Idol Truth

“Fame, fame, fatal fame, it can play hideous tricks on the brain”, said Morrissey, mellifluously. Leif Garrett certainly had fame. As 1970s teen idol, he was gifted the world. For a time he was the apex of manufactured celebrity. But my word, did this kid fall HARD. “But still I’d rather be famous than righteous or holy…” Maybe not.

“Too much, too young” and “fall from grace” are extremely common tropes in the tell-all memoir genre but they really stick to Mr. Garrett You may have seen him on that infamous episode of ‘Behind the Music’. Well – shock, horror – he was off his box during its filming.

His type of music doesn’t really do it for me and I can’t say I’ve ever been enamoured with his acting, but his book kept my attention. He faceplanted so hard but tried his damnedest get up again. I can’t help but root for the guy. ‘Idol Truth’ a little scattershot and repetitious at times but worth it, I reckon. I hope there’s a follow up book sometime down the road. Enjoy.

“Ultimately, Idol Truth reads like a disjointed cautionary tale: Don’t sign anything without a lawyer looking it over, don’t let your teenage son go off for months without supervision, don’t believe your own hype.” – The AV Club

Blurb:

Former teen idol Leif Garrett bares his soul for the first time ever, revealing his deepest secrets about the extraordinary highs and devastating lows he has survived over the years.

He was a hardworking child actor in the early 1970s, appearing on dozens of popular films and TV programs. Then he was offered a chance to make a record and “Leif Garrett, teen idol” was born. Millions of teenage girls all over the world covered their walls with his picture. His face adorned hundreds of international magazine covers as he became one of the biggest and most desired heartthrobs in history. There were jet-setting tours, TV specials, and hit records, along with an endless supply of beautiful women, alcohol, and ultimately, the drugs that sent this shooting star into the darkest depths of addiction. Idol Truth is a harrowing survivor’s story as well as a charmed tale filled with compelling pop culture characters – from Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields to John Belushi, Freddie Mercury, and many more. It’s the first time ever that Leif Garrett has come clean about his life, revealing all the details of his spectacular journey.