A Natural Woman (memoir)
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
A Natural Woman: A Memoir is the 2012 autobiographical work of musician Carole King.
Publication
This 484-page volume was released by Grand Central on April 10, 2012.
Content
A Natural Woman chronicles King's musical journey from her initial steps and teenage recording deal in the 1950s through a career spanning over sixty years. Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian emphasizes that the memoir prioritizes King's intimate life and artistic process rather than her celebrity status:
"[W]hat she invests her emotions in are extensive accounts of domestic life with her four husbands and children...While she elaborates on the creation of Tapestry, she scarcely addresses its later acclaim. Any album that remained on the Billboard chart for six years qualifies as a cultural landmark, yet she briefly touches on what it meant to become America's top-selling singer. The memoir contains only three short sentences about receiving four Grammys in 1972 (she skipped the event 'because it was in New York and I preferred to stay in California with my family'), along with some reflections on managing fame: 'I simply wanted to continue my roles as wife and mother before Tapestry propelled me. I sewed clothing for everyone, cared for our small garden, and occasionally enjoyed sushi lunch in Little Tokyo...'"
Helen Brown from The Telegraph remarks on King's "unwavering compassion" and protective attitude toward individuals in her life facing challenges, refraining from criticism even when recounting marriages affected by substance abuse, mental health struggles, infidelity, or domestic violence. Critics highlight this kindness as a core aspect of both King's character and narrative voice. Sullivan portrays King as "someone who would remember your birthday and return your calls," a quality reflected in prose rich with thoughtful detail and nurturing warmth. Bruce Handy of Vanity Fair notes that the memoir’s gentle tone aligns with King's musical style: "King is the woman behind the lyric: 'You got to get up every morning/With a smile on your face/And show the world/All the love in your heart.' This sentiment closely matches the persona revealed in her memoir."
Reception
The response to A Natural Woman was largely positive. Liz Thomson in The Independent described it as "intelligent, honest, self-effacing, well-written." Handy highlighted King's "signature generosity of spirit" as a defining trait but suggested that memoirs might benefit from some bitterness to captivate readers more fully. Evelyn McDonnell of the Los Angeles Times commended the book as "considerably more distinctive" than typical celebrity memoirs, despite its "sometimes deliberately unglamorous" tone. Brown’s review in The Telegraph awarded the book three out of five stars.