“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 … 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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In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only succeeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.
I loved this close up look at Ms Tyson. She was an amazing woman and while I loved her movies, getting a closer look at her life made me respect her all the more.
The memoir novel “As I Am” is a novel filled with the wisdom everyone will enjoy, learn and want to live a life filled with compassion, empathy, and love from the heart and soul.
The sixth sense of the beautiful soul who is Cicely Tyson will forever be for generations to aspire and inspire to reach beyond for the betterment of any individual and the world to experience.
Many aspects of her life can start the conversation for anyone experiencing any life issues because love is essential for all.
Cicely Tyson’s life began with a foundation of moral character instilled in her childhood to maneuver through life. Her spiritual intuitiveness is what all parents want for their children and generations into the future.
Needless to say, I love every word of the memoir and will recommend it to family and friends.
A Cicely Tyson quote: You always seek to control others when you are not in full ownership of yourself.
Cicely Tyson was royalty. This Beautiful dark-skinned, thick-lipped, broad-nosed black woman had the nerve to wear a short afro when the standard for beauty was skewed caucasian. And she was BEAUTIFUL. She’s an unlikely hero. Almost by accident this short little black woman accidented into modeling at 30. Skip that. There was no accident. She felt a calling that was spiritual and ordained. If you want inspiration, This book will give it to you. Maya, your sister is with you now. Hold her close.
Unvarnished and honest.
I never read much about Cicely Tyson. I knew she was an actress and beautiful, but it’s not until I got into this book that I realized how cool she is. I don’t mean cool as in hard to talk to, but cool as in: she’s awesome. She’s not pretentious and tells things how they are without being mean. This book was like reading something a friend would tell me. It’s just her life how she saw it and how she felt while it happened. Some might call it simple, but I consider it engrossing.
Cicely Tyson is definitely someone who deserves more air time. It’s brilliantly written and shows how much she cares for her friends and even past lovers. I felt smarter by reading the book. I also realized the empathy she has while writing this. Her life wasn’t easy. She had troubles and some of her hardest times are what she writes about so eloquently.
If you’re looking for a Hollywood autobiography, then this might be the one to choose. I’m glad I did.
This book was EVERYTHING! Cicely told it all! This book is a must READ!
Great read from a beautiful black queen. Thank you for bestowing the world with your talents, knowledge and wisdom. True fan of Ms. Tyson. May she rest in heaven!!
4.5
I really, really loved this memoir. As I listened to the words of Ms Tyson, my heart filled with warmth. With roots in Nevis, Ms Nevis broke barriers and almost single handedly paved the way for black women in the acting industry.
Perhaps she waited too long to write her book and became too weak to record the audiobook herself; but I did savour her wit and contagious laughter in The Introduction .
Just started reading the Queens remembrances of an extraordinary life. I had to cheat and look at the pics first!
Uplifting, inspiring and moving. A great look into the life of a legend.