Reckless

My Life as a Pretender

By: Chrissie Hynde

Narrated by: Rosanna Arquette, Chrissie Hynde

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

From Chrissie Hynde, one of rock's most iconic, alluring, kick-ass, and (let's face it) sexy women, a brilliant, no-holds-barred memoir of a rock life lived to the hilt.

Chrissie Hynde, the songwriter and front woman of The Pretenders in its various incarnations, has for 35 years been one of the most admired and adored and imitated figures in rock. This long-awaited memoir tells her life story in full and utterly fascinating detail, from her all-American Ohio '50s childhood to her classic baby-boomer seduction by the rock of the '60s to her sojourn in the crucible of punk that was '70s London to her instant emergence with her band, The Pretenders, in 1980 into stardom as a frontwoman and songwriter. She brings a fantastic eye for detail, a withering and sardonic sense of humor, and a fearless and sometimes naked emotional honesty to her memoir, and every line, every word of it is unmistakably hers. It is sure to be recognized as a classic of rock literature - and, man, is it fun to listen to.

With an introduction read by Chrissie Hynde.

©2015 Chrissie Hynde (P)2015 Random House Audio

Reckless: My Life as a Pretender

It was interesting to find out how the Pretenders came to be. Not enough story about Chrissie's personal life as an adult. I felt like there was a lot more story to be told. Maybe Chrissie will do a follow up?

Great bio but narration was jarring and annoying at times

The story was a good rock star bio. I loved Christie’s writing style and her complete candor. Rosanna Arquette captured the attitude but sounded like she was sight reading the text, often stumbling over words, mispronouncing words, and sometimes changing what I thought was the author’s
intent with her choice of emphasis. I would have liked to hear it in Chrissie’s own voice. But if you’re a fan of Hynde, the Pretenders, music in general or of London, then its a worthwhile read.

Interesting

Its a little sparse in some sections but overall a really interesting listen. A must for Pretender fans.

Excellent narrator is distraction

The book and story is amazing, and this aspect didn't stop me. Here's the thing, Rosanna Arquettes voice is too singular and recognizable. As I listen to the story, I am imagining Rosanna Arquette in all these situations... Not chrissie. Her performance is amazing, and id like her in a fiction book, but her voice and known beauty really distracts me. Truly a first world problem. Again, the book is fantastic and well written. I don't even smell a ghost writer (Anthony Bozzo, I am looking in your direction)

It was disappointing how early in her career the story stops. Spoiler alert: the book spends half the time on her youth, and too little on her pretenders days. The book stops aftet their second album in the early 80s. We have so few voices of female rock stars and band leaders. She is so thoughtful that's its disappointing we don't get more of her time running the show. We see missing about 30 years from this narrative. It feels like it's part 1 of a 3 parter.

Fake it til ya make it! AKA The Great Pretender

I love this book, and Rosanna Arquette nailed the reading! Christie Hynde is a Midwestern girl who fell in love with rock n’roll and had a longing to see the world outside Akron. This is her story—It’s not a “how-to” on becoming a rockstar or a feminist or whatever. It’s like sitting with an older friend over a good bottle of wine and talking about life.

An eye opener of her drug soaked past!

I grew up listening to the Pretenders and it was quite an eye opener to see how Christie Hynde got to where she is now and how she was so close to other punk bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Damned. Who knew? I only wish she could narrate it herself, which would have made listening to it more thrilling. I also wish this biography went farther in her career, with her relationships and subsequent band mates. Because after this story ends is where the Pretenders career really skyrocketed with MTV and all. Maybe a little more editing of her young days and more story about her future career.

Candid, compelling and no pretence

What made the experience of listening to Reckless the most enjoyable?

Rock bios so easily slip into self-indulgent pondering and rose-tinted reminiscence, but Chrissie Hynde avoids both of those traps, delivering a book that’s honest, compelling and direct.Reckless has been one of the most enjoyable rock bios that I've read or listened to. But I was still left waiting for more. Chrissie leads you on a compelling journey through her early years of drugs and hopelessness in Ohio, through the excitement of 1970s London up to the second album, global success and the loss of half of her band. But there's a whole career's worth of stories yet to tell, and I hope she has another volume planned.

What about Rosanna Arquette and Chrissie Hynde ’s performance did you like?

Rosanna Arquette was a good choice of narrator; her voice is not as deep as Chrissie's, but she has a confident edge that suits the book. But while Arquette is a good reader, she's also the one problem in the audiobook: If you're British, you're going to have trouble ignoring her criminally painful assaults against British accents. We all know foreign place names and accents can seem weird to Americans, but to hear Rosanna Arquette struggle to mimic a London, Birmingham or Welsh accent is an agonising distraction. I'd rather listen to a cat in a liquidiser than hear Ms Arquette impersonate Sid Vicious again.

Good story, not so great narration voice.

While I do like Rosanna Arquette, I felt her sing song voice didn't work for Chrissie Hynde's deeper, rock and roll sound, which at times was too distracting and I had to take a break.
Loved the back stories and have been a big fan forever.

Thank you, Chrissie!

and Roseanna. I loved every bit, especially the honesty and unsweetened history. beautiful written and read.

Great Read - Accurate Title

I always loved the Pretenders music and Chrissie's vocals, going back to college days in the early 80s and vinyl. I had no idea the musicians (and other celebrities) she hung around, or the situations she got herself into. She certainly titled the book well. Really enjoyed the read, the narration is a little run-on ish in places and sometimes had to back it up to get the full meaning. Very sad about the way Pete and Jimmy died.