My Sister Roseanne: The True Story of Roseanne Barr Arnold

by Geraldine Barr

Book Overview

The superstar's darker side is revealed by her sister and estranged business partner, with never-before-told anecdotes and quotes from those who know Roseanne best. 100,000 first printing. $100,000... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559722304
• ISBN13: 9781559722308
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Carol Publishing Corporation
• Length: 293 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Old News But Enjoyable

I first read Roseanne's two books. They were barely readable. This book by Roseanne's sister, Geraldine, while definitely too wordy, was readable and sometimes even interesting. This book is low on incomprehensible rambling and high on the family history of the Barr family and the story of Roseanne's rise to fame. The author definitely wrote in order to tell her side of the story regarding her being fired by Roseanne and also regarding Roseanne accusing their parents of sexual molestation. After reading all three books, I lean toward Geraldine's version. After Roseanne's head injury as a teen, she suffered from mental problems, which hurts her credibility. Also, I don't doubt that Geraldine helped Roseanne get where she got in her career. Roseanne said that herself and later retracted it. Anyway, this feud is old news and no one probably thinks about reading these books anymore, but Roseanne has been in the limelight again. She has had her show released on DVD and also has recorded a children's DVD. Maybe she will make a comeback? The public has probably forgotten all of her 80's and 90's antics.

Invaluable portrait of "self will run riot"

This book is an invaluable portrait of Roseanne and her family, and how her family coped with Roseanne's sexual abuse allegations against her father in the early 1990s. It is also, primarily, the story of sisters, who worked together to create a successful business (Roseanne's career) and how the relationship came apart when Roseanne became a household name. On one level the book is not without its flaws: it is overwritten and at times repetitive. However, these flaws are balanced by the author's mostly successful attempts to present all sides of the story in straight-forward prose. Geraldine Barr is as candid discussing her own shortcomings -- and those of her family -- as she is in discussing Roseanne's and, as a result, the book emerges as a cut above the average tell-all memoir. That the Barr family seemed to become a closer unit in the wake of Roseanne's abuse allegations is the real story here.

The Tale of Two Sisters

This story paints a very different portrait of Roseanne. According to Geraldine; the author and Roseanne's sister; "Rosanne; the domestic goddess" was a creative venture between the two sisters. Geraldine helped Roseanne get to the top; only to be abandoned. The entire story leads you to speculate what happened and before the end; you can pretty much figure it all out. If you wondered what happened with Roseanne and her family after she publicly described her memories of sexual molestation; this story tells you; the sad details. (no conclusion as to where the truth lies; but it literally broke the family apart) An interesting story about two sisters growing up in Utah and making a dream come true. Although Roseanne was known for her comedy; this tells the story of a very unhappy and unfunny woman and her sister. It's an interesting read; even if she wasn't famous; the story line is unique. The book flows nicely and is an easy read.