Madonna plans 'morality tale'< 5 Children's Books>

BBC ^ | 17 April, 2003, 11:02 GMT 12:02 UK | Editors

[Helms]

Madonna's venture into children's books will see her writing morality tales based on Hebrew texts she is studying. The pop star has signed a deal to write five books that will be based on the Kabbalah religion, the first of which will be called The English Roses.

Madonna said that she wanted to achieve something deeper than the "vapid and vacant" books that were available for young readers.

She also said the idea of writing the books was suggested to her by a Kabbalah teacher and she originally planned to co-write them with husband Guy Ritchie.

In an interview for music channel VH1, to be screened in the UK on Good Friday, she criticised children's books for not containing any life lessons.

Now I'm starting to read to my son, but I couldn't believe how vapid and vacant and empty all the stories were

Madonna

Madonna said: "I have a teacher I've been studying Kabbalah with for the last almost seven years now, and he's suggested that I write some children's stories based on a lot of things that I've learned in Kabbalah - so that's what I did."

She said that husband Ritchie had got caught up writing scripts so the responsibility for writing the books fell solely to her.

'No effort'

She added: "He did stay really involved - you know, he's my greatest critic. Whenever something gave him the retarded tingles, he was not shy about letting me know."

The impetus for writing for children came after reading to her daughter Lourdes.

"Now I'm starting to read to my son, but I couldn't believe how vapid and vacant and empty all the stories were," she said.

"There were like no lessons, just all about princesses and like the beautiful prince arrives and he takes her for his wife and nothing happens, no efforts are made.

"Nobody asks her what her opinion is, or I didn't see anybody struggling for things. There's like no books about anything."

Speaking to Will & Grace actress Megan Mullally she also explained why she split her time between London and Los Angeles.

"I find that people in Europe are much more interested in the quality of life, they're not so work-oriented," she said.

"They're not willing to stay in the office 12 hours a day, they know how to enjoy life better. But Americans know how to get things done quicker."

[martin_fierro]

Seconded -- motion carries.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

[Clintonfatigued]

This is a riot. Were the childrens' books she complained about as vapid as her press conferences and interviews? Still, maybe her book won't be as bad as we expect. Of course, I'll believe it when I see it.

By the way, does anyone here know about the Kaballah belief system?

[Think free or die]

"There's like no books about anything."

I hate when that happens.

[MEG33]

Great!LOL

[Sofa King]

What's wrong, Madonna, couldn't find any copies of Hustler to read to your kid?

[cyborg]

when she stuck her tongue in Britney Spears

**Given Madonna's past pecadillos I think she would like to do that in the future, along with the catholic school skirt brigade

[francisr]

"I have become cynical, now believing not in coincidence but
the intentional using of cultural whores like Madonna to send an almost psychopathic message to the culture at large."

not cynical - just fully aware of what is happening - keep that awareness and pass it on

[Dan from Michigan]

I think ANYTHING can happen here.

The funny part...she came from a very Old School Catholic family.

[malia]

often Kabbalah A body of mystical teachings of rabbinical origin, often based on an esoteric interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures. A secret doctrine resembling these teachings.

this is what gurunet says.

I think M is perfect for the role of Hillary in the movie.

[ex-Texan]

[Libertina]

Some people have reported that Madonna's first husband Sean Penn was a special ed student...no doubt her perfect mental match... ;)

[cinnathepoet]

By the way, does anyone here know about the Kaballah belief system?

Much info here:

http://www.ibiblio.org/yiddish/shul.html/

The Catholic Encyclopedia article is an easier place to start:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08590a.htm

[glory]

I'll say...

I just don't understand how, with the many classic and quality children books available at the local library or for sale with retailers, she will sell any books.

[Clintonfatigued]

Madonna would be well cast in a Hillary Clinton film bio. Sen. Clinton is a cross between Eva Peron and Imelda Marcos.

[sunshine state]

I agree with you 100%. I'm a children's librarian and I see fabulous books for children all the time. Sure, there's some junk out there, but there's a lot of great stuff too. What moronic publisher thought it would be a good idea to have Madonna write children's books?

[Y2Krap]

The strumpet who spread wide her loins in a coffee table book is now going to tell our children TAILS of MORALITY..
If the Boston Strangler had a sense of humor he'd write a
CHOKE BOOK. MADONNA, GAG on This..

[Gal.5:1]

Not satisfied with corrupting the morals of the youth of the 80's and 90's, she now wants to attempt to indoctronate small children into some gnostic type pagan belief system under the guise of morality tales.

NO thank you!

[ex-Texan]

Confession time for me. I once met Madonna and had dinner with her in Santa Monica and she confessed her deep love for Kabbalah literature. She is really a very serious student of this ancient discipline. Also, she has been studying it for a lot longer than seven years. But seven is a magic number and people who study Kabbalah know what is meant by saying "seven." 'Nuff said.

[man of Yosemite]

Here is an aging pop star who invites two of the newest teen idols on the block to share a lustful kiss with her on national TV. How many mothers raising impressionable teenagers would like to shoot this woman for what she did last night? Are these people so inflated with power that they have lost all propriety and soberness? Has the evil witch pulled the Pepsi spokesman into her lair, possibly to trash her career in an attempt to invigorate her own? The woman is Satan's tool to take down the next generation. Hey Pepsi, time to dump the new chick.

[SouthCarolinaKit]

Like anyone who likes a child enough to buy him a book would really select one by this moron! Who would ever want this person to be viewed as someone to emulate? Not I!