Book Review & Giveaway: The Best of Friends: Martha and Me

The Best of Friends: Martha and Me is written by Mariana Pasternak who grew up in Romania and immigrated to the United States as a political refugee. The author tells the story of her friendship with the rich and famous Martha Stewart, starting when Martha wasn’t that rich or famous yet.

Their once blooming friendship was irrevocably shattered when Ms. Pasternak gave  a courtroom testimony that would help send Ms. Stewart to prison.

From Harper Collins:

Set in a world of luxury and power, this is the story of two remarkable women and a friendship that changed both their lives forever.

For more than two decades, Mariana Pasternak and Martha Stewart were nearly inseparable. They first met over a garden gate in Westport, Connecticut, two suburban wives wedded to successful men but with grand aspirations of their own. Their bond only deepened after their marriages ended in divorce. Struggling as a single mother, but drawn into a seductive world of privilege and adventure, Pasternak watched with admiration as her friend built an empire that would make her one of the richest women in America.

I had mixed emotions about this book that it took me some time to even start. The idea that Martha Stewart’s (used to be) best friend testified against her in court and went on to write a memoir about their friendship struck me as a form of betrayal. I have friends of my own, with some people I have known since I was 10.  Friendship among women sometimes tend to be complicated and I was curious to know what went wrong between the author and Martha Stewart. What drove the author to write a tell all book and reveal how Ms. Stewart is in real life. Talk about written cat fight but a one sided one (unless Martha comes up with a book about Mariana Pasternak).

I won’t go into much details about the book but if asked to rate it, I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars because the book is full of little stories, mostly Martha bashing that end up nowhere and then it happens again.

Reading about their friendship that spanned for more than twenty years, I could easily say, I wouldn’t wish neither of them to be my friend.

Giveaway!!

Harper Collins will send one (1) copy of Mariana Pasternak’s novel, The Best of Friends to one lucky reader of this review. Just leave me a comment, answering this question:

What would you do if a best friend betrays you – either by talking behind your back or (gasp) writing a tell all book about you?

I’ll close the comments in a week and draw a winner by random. US and Canada only please.

Disclosure: This post was written for Harper Collins who provided the item for review and will provide one copy to giveaway. I was not compensated in any way.

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