Traci Lords: Underneath It All

By Traci Lords

Book Overview

The moving, gripping, and tell-all autobiography of Traci Elizabeth Lords, a former child porn queen, electronica maven, and cult movie and TV star. At 14, Nora Kuzma ran away from home and ended up on the dirty streets of Hollywood. She fell in with a fast crowd, and her dreams of modelling soon landed her a spectacular centrefold in Penthouse magazine, where at 15 she became internationally known as 'Traci Lords'. From there she appeared in numerous adult films and magazines, denying her past and battling a deep addiction to cocaine and men. Three years later she got out. This is her memoir - a tale of loss, redemption, and ultimate survival as Traci Elizabeth Lords takes you into her secretive past, faces her demons, and shares her extraordinary journey of personal growth. Snippets of Traci's story have been told here and there, but this book will set the record straight. What happened to her as a child to make her pursue a porn career? Why was she blamed as the person who brought down porn in the late 1980s? How many sex movies did she really star in? Why did she quit? There's more misinformation floating around about Traci Lords than almost anyone. This book sets the record straight.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060508205
• ISBN13: 9780060508203
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Traci Lords is HOT!!

I fall into the John Waters movie category of a Traci Lords fan. I had heard about her pornographic past but never paid attention to her until I heard she was in a John Waters film. I have followed Mr Waters' career from the early days. Although pregnant with many a cliche, her story is quite a fascinating one. I don't think that some of the other reviewers have actually read the book when they accuse her of not admitting that she liked & chose to do the porno films. She admitted that she was acting out by being a 'sexual terrorist' which exorcised her personal demons. She does not portray herself as a victim. It is very clear that she voluntarily pursued her various projects. Reading the book is very soothing and relaxing, like listening to a good friend. I found the part about her music fascinating (since I am a musician as well and listen to her CD 1000 Fires.) I bought both the hardback version and the paperback version when I found out it had a new chapter & new photos. This is a book I am proud to have in my collection & would really love to meet her someday. She seems like a really magical person.

Good read

I bought the hardcover in the bargain bin about 3 years ago. I bought it merely having known the name in porn circles. I figured it would be about the 'life of a porn star', as I just assumed that she was still in porn. Obviously the book told a completely different story. Ironically, as others have mentioned, it almost certainly was her abusive past in porn that enabled her future career. I do disagree with those saying that her story either didn't tell it all or is just a selfish money making publication. I think she has long since earned the right NOT to have people shaking fingers at her. Perhaps she simply wasn't comfortable exposing every detail of her earlier life. How many of you would be brave enough to talk about an enduring, sexually abusive past? It's easy to say, "give us more", but she is the one who has to deal with fallout it from it. I think she gave more than enough of the story to give us the idea that she wanted to; to show that she came from a very abusive, and manipulated past, and then she focused on her gradual escape from it. A very good book unless you are so demanding of a reader that you can't let her tell the story the way she is comfortable with.

Great Book

I think this is the best book I've read! It just shows you how someones life can be such a mess and how they can turn things around. It was really inspiring. I wish I could tell Traci this myself, because I don't like the reviews that people wrote about how they think everything is her fault for getting mixed up in the porn industry. She was so young and didn't know any better. She didn't have people teaching her right or wrong. I don't blame her at all and I'm really proud of her for getting out of it and following her dreams without giving up. I think everything happends for a reason and I think everything that happened to her was so she could write this book and help other people. I know how it is to make bad decisions when you are sad, and It made me take a look at myself. I deffinalty recommend this book to girls. It's really interesting and keeps your attention. If you are looking for a book that DOESN'T give a negative perspective on porn, then this isn't for you. If you are a young girl who is thinking about going into the porn industry, you should deffinatly read this book!

A Great Read

.I have just finished reading it and was truly suprised.Traci is a remarkable person.Few people could have weatherd all he storms she did and rebound into the career path shes chosen.She battled her deamons and one by one conqured them and moved forward with her life.I'm also suprised that she wrote the book without a ghost write choosing to do it herself.It is an extremely well written book.I found it very hard to put down

Out of the Depths

If you are looking for a sexually graphic depiction of Traci's life or sexually graphic details of the porn industry this book is not for you. While Traci inadvertantly propelled the porn industry into mainstream bringing the industry a financial windfall, she did not prosper. A product of rape and child molestation Traci Lords finds herself in an adult world of porn, sex, drugs, and manipulation. While this heartbreaking book goes into great detail about this aspect of her life, it is only the beginning. She is able to excape the porn industry and drugs and eventually marries and becomes a successful TV actress, movie actress, singer, model and now author. While the porn industry has no love for her and many porn fans only have lust for her, I think anyone who reads this book will get to know a very intimate side of this person and see a great strength in someone who has been able to over come a great adversity when the odds were against her. As I read this book, I found myself drawn into her world and was left wanting to reach in and pull this poor girl from an awful fate. Fortunately she was able to do this for herself but only after just about everyone she came into contact with her, used her and tossed her aside. Today she is a child advocate and works to save those like herself. This is a great book and would recommend this to anyone.