Madonna up close, by the brother who knows her better than anyone.
Christopher Ciccone's extraordinary memoir is based on his forty-seven years of growing up with, working with and understanding the most famous woman of our time who has intrigued, scandalized and entertained millions for half a century.
Through most of the iconic star's kaleidoscopic career, Christopher played an important role in her life: as her back-up dancer, her personal assistant, her dresser, her decorator, her art director, her tour director.
If you think you knew everything there is to know about Madonna, your are wrong. Only Christopher can tell the full-scale, riveting untold story behind Madonna's carefully constructed mythology, and the real woman behind the glittering façade.
From their shared Michigan childhood, which Madonna transcended, then whisked Christopher to Manhattan with her in the early eighties, where he slept on her roach-infested floor and danced with her in clubs all over town - Christopher was with her every step of the way, experiencing her first-hand in all her incarnations. The spoiled daddy's girl, the punk drummer, the raunchy Boy Toy, Material Girl, Mrs. Sean Penn, Warren Beatty's glamorous Hollywood paramour, loving mother, Mrs. Guy Ritchie, English grande dame - Christopher witnessed and understood all of them, as his own life was inexorably entwined with that of his chameleon sister.
He tangled with a cast of characters from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Demi Moore and, of course, Guy Ritchie, whose advent in Madonna's life splintered the loving relationship Christopher once had with her.
The mirror image of his legendary sister, with his acid Ciccone tongue, Christopher pulls no punches as he tells his astonishing story.

Life with My Sister Madonna is the juicy, can't-put-it-down story you've always wanted to hear, as told by Madonna's younger brother.

Christopher Ciccone's extraordinary memoir is based on his forty-seven years of growing up with, working with and understanding the most famous woman of our time who has intrigued, scandalized and entertained millions for half a century. Through most of the iconic star's kaleidoscopic career, Christopher played an important role in her life: as her back-up dancer, her personal assistant, her dresser, her decorator, her art director, her tour director. If you think you knew everything there is to know about Madonna, your are wrong. Only Christopher can tell the full-scale, riveting untold story behind Madonna's carefully constructed mythology, and the real woman behind the glittering facade. From their shared Michigan childhood, which Madonna transcended, then whisked Christopher to Manhattan with her in the early eighties, where he slept on her roach-infested floor and danced with her in clubs all over town - Christopher was with her every step of the way, experiencing her first-hand in all her incarnations. The spoiled daddy's girl, the punk drummer, the raunchy Boy Toy, Material Girl, Mrs. Sean Penn, Warren Beatty's glamorous Hollywood paramour, loving mother, Mrs.Guy Ritchie, English grande dame - Christopher witnessed and understood all of them, as his own life was inexorably entwined with that of his chameleon sister. He tangled with a cast of characters from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Demi Moore and, of course, Guy Ritchie, whose advent in Madonna's life splintered the loving relationship Christopher once had with her. The mirror image of his legendary sister, with his acid Ciccone tongue, Christopher pulls no punches as he tells his astonishing story. Life with My Sister Madonna is the juicy, can't-put-it-down story you've always wanted to hear, as told by Madonna's younger brother.

Christopher Ciccone began his professional career as a dancer with La Groupe de La Place Royal in Ottawa. He art-directed Madonna's Blond Ambition tour and directed her The Girlie Show tour. He has directed music videos for Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett. He is an artist, interior decorator and designer in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.
Wendy Leigh is the New York Times bestselling author of eleven books, including True Grace: The Life and Times of An American Princess.

2008-08-29 Insightful look into Madonna's life

This is an entertaining look at Madonna's life through the eyes of her obviously embittered brother Christopher. It's probably Christopher's bitchier comments about his sister that are the most revealing. You get the sense of a classically complicated brother-sister relationship. Very tellingly at the end Christopher relates a conversatin with his father where he calls himself a 'Loser'. I came away feeling sorry for Christopher, and thinking that it wouldn't be that hard for his older sister to forgive his irritating ways and take him back into the fold.

There's no real depth to the book, and you leave it feeling as slutty as if you've just read a back catalogue of Heat magazine. However, it's grossly intriguing nonetheless.