NEW YORK (AP) — Hinimok ng Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin ang publiko na huwag pag-aksayahan ng pera – o maging ng kaluluwa – ang bagong labas na libro tungkol sa buhay niya.

Inihayag ni Aretha sa isang statement na ang libro na isinulat ni David Ritz na pinamagatang Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin, ay “trashy book.”

Ang dalawa ay nagkasama na sa trabaho partikular na noong 1999 sa Aretha: From These Roots. Nanalo rin si Ritz ng Grammy Award para sa best album notes para sa Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings.

“As many of you are aware, there is a very trashy book out there full of lies and more lies about me. … (The writer’s) actions are obviously vindictive because I edited out some crazy statements he had the gall to try and put in my book written 15 years ago,” nakasaad sa statement. “Evidently, he has been carrying this hatred ever since.”

Sa nasabing libro, isinulat ni Ritz ang pagiging teenage parent ni Franklin, ang paghihiwalay ng magulang niya, at ang pagiging lulong sa alak at iba pa.

“The sensitive questions — Aretha’s mother leaving family, Aretha having two babies while still in her teens, Aretha being beaten by her first husband… were off-limits,” nakasaad sa librong isinulat ni Ritz. “In my view, my two years of working on ‘From These Roots’ resulted in my failure to actualize the great potential in Aretha’s narration. I didn’t do what I set out to do.”

Marami nang biography na naisulat si Ritz, partikular na sina Etta James, Rick James at Ray Charles. Siya ay apat na beses na pinarangalan ng Ralph Gleason Music Book Award, at noong nakaraang taon ay tumanggap siya ng ASCAP Timothy White Award para sa outstanding musical biography para sa Buddy Guy book, When I Left Home. Marami rin siyang naisulat na nobela, essay, at artikulo.

“I think the book in the deepest way is an appreciation. And when I say appreciation, it’s just not an appreciation of her art; it’s an appreciation of the challenges of her life and the appreciation how hard it is to kind of navigate your way through the complexities of show business culture,” sabi ni Ritz sa The Associated Press noong Lunes.

Isinulat niya na si Franklin ang nagbigay ng ideya sa pakikipagtulungan sa From These Roots, ngunit ang kanilang ideya para sa nasabing proyekto ay magkaiba.

“When I renewed my research for this book, I did so without Aretha’s blessing, but I did have the support of three Aretha’s closest relatives,” pahayag ni Ritz.

Inilunsad ang pinakabagong album ni Franklin na Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics isang linggo bago ang libro ni Ritz noong nakaraang buwan. Pasok sa ikatlong puwesto ang nasabing album sa Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.

“I call the book ‘Respect’ because I think it’s a respectful book,” ani Ritz sa AP. “I tried to be understanding and compassionate and that was my goal. …I love her and I love her art, and I tried to honor her story.”