Model: A Memoir

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Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (May 20, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416959041
ISBN-13: 978-1416959045
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Twenty-year-old author Diamond describes the trials and triumphs of breaking into the New York modeling market, which she entered at 14. The North Carolina native quickly gains a shaky foothold in the cynical business by treating her lecherous boss and nasty booking agents with kindness and always standing up for herself. The teen’s positive outlook never flags: after one harrowing experience that includes a night spent in a personal storage unit, she perkily proclaims, “On the bright side, I was alive . . . and I was still cute.” By the memoir’s end, not even losing her signature blond locks in a hair-show fiasco can keep Diamond down. After a short stay with her parents, she returns to New York, even more determined to realize her dream. Even though Diamond’s prose can be self-conscious and her constant cheer occasionally strains credibility, the insider details she reveals about photo shoots, runway shows, and agencies’ sometimes shady business practices are fascinating and will quickly hook teen fans of modeling reality shows. A perfect summer beach read. Grades 10-12. --Jennifer Hubert Product Description Every year, hundreds of the most beautiful people in the world come to New York to become models. At age fourteen, Cheryl Diamond was one of them. Living on her own in a run-down apartment, Cheryl spent her days on go-sees, runways, and shoots, surviving hand-to-mouth, while taking in everything she could about the tough and sleazy modeling industry. She watched other girls make mistakes, and swore she wouldn't be a victim...until a career-altering event changed her life and nearly ruined her shot at her dream. This is the riveting, true account of Cheryl's triumphant rise, disastrous fall, and phoenix-like comeback in one of the hottest and most demanding industries in the world. Model: A Memoir