Berry, Me, and Motown: The Untold Story

In the last line of her prologue, Berry Gordy's second wife says of this notably well-written and relentlessly candid memoir, ``As God is my witness, every word of it is true.'' The author's claim will no doubt come to haunt several soulful celebrities as well as her legendary ex-husband who, despite an underlying tone of love, is portrayed in this dishy tell-all as a Jekyll-and-Hyde ``thief of dreams'' as well as a former pimp and monstrous manipulator. Inspired by a desire to reclaim her rightful place in Motown history, to which her many creative and administrative contributions have been all but erased, the author, who cofounded the company with Gordy some 30 years ago and continued to work there in various capacities until the early 1980s, presents a riveting inside look at how the ``Motown Sound'' was created and ultimately decimated, and in doing so she tells startling ``family'' secrets, as well as a funky and finger-snapping story. Photos not seen by PW . (July)