Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)

Ā· Penguin Random House Audio Ā· Narrated by Rosie Perez
4.2
6 reviews
Audiobook
11 hr 41 min
Unabridged
Eligible
Ratings and reviews arenā€™t verified Ā Learn More
Want a 14 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.Ā 
Add

About this audiobook

Oscar-nominated actress and star of the new musical drama Rise,Ā Rosie Perezā€™s never-before-told story of surviving a harrowing childhood and of how she found successā€”both in and out of the Hollywood limelight.
Ā 
Rosie Perez first caught our attention with her fierce dance in the title sequence of Do the Right Thing and has since defined herself as a funny and talented actress who broke boundaries for Latinas in the film industry. What most people would be surprised to learn is that the woman with the big, effervescent personality has a secret straight out of a Dickens novel. At the age of three, Rosieā€™s life was turned upside down when her mentally ill mother tore her away from the only family she knew and placed her in a Catholic childrenā€™s home in New Yorkā€™s Westchester County. Thus began her crazily discombobulated childhood of being shuttled between ā€œthe Home,ā€ where she and other kids suffered all manners of cruelty from nuns, and various relativesā€™ apartments in Brooklyn.
Ā 
Many in her circumstances would have been defined by these harrowing experiences, but with the intense determination that became her trademark, Rosie overcame the odds and made an incredible life for herself. She brings her journey vividly to life on each page of this memoirā€”from the vibrant streets of Brooklyn to her turbulent years in the Catholic home, and finally to film and TV sets and the LA and New York City hip-hop scenes of the 1980s and ā€˜90s.Ā 
Ā 
More than a page-turning read, Handbook for an Unpredictable Life is a story of survival. By turns heartbreaking and funny, it is ultimately the inspirational story of a woman who has found a hard-won place of strength and peace.

Ratings and reviews

4.2
6 reviews
Tamikka Williams
October 17, 2020
I went through every emotion there is with this. The audio version is the way to go. She's so descriptive and I felt for her; through her good times and bad. You have to HEAR her tell her story like only she can with her amazingly unique voice. Fabulous Rosie. Loved it!
Did you find this helpful?
Michel'lee Gordon
October 25, 2018
This should be rated 5 stars I absolutely LOVE! It had me in tears. Please write another one. "God bless America 2 times!" šŸ˜€
Did you find this helpful?
Adella BirdReels
April 30, 2022
Loved the book.
Did you find this helpful?

About the author

ROSIE PEREZ is an Oscar-nominated actress, whose credits include Do the Right Thing, White Men Can't Jump, Fearless, and The Counselor. She is the Artistic Chair of Urban Arts Partnership and sits on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.

Rate this audiobook

Tell us what you think.

Listening information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

Listeners also liked

Similar audiobooks

Narrated by Rosie Perez