Shakira

August 1, 2001
Written by StarMedia.com entertainment editor Diego, this unauthorized biography is a useful primer for those who have been intrigued by the beautiful Latina rocker. The subtitle refers to the Arabic meaning of Shakira's name, and Diego tells the story of how Shakira's New York-born father of Lebanese descent served as her first muse. Her mother, a constant companion, is her most devoted fan, as well as her manager. The book also tells us what most Shakira fans know that she was a prodigious child who composed her first songs while still in grammar school. But this biography will leave diehard Shakira fans disappointed. Its style is simple and timid unlike the subject, who is complex, driven, talented, sassy, and wise beyond her 24 years. Relying on published newspaper, magazine, and tabloid press accounts, the author sheds little new light on the woman who wooed Latin America with her politically conscious and soulful compositions on the hit albums Pies descalzos (Barefoot) and Donde est n los ladrones? (Where Are the Theives?). Still, Spanish-reading teenaged Latinas in particular will get a kick out of reading this book. Two other noteworthy biographies, both titled Shakira, were published this year by Planeta and Grijalbo. Recommended for public libraries and bookstores. Sandra Guzman, New York