Finally, their talents are being acknowledged - Richard is praised for being the great musician that he is, a superior producer and arranger with an unparalleled ear for quality and timelessness. When Karen dieted, or "overdieted", Bash explains, there was a rush of attention from the family, especially Agnes.

It’s made clear early on that the coffee table book is all about their careers and not their personal lives: how songs came together, tour schedules and plenty of rare memorabilia reproduced.The expensive cars and other possessions gave him the appearance of a multimillionaire, but what others did not realise was that he was living well beyond his means. Richard and Karen Carpenter, who had spent the past four years scoring massive soft-rock hits like “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Superstar,” and “Top of the World,” took the opportunity to vent to Nolan about the uncool, wholesome image that they felt the press had created for the sibling duo.

Mike Cidoni Lennox has been a nationally syndicated journalist for nearly 40 years and currently serves as a senior entertainment reporter for the Associated Press. In a radio interview taped shortly after Karen's death, Levenkron discussed the autopsy findings: "According to the LA coroner, she discovered ipecac… and started taking it every day. In addition to being a gifted interpreter of songs, Karen was also passion This book is a bit weird though because it is written by a British guy, and if you read the intro, you find out that Richard had a lot of input in it. Alpert agreed that she looked happier and healthier than he had seen her in some time, and felt she appeared to have won the battle.I think it helps to have heard of The Carpenters to get the most from this gig, but you don’t have to be a super fan. No personal problems, no scandal, no negativity, just a straight forward detailing of the history and accomplishments of a vastly underrated pair of superb musicians. He’s a perfectionist, which has manifested itself in their excellent music, and in his attempts many times to redo things.

But a good, no-holds-barred insight into the wreckage of two lives post-fame - the damaging downward spirals of anoxeria and drug addiction, leading to the loss of one of the loveliest voices the world has ever known and probably doesn't deserve.

It traces the story of Karen and Richard's childhood days in Connecticut, their move to California, to their struggles for recognition in the music business, then their triumph to the top of the charts, to the sad and untimely death of one the greatest female vocalists who ever lived. I am 20 years old and LOVE the Carpenters' music; I own every one of their CDs, including Karen's solo CD. Karen began to share with friends her growing misgivings about Tom, not only concerning his finances but also his lack of feelings for her.