Laura Joplin

Love Janis is biography of Janis Joplin by her sister, Laura. As Janis (who died of an accidental heroin overdose in 1970) is my favorite female vocalist, I was eager to read this book. Laura has written a very intimate and interesting book of her sister which is interspersed with unpublished letters Janis wrote to her family (signed "Love Janis", hence the title). She doesn't hold back on the alcohol or drug problems Janis had, but she doesn't dwell on them like a scandal bio either. There was a lot more to Janis than that, which this book makes clear. She was a unique person, and she loved the Blues, with a voice perfect for singing them. Her family clearly loved her, and it shows in Laura's writing. The book starts a little slow but quickly picks up and will hold your attention. If you are interested in Janis or the music scene of the era, I recommend Love Janis. If you want to read about a special and unique individual, I recommend it too!… (mehr)

Like many people, when I hear the name Janis Joplin I think of the Summer of Love in Haight-Ashbury, “Me and Bobby McGee,” hippies, “Piece of my Heart,” and heroin overdose. I’ve always liked Janis Joplin’s music, but I never knew much about who Janis was until I read her sister’s biography of her. Janis was so much more than the things listed above. She was heart and soul, a small-town girl always searching for love and approval, a big voice, and a woman ahead of her time.

Biographies, even of some of my favorite celebrities, often bore me because of the style they are written in. Love, Janis, however, like Janis herself, is never boring. Surprising, touching, real, and sometimes shocking, it is an honest and loving testament to a soul whose flame went out way before its time. Laura Joplin writes with the perfect balance of honesty and affection, sharing with the world her memories and her understanding of her sister Janis in an intimate and unforgettable tribute.… (mehr)