4.50 · Rating details · 7,319 ratings · 1,317 reviews
Just as I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. Here, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by His hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say. (less)
Hardcover, 432 pages
Published January 26th 2021 by HarperCollins Publishers
URL
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/just-as-i-am-cicely-tyson?variant=32126582095906
Literary Awards
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Memoir & Autobiography (2021)
Popular Answered Questions
I am about halfway through the book on audio, but I feel really bothered about the small section she includes about Bill Cosby, maybe 1/4 of the way in. She just mentions he was nice to her and she liked his wife, but nothing is said about all his sexual abuse. Does she ever bring him up again? I don't like the positive portrayal of him and I wonder if anyone else noticed this.
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Jennifer Mcpherson The book isn’t about Bill Cosby !! It’s about her life !! So hence her experience with him .. So why would she talk about something she knows nothing …more
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Feb 02, 2021Bree Hill rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2021-faves
‘Just walking through this life as a Black person, and actually surviving that, was and still is an ovation worthy performance.’
I’m so in awe of what I just read and the timeliness of its release. Cicely Tyson is a Giant. She’s timeless. The concept of time is so crazy; here is a woman who was stirring a pot of sauce one moment and on the floor crying because she’d learned that Dr. Martin Luther King had been assassinated in Memphis and Also got to see President Barack Obama become the first black President of the United States, was even given an award by him. One of those amazing memoirs by someone who has seen ALOT!
‘When someone sees you headed in a direction, and that person throws a brick in the road, that is the precise moment to forge onward, with greater velocity, toward your destination.’
Just As I Am is told so coolly and with such Grace. I really think it’s a must read! (less)
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Jan 29, 2021#AskMissPatience rated it it was amazing
Bought this Hardcover version on 1/26/21 while Ms. Tyson was being interviewed by Gayle King.
As soon as I heard Ms. Tyson published Just As I Am: A Memoir in the course of her speaking immediately purchased the book to read and be a reviewer.
When I found out she passed away today before the book arrived have been mourning and reflecting. She’s been someone I've admired for many reasons. Not just as a star.
Why I am so interested in the book is for her perspective on life. I'm in my mid-fifties and am contemplating the rest of my days. What can I do now to continue striving for the best?
Before jumping on here to do an unusually different review, prereading, downloaded the audible version to start today and finish by tomorrow. Since it's an evening I'm not going to be able to stay up long enough to finish.
Narrated by Viola Davis, Cecily Tyson herself, and Robin Miles.
OH MY GOODNESS.
As if Viola Davis is not enough as the narrator. This Queen of empathy and overcoming so much is one of my heroes for personal reasons.
Ms. Tyson's is also reading. I’m not certain why I'm surprised. I've never been SO EXCITED to listen to a book.
Robin Miles is topping off this trio narrating. I'm just blown away.
Being able to hear Ms. Tyson speak her truth will be one of the greatest moments in my literary life.
Upon leaving the earth from her body less than 24 hours ago, Ms. Tyson has left me her spirit. Who she truly is. To listen, know, and learn from in ways I can only imagine.
Always admiring her for grace and poise as an actress. Her presence always drew me in.
Ms. Tyson I truly didn't want you to go quite yet. I know no one wanted you to ever go.
Since you have chosen this time, thank you for leaving your voice with this work. I will cherish these moments with you for the rest of my life.
Thank you for being such a brave gift. I hope to aspire to be more upon hearing your example.
Love, Patience Phillips
----update ---- later same day
Listening to Viola Davis share the forward and Cecily Tyson share ”Introduction: This Life” broke me down.
Couldn't wait for the hardcover to arrive I ordered on the 26th upon hearing Ms. Tyson passed today.
So glad I bought the Audible version.
Hearing her voice one last time on the last day of her life talking to me. How could she have known how much I needed this? How much we all do at such a time as this.
Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
On a side note, normally listen to audiobooks on 2x’s the speed.
1x for Viola and Ms. Tyson. I will listen to them over and over and over again.
If you don't know about Viola Davis’s childhood and how she helps food insecure children you're about to hear the raw truth.
I'd first heard her story reading Brene’ Brown’s Braving the Wilderness. Became one of my heroes.
This story weaves so beautifully with Ms. Tyson’s in an extraordinary way.
If you don't believe in miracles already you're about to
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💯 (less)
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Feb 07, 2021chantel nouseforaname rated it it was amazing
Shelves: memoir, popular, 5-star-memoirs, cultural-commentary, 5-star, black-women-writers, feminism, book-to-movie
Ms. Cicely Tyson lived a L I F E !
Ms. Tyson has lived through so much and busted open so 👏🏾many 👏🏾doors👏🏾!!!
It was a true joy to read this work, she's given us the gift of her story to add to the legacy and Black History of the screen and stage.
Ms. Tyson highlights the resiliency of Black women, by sharing the story and accomplishments of not only her own dreams, but the lives of her mother, and sister, aunts, peers, and friends. She shows the way that these women around her cut their way through the harshness of life to create their own futures in spite of the roadblocks placed in our way due to domestic violence, racism, and sexism. She speaks of the progress the world has made and the immeasurable trades made for progress — the loss of great leaders, family, and friends.
Her reflections on her relationship and marriage to Miles Davis details the complexity of loving someone who is having a tumultuous relationship with themselves. It also details the complexity of being a woman dealing with a man who doesn't seem capable of being who you need them to be or who they promised you that they would be.
Filled with pivotal moments in history; there was a lot to learn in Just As I Am — as Ms.Tyson, at 96 years old, had a lot to share. It felt like a love letter at points and a thank you letter at other points.
The photos were amazing and remarkable at the end.
Rest in power Ms. Tyson. (less)
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Mar 12, 2022Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing
Shelves: audiobook
Audiobook…read by Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis, & Robin Miles
…..16 hours and 8 minutes
ALL VOICES WERE TOP NOTCH.
“The Story of the Actress Who Graced The Stage and Screen for Six Decades”……died Jan. 28th, 2021….at age 96. (two days after this autobiography was released).
Geee….18,039 overall 5 star reviews!
……ooh la la….jeezie-gracious-wowzer…..the people got it right!!
Cicely Tyson was a phenomenal actress…in great films.
…. She bypassed age, gender, and racial discriminations!
She died as a highly respected distinguish African-American legend….(that’s a pretty good life)….
I enjoyed learning about Cicely’s values, her mom’s, her family, her relationship with the Church — being at the center of her life as a child -
Between her mother and Church, strong values were being planted….it’s where her core was built.
….It was fascinating to be introduced to the way Cicely’s got her start, her career, in Hollywood….a stand for her rights, belief in herself from the get-go.
Lots of great history and stories- her marriages - her work - etc.
I simply enjoyed hearing all the things Cicely had to say——(something about everything )- and my God….I believed every word of advice she gave to others)….
Cicely was a natural born influencer - before social media influencers started influencing the world’s population.
Cicely had me thinking I should carry Cayenne Pepper in my purse to sprinkle on any food that I eat from a restaurant.
Oh….and she gave us the “drink-more-water” advice too!
She had a point! Thirst decreases as we age ….and dehydration is a real concern.
I’m feeling a need to drink some water just thinking about this. I’m one of the guilty ones who must make myself drink more water.
Tea….I do drink a lot of tea…. But tea can actually dehydrate —
So, okay, Ms. Cicely Tyson…(if you can hear me)…
THANK YOU …. I’ll make a better effort to drink more water each day!
Oh…..
And….
I even wanted to be a black woman - so I could be included in their special talk (thankfully we white folks were allowed to listen in) ….lol
BUT
MOST…
I fell in love getting to know Cicely more. Such a beautiful human being.
I admire the dynamic positive strength and spirit, she had!
May Cicely Tyson > Rest In Peace. (less)
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Jun 13, 2021Carole rated it really liked it
Just as I Am by Cicely Tyson is the telling of a life well-lived. What a woman and what a life. I listened to the audio version which was read by Tyson. It is a fairly long book but the author, well into her nineties, read almost all of it. What a gift that was, hearing about her life in her own words and her own voice. We learn about how she grew up. She speaks to us about the loves of her life. And she takes us through her long career as an actor. This is a woman with the principles that follow her throughout her life. There is not one boring moment here. The telling is detailed but it is not a gossipy biography. She has been a role model for so many women and her body of work will live on for years to come. Cicely Tyson passed away shortly after the publication of this book, leaving behind many life lessons. Brava! (less)
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Feb 03, 2021Read In Colour rated it it was amazing
It's fitting that Aretha Franklin's version of Mary, Don't You Weep started playing in the background as I began this review because Aretha was a dear friend of Ms. Tyson and because I found myself crying unexpectedly as I finished her memoir. And I say unexpectedly because I shed no tears when her death was first announced. In my mind, she'd lived a long and fascinating life and deserved to rest in eternal peace. So why did wrapping up her book move me so much?
The first time I saw Cicely Tyson I was in the second grade and she was on my TV screen playing Binta, the mother of Kunta Kinte. I didn't know who she was, but I knew her hair was like nothing I'd seen on TV - Bantu knots she asked her hairdresser to replicate in homage to women she'd met in previous travels to countries in Africa. There were so many stars in Roots: OJ Simpson (back when we still claimed him), Maya Angelou, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, etc. But Ms. Tyson's portrayal stood out.
Immersing herself in her roles to the point where she wore her characters like a second skin was the norm for her. From the raspy voice she took on in her portrayal of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, shunning the call for an older actress to provide the voiceover, to her claiming the role of Mrs. Carrie Watts back in 1985 and patiently waiting for it to come to fruition in 2012 with first the Broadway production of The Trip to Bountiful and then the Lifetime TV production, she breathed life into her roles. Her acting is so convincing as Jane Pittman that arguments arise on social media at least once a year as to whether or not Ms. Pittman was a real person. (She was not.)
Who was Ms. Tyson when she wasn't acting? She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend and a mother - the last role being one she says has been rewarding, but also a journey requiring continuous work. Twice married, she readily admits that while she didn't love her first husband, Miles Davis was the love of her life. Growing up in East St. Louis, I still remember when Longfellow Elementary School was renamed for Miles Davis and he and Ms. Tyson came to town for the ceremony. Much has been written about the volatility of their relationship. You'll have to read the book to understand their love story, which started over 20 years before they ever married.
Toward the end of the book, Ms. Tyson says "... I'm still here because God hasn't finished with me. And when I've completed my job, he'll take me." Imagine not starting your acting career until you're 30 and continuing to act until your last days. While the rest of us contemplate retirement at 65, Ms. Tyson simply was not having it! Having inspired generations through her roles, through her life story, through her friendship, through her generous spirit and wanting to do even more, I have to believe God looked down on her one last time and said, well done, good and faithful servant. (less)
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Jan 26, 2021Linda Galella added it · review of another edition
My mother’s secret wasn’t any single ingredient. Her creations were a symphony of flavors, blended together perfectly with love immeasurably.”
That quote was in reference to a broth Cicely Tyson’s mother made. It’s also about her daughter and her family. It’s an apt description of this book as well. The writing is exquisite and the memories Tyson shares are full of wisdom. She lays bare her childhood and how the difficult relationship between her parents and she and them colored her own relationships and what she did about it.
Lots of Hollywood and N. Y. stars make an appearance as they were woven thru and impacted Cicley’s life and career. Her tumultuous relationship with Miles Davis has a much softer presentation, (than other accounts that I’ve read), with her gracious reflection applied. The vignettes with her various friends are some of the most heartwarming I’ve read in an autobiography. They’re not mushy-gushy, that’s not her style; what they are is meaningful observation. Tyson shares the true value of her friendships - pain, joy, humor and hope; really lovely.
Cicely is prescient and speaks about it as well as her abiding, guiding, life long faith; the single constant in her almost century long life. A mix of Episcopal, Catholic and Baptist from birth, her religious roots held fast and to this day, she remains an active congregant at an Abyssinian church in N. Y. The Divine leading in Cicely’s life was the strongest influence to her success, she followed the prompting: “God, the Source of all time, Creator of all life, has forever been directing mine.”
This is one of those books you’re just going to have to read for yourself. If you’re a fan of Ms. Tyson, you’ll devour it. If you’re a movie/tv history fan, it will be satisfying and highly informative, especially regarding black artists. There are racial discrimination issues to ponder from almost a century that are presented without political histrionics. Also, you can find advice on just about any other topic including diet and health - quite a volume, to be sure!
A captivating read from start to finish📚 (less)
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Feb 07, 2021Tamyka rated it really liked it
I love Cicely Tyson. She had a long beautiful life and an amazing career. The good thing about this book is the historical, political, and social context mixed within it. She’s lived so long and to see her perspective of significant historical events was a real treat because I find most of my most valuable understanding of the life experiences of Black women throughout history comes from memoirs, autobiographies, and historical fiction and historical romance. The 4 stars may be petty but the Miles Davis story just really bothered me which isn’t fair cause that was her real life. That the greatest love of her life was traumatic, abusive, and filled with mistreatment is sad for me cause she seemed like a phenomenal woman and she didn’t deserve that. Anyways it’s a great memoir and I highly recommend. (less)
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May 20, 2021Maryam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
50,000+ stars
Required reading, "on my bucket list" type of book. The audiobook is the way to go, it added another dimension to the experience that I can't quite describe. It was like drinking a cup of chai tea while snuggling up in those soft cotton-y blankets in bed, not wanting to get up, but wanting to just simply stay in the warm, cozy moment. Cicely Tyson is royalty and I could hear my mother and my grandmother's stories through her.
I am truly grateful that this book was finished before she passed away (rest in power, Cicely) and I can purchase it and keep it close to me whenever. The lessons, vulnerability, power, and sweetness that I found in this book are unlike any I have read in a memoir thus far. Go and listen to her story, you won't be disappointed I promise you.
Thank you Cicely. (less)
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Mar 08, 2021Kyle Erickson rated it liked it
This book is well written and a thorough account of a well-lived life. Unfortunately it gets only three stars from me for entirely subjective reasons. Firstly, I found Cicely most unlikeable. Even when I agreed with her, I usually thought she was going about whatever situation in an irritating/stubborn manner, but her life circumstances were just so utterly different from mine that I can't fault her for that, but it affected the narrative.
And the amount of supposed divine intervention knocked this down an entire star for me. Look, some people are religious, and I get it. I've read religious memoirs before. They usually don't bother me. But EVERYTHING is some sort of Godly intervention to keep Cicely on the path of the Good and her supposed psychic powers just continously grated me. I literally rolled my eyes when Miles Davis dies and she leaves a salon and falls in the street and still thinks, 30 years after his death, that Miles's spirit was trying to kill her and that God intervened just in time to stop him. It was just too much. I understand that a woman born in the 1920s is pretty likely to be deeply religious, but I've always found this element of religion to be ridiculously self-righteous. Couldn't you, with 30 years of hindsight, realized that you probably just fell in the street because you were shocked and upset at his death?
All in all, most people will really enjoy this, it is a very in-depth look at her life and some of the social issues of her time. Subjectively though I just could not get into it at times. One last criticism, she has glowing praise for Bill Cosby for this entire book, and never once mentions what happens to him, but mentions way more recent things like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd? This just seems very strange to me; even a brief sentence about Cosby would have been sufficient, no need to dwell. (less)
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Apr 13, 2021Colleen Foster rated it it was amazing
Whoa, what can I say about this book. I was expecting so much detail about her life and the things that had happened to her. I truly enjoyed this book. I love the fact that she was raw and honest in this book. This book made me laugh and at times brought me to tears. This book was worth the hype and so much more.
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Dec 03, 2021Monica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: aoc, female-author-nonfic, audible, biography-memoirs, kindle_nonfiction, pub_2020s, women-savvy, nonfic_challenge_2021, pub-2021, 5-star
I loved this! rtc
4.5 Stars
Listened to Audible. Robin Miles was of course brilliant!!
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Mar 14, 2021La Loves a Little Tea and Books rated it it was amazing
Shelves: ownvoices, adult, nonfiction, women, audiobook, african-american, food-for-the-melaninated-soul, memoir, society
What a woman!
What a life!
I not only highly recommend this memoir, but if you can, listen to her as she tells her stories with its challenges, wins, losses, and battles. You'll learn more than you can ever grasp.
What an experience! Thank you, Ms. Tyson, and rest in tremendous power.
5/5
P.S. I took my time reading this book because her voice invited me to pull a chair and listen. So, I wanted to take my time savoring each syllable, knowing that it would be my last moment with her, outside of her films, theater, and television works. (less)
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Mar 09, 2021Jonathan David Pope rated it it was amazing
Reading Just As I Am, a 399 page statement on Cicely Tyson’s life of 96 years, and career spanning 7 decades— was an experience like no other. I, myself, am not a regular reader of celebrity memoirs, but this was one of kind. A gem like Cicely Tyson is a rarity. A gentle soul, filled with so much talent, experience, and wisdom.
Which is why flipping from page-to-page I was refreshed by how she not only spoke about the events of her life, her memories of countless acting gigs, celebrity encounters, and monumental historical affects— but she was critical and reflective.
You see her faith, along with the love she holds for acting, her family, and her close friends evident on these pages. You see that she not only knows history from person experience, but from remaining well-read, and engaged in the evolving conversation of race, gender, and class struggles. Experiencing childhood during the Harlem Renaissance, to being close friends with those who were prominent voice during the Civil Rights Movement, Ms. Tyson has seen activism in all its eras. At points she slips into dialogue concerning the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and past and present Black representation in the film industry. And her commentary is right on the pulse of what young activists and scholars are saying. She is not resistant to changes in tactics or language, but welcoming and supportive of how those rising to lead current social movement are using their voice.
I read a good chunk of the novel using my physical copy, and then switched to audio in order to listen while I completed mundane tasks and drove— this elevated further. The stories she told, some heartbreaking, some making you laugh out loud until tears fell, and a good chuck awe-inspiring feel meant to be passed by word-of-mouth.
I only wish Cicely Tyson were still with us to answer more questions and enjoy watching the world revel in her monumental legacy finally being on paper. I will say that it brings we joy knowing that Cicely Tyson continued to live her last year’s fully present on the big screen, receiving her long overdue flowers, and publishing her life story in her own words, gifting us the knowledge of a true legend in full— just as she was.
(less)
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May 29, 2021Louis Muñoz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I cannot praise this book enough. My life was changed when I saw "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman" when I was 13 years old, and Cicely Tyson elevated our existence. To hear her story, her many stories, has inspired me anew, and I can only say "thank you," and "Rest in Peace" to someone whose life is more than "just" that of an actress, but a soul we should all try to emulate and learn from. (less)
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Feb 27, 2021Dawn rated it it was amazing
Shelves: memoir-biography
This was one of the best memoirs I’ve read! Ms. Tyson was an open book, raw but graceful as she told her life story. It was great to review the history of this country from point of view and learn more about her story. I will be honest and say there were times in which I was disappointed by some of the decisions she made in life but I admire how transparent she was about her feelings at the time. She lived a marvelous life and touched many, her impact will undoubtedly be felt for generations to come. I’m so grateful she got the opportunity to share her wisdom before leaving this earthly life. 5 stars! (less)
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Feb 18, 2021Che rated it really liked it
Shelves: audiobooks, public-library
Cicely Tyson was such as private person. I enjoyed hearing important details about her life. I disliked how she jumped around her timeline, but it's her story to tell. Like others, I never understood her appeal to Miles Davis. But her description of their love made me pity and respect her at the same time. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of our American history through the eyes of a beautiful actress. Her recent death is our loss. (less)
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Feb 04, 2021Creolecat rated it it was amazing
Shelves: theatre, film-actors, african-american-cinema, memoir, television-history
This is Cicely's gift to us. (less)
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Feb 10, 2021Allison rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Amazing!!! What a life she lived!
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Mar 02, 2022Nakia rated it liked it
Shelves: book-club-national, booktini-2022
This was a book club pick, and I'm glad it was because I would have never read it otherwise. I'm not a big memoir reader and not interested in celebrities, and though Cicely Tyson led a remarkable life, her impact did not resonate with me as much, likely because most of her groundbreaking projects occurred before my birth or when I was very young. I realized while reading this that I've only seen two or three of her projects, with most of those being very small parts for her. The most impactful was Miss Jane Pittman, which I watched as a pre-teen only because I loved the book way back in middle school.
Anyway, Tyson's life was truly an inspiration. Talk about someone becoming a star by happenstance and prospering leaps and bounds whether she wanted to or not. Reading this reminded me of how Oprah has talked about God sending you signs that sometimes appear as a slight nudge or tap, that eventually grow into large bricks being thrown upside your head if you ignore them. God or the universe or whoever/whatever you believe orchestrates our lives, wanted Cicely to be star no matter what, and it's very clear in this book.
Her faith, her path to acting, and her stringent desire to show Black women in a positive light on screen were highlights. Her path to and through motherhood threw me for a loop though, as well as her volatile relationship with Miles Davis. I had no idea things were so crazy between them, and her stance on her purpose in his life really blew my mind, but I'm glad she felt comfortable enough to share both the ups and the downs with readers.
Overall, I think this book will appeal especially to Black women and anyone impacted by her screen and stage roles. Cicely also had such a long career that anyone interested in Black Broadway or Black Hollywood/Black pop culture from the 1950s to the present would love reading of her friendships and relationships with almost every star you can think of.
I am very happy she finally gave in to repeated requests to share her life story. This book fit perfectly into her narrative that things happen for her when she's ready. To have lived so long, refused to share her story for decades, finally relent and then pass away two days after the book is released is wild, but also makes all the sense in the world.
Job well done. Rest well. (less)
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Feb 04, 2021Ashley Marie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: biographies-and-memoirs, bipoc-authors, showbiz, favorites, audiobook-would-recommend
Stunning.
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Mar 22, 2021Sidne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I was brought to tears multiple times while listening to the life of this absolute powerhouse of a woman. I had no idea just how much she has changed this world for the better. I was inspired as an actress, as a black woman, and as a human being. A glorious life from beginning to end, anointed for sure, and the fact that two days after publication she "went home" is just a testament to how sure of a soul she was. The world is better for having Ms Tyson grace us with her presence for 96 years. Thank you! (less)
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Jan 31, 2021Tosin A rated it it was amazing
What a beautiful, well-written memoir!
I am in awe of this woman. I really enjoyed listening to her narrate her memoir. It didn’t even feel 16 hours long! I thoroughly enjoyed this. So honest and insightful!
It’s really something to live for almost a century! The love, pain and memories. RIP Cicely!
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Jan 29, 2021Nursebookie rated it it was amazing
This is a fascinating memoir of an amazing actress and activist. Well written and well told. I really enjoyed this and learned so much about Cicely Tyson!
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Feb 13, 2021HR-ML rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, race-relations, memoir
I gave this 3.5 stars and had mixed feelings.
Cicely's parents came to the US from the West Indies.
Her parents were very religious. Cicely (hereafter CT)
worked as a legal secretary, a model and then an actress
of stage, screen & TV. I enjoyed reading RE her training
& how she obtained roles. She received 1 Tony, 3 Emmys
& an honorary Oscar, among her other accolades. Classy
& graceful Cicely had a steely strength as an actress.
CT dated a preacher's son, got with child and she wed
him when she was 18. 2nd spouse musician Miles Davis
was the love of her life but he struggled w/ substance
abuse. Bill & Camille Cosby hosted the wedding reception
for CT & Miles. CT's Dad subjected her Mom to domestic
violence and his infidelity. CT wanted no repeat of this
in her life.
She had ESP, and was one of the 3 founders/ supporters
of the Dance Theater of Harlem, and had a performing
arts HS in New Jersey named for her. She encouraged
these young folks, through her volunteer work, to fulfill
their dreams.
CT at times got a tad preachy about race relations. But
she was subjected to indignities by an acting teacher
(who intended to rape her, but she fought him off) and
a famous film director who couldn't see black actresses
as other than sex objects. Did he insult all good actresses
seeking good roles? CT wanted parts other than the maid,
the hooker or the junkie and wanted to be paid what she
was worth. All reasonable expectations on her part.
She glossed over Bill Cosby's sexual allegations. This might
have been too personal for her to discuss?
Cicely was an outstanding actress and exciting to watch,
no matter the venue.
See below. (less)
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Apr 13, 2021Kym Moore rated it it was amazing
"Resentment corrodes the veins of the person who carries it." --Cicely Tyson
From the first page's turn, I was immediately reeled into this storyline like a fish on a hook. I devoured every word, starting with the powerful foreward, "A Mighty Seed" from Viola Davis. This book may have been Ms. Tyson's final act, but it is truly a seed that is germinating into a priceless vineyard. She was eloquently candid throughout this book. There is no question about my high recommendation of this book.
"You don't have to be physically touched to be emotionally robbed."
"When someone violates you sexually, it does not simply haunt and aggrieve you; it alters the very shape of your soul." -- Cicely Tyson remembering the sexual assault in the infancy of her acting career by Paul Mann.
Ms. Tyson dives into places and phases of her life that so many try to pretend never happened, based on their status in society. She addresses subjects that would make many in our society clutch their pearls or adjust their neckties. This is a must-read and a memoir that allowed me to savor every morsel of every word, as indicated by my Sharpie highlights. We sure do miss you Ms. Tyson! What an icon! (less)
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Jan 30, 2021Susan rated it it was amazing
Well. I don't even know what to say. Ms. Tyson read signs into dreams and other things so I found it fitting that I started reading her book the night before last and she died within hours of me starting it. Not sure what the sign is, but it must be something! I had always admired her as an actor and was amazed to find out that she didn't start out as an actress but as a typist in Manhattan and was encouraged to model by a total stranger who saw her on the street! She just seemed like a normal, regular woman who you'd hang out with. At least until she became famous. It was a real page-turner of a book, especially her back and forth relationship with Miles Davis. He was a handful, that's for sure. Now I think I will go back and watch some of her films again to see that talent in action once more. (less)
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Apr 17, 2021Ezinwanyi Chinyere rated it really liked it
Shelves: audiobook, author-of-color, biography, people-of-color, social-issues, 2021-books, non-fiction, autobiography, own-voices
What a Rich life
I am amazed at the journey of this titan. The late Cicely Tyson was tenacious, conscientious and a trailblazer. I was mesmerized at her life story. The only thing I wish we had just a little bit of was her relationship with her daughter but she told us she was keeping it private.
Rest in Power
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Feb 03, 2021LaQuisha Hall rated it it was amazing
Our entire society should read this book. The end made me cry. Rest in heaven, Queen Cicely.
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Apr 02, 2021LeAnne rated it liked it
Shelves: biography-memoir, african-american, art-and-creativity
This is a true Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman story as the actor who played the role takes us back over her own 90+ years of life as a Black woman in America beginning in 1920s East Harlem, and even earlier with her parents in the Caribean. The book describes not only events in Ms Tyson’s life and career, but puts them in the context of Black history and oppression in this country, especially in the stereotypical roles Black women were given to play and the disparity of opportunities. (There’s also a good bit of show business gossip.)
Ms Tyson played such iconic roles as Rebecca in Sounder; Jane Pittman; Harriet Tubman; Binte, Kunta Kinte’s mother in Roots; Constantine in The Help. She refused roles she thought demeaned African-American cultural heritage and works to present a positive future for African-American young people.
I picked this up because the title made me curious about the role of faith in Cicely Tyson’s life. She was raised in an Episcopal church in Harlem, where attendance was multiple times per week, but not enough to keep her father from womanizing. Ms Tyson is convinced that it was God who guided her through the multiple changes of her life. She also believes she has a sixth sense that forewarns her of events and uses Buddhist meditation along with Christian prayers.
She makes some strange choices—like practicing piano hours per day for years and then dropping it totally one moment to the next. That may have had more to do with her mother’s dreams and controlling than the piano itself. I’m sorry that she could not have continued to get pleasure from the music. Also, working multiple jobs to provide for her daughter, but sending the child to boarding school as her child care option (again due to her over-controlling mom.) She marries trumpeter Miles Davis out of a misguided desire to save him from his drug addiction.
I found “story architect” Michelle Burford’s writing uneven. At time it felt like Ms. Tyson herself was speaking frankly to us, "just as she is." Other times the prose was much more formal in its attempt to define the modern Black experience.
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Just as I Am: A Memoir Hardcover – 28 May 2021
by Cicely Tyson (Author)
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“In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only succeeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.” –President Barack Obama, 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony
“Just as I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. In these pages, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and a mother, a sister and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by his hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say.” –Cicely Tyson
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"The autobiography of Miss Cicely Tyson is a balm for the afflicted." -- New York Times
"A parting gift to readers and chronicles an incredible life, lived fully." -- USA Today
"This grand tale of her immense talent and desire to live out loud will resonate with anyone who has a dream." -- O, the Oprah Magazine
It's in these poignant moments that the memoir becomes a resonant meditation on the link between an actress's life and her art. This showstopping tale hits the mark. -- Publishers Weekly
"What shines most from the memoir is how Tyson's story, while frankly written and supremely eye-opening, isn't just her own. It's also the story of Black women in America, of generations past, present and yet to come, whose wills to survive are divinely gifted and ancestrally guided." -- Washington Post
Tyson speaks with incisive clarity, humor, and moral authority..." -- Booklist
"If you're ready for your next book, "Just As I Am" is the one to pick." -- Washington Informer
"This book is Ms. Tyson's abundant treasure to each of us: her life, in her words, just as she is. She shares truths usually whispered between close friends in the dim light of a back bedroom, those candid declarations not often spoken aloud. And she tells her story the way only a black woman can: in all of its dazzling authenticity, heels off and voice undulating, shifting between anguish and exuberance. The art of acting is the art of exposing, an emotional unveiling before others. Ms. Tyson is as revelatory on these pages as she has been on the stage. -- -- Viola Davis, Academy, Tony, and Emmy award-winning actress and producer
About the Author
Ms. Cicely Tyson is an actress, lecturer, activist, and one of the most respected talents in American theater and film history. From her starring role on Broadway in The Blacks (1961), to the Emmy-nominated 1999 HBO film A Lesson Before Dying, her work has garnered critical and commercial applause for more than sixty years. Her two Emmys for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman made her the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Best Actress. In 2013, Ms. Tyson won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Miss Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful. A capstone achievement came in 2018, when she became the first Black woman to receive an honorary Oscar. The Board of Governors voted unanimously to honor her with the award, which came 45 years after her Academy Award nominated performance in Sounder.
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Product details
Publisher : HarperCollins US (28 May 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 432 pages
ISBN-10 : 0062931067
ISBN-13 : 978-0062931061
Dimensions : 15.24 x 3.66 x 22.86 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 183,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Cicely Tyson
“In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only exceeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.”
–President Barack Obama, 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony
“The art of acting is the art of exposing, an emotional unveiling before others. Ms. Tyson is as revelatory on these pages as she has been on the stage.”
-Viola Davis, from the Foreword to Just As I Am
At 96, Cicely Tyson is a dynamic and legendary actor, lecturer, activist and one of the most respected talents in American theater and film history. A Harlem native and daughter of immigrants who rose out of poverty and onto the global stage, she began her career as a fashion model, gracing the covers of Ebony and Jet, before transitioning to acting in 1955. Since then Tyson has built an extraordinary career in coveted roles depicting strong Black women outside of caricature or stereotype, and blazed a trail of firsts for them on the big screen and on TV. Now the Oscar, Tony, and three-time Emmy Award-winning actor travels from film and stage to page to bring the world an unprecedented peek into her closely guarded personal life and the grounding forces of family and faith that guide her still.
In JUST AS I AM: A Memoir (HarperCollins; January 26, 2021; $28.99) Tyson tells her stunning story looking back at her life on and off screen. Written with #1 New York Times bestselling collaborator and Oprah Magazine founding editor, Michelle Burford, this extraordinarily compelling memoir is Tyson’s personal testimony about the nine-plus decades of experiences—some magnificent, others sorrowful, some on screen, many away from the public eye—that have given birth to the woman she is still becoming.
“Just As I Am is my truth,” writes Tyson. “It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. In these pages, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage for [more than] six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by His hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say.”
Cicely Tyson has been nominated for 40 television and film awards and has won 42, most notably an Oscar, a Tony Award, 3 Emmys, 8 NAACP Image Awards, the African American Film Critics Special Achievement Award, the BAFTA Film Award, the Black Film Critics Circle Award, 4 Black Reel Awards, the Elle Women in Hollywood Award, 3 Lifetime Achievement Awards, and many more. Ms. Tyson is the recipient of the NAACP’s highest honor, the prestigious Spingarn Medal. She was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2015 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2016. Most recently she was featured on the cover of Elle Magazine’s November 2017 issue, which went on to become one of their most popular and highest grossing issues. She was also on Time’s February 2019 issue. When interviewed for that issue she vowed she will never retire. In November 2019, Ms. Tyson was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. This cultural icon continues to develop her art as she takes on new roles and opportunities in her efforts to enlighten the human race.
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Michelle Burford
MICHELLE BURFORD is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and a founding editor of O, The Oprah Magazine. She is a Harvard-trained journalist whose work has taken her to more than 35 countries on six continents. A native of Phoenix, Michelle now resides in New York City. Read more about her creations at www.MichelleBurford.com.
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linda galella
5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing! Honest, engaging, educating - a life well...
Reviewed in the United States on 26 January 2021
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“My mother’s secret wasn’t any single ingredient. Her creations were a symphony of flavors, blended together perfectly with love immeasurably.”
That quote was in reference to a broth Cicely Tyson’s mother made. It’s also about her daughter and her family. It’s an apt description of this book as well. The writing is exquisite and the memories Tyson shares are full of wisdom. She lays bare her childhood and how the difficult relationship between her parents and she and them colored her own relationships and what she did about it.
Lots of Hollywood and N. Y. stars make an appearance as they were woven thru and impacted Cicley’s life and career. Her tumultuous relationship with Miles Davis has a much softer presentation, (than other accounts that I’ve read), with her gracious reflection applied. The vignettes with her various friends are some of the most heartwarming I’ve read in an autobiography. They’re not mushy-gushy, that’s not her style; what they are is meaningful observation. Tyson shares the true value of her friendships - pain, joy, humor and hope; really lovely.
Cicely is prescient and speaks about it as well as her abiding, guiding, life long faith; the single constant in her almost century long life. A mix of Episcopal, Catholic and Baptist from birth, her religious roots held fast and to this day, she remains an active congregant at an Abyssinian church in N. Y. The Divine leading in Cicely’s life was the strongest influence to her success, she followed the prompting: “God, the Source of all time, Creator of all life, has forever been directing mine.”
This is one of those books you’re just going to have to read for yourself. If you’re a fan of Ms. Tyson, you’ll devour it. If you’re a movie/tv history fan, it will be satisfying and highly informative, especially regarding black artists. There are racial discrimination issues to ponder from almost a century that are presented without political histrionics. Also, you can find advice on just about any other topic including diet and health - quite a volume, to be sure!
A captivating read from start to finish📚
New Year’s Non Fiction 2021 #15🧐
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5.0 out of 5 stars What a phenomenal woman, what a history lesson, what a full life lived.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 October 2021
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I couldn’t put this book down that I also got the audiobook to gingerly listen to at work and anytime I couldn’t hold the book. This is what a biography is all about! 1924 - 2021 Rest in Peace our Queen. Thank you for the love letter
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stravingmarvin
3.0 out of 5 stars Pack with care!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2021
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Book 📖 arrived on time but must have had a bumpy ride plus crease on dust cover 🤔 didn't affect reading. Thanks.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Every word is like the great Ms Cicely Tyson is speaking to you.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 February 2021
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I love this book and couldn’t put it down! It’s like every word is spoken direct to you by the great Cicely Tyson herself.
Inspiring. Eye opening and makes you want to go out and share your passion with the world.
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claudette
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2022
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I could not put this book down! Cicely Tyson was one of my favourite actress growing up & reading some of her memoirs was lovely. I recommend this book.
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