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List Price: $25.95 | | Publisher: Phoenix Books
Salesrank: 516137
Released: April 10, 2007 |
| Our Price: $2.43 |
| Used Price: $0.97 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
She was the most outlandish, outrageous, in-your-face symbol of the age - and suddenly, shockingly, she was gone.
In life,her antics, adventures and behavior kept a nation riveted; in death she stunned a world gripped by the surprise and swiftness of her unexpected passing. Had she ever bothered with a resume it would have been laughably improbable: Krispy Fried Chicken waitress, K-Mart cashier, stripper, Playboy's Playmate of the Year, actress in a Paul Newman film, and spokesperson for Guess? jeans. She was a walking contradiction: often weighing over 140 pounds yet paid to represent a weight-loss pill; illiterate but paid to be a columnist for an American tabloid; she was demeaned and laughed at, yet the Bush administration sent its top lawyer to file a brief on her behalf in her fight for her husband's mega millions. At her death she may have beenon the brink of inheriting between $90 million and $450 million, yet she had lived on the edge of bankruptcy. The woman was, of course, Anna Nicole Smith. We were fascinated by her 10-year court battle for her late husband's estate, her fluctuating breast size, the birth of her daughter, the tragic death of her son three days later, the paternity suits against her, as well as her eviction from her ex-boyfriend's house in the Bahamas. Her life read like a soap opera script too incredible to be believed; while she lived there was always a surprise lurking at every corner, and her death came as the ultimate, astounding twist. This is the story of the little girl from west of nowhere, born into a broken, dysfunctional, dirt-poor family, told by the one woman who knew her best.
A mother at 18, with little education, she faced the same hardscrabble life as all her relatives. Her fierce resolve, pluck, luck and determination allowed her to claw her way to celebrity status,becoming a tabloid staple, and to reach the potential of unimaginable wealth. And then, in a moment, she was gone, not yet 40 years old. A Horatio Alger story with a bitter ending, TRAIN WRECK- The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith, is the definitive story of the rise and swift fall of one of the most compelling characters to blaze across the American sky.
Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith Reviews:
It's more about her sister's life and view 
2009-02-13 - I feel so bad after reading this.
Her sister hated Anna. I can read through all her lines. She put her down so many times subtly and went on and on about how stupid she was for having a relationship with the father who apparently molested her (the author). She does not write it like a biography but it's like she is getting revenge.
Alot of gossip, incendiary gossip that is based on guesses.
I feel so bad for Anna. I guess the title says it all, "TRAINWRECK" is what her sister calls Anna and laughs about it in this book. That is what her sister thinks of her and here is why.
It's very sad. Donna dyes her hair platinum and wears lipstick just like Anna yet smears her and looks down, condescends and just shells out the gossip based on what it looked like to her.
I love Anna, and am defending her.
It's like reading Marilyn Monroe's biographies where authors ( write about themselves) call her evil, a damned dark lost woman, sinful, unholy, bad, and drunk. Perverts write books about her and so do women saying she was fallen and tragic.
When I can see the good in Marilyn Monroe shine through every photo and ever film. The innocence and joy she shares with the world. She is nothing of that sort. A playful kitten not afraid of sex or touched by ugliness.
The book is a mirror of the author.
But that still makes it an interesting read. It is. It's very low class life with crack babies and dysfunctional families.
It tells very little of Anna. I would give this a good biography on Anna's sisters life. There are more photos in there of her and her kids and distant relatives, and very few of Anna. She says her Mexican husband stole all the photos.
Interesting read. But not for Anna Lovers.
Donna is White Trash 
2008-07-07 - This woman is such a piece of "white trash" and so jealous of her beautiful half sister Vicki. The book is filled with contradictions and stories (pure b.s.) about her life. No one cares about Donna whatever her name is. She is certainly a "user loser" and it is plain to see why Anna wanted nothing to do with her. Most of the information is stolen from other books about Anna. Anna must have gotten her looks from Virgie's side of the family because try as she might....Donna is one homely looking woman. Most of the pictures are of her family. What goes around, comes around. Don't waste your money on this...I bought it used and it wasn't worth the 3.06 I paid for it.
JUMPY
2008-06-18 - To me the book jumped around too much. One minute it talked about her growing up, then about her being married to the old man, and then back to her as a child. I like to read things in chronilogical order and this was not at all like that. The best part was the END!!!
Misleading Title 
2008-04-17 - I really wanted to like this book. Although I knew Anna Nicole was not brought up in the same househould as her 1/2 sister, I had hoped she could shed some light on some of the cute, child antics sisters usually share. The title of the book was "Train Wreck The and Death of Anna Nicole Smith." However, the book was 80% or more about her sister , Donna's family, friends, children, mother, etc. I believe on some level she was attempting to prove once and for all that Anna Nicole did, indeed interact withthe other side of the family.
From the first page it is obvious that Donna is angry that Vickie, and not herself won the priviledge of becoming, in her own way, an American Idol. Rather than focus on the life of Anna Nicole, Donna focuses on herself, her family, and the relationships she has had with men, etc. There are a series of pictures throughout the book: most of them have nothing with Anna Nicole. It was like having an in-law sit and show you page after page of pictures that are important to them, but which you have no interest in.
I gave this a rating of 3 because there are multiple attempts to explain some of the behavior's of Anna Nicole, and she did seem to have a real concern and sisterly love for her. There were many inconsistancies: in one place Donna states "I have never made any money off of my sisters fame, I refuse to.." However, a couple chapters later she mentions being paid $25,000.00 for an interview with Current Affair. She makes it clear that Vergie,Anna's Mother, had forbade a relationship with her father or anyone in his family. Therefore, any knowledge Donna had was either second hand or gotten during the times they would sneak around to see one another.
I am not sorry I read this book, but am glad I borrowed it from the library.
She is not her sister!
2008-03-09 - Donna Hogan is not her sister! She only met her twice in her whole life and she had never once met Daniel,Anna was told about this book before she died and she said she didn't know who she was,people who are saying they got a better look into Anna's life after reading this book didn't get any real information because how can you know so much about a person that you never really had a connection with? That doesn't work,if you are a fan of Anna's have some respect and don't buy this book Anna wouldn't like it,she tried to have it stopped before she died.
