Holding Lightning
The Life, Loves and Art of Whitney Houston
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Holding Lightning
Narrated by:
Emily Lordi
Pre-order for $29.74
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Narrated by:
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Emily Lordi
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By:
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Emily Lordi
In Holding Lightning, Lordi reveals the dedication Houston applied to everything she did, from her encyclopaedic knowledge of music to the groundbreaking networks of Black creators that she worked so hard to create and uplift. This book fundamentally reappraises Houston's life and art, shifting our perspective so we can finally see Whitney in all her real, imperfect, fallible, resilient humanity.©2026 Emily Lordi (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers
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Critic Reviews
Excellent . . . Well-researched . . . Lordi convincingly makes the argument that Houston didn't fit into the archetype of the 'famous doomed woman whose only agency appears to be the power to self-destruct.' Rather, she writes, Houston was savvy and smart but had burned herself out after years of hard work, giving her all to her art: 'She could tend to her own light, or she could fire it up for us, but she could no longer do both' A top-notch biography of a generational talent
Not only is Emily Lordi's Holding Lightning a reclamation of Whitney Houston's sound and genius; it restores Houston to her rightful place as an architect of modern pop
In Holding Lightning, Lordi builds for us a Whitney who exemplifies Black excellence, yet she respects Whitney's humanity by seamlessly including the truth of her complexes and complexities. Whitney has agency. She has creative control. She has passion. She has details and demons. Rather than giving her her flowers, Lordi lavishly gives Whitney Houston her layers and wings. This is a rendering all Black girl geniuses deserve
Holding Lightning takes on the challenge of adding to the already robust legacy of one of our greatest artists, and it massively succeeds due to Emily Lordi's gift of close attention, of narrative world-building, and of immense care not only for Whitney Houston, but for the entire universe that was touched by her presence
America put Whitney Houston on a pedestal that turned out to be a cage. In this lyrical, scrupulous biography, Emily Lordi makes a new space for understanding this great artist, where her artistry and her humanity are fully honoured. The depth of Lordi's analysis demands that we see Houston as the full capable genius and self-directed career woman that she was, while her compassion does away with the fetishization and demonisation that reduce Houston and allows us to grasp the singer's full humanity
[An] excellent biography . . . Along the way, Lordi also spotlights Houston's support for other Black female artists, and frankly discusses Houston's thornier experiences with addiction and her chaotic marriage to singer Bobby Brown, extending her the grace frequently withheld by the tabloids by highlighting the complicated tides of trauma, passion, abuse, power, and love that characterised the partnership. The result is a humanising and wonderfully nuanced re-examination of a misunderstood musical icon
[Holding Lightning] is the story of the whole person, milestones and missteps alike . . . Lordi's winning combination of research, pop culture knowledge, and respectful storytelling allows readers to both envy and sympathise with a musical legend
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