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The Whitney I Knew

By: BeBe Winans, Tim Willard
Narrated by: BeBe Winans
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Publisher's summary

Here is the Whitney only family would know.... Somewhere outside the glare of the concert spotlights...behind the tawdry entertainment news headlines...beyond the crush of the scandal-seeking paparazzi...lies the truth about Whitney Houston. And few individuals are better qualified to show us that complicated, funny, generous, troubled, extremely loyal Whitney than the friend she called "brother", Bebe Winans.

With obvious affection, yet remarkable transparency, Winans opens a window into their 28 years of friendship and family closeness to offer a view of the Whitney only a handful of people knew - the Whitney beyond The Voice.

The entertainment press incessantly told us what Whitney did. Now, thanks to this tender, honest account, we understand what she thought and felt. Winans' audio book is a beautifully honest portrait of this astonishingly gifted woman, offering tremendous inspiration and a deeper understanding of human nature and God's grace.

©2012 Bebe Winans (P)2012 Oasis
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What listeners say about The Whitney I Knew

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Whitney Houston fans will appreciate this book

If you could sum up The Whitney I Knew in three words, what would they be?

Thank you Bebe!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Whitney I Knew?

The honsety in the fact that he did not approve of Bobby Brown...not as a person, but as a match for Whitney. Not because Bobby was "a bad person" , he was just not the one for her. No ill words were spoken of Bobby as many in the media have portrayed him to be the root cause of her demise-NOT SO.

What aspect of BeBe Winans’s performance would you have changed?

He seemed to be "reading". It wasn't a nature tone, no nature flow in his voice. I think it may have been the inexperience, not so sure how many narrations he's done (no disrespect intended).

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me sad. It made me feel sorry for Whitney. It also gave much clearer picture of the "industry" and how it has corrupted many young innocent talents. Also, how they can be mismanaged and damaged. Bebe made that very clear for me, and that is sad.

Any additional comments?

I did enjoy the book. It gave a human side to "The Whitney Houston Story". A side that many may not hear as I have not heard anything like it since her death. I appreciate this book because it does not portray Whitney to be a Saint who had no issues, but it does portray her to be a human. A human who did what humans do when they have situations arise in their life...make choices/decisions. Some choices were good some not so good just like the rest of us. And just like the rest of us for those choices there was a price to pay. At the end of the day, she was beautiful, and had a loving and giving heart . That is what I have chosen to take from this book. If you are a Houston fan, this is definetly an encouraging book for you. If you are not a fan, be ready to accept what I consider to be a thought provoking look at a dynamic young lady who made choices that determined her future and was led astray ONLY BY HERSELF and her decisions... not Bobby Borwn as many have tried to solicit. Very illuminating

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love this.

I was bought to both tears and laughed with this book. My heart felt heavy with loss now understanding the relationship between the two friends. I feel a strong sense of humor, love and RESPECT also a connection with both Whitney and Bebe. I love the book. Bought the paperback and gave it away. Now I have the hard copy for myself.

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The Whitney I knew.....Loved it

If you could sum up The Whitney I Knew in three words, what would they be?

Emotional, Enlightening, Warm

Who was your favorite character and why?

There was not a favorite character; I was simply moved by the way in which BeBe presented each person

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

BeBe did a magnificent job of showing who Whitney was without betraying her trust. It is his personal experience with her. I don't believe there is anything more that could've been done.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I wouldn't change a thing. The book is titled "The Whitney I Knew" for a reason. It shares the author's stories, opinions, and relationship with the Whitney. It's perfect the way it is.

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Sue C.

Great book and audio! Thank you sharing the real Whitney with us. May Her Dear Soul Rest In Peace.

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BeBe's love for Whitney

I really enjoy listening to BeBe talk about his friendship and love for Whitney. It was truly refreshing to hear. To hear about her personality and generosity is something we don't get to experience much but these are the people who actually KNEW HER!!!

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The real person behind the chaos

Is there anything you would change about this book?

While I can understand that BeBe Winans really wanted the listeners to hear his story in his words, I found his story to sound less convincing because it sounded like he was just reading the book out loud. Since this is his experience and his observations I expected to hear more emotion.

What aspect of BeBe Winans’s performance would you have changed?

I think another narrator may have made the book easier to listen to.

Do you think The Whitney I Knew needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I do not think this book needs a follow up because the author accomplished his goal. He allowed the listener to share in his personal relationship with Whitney Houston, which demolished negative perceptions of who she was and made her a loving, caring, giving human being with struggles just like the rest of us only on a grander scale.

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