Why do you read an autobiography? For me, it comes down to two reasons. First, the author might have lived at the center of history or in unusual circumstances, and I’m fascinated by her perspective. The other reason is that the author’s life and the way it’s told simply make a good story. This kind of autobiography travels an arc and gives the reader nuggets of life's truth that resonate. Jo Malone: My Story offers us tastes from both of these categories, but, ultimately, feels like a PR job about a really nice, entrepreneurial woman, someone I’d love to know, but no one I need to read a whole book about.
Jo Malone: My Story is written in a clear, approachable way with a taste of the British working girl about it. The book covers Malone’s childhood with an aesthetician mother and gambler father; shows Malone giving facials in her home and building her clientele; follows her through breast cancer; covers the launch of Jo Malone London and its sale to Estée Lauder; and ends with her new brand, Jo Loves.
So, let’s go back to the two reasons that make an autobiography compelling: circumstances and story. For circumstances, Jo Malone was the CEO of a successful company and launched another company. She was recognized by the queen. She was raised in a working class family and did her part to keep the family afloat. She had celebrity clients. In short, her circumstances are interesting if you’re part of her circle, but not especially unusual. Plus, gossip seekers will want to go elsewhere. No juicy bits here.
Now, for story. An engaging story pulls me into someone’s — fictional or real — life. It comforts me by showing aspects of life I’ve experienced, letting me relive them or reminding me I’m not alone. Or it unpacks emotion-rich situations I haven’t lived and gives me new understanding. A good story rings with truth.
Malone’s recounting of her bout with breast cancer does show this truth. She’s open about her fear and unreasonableness, and about her gratitude and endurance. It still feels a shade removed, but I think cancer survivors and their families will appreciate these chapters. Another super short, but touching chapter recounts her confusing feeling after giving birth. For the most part, though, Malone doesn’t let the reader in. We’re not confidants.
“Enough!” some of you are saying. “What about perfume?” Malone spends a paragraph, tops, explaining how evaluators provide the link between a nose and a client, and she’s not specific about it, but you understand that she conceives a fragrance, but a perfumer designs it. She doesn’t name the noses she’s worked with.
She also talks about Estée Lauder’s acquisition of Jo Malone London. (Pomegranate Noir was the last fragrance Malone created for the line.) According to the book, it was a dreamy transition and Evelyn Lauder was the ideal business partner and a solid friend. Malone’s contract with Estée Lauder specified that she had to wait five years before heading another brand. This explains the wait for Jo Loves.
Finally, Jo Malone: My Life contains a page scented with Jo Loves Pomelo, and it smells good, with a flavor of an old-fashioned chypre. I’m going to hunt down a sample.
Do you read autobiographies? Are there any you’d recommend?
Jo Malone: My Story (Simon & Schuster, 2016; 416 pages) is $27 for the Hardcover (currently discounted to $18.49 at Amazon). The Kindle version is $12.99.
I used to read a lot of autobiographies but not so much an more. I like them best when the subject can tell us about themselves AND give an insight into how they they think the rest of the world see them. Not easy to do, I suppose.
I can think of a few people I wish had written autobiographies – Germaine Cellier for one, or Helene Rochas.
I’d read autobiographies from either of those women in a heartbeat!
Thanks for reviewing this book, I was curious about it but now I don’t need to seek it out.
Unless you’re a big Jo Malone fan, you might find more engrossing reading elsewhere.
I am a HUGE, HUGE Jo Malone fan, so I will be definitely getting it! 🙂
You will love it, then! She doesn’t talk a lot about the fragrances, but you get a definite sense of the hardworking, focused, open and kind woman behind them.
Awesome! Would love to meet her one day. But its on my bucket list to visit her boutique in London. Thanks for doing this article, Angela. I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw it!
Oh, that’s so nice! Have you tried Pomelo yet? I really want to sample it.
I did. It is a nice one, but was more on the masculine side to me. But, it would definitely be something I wouldn’t mind spraying on my boyfriend and then just sniffing him all day! LOL!
A good mini-review!
I’ll borrow this from the library or buy this as a Kindle deal. Thanks for reviewing.
I just got the Jo Loves 9-scent Discovery Set and tested 4 out of 9 yesterday, one of them being Pomelo. It is a very nice grapefruit while it lasted <1 hour before it became a straight up Vetiver. Not bad but it should have been called Pink Grapefruit Vetiver.
Okay, this is good information! Not surprisingly, the book’s scent page doesn’t smell so much like pink grapefruit and vetiver. I’m glad you stopped by to chime in!
I ordered that discovery set about 2 years ago. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. She has added some new ones to her line that I haven’t tried yet. I see that White Rose and Lemon Leaves has been added in the set. This is the one that I wanted to try, so please let me know what you think. I loved the Fresh Sweet Peas and No. 42 The Flower Shop.
I love the sound of Fresh Sweet Peas!
Fresh Sweet Peas & No. 42 The Flower Shop were my favourites when I visited the Jo Loves shop not long after it opened.
Thanks for the tip! I haven’t seen Jo Loves where I live, but maybe she’s spreading more slowly in the U.S.
I like autobiographies and biographies, but only of cultural icons or politicians- not business people, where it often feels like a exercise in PR.
Having said that, this does sound like an interesting weekend read, with lots of hot tea.
I agree with you about autobiographies. I just started reading Nancy Mitford’s letters, though, and they’re wonderful!
Oh, she is WONDERFUL. The least a**hole of her siblings (Diana and Unity- ugh, gross) and a incredible writer of the biographies of Voltaire and Pompadour. You will find that her wit in the letters is biting and smart!
We’re supposed to have a big snowstorm tomorrow–perfect for reading more letters!