You may like her. Hate her. But you cannot ignore her. Madonna, the most iconic pop singer cum entertainment of this century. For nearly 40 years, Madonna has been the reigning “Pop Queen” across the world, defying gender norms, patriarchal systems, and ageism barriers. Award-winning writer Mary Gabriel’s meticulously researched and stunningly written book Madonna: A Rebel Life is one of the most compelling biographies of the iconic singer ever written. The biography is a magnum opus but for someone like Madonna’s stature, it is worth the long read. The Pulitzer Prize finalist painstakingly chronicles every moment of Madonna Louise Ciccone’s (aka Madonna) life. Right from the time she lost her mother at five to the HIV/AIDS crisis when she kept “Safe Sex” awareness handbills at her concerts. The book is peppered with the innumerable controversies the 65-year-old singer has courted throughout her life. The pages where Gabriel talks of Madonna losing several of her gay friends to AIDS are really moving. She writes in the book: “In order to talk about AIDS one needed to talk about gay sex, and that was not a conversation to be had in Ronald Reagan’s America.” Through countless interviews with people close to the pop diva and interesting anecdotes, the author writes about the meteoric rise of Madonna, her unconventional lifestyle, and her powerful influence in the music world.
The writer digs deep into the life and psyche of the pop star — her upbringing, struggles in the music industry, failed marriages, raising six children independently, and her talent as a songwriter, singer, actor, and dancer. Very few talented artists can pull off this feat like her. Despite severe backlash from the church and power-ful politicians, Madonna never compromised on her beliefs,
values, and
political activism. Whether it is a three-year-old child or a 90-year-old music buff, Madonna is the only artiste in the world who connects with her fans on a first-name basis. There are also some little unknown facts about the singer in this book. Madonna is a trained ballet dancer and a major movie aficionado, who loves to watch foreign films. It also talks about how she acquired the nickname ‘Madge’ in the UK. For the uninitiated, Madge is the short form for ‘Her Majesty’. Whether the pop icon was tickled by this newly coined name is a matter of debate. But one thing is certain, after reading the colossal biography, you can take a sigh of relief and exclaim, Long Live The Queen!
