Amina Warsuma's Blog - Posts Tagged "memoirs-rich-and-famous"
My Stars Are Still Shining excerpts
I have often wondered how people enter other people’s lives and become a significant part of their senior years. I’m not talking about family or grandchildren. I’m talking about strangers. This memoir is about my life and how I happened to come into the lives of Miss June, who was sixty-nine, and her daughter Billie, who was fifty-one when I came into their lives. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end of our relationship. I must start from the beginning of their lives, because never in a thousand years could they imagine meeting me.
My mother, Virginia, hadn’t been born when Miss June and Billie lived in Mobile, Alabama, without an inkling of New York or what the future held in store for them. I give an account of what transpired and led up to their migration to Harlem, forsaking their past life to become settled into being Harlemites. Thirty-four years later, out of the blue, Miss June and Billie discovered me as an infant. I was floating down the river of life, and they fetched me out, not realizing they both would be entwined in my life forever.
My mother, Virginia, hadn’t been born when Miss June and Billie lived in Mobile, Alabama, without an inkling of New York or what the future held in store for them. I give an account of what transpired and led up to their migration to Harlem, forsaking their past life to become settled into being Harlemites. Thirty-four years later, out of the blue, Miss June and Billie discovered me as an infant. I was floating down the river of life, and they fetched me out, not realizing they both would be entwined in my life forever.
My Stars Are Still Shining
I realized from past experiences with reviewers that most of them don't know the difference between a Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir. A Biography is in chronological order and is written by someone other than the person who's living or has lived the life in question. An Autobiography is written by a person who is telling the story of their life in chronological order. A Memoir is written by a person such as myself telling significant events in my life and its not in chronological order. Significant events in non-fiction that you remember or stick out in your memory don't happen in chronological order. Memoir a written account of one's memory. This a note for all readers who don't know or are confused by the three genres. Thank so much for entering the contest and I hope you enjoy my book and learn something positive from my experiences. Happy New Year to you all. If you google me you will see me dancing with Micheal Jackson if you go to wwwablackmodelinparis.com you will see fashion photos of me in Andy Warhol's Interview magazine and in Halston's clothes. They are no typos in my book I had professional editors who I paid $4,500 to copyedit line edit format for me to give me a quality book. I have had several professional reviewers to review the book before I came to good reads. If you need a book to be in chronological order don't read memoirs read biographies and autobiographies. You can google me and see who I am and the reputation that I have acquired.
Reviews from Readers Favorite a major literary website for My Stars Are Still Shining I hope it helps you to become a professional reviewer of memoirs
Reviews for My Stars Are Still Shining. A memoir worth reading.
By Eva Lazar 4 Stars
Format: Kindle Edition
Memoirs usually don’t interest me much. Most of them are just so very similar. This memoir did not necessarily stand out to me in what it contained. Everyone has a life story to tell, and only the more remarkable ones are published. Hence, I would say that this memoir is of standard-level uniqueness.
What I mean to say by that is that the story still is unique, despite its potential similarities to other memoirs. It is the story of how a woman has struggled, overcome her struggles, and fought again. There are many aspects of the story that really makes one think and appreciate one’s own life, while other parts of the memoir prompt amazement in their existence in the writer’s life - good as well as bad.
The factor that impressed me most was how the story is told. It is shared with the reader in a very matter-of-fact manner that feels intimate in its truthfulness. The story is not always easy to follow chronologically, but how the book is written made it so that this feels natural. The writer shared her life with the reader, throughout her years, and that is what makes this memoir special.
Gail C Editor Columbia SC Amazon.com
Amina has succeeded in authoring an inspirational memoir about her life as an international fashion model whose life has influenced so many others. Her journey from the tough streets of Harlem to the high-fashion runways of Paris and New York is remarkable. Companions on Amina’s journey include fashion-world luminaries, movie stars, and renown artist. Quite a contrast with her life as a physically and psychologically abused child.
My Stars Are Still Shining: A Memoir by Amina Warsuma.
Reviewed by Gabriel Constans 5 Stars
This is a fascinating book. It is part historical (about the South in the last century, and New York City and Harlem in the 40s, 50s, and 60s); part autobiographical (as the author grows up and comes into her own); and part biography (about Michael Jackson, and her longtime friendship with him and his family). Amina has endured many things and flourished as a model, writer, actress, producer, and dancer. She reveals herself with both objectivity, insight, and emotion. Don’t hesitate to get a copy.
Dyane Harwood’s review 5 Stars NetGalley
An unforgettable book that shows the power of the human spirit What an incredible, heart-wrenching story. Amina is a true survivor of a horrific childhood. Her writing is vivid and raw, but ultimately inspirational. She is a fantastic example of how the human spirit can get through unimaginable horror, yet make a successful life for herself. You won’t forget this book!
Amina Warsuma has experienced abandonment, bullying, abuse, jealousy, drugs, rape, destitution, wealth, celebrity, insight, care, and compassion in her life, so far. In My Stars Are Still Shining, she shares these childhoods, adolescent and adult events, reactions, and consequences with complete honesty and understanding. Nobody is vilified, or perfect, including herself. I found her life to be both fascinating and instructive.
The story begins with the background of the two women who had the most influence on Amina – Miss June and Miss Billie. She describes their lives growing up in Mobile, Alabama, how they ended up in New York, and how they came into Amina’s life. She shares their relationships, families, ups and downs, and personalities. Once that foundation is set, she takes the reader into her confidence and explores her own beginning years and the mother (Virginia) who was so often absent.
“We were at Miss June’s no more than 10 minutes when my mother said, ‘I’m going to the store. I’ll be right back.’ She exited Miss June’s apartment and day after day, Miss June and I waited for her to return. A week passed, and my mother was nowhere to be seen. My mother disappeared for 5 years.” Similar occurrences took place throughout Amina’s life, including moving from one house to another throughout New York City.
This is a fascinating book. It is part historical (about the South in the last century, and New York City and Harlem in the 40s, 50s, and 60s); part autobiographical (as the author grows up and comes into her own); and part biography (about Michael Jackson, and her longtime friendship with him and his family). Amina has endured many things and flourished as a model, writer, actress, producer, and dancer. She reveals herself with both objectivity, insight, and emotion. Don’t hesitate to get a copy of My Stars Are Still Shining.
Reviewed By:
Ruffina Oserio
Review Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By Ruffina Oserio for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma is a moving memoir with powerful lessons on what it takes to succeed, a story of grit, focus, and determination. Follow Amina’s journey from humble origins into the spotlight and learn how she got to interview celebrities and strut the fashion catwalks. All Amina wanted was to succeed as a model, but this isn’t something that just happens because we want it. She quickly learns that the path she’s chosen is filled with challenges, and she faces them with unusual courage. In this memoir, she shares her journey with readers, revealing moments and encounters in her path to achieving her dream, and bringing in stories with people like Elizabeth Taylor, Karl Lagerfeld, and Michael Jackson.
While this memoir tells the story of a successful model, it offers readers glimpses into the world of glamour, allowing readers a closer look at some of the famed artists and fashion designers. Amina Warsuma writes with great clarity, and she makes her characters come alive, including those she’s known from childhood such as Miss June and Billie who lived in Mobile, Alabama. Although this is a memoir, it’s a gripping story that inspires while providing great entertainment for readers. I enjoyed the grit and how the protagonist’s personality comes out through the narrative. The writing is gorgeous and perceptive, loaded with insights on life, purpose, and success. My Stars Are Still Shining is a ride you will want to take, a skillfully written memoir with vivid settings, emotionally charged moments, and a lot of entertainment. As you read from page to page, you also get a firm idea of turning your own challenges into great opportunities. A great offering, indeed!
5 Stars
Reviewed By Gisela Dixon for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma is a memoir written by Amina, describing her own life journey to this point. My Stars Are Still Shining is written in a raw, gritty style that does not hold anything back and offers Amina’s honest perspective on life and people. The book begins with Amina talking about her background, the people in her early life that had the most impact on her life and raised her, her biological mother who abandoned her and their troubled relationship, dealing with sexual abuse and a world where drugs and alcohol were freely available, her career as an international model, men and relationships, being a single parent, her relationship and friendship with Michael Jackson, and so much more.
My Stars Are Still Shining is an engrossing memoir and takes one through many different worlds, each different from the other. Growing up in poverty in Harlem, NY where Amina spent a lot of her early years, she gives a glimpse into the life of blacks in those days, the mass migration from the South towards cities like Chicago and New York, and the condition of blacks in the South. At the same time, she also talks of getting her first taste of wealth and her subsequent rise as a model where she left her days of poverty and violence behind. I also loved reading about her deep friendship with Michael Jackson, and she talks honestly about who he was as a person and the person she knew. The writing is compelling and candid and makes for a fascinating memoir which I would recommend.
5 Stars
Reviewed By Justine Reyes for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma touches upon her life as a fashion model, her career as a celebrity interviewer, and the rough path which led her there. Warsuma not only talks about her struggles, but she also talks about New York City and Harlem between the 1940s and the 1960s, and the American South in the last one hundred years. This story features harsh and heavy subjects, but it should be expected in a memoir.
Memoirs are really difficult to read and review because it is an intimate story attached to a real human being and their struggles. To note, I was vaguely aware of who Amina Warsuma is because of the Battle of Versailles Fashion Show in 1973. She was one of eleven black models featured in the show, and at the time it was revolutionary. So I was immediately drawn to this book. When I read My Stars Are Still Shining, I couldn’t help but want to share how it made me feel.
There is a vibrant ambiance to Warsuma’s writing; her story is written in a way that makes it seem as though she’s actually with the reader, speaking the words she has written. Aside from that, the subjects she covers and the things she’s been through, both the bad and the good, are so dumbfounding that I often found myself taken aback, thinking, “How could one person do this?” The simple answer: with perseverance and strength. My Stars Are Still Shining is an unforgettable and awe-inspiring memoir.
Paperback: 360 pages
Publisher: Amina Warsuma; 1 edition (March 16, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0692864423
ISBN-13: 978-0692864425
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
By Eva Lazar 4 Stars
Format: Kindle Edition
Memoirs usually don’t interest me much. Most of them are just so very similar. This memoir did not necessarily stand out to me in what it contained. Everyone has a life story to tell, and only the more remarkable ones are published. Hence, I would say that this memoir is of standard-level uniqueness.
What I mean to say by that is that the story still is unique, despite its potential similarities to other memoirs. It is the story of how a woman has struggled, overcome her struggles, and fought again. There are many aspects of the story that really makes one think and appreciate one’s own life, while other parts of the memoir prompt amazement in their existence in the writer’s life - good as well as bad.
The factor that impressed me most was how the story is told. It is shared with the reader in a very matter-of-fact manner that feels intimate in its truthfulness. The story is not always easy to follow chronologically, but how the book is written made it so that this feels natural. The writer shared her life with the reader, throughout her years, and that is what makes this memoir special.
Gail C Editor Columbia SC Amazon.com
Amina has succeeded in authoring an inspirational memoir about her life as an international fashion model whose life has influenced so many others. Her journey from the tough streets of Harlem to the high-fashion runways of Paris and New York is remarkable. Companions on Amina’s journey include fashion-world luminaries, movie stars, and renown artist. Quite a contrast with her life as a physically and psychologically abused child.
My Stars Are Still Shining: A Memoir by Amina Warsuma.
Reviewed by Gabriel Constans 5 Stars
This is a fascinating book. It is part historical (about the South in the last century, and New York City and Harlem in the 40s, 50s, and 60s); part autobiographical (as the author grows up and comes into her own); and part biography (about Michael Jackson, and her longtime friendship with him and his family). Amina has endured many things and flourished as a model, writer, actress, producer, and dancer. She reveals herself with both objectivity, insight, and emotion. Don’t hesitate to get a copy.
Dyane Harwood’s review 5 Stars NetGalley
An unforgettable book that shows the power of the human spirit What an incredible, heart-wrenching story. Amina is a true survivor of a horrific childhood. Her writing is vivid and raw, but ultimately inspirational. She is a fantastic example of how the human spirit can get through unimaginable horror, yet make a successful life for herself. You won’t forget this book!
Amina Warsuma has experienced abandonment, bullying, abuse, jealousy, drugs, rape, destitution, wealth, celebrity, insight, care, and compassion in her life, so far. In My Stars Are Still Shining, she shares these childhoods, adolescent and adult events, reactions, and consequences with complete honesty and understanding. Nobody is vilified, or perfect, including herself. I found her life to be both fascinating and instructive.
The story begins with the background of the two women who had the most influence on Amina – Miss June and Miss Billie. She describes their lives growing up in Mobile, Alabama, how they ended up in New York, and how they came into Amina’s life. She shares their relationships, families, ups and downs, and personalities. Once that foundation is set, she takes the reader into her confidence and explores her own beginning years and the mother (Virginia) who was so often absent.
“We were at Miss June’s no more than 10 minutes when my mother said, ‘I’m going to the store. I’ll be right back.’ She exited Miss June’s apartment and day after day, Miss June and I waited for her to return. A week passed, and my mother was nowhere to be seen. My mother disappeared for 5 years.” Similar occurrences took place throughout Amina’s life, including moving from one house to another throughout New York City.
This is a fascinating book. It is part historical (about the South in the last century, and New York City and Harlem in the 40s, 50s, and 60s); part autobiographical (as the author grows up and comes into her own); and part biography (about Michael Jackson, and her longtime friendship with him and his family). Amina has endured many things and flourished as a model, writer, actress, producer, and dancer. She reveals herself with both objectivity, insight, and emotion. Don’t hesitate to get a copy of My Stars Are Still Shining.
Reviewed By:
Ruffina Oserio
Review Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By Ruffina Oserio for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma is a moving memoir with powerful lessons on what it takes to succeed, a story of grit, focus, and determination. Follow Amina’s journey from humble origins into the spotlight and learn how she got to interview celebrities and strut the fashion catwalks. All Amina wanted was to succeed as a model, but this isn’t something that just happens because we want it. She quickly learns that the path she’s chosen is filled with challenges, and she faces them with unusual courage. In this memoir, she shares her journey with readers, revealing moments and encounters in her path to achieving her dream, and bringing in stories with people like Elizabeth Taylor, Karl Lagerfeld, and Michael Jackson.
While this memoir tells the story of a successful model, it offers readers glimpses into the world of glamour, allowing readers a closer look at some of the famed artists and fashion designers. Amina Warsuma writes with great clarity, and she makes her characters come alive, including those she’s known from childhood such as Miss June and Billie who lived in Mobile, Alabama. Although this is a memoir, it’s a gripping story that inspires while providing great entertainment for readers. I enjoyed the grit and how the protagonist’s personality comes out through the narrative. The writing is gorgeous and perceptive, loaded with insights on life, purpose, and success. My Stars Are Still Shining is a ride you will want to take, a skillfully written memoir with vivid settings, emotionally charged moments, and a lot of entertainment. As you read from page to page, you also get a firm idea of turning your own challenges into great opportunities. A great offering, indeed!
5 Stars
Reviewed By Gisela Dixon for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma is a memoir written by Amina, describing her own life journey to this point. My Stars Are Still Shining is written in a raw, gritty style that does not hold anything back and offers Amina’s honest perspective on life and people. The book begins with Amina talking about her background, the people in her early life that had the most impact on her life and raised her, her biological mother who abandoned her and their troubled relationship, dealing with sexual abuse and a world where drugs and alcohol were freely available, her career as an international model, men and relationships, being a single parent, her relationship and friendship with Michael Jackson, and so much more.
My Stars Are Still Shining is an engrossing memoir and takes one through many different worlds, each different from the other. Growing up in poverty in Harlem, NY where Amina spent a lot of her early years, she gives a glimpse into the life of blacks in those days, the mass migration from the South towards cities like Chicago and New York, and the condition of blacks in the South. At the same time, she also talks of getting her first taste of wealth and her subsequent rise as a model where she left her days of poverty and violence behind. I also loved reading about her deep friendship with Michael Jackson, and she talks honestly about who he was as a person and the person she knew. The writing is compelling and candid and makes for a fascinating memoir which I would recommend.
5 Stars
Reviewed By Justine Reyes for Readers’ Favorite
My Stars Are Still Shining by Amina Warsuma touches upon her life as a fashion model, her career as a celebrity interviewer, and the rough path which led her there. Warsuma not only talks about her struggles, but she also talks about New York City and Harlem between the 1940s and the 1960s, and the American South in the last one hundred years. This story features harsh and heavy subjects, but it should be expected in a memoir.
Memoirs are really difficult to read and review because it is an intimate story attached to a real human being and their struggles. To note, I was vaguely aware of who Amina Warsuma is because of the Battle of Versailles Fashion Show in 1973. She was one of eleven black models featured in the show, and at the time it was revolutionary. So I was immediately drawn to this book. When I read My Stars Are Still Shining, I couldn’t help but want to share how it made me feel.
There is a vibrant ambiance to Warsuma’s writing; her story is written in a way that makes it seem as though she’s actually with the reader, speaking the words she has written. Aside from that, the subjects she covers and the things she’s been through, both the bad and the good, are so dumbfounding that I often found myself taken aback, thinking, “How could one person do this?” The simple answer: with perseverance and strength. My Stars Are Still Shining is an unforgettable and awe-inspiring memoir.
Paperback: 360 pages
Publisher: Amina Warsuma; 1 edition (March 16, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0692864423
ISBN-13: 978-0692864425
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
Being an authentic writer of sexual domestic bullying abuse in My Stars Are Still Shining Memoir
People who are a victim of these abuses are afraid of coming forward. They assume they won't be believed and I cried many nights when I was writing this memoir it was hard for me to dig deep down and bring all those suppressed horrors to the surface again I had the courage to do so and I have no shame I had to suppress those feeling in order to become successful and move on from the pain. I would never lie about domestic sexual or bullying abuse because it does a disservice to all those who are and were victims of these horrible humiliating acts. I also wouldn't wrongfully accuse someone of these heinous acts to destroy their reputation and innocents for financial gain or out of jealousy of their success. These people have no self-love for themselves or anybody else. One thing I have always had was self-love and esteem and valor. No matter what happened to me the question that was always present in my mind was who do you love more? The answer was me. I could not accept what was less than the best. My search continued I never settled and thought this is all there is for me Jesus said seek and you shall find and that is what I have done and are still doing and will do for the rest of my life. Life is about growing and evolving for me that is my assignment everyone has one thank the Gods I know mine. To go through life and not your path or what to do with yourself is hell.
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