this complex star. He dedicates the biography to its subject, "New Queen of All Things." And after reading the book, it is clear the term is nearly apt, for O'Donnell clearly is queen of many things: acting, comedy, parenting, friendship and honesty.

A prolific biographer of Hollywood's famous and forgotten, Parish (Liza! The Liza Minnelli Story, not reviewed, etc.) pieces together the usual celebrity rehash, together with some original interviews with some of the peripheral people in Rosie's life. Parish has combed the Net, the Reader's Guide, and a fair amount of videotape to present the chronological events of the life of TV's new talk-show queen, accompanied by lots of psychological conjecture and analysis, including a chapter that discusses whether or not Rosie is a lesbian. O'Donnell was born in Commack, Long Island, one of five children born to an Irishman who designed cameras for spy satellites. Her mother died of cancer when Rosie was 10, in what she has described as the defining event of her life. Her father dealt with his grief by withdrawing from his family, and Rosie took on many of her mother's responsibilities at an early age, including the care of a diabetic grandmother. Her father has remained distant and emotionally unavailable; they have not repaired their relationship. As a child, Rosie buried herself in television, made heroines of her favorite stars, Barbra Streisand and Better Midler, and dedicated herself to making it in the biz. Parish traces Rosie's career from Long Island comedy clubs, where she began at 16, success as a stand-up comic, to movies (A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle), and finally on to her highly successful TV talk show. There is a little about the famous friendship between Rosie and Madonna, who met while making League; and a wrap-up with Rosie's single-parent adoption of her son, Parker Jaren. A few steps up from supermarket tabloid, but with no juicy gossip; and for those following Rosie coverage in the media or at her Web sites, there's not much news here. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.