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Love, Pamela
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Memoir & Autobiography (2023)To live and dream is a wicked dance.
My dreams often come true -- a curse, and a blessing.
Pamela Anderson's blond bombshell image was ubiquitous in the 1990s. Discovered in the stands during a Canadian football game, she was quickly launched into superstardom, becoming Playboy's favorite cover girl and an emblem of Hollywood glamour and sex appeal. Yet the Pamela Anderson we think we know was created through happenstance rather than careful cultivation. Love, Pamela brings forth her true story: that of a small-town girl getting tangled up in her own dream.
Growing up on Vancouver Island, the daughter of young, wild, and unwittingly stylish parents, Pamela lived a hardscrabble childhood but developed a deep love for nature, populating her world with misfits, apparitional friends, and injured animals. Eventually overcoming her natural shyness, Pamela's restless imagination propelled her into a life few can dream of, from the beaches of Malibu to the coveted scene at the Playboy Mansion. As her star rose, she found herself a fixture of tabloid fodder, at the height of an era when paparazzi tactics were bent on destroying a person's image and self-esteem.
Pamela forged ahead with grace, finding sanctuary in her love of art and literature, and emerged a devoted mother and activist. Now, having returned to the island of her childhood, after a memorable run starring as Roxie in Chicago on Broadway, Pamela is telling her story, a story of an irrepressible free spirit coming home and discovering herself anew at every turn. With vivid prose interspersed with bursts of original poetry, Love, Pamela is a pensive, layered, and unforgettable memoir.
My dreams often come true -- a curse, and a blessing.
Pamela Anderson's blond bombshell image was ubiquitous in the 1990s. Discovered in the stands during a Canadian football game, she was quickly launched into superstardom, becoming Playboy's favorite cover girl and an emblem of Hollywood glamour and sex appeal. Yet the Pamela Anderson we think we know was created through happenstance rather than careful cultivation. Love, Pamela brings forth her true story: that of a small-town girl getting tangled up in her own dream.
Growing up on Vancouver Island, the daughter of young, wild, and unwittingly stylish parents, Pamela lived a hardscrabble childhood but developed a deep love for nature, populating her world with misfits, apparitional friends, and injured animals. Eventually overcoming her natural shyness, Pamela's restless imagination propelled her into a life few can dream of, from the beaches of Malibu to the coveted scene at the Playboy Mansion. As her star rose, she found herself a fixture of tabloid fodder, at the height of an era when paparazzi tactics were bent on destroying a person's image and self-esteem.
Pamela forged ahead with grace, finding sanctuary in her love of art and literature, and emerged a devoted mother and activist. Now, having returned to the island of her childhood, after a memorable run starring as Roxie in Chicago on Broadway, Pamela is telling her story, a story of an irrepressible free spirit coming home and discovering herself anew at every turn. With vivid prose interspersed with bursts of original poetry, Love, Pamela is a pensive, layered, and unforgettable memoir.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2023
About the author
Pamela Anderson
56 books329 followersCanadian-born actress, sex symbol, glamour model, producer, TV personality, and author.
She holds both American and Canadian citizenship.
For a time, she was known as Pamela Anderson Lee after marrying the drummer for Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee.
She holds both American and Canadian citizenship.
For a time, she was known as Pamela Anderson Lee after marrying the drummer for Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,652 reviews
February 3, 2023
I fucking loved this. It was a true surprise. I was expecting a spill the tea dishy memoir and got poetry and existential philosophy in a completely palatable way.
Truly an enigma in a red bathing suit. I highly recommend this book. Hers is a story worth learning about.
Truly an enigma in a red bathing suit. I highly recommend this book. Hers is a story worth learning about.
March 18, 2024
Confession: my first celebrity crush was Pamela Anderson. I was six years old and thought CJ from Baywatch was great. I wanted to be her friend. I later discovered Pamela had endured her share of adversity, but didn’t realise the full extent - until now.
“We lived off food stamps and powdered milk. I’ll never forget the chalky taste. I dreaded my cereal in the morning.”
Love, Pamela is the story of someone taking back their narrative. There are no ghost writers here. It begins with fourteen pages of free verse poetry. I knew this was going to be a unique memoir. Pamela writes on her own terms - always something to admire. Her poetry is weaved throughout and captures her warm personality and kind soul.
The first half explores her childhood and early years on Vancouver Island. It was harrowing to read of the abuse and domestic violence she endured. Sadly, this would feature in many of her adult relationships too. It would have been easy for her life to take another direction. But it was inspiring to learn how she overcame these struggles and created a fulfilling life for herself.
“I could not have survived my adult life without the strength I learned to muster early on.”
Pamela writes with honesty and vulnerability – particularly the first half. Certain sections gave me anxiety. There are many vivid characters too. People seemed fictional yet real. One moment I was smiling, the next feeling a sense of doom as another relationship turned sour.
I found myself amazed at how well-read she is. Pamela’s passion for art, poetry and knowledge is infectious. It was interesting to read about the origins of her veganism and activism, and how she catapulted into fame.
“No matter how I tried, the image was bigger than me and always won. My life took off without me.”
Pamela writes with self-awareness, particularly in regards to formative relationships. The second half, however, lacked some of this initial depth, and skimmed the surface. In her own words, she was stuck between protecting others and blurting out the truth. The book suffered because of this.
A subtle insecurity began to manifest across the pages in these latter sections. It was like Pamela was caught up trying to convince readers of her intelligence, parenting skills, and ability to make the world a better place through her various causes. At times, it felt more resume than memoir in its delivery.
Despite this, I was captivated by Pamela’s story and empowering way she poured herself into this memoir. It’s always good when you finish a book with greater respect and admiration for the author. Congrats on taking back your story, Pamela, and for doing so with grace and humility.
“You can think your way out of living.
This is when I learned
To flip the script—
When you change your thoughts,
you change your life.”
“We lived off food stamps and powdered milk. I’ll never forget the chalky taste. I dreaded my cereal in the morning.”
Love, Pamela is the story of someone taking back their narrative. There are no ghost writers here. It begins with fourteen pages of free verse poetry. I knew this was going to be a unique memoir. Pamela writes on her own terms - always something to admire. Her poetry is weaved throughout and captures her warm personality and kind soul.
The first half explores her childhood and early years on Vancouver Island. It was harrowing to read of the abuse and domestic violence she endured. Sadly, this would feature in many of her adult relationships too. It would have been easy for her life to take another direction. But it was inspiring to learn how she overcame these struggles and created a fulfilling life for herself.
“I could not have survived my adult life without the strength I learned to muster early on.”
Pamela writes with honesty and vulnerability – particularly the first half. Certain sections gave me anxiety. There are many vivid characters too. People seemed fictional yet real. One moment I was smiling, the next feeling a sense of doom as another relationship turned sour.
I found myself amazed at how well-read she is. Pamela’s passion for art, poetry and knowledge is infectious. It was interesting to read about the origins of her veganism and activism, and how she catapulted into fame.
“No matter how I tried, the image was bigger than me and always won. My life took off without me.”
Pamela writes with self-awareness, particularly in regards to formative relationships. The second half, however, lacked some of this initial depth, and skimmed the surface. In her own words, she was stuck between protecting others and blurting out the truth. The book suffered because of this.
A subtle insecurity began to manifest across the pages in these latter sections. It was like Pamela was caught up trying to convince readers of her intelligence, parenting skills, and ability to make the world a better place through her various causes. At times, it felt more resume than memoir in its delivery.
Despite this, I was captivated by Pamela’s story and empowering way she poured herself into this memoir. It’s always good when you finish a book with greater respect and admiration for the author. Congrats on taking back your story, Pamela, and for doing so with grace and humility.
“You can think your way out of living.
This is when I learned
To flip the script—
When you change your thoughts,
you change your life.”
February 20, 2023
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are” ~ Joseph Campbell
Love, Pamela is the best memoir that I have read so far. Pamela Anderson did not hold back, and told us who she really is. I feel that Pamela’s image was misconstrued tremendously by the media and tabloids. Pamela is an intelligent, beautiful woman who finally told her story. This story is mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and often impulsive (as some of her actions were).
In this memoir, we learn that Pamela is an animal rights activist (she loves animals and nature), she is involved in refugee organizations, she is an art lover who spends her time at various museums and is very familiar with artists who I’ve never even heard of. Pamela is also a book lover! Pamela has been an avid reader since she was a young girl, and this reading continues today. If she was on Goodreads, she would probably blow most of us away with her reviews and some of the works that she’s read. Pamela also grows her own garden with vegetables and fruits, and makes her own homemade vegan dishes. The greatest accomplishment is that she is/was a hands on mom to two wonderful boys through her marriage to Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee.
Pamela talks about her “fairy tale” romance and wedding to Tommy Lee. While they were very much in love, the paparazzi followed them and provoked them constantly. Paparazzi vans were always parked outside of their house. In protecting Pamela from aggressive fans and paparazzi, Tommy would be triggered and become violent. His violence resulted in many fines and hefty settlements that they had to pay out to those who were assaulted by their aggravating behavior. We all know of the sex tapes between this couple that were stolen, and pretty much destroyed them as a couple. Pamela’s career was ruined, as was her life and the lives of their families and friends closest to them. Her two boys were also traumatized by these tapes, as they would be teased at school. To this day, Pamela still has not watched the tapes (and neither have I).
Pamela goes on to add about her quick marriages to Kid Rock and Rick Salomon. She was always looking for the fairy tale romance that she had with Tommy Lee, but just never found it. She realized that apparently not all relationships work like that.
In addition to the many talents that Pamela has - yes we all remember her from Baywatch, and she was in Playboy several times. Pamela is also a writer. Pamela has kept journals that she wrote in everyday since she was a young girl. Because of her ability to write, she wrote this memoir all by herself- with no ghostwriter or anything. This book is emotional, raw, and amazing!!
I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to get a better understanding of Pamela Anderson, or what it’s like to be a human being in general. In addition to this memoir, she has a documentary out on Netflix. I have only watched half of the documentary so far, and I don’t think it’s as good as the book. This book obviously goes into more detail, so I do believe you will get more from this book than you would the documentary.
Love, Pamela is the best memoir that I have read so far. Pamela Anderson did not hold back, and told us who she really is. I feel that Pamela’s image was misconstrued tremendously by the media and tabloids. Pamela is an intelligent, beautiful woman who finally told her story. This story is mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and often impulsive (as some of her actions were).
In this memoir, we learn that Pamela is an animal rights activist (she loves animals and nature), she is involved in refugee organizations, she is an art lover who spends her time at various museums and is very familiar with artists who I’ve never even heard of. Pamela is also a book lover! Pamela has been an avid reader since she was a young girl, and this reading continues today. If she was on Goodreads, she would probably blow most of us away with her reviews and some of the works that she’s read. Pamela also grows her own garden with vegetables and fruits, and makes her own homemade vegan dishes. The greatest accomplishment is that she is/was a hands on mom to two wonderful boys through her marriage to Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee.
Pamela talks about her “fairy tale” romance and wedding to Tommy Lee. While they were very much in love, the paparazzi followed them and provoked them constantly. Paparazzi vans were always parked outside of their house. In protecting Pamela from aggressive fans and paparazzi, Tommy would be triggered and become violent. His violence resulted in many fines and hefty settlements that they had to pay out to those who were assaulted by their aggravating behavior. We all know of the sex tapes between this couple that were stolen, and pretty much destroyed them as a couple. Pamela’s career was ruined, as was her life and the lives of their families and friends closest to them. Her two boys were also traumatized by these tapes, as they would be teased at school. To this day, Pamela still has not watched the tapes (and neither have I).
Pamela goes on to add about her quick marriages to Kid Rock and Rick Salomon. She was always looking for the fairy tale romance that she had with Tommy Lee, but just never found it. She realized that apparently not all relationships work like that.
In addition to the many talents that Pamela has - yes we all remember her from Baywatch, and she was in Playboy several times. Pamela is also a writer. Pamela has kept journals that she wrote in everyday since she was a young girl. Because of her ability to write, she wrote this memoir all by herself- with no ghostwriter or anything. This book is emotional, raw, and amazing!!
I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to get a better understanding of Pamela Anderson, or what it’s like to be a human being in general. In addition to this memoir, she has a documentary out on Netflix. I have only watched half of the documentary so far, and I don’t think it’s as good as the book. This book obviously goes into more detail, so I do believe you will get more from this book than you would the documentary.
February 8, 2023
I'm a 90's kid so I grew up with Pam Anderson on my tv. I watched her on Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was just everywhere when i was a kid.....I even watched her infamous tape...I was 9 or 10 years old and my cousin who was 13 obtained it somehow and me and 4 other of my cousins watched it and I was scandalized! 😉
Love, Pamela I guess gave what I thought it would but I still wanted more. It felt like she was just skimming her life story. I never had the feeling of sinking into her story. I felt removed. I prefer memoirs that dig deeper and give me the ability to picture what's going on. I also feel like I might have enjoyed this book more if I had listened to it. Hearing her tell me her story might have enabled me to feel closer to her story.
Overall I'm glad I read this and I hope Pamela Anderson starts to get the respect and love she deserves. Pamela Anderson is an icon and a legend and she deserves to be treated like one.
Love, Pamela I guess gave what I thought it would but I still wanted more. It felt like she was just skimming her life story. I never had the feeling of sinking into her story. I felt removed. I prefer memoirs that dig deeper and give me the ability to picture what's going on. I also feel like I might have enjoyed this book more if I had listened to it. Hearing her tell me her story might have enabled me to feel closer to her story.
Overall I'm glad I read this and I hope Pamela Anderson starts to get the respect and love she deserves. Pamela Anderson is an icon and a legend and she deserves to be treated like one.
February 23, 2023
3,5 stars.
Pamela has led an interesting life and I liked getting to know her. It was sad to read about how exploited she was by the press and people close to her, and impressed by her ability to get through it.it was also lovely to read about her parenting style. She has strong opinions that has guided her through life. She also wrote the book without a ghostwriter and again this reflects well on her character.
I didn’t have any major issues with the book other than it sometimes felt that the book could have been organized more. It went back and forth between several themes, and I wasn’t always sure why she included some parts of her life and not others.
Pamela has led an interesting life and I liked getting to know her. It was sad to read about how exploited she was by the press and people close to her, and impressed by her ability to get through it.it was also lovely to read about her parenting style. She has strong opinions that has guided her through life. She also wrote the book without a ghostwriter and again this reflects well on her character.
I didn’t have any major issues with the book other than it sometimes felt that the book could have been organized more. It went back and forth between several themes, and I wasn’t always sure why she included some parts of her life and not others.
February 28, 2023
I love Pamela and I was so excited to read more about her. She has lead such an interesting life and I loved getting more inside her head. However, I did feel like this was more so a watered down version of her life story and that she held back a lot of things. Overall, I still enjoyed this read and was heartbroken to read all that she’s been through over the years. Always rooting for her 🤍
February 19, 2024
This is not what I expected, and I respect Pamela for it: She could absolutely fill a whole brick of a book with trauma porn and extra juicy anecdotes, but no, she uses her memoir to convey how she sees herself - as a poet. Sure, it feels like she heavily romanticizes her life, for instance when she talks about her young, messed up parents, whom you could certainly describe as unfit and irresponsible, but Pamela opts to frame them as free-spirited instead, interestingly while at the same time depicting their shortcomings. The same with Tommy Lee: He physically abused her, which she does state in no uncertain terms, but it reads like she still loves him. Like it or not: Pamela claims her own narrative, and she refuses to be the victim, be it of men, media, or circumstance.
The way she perceives herself shows that she is a heavy reader of the likes of Jack Kerouac and Anaïs Nin, and you certainly can't fault her for lacking courage. Still, it's the heavily aestheticized presentation that is both the strength and the weakness of book: Sometimes, this reader would have liked to hear some very direct intel on why the author would do things like marry Rick Solomon (twice!) or what the hell a poetic spirit like hers talks about with Kid Rock. Not to judge her, I'm seriously curious, because this woman is bright.
But then again, Pamela has endured so much abuse by the public, it's her right to tell her story on her own terms, and that's exactly what she does. It's more of an art project than a tell-all.
The way she perceives herself shows that she is a heavy reader of the likes of Jack Kerouac and Anaïs Nin, and you certainly can't fault her for lacking courage. Still, it's the heavily aestheticized presentation that is both the strength and the weakness of book: Sometimes, this reader would have liked to hear some very direct intel on why the author would do things like marry Rick Solomon (twice!) or what the hell a poetic spirit like hers talks about with Kid Rock. Not to judge her, I'm seriously curious, because this woman is bright.
But then again, Pamela has endured so much abuse by the public, it's her right to tell her story on her own terms, and that's exactly what she does. It's more of an art project than a tell-all.
February 6, 2023
Here's the deal. Ya boi loves some good dirt and drama and filler reads. The last 6 months I've felt particularly spicy and I've sucked down the whole Twilight saga and Prince Harry's memoir. I had high hopes for this book to be the reading equivalent of putting on daytime soap operas to help me sleep better or at least give me a damn escape as my life crumbles and my marriage falls apart and my kids resent me. But alas, our girl Pam did not deliver the goods. I was left wanting. I learned no spicy details of a life I am literally entitled to know nothing about and therein lies the problem with our society. How do i expect to know these things. I feel deprived. I love my own privacy but dammit Pam give me more I don't respect your privacy at all. I am a monstrous son of capitalism and my existence is a lie. Guess I need to rewatch Desperate Housewives to get my fix.
January 4, 2023
I love Pamela and I’m happy she was able to see this through, but this was a mess. Her writing was all over the place. Thankfully it was short.
THAT BEING SAID! Pam’s story is important to be told and I’m still so proud of the work she did on Broadway’s Chicago, I was there front row on her final night. She’s a legend and an incredible human.
Unfortunately, writing just isn’t her thing.
THAT BEING SAID! Pam’s story is important to be told and I’m still so proud of the work she did on Broadway’s Chicago, I was there front row on her final night. She’s a legend and an incredible human.
Unfortunately, writing just isn’t her thing.
January 31, 2023
Very non-linear in approach, but highlights Anderson’s creative side through art and poetry. The writing was a bit chaotic and the reader was taken on a different journey between every paragraph, but the scenes still transported them into Anderson’s life. Be aware that this book does mention instances of trauma (including r*pe, SA and ab*se). Overall, Pamela Anderson is a story teller and does well to engage her audience.
January 31, 2023
The book just wasn't for me. If you're trying to decide between reading this book or watching the documentary on Netflix, I would recommend the documentary. Mostly the same content, but the doc moved me in ways the book failed to.
February 12, 2023
"Playboy was an honor and a privilege, I never thought of it as immoral or salacious but the unforeseen downside was that it may have set me up. It was my choice, I accepted by fate. It gave some the impetus, sadly, to treat me without respect."
Love, Pamela was such a lovely surprise. I didn't really grow up as a fan of Pamela Anderson, by virtue that I was a child at the height of her fame, and I really hadn't even known much about the 'tape,' or her modelling career, or her activism. What inspired me to read this book was, ironically, Pam and Tommy, a series that I know Anderson rightfully hates, but offered a really good primer on some genuinely interesting issues surrounding female celebrity, sexuality, and (ironically, considering Anderson's issues with the show) consent.
I think what I loved most about Love, Pamela is that it is well and truly a personal autobiography. Anderson says as much in her acknowledgements that this wasn't ghostwritten or written in collaboration with anyone - this is just her story, her life, her memories, formatted how she wants it to be formatted. Some reviewers didn't like the even mix of poetry and prose, and considering that I'm really not much of a poetry person, I was surprised to find how big of a difference Anderson including her poetry so often in Love, Pamela made. Honestly, I think more autobiographies should be written exactly like this: in a way that best conveys the story a person is trying to tell, rather than trying to follow a strictly historical, chronological chronicling of a life.
Anderson even says that "there is no woe-is-me in this book. It is a celebration, a scrapbook of imperfect people living imperfect lives and finding the joy in that." It was so refreshing that Anderson felt that this book was her opportunity to tell her side of the story, the good and the bad, but admitting that for every terrible experience she went through, she gained something from it. Whether it was experience, or knowledge, or self-understanding, she doesn't portray herself to be any kind of a victim, because as Anderson writes, she's tired of being the victim. She's tired of being sexualized and infantilized and treated as though she isn't a grown woman.
That being said, I think my one gripe with this book is one that can be said for most autobiographies: nobody is the bad guy in their own story, and half of most autobiographies are spent with celebrities trying to convince readers of how amazing of people they are. Particularly when it comes to celebrity autobiographies post-scandal that seek to set the record straight (Pamela Anderson, Prince Harry, etc.) There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to show a different, perhaps more (perhaps less) authentic side to yourself, but at some point, it begins to feel preachy. I loved learning about Anderson's charity work and about her love of classic art and literature, but somewhere along the way it just began to read like a bad Tinder bio (Hobbies: Helping other people. Interests: Plato, Khalo, Warhol. Spend all of my free time reading philosophy and saving the environment. Go vegan, free Julian Assange.).
Still, I think it's admirable that Anderson admits you can never truly know a person until you've spent a lifetime with them, and so even the most hardcore Pamela Anderson fans or detractors have no idea what she's really like. Watching a scathing documentary or reading her autobiography will still never even come close to telling you what she's really like, but I think that's the point she's trying to make: she doesn't need people to be absolutely in love with her and think she's never done anything wrong, but she needs to prove that she's more than the hot girl with the big boobs whose 'sex tape' was leaked. It's important for her to prove she's more than that, because as Pam and Tommy proved last year, that legacy isn't going anywhere. She can't change it, but she can add positively to it, the same way I think she's tried to do with her charity work, but that's totally just personal opinion.
This wasn't the most heavy read in the world, and it really was a nice, wholesome, inspiring read. I really loved hearing Anderson talk about her life as a mother and how much she loves her kids more than anything else, and I really do hope this book changes her public narrative a little. It's not a book you need to commit serious time or emotional space into, and it's a really rewarding read.
Love, Pamela was such a lovely surprise. I didn't really grow up as a fan of Pamela Anderson, by virtue that I was a child at the height of her fame, and I really hadn't even known much about the 'tape,' or her modelling career, or her activism. What inspired me to read this book was, ironically, Pam and Tommy, a series that I know Anderson rightfully hates, but offered a really good primer on some genuinely interesting issues surrounding female celebrity, sexuality, and (ironically, considering Anderson's issues with the show) consent.
I think what I loved most about Love, Pamela is that it is well and truly a personal autobiography. Anderson says as much in her acknowledgements that this wasn't ghostwritten or written in collaboration with anyone - this is just her story, her life, her memories, formatted how she wants it to be formatted. Some reviewers didn't like the even mix of poetry and prose, and considering that I'm really not much of a poetry person, I was surprised to find how big of a difference Anderson including her poetry so often in Love, Pamela made. Honestly, I think more autobiographies should be written exactly like this: in a way that best conveys the story a person is trying to tell, rather than trying to follow a strictly historical, chronological chronicling of a life.
Anderson even says that "there is no woe-is-me in this book. It is a celebration, a scrapbook of imperfect people living imperfect lives and finding the joy in that." It was so refreshing that Anderson felt that this book was her opportunity to tell her side of the story, the good and the bad, but admitting that for every terrible experience she went through, she gained something from it. Whether it was experience, or knowledge, or self-understanding, she doesn't portray herself to be any kind of a victim, because as Anderson writes, she's tired of being the victim. She's tired of being sexualized and infantilized and treated as though she isn't a grown woman.
That being said, I think my one gripe with this book is one that can be said for most autobiographies: nobody is the bad guy in their own story, and half of most autobiographies are spent with celebrities trying to convince readers of how amazing of people they are. Particularly when it comes to celebrity autobiographies post-scandal that seek to set the record straight (Pamela Anderson, Prince Harry, etc.) There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to show a different, perhaps more (perhaps less) authentic side to yourself, but at some point, it begins to feel preachy. I loved learning about Anderson's charity work and about her love of classic art and literature, but somewhere along the way it just began to read like a bad Tinder bio (Hobbies: Helping other people. Interests: Plato, Khalo, Warhol. Spend all of my free time reading philosophy and saving the environment. Go vegan, free Julian Assange.).
Still, I think it's admirable that Anderson admits you can never truly know a person until you've spent a lifetime with them, and so even the most hardcore Pamela Anderson fans or detractors have no idea what she's really like. Watching a scathing documentary or reading her autobiography will still never even come close to telling you what she's really like, but I think that's the point she's trying to make: she doesn't need people to be absolutely in love with her and think she's never done anything wrong, but she needs to prove that she's more than the hot girl with the big boobs whose 'sex tape' was leaked. It's important for her to prove she's more than that, because as Pam and Tommy proved last year, that legacy isn't going anywhere. She can't change it, but she can add positively to it, the same way I think she's tried to do with her charity work, but that's totally just personal opinion.
This wasn't the most heavy read in the world, and it really was a nice, wholesome, inspiring read. I really loved hearing Anderson talk about her life as a mother and how much she loves her kids more than anything else, and I really do hope this book changes her public narrative a little. It's not a book you need to commit serious time or emotional space into, and it's a really rewarding read.
January 31, 2023
I read this book because I’ve been on a bit of a memoir kick. Candidly, I didn’t go in with incredibly high expectations partially because I didn’t know what to expect. My biggest critique to this book is the melodramatic writing. Pamela promises a book told in her “imperfect style… unfiltered” but the effect is scattered- a collage of fragmented experiences and random words/descriptors. It feels unpolished (a word she uses) and even immature. Some of her turns of phrase came off as irreverent: “I felt like Mr. Magoo - guided to safety by angels at every near wrong turn.” I felt like I had to sift through excessive analogies and flowery metaphors to get to any real content. Granted, this is a short book, but I was surprised that seemingly huge life events (time on Home Improvement, Baywatch and even marriages) are often boiled down to a handful of sentences. This memoir is purportedly an attempt for Pamela to “claim her narrative” but to me she comes across as naive and impressionable- not empowering (again, her word). Also, she describes herself as a feminist but also unapologetically codependent. Her anecdotes feel almost misogynistic in which she is a vulnerable, doe-eyed woman looking for a man to provide safety and protection. That being said, I appreciate her reflections motherhood as her comments about her sons feel the most deep and genuine. I wonder what this memoir would have been like with a bit more editing or more content in the areas of her life that were hastily mentioned. In its current form, I’d say skip this memoir.
February 10, 2023
5 Stars for Love, Pamela (audiobook) by Pamela Anderson read by the author.
This was a wonderful autobiography. I knew a lot of the highlights of Pamela Anderson’s life but this really puts things into perspective. I was sad to hear about her early abuse and I had no idea that her fame really got started by being shown on a Jumbotron at a football game. I love all of her literary quotes she uses throughout the book. It was a nice surprise to find out that she is so well read. And I’d completely miss hearing about her recently playing Roxie Hart in the Musical Chicago on Broadway. That would have been amazing to see. She has now moved back home to Vancouver Island and is living a more peaceful life.
This was a wonderful autobiography. I knew a lot of the highlights of Pamela Anderson’s life but this really puts things into perspective. I was sad to hear about her early abuse and I had no idea that her fame really got started by being shown on a Jumbotron at a football game. I love all of her literary quotes she uses throughout the book. It was a nice surprise to find out that she is so well read. And I’d completely miss hearing about her recently playing Roxie Hart in the Musical Chicago on Broadway. That would have been amazing to see. She has now moved back home to Vancouver Island and is living a more peaceful life.
February 19, 2023
Shallow, uninspiring book of a somewhat complicated actress/model who writes more like a child. Her poetry is sewn throughout the book and while some might like it, I found it distracting in order to cover up some real truths that Anderson chooses to skip over.
She does give a fairly good short summary of her childhood, with her hippy parents and her own teen rebellious streak. She flutters through a few stories, doesn't give many specifics, and never seems to be ashamed of doing some very bad things. She is sexually abused when very young and blames some of her lackadaisical attitude on that.
Before you know it she has moved to Vancouver, is discovered on a crowd cam at a football game, and seemingly within months is on the cover of Playboy (we're unsure of the timeline because there are almost no dates in this book). But where are the photos? None are included, and if any memoir should have them it should be this.
If you're looking for any inside details on her career or love life you won't find much here. It almost seems like she went through her Wikipedia page and just then jotted down a sentence or two about the significant events. Playboy mansion? Check. Dating Scott Baio? A sentence. Other serious boyfriends? Often just alluded to or not mentioned by name. Baywatch? Almost nothing but she didn't want to do the series. Home Improvement? Well we know Tim Allen isn't happy about his one-sentence mention but that's about all she says regarding the series that started her on the road to fame but she had no intention of being on a sitcom! While she was an extra on Married With Children, as she walked to her car, the Home Improvement casting director mistook her for auditioning for the regular sitcom role she was given.
And this is Pamela Anderson's life--people throwing themselves at her and job offers falling into her lap without even trying or supposedly know what's going on. Despite her claims of thinking she isn't attractive, obviously her looks made everyone give her things she didn't earn or deserve, resulting in an expectation that she didn't really need to try or make any personal choices.
What are better detailed in her book are her relationships with the main men in her life. Jon Peters (creepy oddball producer). Tommy Lee (drugged and crazy), and Kid Rock (who thought she was a whore). Those stories are somewhat interesting but pretty short and written without much emotion other than mostly positive memories even in negative circumstances.
While Anderson claims she's highly intelligent (and that her abusive chimney sweep dad was Mensa-level brilliant? Seriously?) she comes across as a lightweight and at times an airhead that drifts from uplifting cause to depressingly bad choices. At one point with Lee she attempts suicide and kind of makes it sound like more of an embarrassment than an understanding that it was a sign she needed help and rehab.
Then she claims she has "silly photographic memory," but if that's true why isn't this book filled with specific details and better stories? Hilariously, just three sentences after she wrote that, she said, "The Baywatch years were a blur." Huh? What is it, does she have a great memory or not? Maybe all the drugs and men have caused things to blur together.
She ends a chapter on Tommy Lee bragging about an amazing birthday party she planned, saying, "Love is the quality of attention we pay to things." Well based on that, she doesn't really send her love to readers or fans in this book the way the title would imply. There is very little attention paid to detail and too much of trippy-hippy creativity, including a final page self-portrait that Rorschach would analyze as the author being a total mess.
She does give a fairly good short summary of her childhood, with her hippy parents and her own teen rebellious streak. She flutters through a few stories, doesn't give many specifics, and never seems to be ashamed of doing some very bad things. She is sexually abused when very young and blames some of her lackadaisical attitude on that.
Before you know it she has moved to Vancouver, is discovered on a crowd cam at a football game, and seemingly within months is on the cover of Playboy (we're unsure of the timeline because there are almost no dates in this book). But where are the photos? None are included, and if any memoir should have them it should be this.
If you're looking for any inside details on her career or love life you won't find much here. It almost seems like she went through her Wikipedia page and just then jotted down a sentence or two about the significant events. Playboy mansion? Check. Dating Scott Baio? A sentence. Other serious boyfriends? Often just alluded to or not mentioned by name. Baywatch? Almost nothing but she didn't want to do the series. Home Improvement? Well we know Tim Allen isn't happy about his one-sentence mention but that's about all she says regarding the series that started her on the road to fame but she had no intention of being on a sitcom! While she was an extra on Married With Children, as she walked to her car, the Home Improvement casting director mistook her for auditioning for the regular sitcom role she was given.
And this is Pamela Anderson's life--people throwing themselves at her and job offers falling into her lap without even trying or supposedly know what's going on. Despite her claims of thinking she isn't attractive, obviously her looks made everyone give her things she didn't earn or deserve, resulting in an expectation that she didn't really need to try or make any personal choices.
What are better detailed in her book are her relationships with the main men in her life. Jon Peters (creepy oddball producer). Tommy Lee (drugged and crazy), and Kid Rock (who thought she was a whore). Those stories are somewhat interesting but pretty short and written without much emotion other than mostly positive memories even in negative circumstances.
While Anderson claims she's highly intelligent (and that her abusive chimney sweep dad was Mensa-level brilliant? Seriously?) she comes across as a lightweight and at times an airhead that drifts from uplifting cause to depressingly bad choices. At one point with Lee she attempts suicide and kind of makes it sound like more of an embarrassment than an understanding that it was a sign she needed help and rehab.
Then she claims she has "silly photographic memory," but if that's true why isn't this book filled with specific details and better stories? Hilariously, just three sentences after she wrote that, she said, "The Baywatch years were a blur." Huh? What is it, does she have a great memory or not? Maybe all the drugs and men have caused things to blur together.
She ends a chapter on Tommy Lee bragging about an amazing birthday party she planned, saying, "Love is the quality of attention we pay to things." Well based on that, she doesn't really send her love to readers or fans in this book the way the title would imply. There is very little attention paid to detail and too much of trippy-hippy creativity, including a final page self-portrait that Rorschach would analyze as the author being a total mess.
February 7, 2023
"Love is the quality of attention we pay to things."
Memoirs are very fascinating to me. I love memoirs because we all live our lives very differently and it's exciting to see how they got to where they are now in life. Well, let's not forget the drama. We can't live without that.
I was almost ten years old when the infamous tape was released and that was how I found out who Pam was. I wasn't allowed to watch Baywatch but I was allowed to watch innocent teens get slaughtered by a killer lurking in the dark. (I guess that makes sense to someone) She was on the cover of all the tabloids and also on all the Hollywood gossip shows. I just didn't understand why they were so involved in her life back then but I do now and it breaks my heart.
Pamela relays it all between these pages and it’s an important read. My heart broke for her throughout this entire book. She's human and can make mistakes but the world held everything she did against her. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to have the world see something so private and personal and then judge you for it. She is such a sweet and kind soul, someone I could see being friends with and taking over the world.
Love, Pamela was the memoir I've been waiting for. Her words are so sincere and soul-hitting that it really made me think about how I treat others. This made me want to do better and that's how a memoir should hit you.
Memoirs are very fascinating to me. I love memoirs because we all live our lives very differently and it's exciting to see how they got to where they are now in life. Well, let's not forget the drama. We can't live without that.
I was almost ten years old when the infamous tape was released and that was how I found out who Pam was. I wasn't allowed to watch Baywatch but I was allowed to watch innocent teens get slaughtered by a killer lurking in the dark. (I guess that makes sense to someone) She was on the cover of all the tabloids and also on all the Hollywood gossip shows. I just didn't understand why they were so involved in her life back then but I do now and it breaks my heart.
Pamela relays it all between these pages and it’s an important read. My heart broke for her throughout this entire book. She's human and can make mistakes but the world held everything she did against her. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to have the world see something so private and personal and then judge you for it. She is such a sweet and kind soul, someone I could see being friends with and taking over the world.
Love, Pamela was the memoir I've been waiting for. Her words are so sincere and soul-hitting that it really made me think about how I treat others. This made me want to do better and that's how a memoir should hit you.
April 30, 2024
2 stars!
I love Pamela Anderson. Watching her career and love life in the media over the years, she was the epitome of a California Golden Girl. I thought - still think - she’s very pretty. She seems like a great mom and loves animals.
When her documentary was released, I watched it immediately and loved it. Unfortunately, the book does not match what I watched. It’s got the same title - so was I wrong in thinking I’d read what I watched?
The book was a jumbled mess. There was no order in which she told her stories - she just jumped back and forth in time. The poetry - way too much of it - and her baby voice throughout the book got on my nerves after a while - it seemed very monotone. Maybe I’d checked out by then. Unnecessary name dropping and constant talking about art and poetry. It’s like she was trying too hard to convince people how worldly she is.
This is not a tell all. I wanted at least some juicy tales. Mostly she skated over all of her marriages and once the Tommy Lee portion of the book was over, I lost interest. I guess I expected more.
I love Pamela Anderson. Watching her career and love life in the media over the years, she was the epitome of a California Golden Girl. I thought - still think - she’s very pretty. She seems like a great mom and loves animals.
When her documentary was released, I watched it immediately and loved it. Unfortunately, the book does not match what I watched. It’s got the same title - so was I wrong in thinking I’d read what I watched?
The book was a jumbled mess. There was no order in which she told her stories - she just jumped back and forth in time. The poetry - way too much of it - and her baby voice throughout the book got on my nerves after a while - it seemed very monotone. Maybe I’d checked out by then. Unnecessary name dropping and constant talking about art and poetry. It’s like she was trying too hard to convince people how worldly she is.
This is not a tell all. I wanted at least some juicy tales. Mostly she skated over all of her marriages and once the Tommy Lee portion of the book was over, I lost interest. I guess I expected more.
April 20, 2023
Missions of this book:
- I had famous friends
- I am sophisticated
- I am more than Baywatch
- I am a great parent
- I have an excuse for every headline you’ve seen in Hello!
You get nothing more.
- I had famous friends
- I am sophisticated
- I am more than Baywatch
- I am a great parent
- I have an excuse for every headline you’ve seen in Hello!
You get nothing more.
Want to read
August 14, 2023dnf @ 18% because my library loan was due! might pick this up later this year to finish it.
July 28, 2023
i think she should be allowed to murder people
May 10, 2024
Oh she went through he//. I enjoyed that it didn’t center around the scandal, a huge part with Tommy but it wasn’t everything and she went into her climb. Loved it.
February 13, 2023
As always, I hate rating people’s memoirs because it feels really icky, but I honestly loved this. It’s absolutely Pam. You can hear her reading the words on the page. Absolutely heartbreaking - even though I knew a lot of the stuff talked about already, it still got me.
I watched the documentary right before reading this and I will say it’s basically the documentary in book form, so if you’ve watched the doc you aren’t missing much - I also LOVED the documentary; when she says “I don’t think I can be with anyone who isn’t the father of my child but I can’t be with or forgive Tommy either” (or something along those lines) my heart shattered. This woman has been through so much and continues to do good and believe in magic and love. What a rockstar.
I watched the documentary right before reading this and I will say it’s basically the documentary in book form, so if you’ve watched the doc you aren’t missing much - I also LOVED the documentary; when she says “I don’t think I can be with anyone who isn’t the father of my child but I can’t be with or forgive Tommy either” (or something along those lines) my heart shattered. This woman has been through so much and continues to do good and believe in magic and love. What a rockstar.
Read
April 6, 2023I don't rate biographies and memoirs.
Ever since I was small I've had an obsession with Pamela Anderson. To my 90s child brain she was the pinnacle of beautiful to me, with her beach blonde hair and love of nature. Add in her deep love of animals, conservation and charity work and quite honestly I find her utterly awe inspiring. The way she talks about her family, particularly her sons is so touching. You can tell she's dedicated a large part of her life raising her son's to be wonderful guys, and they clearly adore her in return.
I did at times find this a bit surface level. Pamela skims a lot of her life, not going into too much depth about her more personal moments - understandable given how invasive the press have been over her life, but it did mean at times I felt a disconnect. I'm also not a fan of poetry, and admit tk skimming these paragraphs because I really wasn't getting anything out of them.
However, I'd recommend this to all Pamela fans, if only to get a glimpse at her remarkable life, told in her own words.
Ever since I was small I've had an obsession with Pamela Anderson. To my 90s child brain she was the pinnacle of beautiful to me, with her beach blonde hair and love of nature. Add in her deep love of animals, conservation and charity work and quite honestly I find her utterly awe inspiring. The way she talks about her family, particularly her sons is so touching. You can tell she's dedicated a large part of her life raising her son's to be wonderful guys, and they clearly adore her in return.
I did at times find this a bit surface level. Pamela skims a lot of her life, not going into too much depth about her more personal moments - understandable given how invasive the press have been over her life, but it did mean at times I felt a disconnect. I'm also not a fan of poetry, and admit tk skimming these paragraphs because I really wasn't getting anything out of them.
However, I'd recommend this to all Pamela fans, if only to get a glimpse at her remarkable life, told in her own words.
February 7, 2023
The book glosses over her life like a speeding train not really giving many details along the way. Lots of broad strokes. I was pretty convinced it was all written by a ghostwriter that she only handed some notes to but at the end she states it was all written by her. I’ve read many autobiographies and none were as superficial as this one. No photos at all. A quick read and a book most likely hurriedly put out to help promote the documentary that’s also coming out soon about her.
February 25, 2023
“the capacity to be alone is the capacity to love”
January 10, 2024
This book was a lot better than I was expecting it to be. Growing up in the 80s, there was no way to have not known about Pamela. But all this time, I didn't know a single thing about what she was like in real life. It turns out she's an extremely cool person and it was really cool reading her life story.
June 24, 2024
* I work hard on my writing. I DO NOT want empty like button clicks. Comments, if you have them, are this writer's reward. :) *
I did not see “Home Improvement”, “Baywatch”, or “Barb Wire”. My interest is Canadians, animal warriors, and women commanding respect from an obnoxious world. I myself talk with nature, healthy and young after age 50! I have never dyed my shining brown hair. Women know we are wise and intellectual but the media impressionable public needs to smarten up.
Autobiographies share the feelings and stories of people and their professions. Authors want to be understood correctly. Sometimes storytelling is therapy for pain. Thus, Pamela Anderson had to write her way: interspersing her poetry into an unconventional book. I love her original, free flow. This is a wise, compassionate, thoughtful, superbly authored autobiography. Its quality easily earns five stars, if you are not detail oriented. My passion for provenance is largely why I have given this sensitive story three stars, with my praise recorded via these words.
“Love, Pamela”, my first edition, November 2023 birthday present, marvellously balances the family, setting, and childhood the authoress comes from, with how she is now. I must think too linearly. I greatly admire how Pamela transported us directly to events she wanted to show us, without preamble. I would feel that I needed to introduce people one by one. In contrast, Pamela chose a “need to know” basis that works. She discussed what impacted her life and explained that dates are not her forté.
Years are part of the setting in context with our world. Could I relate to these timeframes? Was Mötley Crüe’s prime over when she married Tommy Lee? Pamela expressed that she loved making “Baywatch”, without reminiscences of castmates. Are they friends? Readers would enjoy a few sentences about a world famous show. Pamela mainly mentioned dogs. Please name the kitties and other beloved animals who surely comprise your island family.
*I put care into composing, editing, and polishing. I have earned comments versus empty 'like button' clicks, if you please.*
I did not see “Home Improvement”, “Baywatch”, or “Barb Wire”. My interest is Canadians, animal warriors, and women commanding respect from an obnoxious world. I myself talk with nature, healthy and young after age 50! I have never dyed my shining brown hair. Women know we are wise and intellectual but the media impressionable public needs to smarten up.
Autobiographies share the feelings and stories of people and their professions. Authors want to be understood correctly. Sometimes storytelling is therapy for pain. Thus, Pamela Anderson had to write her way: interspersing her poetry into an unconventional book. I love her original, free flow. This is a wise, compassionate, thoughtful, superbly authored autobiography. Its quality easily earns five stars, if you are not detail oriented. My passion for provenance is largely why I have given this sensitive story three stars, with my praise recorded via these words.
“Love, Pamela”, my first edition, November 2023 birthday present, marvellously balances the family, setting, and childhood the authoress comes from, with how she is now. I must think too linearly. I greatly admire how Pamela transported us directly to events she wanted to show us, without preamble. I would feel that I needed to introduce people one by one. In contrast, Pamela chose a “need to know” basis that works. She discussed what impacted her life and explained that dates are not her forté.
Years are part of the setting in context with our world. Could I relate to these timeframes? Was Mötley Crüe’s prime over when she married Tommy Lee? Pamela expressed that she loved making “Baywatch”, without reminiscences of castmates. Are they friends? Readers would enjoy a few sentences about a world famous show. Pamela mainly mentioned dogs. Please name the kitties and other beloved animals who surely comprise your island family.
*I put care into composing, editing, and polishing. I have earned comments versus empty 'like button' clicks, if you please.*
April 3, 2023
3.5 Stars -- This was okay. I didn't know much of anything about this woman before listening to this Memoir, and I still don't feel like I know that much about her. It felt lacking... I wanted more.
July 6, 2023
Fresh from my great reading experience with Paris Hilton’s recent memoir I was ready to enjoy this one too. Reader, I did not.
June 25, 2024
Man patika Pamelas stāsts. Lieliska sieviete ar vēlmi un azartu dzīvot vētraini un skaisti.
Šī laikam bija arī pirmā autobiogrāfija, kuru lasīt bez jebkādas vērtēšanas bija tik viegli. Maniere, kādā Pamela stāsta par saviem dzīves posmiem un notikumiem, ir apskaužami viegla. Var just, ka uz savu dzīves gājumu grāmatā atskatās vieda, ar savu dzīvi mierā esoša sieviete, kas ir pateicīga par visiem brīžiem, to starp arī par visiem toksiskajiem ex vīriem. Tā Pamela, ko šobrīd redzam soctīklu pasaulē, mierpilni rušināmies pa dārzu un rakstot iknedēļas sajūtu un izjūtu īsstāstus.
Manuprāt, tas ir tik forši: atskatīties uz savu piedzīvoto, sevi nevērtējot un nestrostējot, bet gan protot saskatīt tajā visā tā brīža sevi, vienlaikus nepazaudējoties neveselīgās gultnēs un bedrēs.
Ļoti izbaudīju lasīšanas pieredzi un noteikti noskatīšos arī dokumentālo filmu.
Šī laikam bija arī pirmā autobiogrāfija, kuru lasīt bez jebkādas vērtēšanas bija tik viegli. Maniere, kādā Pamela stāsta par saviem dzīves posmiem un notikumiem, ir apskaužami viegla. Var just, ka uz savu dzīves gājumu grāmatā atskatās vieda, ar savu dzīvi mierā esoša sieviete, kas ir pateicīga par visiem brīžiem, to starp arī par visiem toksiskajiem ex vīriem. Tā Pamela, ko šobrīd redzam soctīklu pasaulē, mierpilni rušināmies pa dārzu un rakstot iknedēļas sajūtu un izjūtu īsstāstus.
Manuprāt, tas ir tik forši: atskatīties uz savu piedzīvoto, sevi nevērtējot un nestrostējot, bet gan protot saskatīt tajā visā tā brīža sevi, vienlaikus nepazaudējoties neveselīgās gultnēs un bedrēs.
Ļoti izbaudīju lasīšanas pieredzi un noteikti noskatīšos arī dokumentālo filmu.
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