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Library | Collection | Collection | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Alpaugh Branch Library (Tulare Co.) | Searching... Unknown | Biography | B LEWIS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Betty Rodriguez Library (Fresno Co.) | Searching... Unknown | Biography Area | LEWIS JE Lew | Searching... Unknown |
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Searching... Woodward Park Library (Fresno Co.) | Searching... Unknown | Biography Area | LEWIS JE Lew | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
National Book Club Conference 'Book of the Year' Award Winner
From her more than three hundred appearances for film and television, stage and cabaret, performing comedy or drama, as an unforgettable lead or a scene stealing supporting character, Jenifer Lewis has established herself as one of the most respected, admired, talented, and versatile entertainers working today.
This "Mega Diva" and costar of the hit sitcom black-ish bares her soul in this touching and poignant--and at times side-splittingly hilarious--memoir of a Midwestern girl with a dream, whose journey took her from poverty to the big screen, and along the way earned her many accolades.
With candor and warmth, Jenifer Lewis reveals the heart of a woman who lives life to the fullest. This multitalented "force of nature" landed her first Broadway role within eleven days of her graduation from college and later earned the title "Reigning Queen of High-Camp Cabaret."
In the audaciously honest voice that her fans adore, Jenifer describes her transition to Hollywood, with guest roles on hits like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Friends. Her movie Jackie's Back! became a cult favorite, and as the "Mama" to characters portrayed by Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, Taraji P. Henson, and many more, Jenifer cemented her status as the "Mother of Black Hollywood."
When an undiagnosed mental illness stymies Jenifer's career, culminating in a breakdown while filming The Temptations, her quest for wholeness becomes a harrowing and inspiring tale, including revelations of bipolar disorder and sex addiction.
Written with no-holds-barred honesty and illustrated with more than forty color photographs, this gripping memoir is filled with insights gained through a unique life that offers a universal message: "Love yourself so that love will not be a stranger when it comes."
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
At the onset of this energetic memoir, entertainer Lewis boards a cruise ship seeking some well-deserved relaxation and considers whether to retire from her 40-year career in show business. She quickly realizes that to retire at the age of 57 would be akin to stopping breathing: "I AM the SHOW in show business!" she tells herself. From there she describes growing up in a small, poverty-stricken Missouri town where at age five she sang at the Baptist church, already hell-bent on becoming a star. Readers follow the feisty singer through cabaret performances, TV and Broadway shows, tours, many mother roles (thus the title), and love affairs (like the performer, readers will most likely lose count). She revisits the years when many young male friends died of AIDS, the times when she scrambled for parts and didn't get them, and endless moments of triumph. At age 33, Lewis was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and she began to understand her sexual addiction, as well as to face the demons of her past. Her memoir is frank, funny, and uplifting, capturing the singer's authentic voice, her humor, and her profound and bold capacity for resilience. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Lewis has played everyone's mama on the big screen, small screen, and stage. Currently and most famously, she's Ruby on the award-winning sitcom Black-ish. Known for her brilliant delivery of quippy one-liners and dressing-downs, Lewis has played dozens of mothers over four decades in front of many a live audience. Here are the things she doesn't have a problem with: naming names (friends, lovers, and enemies are bandied about freely); cussing (it's an art, really); and expressing candor. She discloses a long history with many lovers (Ode to Men) and her difficult relationship with her mother, confronts her childhood molester, and comes to terms with her bipolar disorder. Also, she is not allergic to work. Her career has cut a wide swath through show business; she's worked with so many luminaries that this account will leave readers breathless (and incapable of ever seeing Gregory Hines the same way again). Lewis' years of journaling and knack for recall make for a rowdy, funny, and emotional exploration of her ascendance as a Hollywood matriarch.--Jones, Courtney Copyright 2017 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Currently known for her role as matriarch Ruby Johnson on the hit TV show Blackish, Lewis has risen from modest beginnings in small town Missouri to become a self-described "entertainer's entertainer." Lewis lived for the high of performing on stage in cabaret productions and the imminent applause afterward. Finding that her moods would often become dangerously low upon returning home, she sought to prolong the pleasure by taking men home with her. This frank debut charts her upward career trajectory on Broadway, as a back-up singer for Bette Midler, and in films such as The Preacher's Wife, while also divulging details about her struggles with bipolar disorder and sex addiction. After a long search during her 30s to find a psychologist she trusted, Lewis realized she had the support and direction to work through deeply ingrained pain from her childhood. This newfound confidence led to further success, often playing the role of mother, as evidenced by the title of this book. VERDICT An insightful memoir of Lewis's road to success and eventual path to self-healing, told with honesty and hubris that will appeal to her wide fan base.-Stacy Shaw, Orange, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.