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bombdreamy22's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
3.5
littlebird92's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
It was interesting learning a bit about Eartha Kitt from her daughter's eyes. I did feel that the book was a bit shallow or surface level as there was really no depth. Topics were talked about and then breezed over.
There were moments that I wished we got to get a deeper understanding or that she talked about more, but overall a decent book. Fast paced as the chapters were not that long, like 7 to 10 minutes each. Was gonna be a 3.75 but she got me to tear up a little so bumped it up to a 4 star.
There were moments that I wished we got to get a deeper understanding or that she talked about more, but overall a decent book. Fast paced as the chapters were not that long, like 7 to 10 minutes each. Was gonna be a 3.75 but she got me to tear up a little so bumped it up to a 4 star.
ominousspectre's review
I don't know that I can rate this one, as I really enjoyed it in many ways, but it's certainly not perfect.
It is redundant at times (someone do a count of 'Eartha is of the earth' lol), and sometimes it felt like Kitt was afraid to go deeper than surface level on certain things. But it's also a memoir about her and her mom. I'm not the vulnerability police.
I did love this little window into Eartha Kitt's life from another person's perspective, and how she was as a mom. She's someone I've long adored, so I appreciate that this humanizes her a bit more than just her public persona.
The beginning and end were what I enjoyed the most. The trip to South Africa really reinforced how badass she is, but it's also a good lesson in how to be an advocate for other people. The end made me emotional. She would go out of the world kicking and screaming.
Their relationship intrigued me, it's clear that could be a bit intense sometimes, and I'm glad Kitt talks about this so openly. I would have a really hard time being an only child and someone's 'everything', so I admire her for how well she handled that. Their bond really softened me. I need some time to reflect on all that, as it's made me consider the age old existential crisis of what a child owes a parent and vice versa. I have a hard time with this since my parental relationships are complicated.
Overall, i enjoyed this in spite of its flaws
It is redundant at times (someone do a count of 'Eartha is of the earth' lol), and sometimes it felt like Kitt was afraid to go deeper than surface level on certain things. But it's also a memoir about her and her mom. I'm not the vulnerability police.
I did love this little window into Eartha Kitt's life from another person's perspective, and how she was as a mom. She's someone I've long adored, so I appreciate that this humanizes her a bit more than just her public persona.
The beginning and end were what I enjoyed the most. The trip to South Africa really reinforced how badass she is, but it's also a good lesson in how to be an advocate for other people. The end made me emotional. She would go out of the world kicking and screaming.
Their relationship intrigued me, it's clear that could be a bit intense sometimes, and I'm glad Kitt talks about this so openly. I would have a really hard time being an only child and someone's 'everything', so I admire her for how well she handled that. Their bond really softened me. I need some time to reflect on all that, as it's made me consider the age old existential crisis of what a child owes a parent and vice versa. I have a hard time with this since my parental relationships are complicated.
Overall, i enjoyed this in spite of its flaws
luvandkiwi's review against another edition
I don’t know what I expected from this book, but it left me wanting. I don’t feel the writer went deep enough If that makes sense. Her daughter shared loving memories, but somehow avoided vulnerability or the emotion one would expect.
The last chapters felt the most real and inviting to me. Sharing the final moments of her time with her mama definitely made my throat burn, but that was it—out of all those pages that was the first time I really felt their bond.
I wouldn’t recommend this one. Books gotta stir something up inside us. Unfortunately this one does not.
The last chapters felt the most real and inviting to me. Sharing the final moments of her time with her mama definitely made my throat burn, but that was it—out of all those pages that was the first time I really felt their bond.
I wouldn’t recommend this one. Books gotta stir something up inside us. Unfortunately this one does not.
ahhhreadzombiez's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This is a great book to learn about Eartha Kitt’s amazing legacy but also to learn a little bit more about how a mother and daughter relationship can provide useful tips and “Kittisms” for us all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, and Child abuse
mkoehn's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
earthseeddetroit's review against another edition
4.0
OK, first book done and on the shelf for 2022!
I started out reading this book in paper form and then switched to audiobook I think I would’ve enjoyed it either way. This is a hard book to rate because, like all memoirs, the nature of it is so personal and so subjective. But I am giving it 4/5 stars.
Could it have been done better? Yes.
Is it a bit redundant at times? Yes.
But what I like about that is it is redundant in the way conversations are when you’re rehashing details with a close friend, it’s redundant in the way your journal entries are as you work to figure something out about yourself or someone else, it’s redundant in the way you are with your therapist. I feel like this offering by Eartha Kitt’s daughter is in part a loving memorial tribute to her mother and also an attempt to separate herself from or just sort out herself as the child of a famous person who had a lot of trials and tribulations in her life and a lot of abandonment issues. 
This book felt like it was therapeutic for her daughter to write. Mother daughter relationships come in all shapes and sizes. I don’t see this one as so highly unlikely although there are some who I’m sure would see this relationship as an unhealthy one… and possibly it was. I bet there are many daughters who could also relate! I feel like there are most likely less than healthy nuances to almost every relationship. Kitt Shapiro herself makes mention of what sounds like co-dependency and questions this at many different times throughout this book directly and indirectly. I appreciate that the relationship wasn’t so traumatic as to be one where she totally disassociated and painted this absolutely false, totally rosy colored picture of life with Eartha.  (or maybe she did leave a lot out?
I started out reading this book in paper form and then switched to audiobook I think I would’ve enjoyed it either way. This is a hard book to rate because, like all memoirs, the nature of it is so personal and so subjective. But I am giving it 4/5 stars.
Could it have been done better? Yes.
Is it a bit redundant at times? Yes.
But what I like about that is it is redundant in the way conversations are when you’re rehashing details with a close friend, it’s redundant in the way your journal entries are as you work to figure something out about yourself or someone else, it’s redundant in the way you are with your therapist. I feel like this offering by Eartha Kitt’s daughter is in part a loving memorial tribute to her mother and also an attempt to separate herself from or just sort out herself as the child of a famous person who had a lot of trials and tribulations in her life and a lot of abandonment issues. 
This book felt like it was therapeutic for her daughter to write. Mother daughter relationships come in all shapes and sizes. I don’t see this one as so highly unlikely although there are some who I’m sure would see this relationship as an unhealthy one… and possibly it was. I bet there are many daughters who could also relate! I feel like there are most likely less than healthy nuances to almost every relationship. Kitt Shapiro herself makes mention of what sounds like co-dependency and questions this at many different times throughout this book directly and indirectly. I appreciate that the relationship wasn’t so traumatic as to be one where she totally disassociated and painted this absolutely false, totally rosy colored picture of life with Eartha.  (or maybe she did leave a lot out?
tyrannosaurus_lex's review
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0