I hinted last week that I wanted to write about Lisa Ann’s book “The Life”. Lisa was kind enough to send me a copy and I wanted to read it. I am glad that I did.
Lisa and I came into the biz around the same time, I know almost everyone she wrote about in her book, some of the people, like Peter Davy, I knew very well. Reading her book brought back a lot of memories from that time in porn, a very different business than the one we know today. Lisa relates the mood of the industry at that time very well. Combine that with the honesty surrounding her childhood and you get a very good understanding of how a young girl finds her way into the biz in those days, and to some extent these days too.
Lisa watches the business, and herself change and her narrative gives you insight into the person that Lisa has become, it answers a lot of questions and most importantly it is honest, very honest.
her book is what Jenna Jameson’s should have been, unlike Jenna, Lisa actually wrote hers and it shows, not because it is any less professionlly written, but because it has heart and soul that Jenna’s lacks. When you read “The Life” you know it isn’t someone’s interpretation of Lisa’s stories, it is Lisa’s story and I find that much more compelling.
I think it certainly wouldn’t hurt to make “The Life” required reading for all new porn chicks, of course that won’t happen, but it would be a good thing if they could maybe see themselves from the outside in, before getting into porn.
Lis’a book is in no way an indictment of porn, it is less critical than even my blog is, so you wouldn’t call her anti porn at all, but there are times when she questions some of our practices, just as we should be doing. If you happen to be one of the people who see Lisa as somewhat cold and or standoffish, reading this book will explain why, an awful lot of people took advantage and screwed her over, the most recent being Jules Jordan. In spite of this Lisa doesn’t write vitriolically about it, it is presented matter of fact and somewhat cautionary, but it is obvious that Lisa appreciates and loves her time in the industry.
OK nuff said, I wanted to give a very broad overview without getting into specifics, the book is not a hard read, it will make you think and it will give you a rare and honest glimpse inside the industry, if you are interested in the biz you should read it.
Great Job Lisa Ann.
17 Responses
Awesome recommendation. I read Jenna’s book too, and it was distinctly an “on the outside looking” kind of memoir, great to hear that Lisa Ann wrote her own memoir, and I will be purchasing it in show of support, and also if you say its a good read, I’m sure its a damn good read. Congrats Lisa Ann!
I can’t wait to read this. Thanks for the review, Mike. You’re spot on about required reading.
I sure can’t wait until she goes on a signing tours for that book (HINT LISA ANN). I would love to get to squeeze those stretched marked tits and look into those BIG BROWN pretty eyes and would also love to see that stretched out brown eye of hers. She is and will always be a babe. Some mental situations going on at times, but hey, most of the people in porn have those and other issues too. Good article.
Where’s the link to retailers? Looking forward to reading it, Lisa Ann impresses me as someone who owns her opinions and knows herself well. Gotta admire a lady who defines then stands her ground whether it’s giving someone a chance to get right on a HepC situation or bucking the trend when her experience with Deen wasn’t a ‘he did it to me too’
Haven’t read it yet, but thanks for the review. Certainly autobiographies actually written by the subject are better than those with ghost writers or co-authors. I guess you read many books by adult legends. Have you ever read and reviewed “Lights, Camera, Sex” by Christy Canyon, written and published by herself? Great read.
In other news I heard Bella Blaze died (supposedly of a drug overdose). Her Mom has a gofundme page to try and raise the funds for a funeral for her. Young people don’t think they will need a life insurance policy. Thats just for old people. Sad to see such a beautiful young woman go that way.
Fuck the life insurance, it is too bad people can’t keep their drug use in check and kill themselves by overdose (if she died from following her legal prescription for a medication I apologize for my rant). I don’t know or even know much about Bella Blaze but that being the case along with her not having been the subject of multiple articles here at MikeSouth.com she is probably not a Rob Black, Uncle Peg or Donkey level scumbag and did not deserve to die this way. Yes, she should have planned for her eventual funeral expenses (that is one way the adult entertainer union or APAC could assist, by arranging for a group rate life insurance policy with no medical exam or restrictions on enrollment similar to what large corporations offer their employees) but a drug overdose and likely drug addiction is not a good way to die IMO.
Why has topic shifted from books by adult stars to death and life insurance?
@bfi Topics switch all the time cause we are a chatty bunch lol
Hey Crunkle
Why take this thread about her book and attack her looks with all your “stretched” comments? Seems rather mean spirited to me and odd when you combine it with calling her a babe.
If you want to find 40 year old women without any age marks, you can find them with the unicorns.
Lurk, Amazon has it for either $18.41 hardcover or $9.99 on Amazon Kindle, you can install the reader on your computer and/or if you have a Kindle reader or tablet you can install their reader app on it. I would suggest buying a $50-$80 tablet for this purpose, it will install on any Android tablet at least from version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or newer and makes airplane reading much easier if you actually save the books to the SSD. Also, Mike has a book on Amazon Kindle full of stripper quotes for $2.99 that is only available on Amazon Kindle and not in hardcover form, it is actually a funny read and there is a link attached to a pic of the “cover” right on this site.
Link for Lisa Ann book: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Playin-Sports-Living-Fullest-ebook/dp/B017O4VK0I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458795828&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Life+Lisa+Ann
@mharris
TY for link, I’m good on reader devices and apps to access from other platforms.
So I’ve been devouring Lisa Anne’s memoir for the last 6 hours non-stop. She is so fucking smart, brave and bad-ass. Mike, please recommend this book ($9.95 on kindle) to any new performer, any gender, BEFORE they do anything. It’s that helpful, and that good. 5 stars. CrunkleShitz, you’d have your gnarly hand cut off by her private security detail before those pointless, cruel remarks even entered your little brains. She has done so much with her life, made it through hell and ended up being able to write about it. Exceptional human being, porn person or not.
ETA When will men realize that resorting to physically insulting women doesn’t hurt our feelings? We expect nothing less from men like you. You are actually the exact kind of person who could benefit greatly from reading her book. And from your comment, looks like you’ve got your own mental situation too. Glass houses, Crunkie.
Lisa Ann, just bought your book on Kindle. Will def come back to this page and post my thoughts, but wanted to give a compliment before I read it: Lisa ya already got my respect. I anticipate my heart will grow three sizes like the grinch after I read it. Deep dive time!
C’mon folks – not saying it is or isn’t happening here, but don’t assume a ghost writer was not used on any of the many porn autobiographies just because it doesn’t mention a ghost writer in the credits…as for this book, I have seen Lisa in action where she “speed texts” at amazing speed (talk about talented thumbs!) , and I know she is a good writer, so best guess is that she wrote most, if not all, of this book herself. Good book, by the way. I do recommend it.
As a guy who has made his living as a writer, I would hope she had a ghost writer and editor – and that’s not taking anything away from Lisa Ann at all. That’s the nature of organizing your life into chapters that tell a story; making the kinds of choices that a writer or editor who is not involved in the story helps you make; and cleans you up.
Everyone, including pros, needs an editor and someone who doesn’t write for a living would benefit from a ghost writer to get her story in shape.
@BT
Hear! Hear! A good editor is an artist using the authors words as raw material like paint from a palette.