Country music history is cram-jammed with personal stories of challenges, heartbreak, and general fortitude--after all, that's where all those great songs come from, right?
That said, it would be hard to find a musician whose tale can top Shania Twain's. From her difficult childhood, to her rise to extraordinary fame, to her recent very public romantic issues, her life unrolls like a novel...a real page-turner that you can't put down.
Luckily, we all will actually get to read that novel--and it will be straight from her own pen, in her own words. Twain announced Wednesday that she's inked a deal with Atria Books to publish her autobiography.
This will be her first book, and she says she plans to discuss her most sensitive subjects, including the death of her mother and stepfather, as well as her divorce from Robert "Mutt" Lange (which was finalized this June).
The superstar explained that she decided to write her memoirs as a result of realizing time is finite. "There have been moments in my life I was concerned by the reality that tomorrow would never come," she noted. "Recently I experienced one of those moments to an intensity that brought on a sudden urgency to document my life before I ran out of time."
"There are times in your life that are meant for reflection, and this was one of them. I began writing this book with a sincere respect for the past, present and future as something never to be taken for granted."
Twain's publisher, Atria's Judith Curr, has high praise for the singer's writing, calling her style "rich, clear, unfiltered and honest." She says fans will be appreciative of Twain's honesty: "There is a depth that comes through in her writing. The book will be a help and inspiration to many, and those who think they know her from her music will be surprised at the raw and personal place she writes from."
The memoirs are scheduled to come out in spring of 2011. Twain has not chosen a title yet. Additionally this coming spring, the Oprah Winfrey Network will be airing a documentary series about Twain's life.
Will you be picking up Shania's autobiography, or do you prefer to simply draw your own conclusions from her music? I will say I find it certainly refreshing to see her back in the spotlight this year and look forward to reading her story. Be sure to let me know what's on your mind.
As always, be sure to: