The Life of M by Rachel Cusk

If I told you "The Life of M" by Rachel Cusk was about a writer and a movie star, that would be one thing. But if I told you "The Life of M" is about a writer and the actress Natalie Portman, that puts a whole new perspective on the book, and in many ways, makes it even more fascinating. The internet is buzzing with the details around the fact that Cusk and Portman were friends, and perhaps are no longer. Like the movie star in the book, Portman was a child actress, lives in France, has children and a luxury brand endorsement, and was in movie about a ballerina, "Black Swan." In a recent interview Cusk refused to concede that the character M is based on Portman, and maintains it is a work of fiction. But once you have the image in your head, it is hard to shake the feeling that M is Portman. The novel is very cerebral and does not read like your typical celebrity-centered book. Instead, the writer follows M around, almost through shadows and clouds, and observes how her fame is uncovered and received by others. Whether M is doing normal things like going to at party, traveling, reading a book, or picking her children up from school, the writer maintains that her life is far from normal. Despite striving for an ordinary life, the halo of celebrity forces M to be perceived as different, and admired above others in the room. In real life, Natalie Portman just welcomed her third child, and still lives in Paris. To buy this book on Amazon click here.