What do you think?
Rate this book
Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling
Oscar-nominated actress Rosie Perez’s never-before-told story of surviving a harrowing childhood and of how she found success—both in and out of the Hollywood limelight. 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, Rosie’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 children’s home in New York’s Westchester County. Thus began her crazily discombobulated childhood of being shuttled between “the Home,” where she and other kids suffered all manners of cruelty from nuns, and various relatives’ apartments in Brooklyn. 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 memoir—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 ‘90s. 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.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2014
96 people are currently reading
1655 people want to read
About the author
Rosie Pérez
9 books19 followersRosa Maria "Rosie" Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, director and community activist.
Perez was born in Brooklyn, New York, in the neighborhood of Bushwick, to Puerto Rican parents: Rosie was born to Lydia Perez; her father is Ismael Serrano, a merchant marine seaman. She was transferred to a group foster home[clarification needed] at age 8.
Because of problems in her life, Perez ended up having a speech impediment. She eventually moved in with an aunt. She attended Grover Cleveland High School, which is located in Ridgewood, in the New York City borough of Queens, and Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, California.
Perez was first noticed in a dance club by Spike Lee in 1988, who hired her for her first major acting role in Do the Right Thing. Perez started her career in the late 1980s as a dancer on Soul Train and later choreographed music videos by Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Diana Ross, LL Cool J and The Boys. She was the choreographer for the dancing group the Fly Girls who were featured on the Fox television comedy program In Living Color.
She made her Broadway debut in Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Perez had her third major role in the hit comedy White Men Can't Jump co-starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.
Perez was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Peter Weir's 1993 film Fearless. In 1997, she starred in Perdita Durango, a controversial film in which many scenes of excessive violence, sex and nudity were edited out of the version released in the United States but remained intact in the version released throughout Latin America.
She provides the voices of Click, the camera, on Nick Jr.'s Go, Diego, Go! and Chel, a beautiful native woman in the DreamWorks Animation film The Road to El Dorado. She played corrupt police officer Carol Brazier in the Judd Apatow-produced film Pineapple Express, co-starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. Perez appeared on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in October 2009 about pedophiles' rights. Executive producer Neal Baer said the writers had Perez in mind when they wrote the role of a young sexual abuse victim's mother. She suffered a serious injury during the filming of the episode. Most recently, Perez is the subject of a released album by Felt entitled Felt 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez.
On September 16, 2013, Perez revealed to omg!INSIDER that she married artist Eric Haze the previous Sunday morning in Las Vegas, Nevada. While attending the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Alvarez fight in Vegas on that Saturday, Haze and Perez decided to stay over and get married at the MGM Grand the following day. She was previously married to filmmaker and playwright Seth Zvi Rosenfeld but the couple divorced in 2001.
Perez was born in Brooklyn, New York, in the neighborhood of Bushwick, to Puerto Rican parents: Rosie was born to Lydia Perez; her father is Ismael Serrano, a merchant marine seaman. She was transferred to a group foster home[clarification needed] at age 8.
Because of problems in her life, Perez ended up having a speech impediment. She eventually moved in with an aunt. She attended Grover Cleveland High School, which is located in Ridgewood, in the New York City borough of Queens, and Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, California.
Perez was first noticed in a dance club by Spike Lee in 1988, who hired her for her first major acting role in Do the Right Thing. Perez started her career in the late 1980s as a dancer on Soul Train and later choreographed music videos by Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Diana Ross, LL Cool J and The Boys. She was the choreographer for the dancing group the Fly Girls who were featured on the Fox television comedy program In Living Color.
She made her Broadway debut in Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Perez had her third major role in the hit comedy White Men Can't Jump co-starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.
Perez was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Peter Weir's 1993 film Fearless. In 1997, she starred in Perdita Durango, a controversial film in which many scenes of excessive violence, sex and nudity were edited out of the version released in the United States but remained intact in the version released throughout Latin America.
She provides the voices of Click, the camera, on Nick Jr.'s Go, Diego, Go! and Chel, a beautiful native woman in the DreamWorks Animation film The Road to El Dorado. She played corrupt police officer Carol Brazier in the Judd Apatow-produced film Pineapple Express, co-starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. Perez appeared on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in October 2009 about pedophiles' rights. Executive producer Neal Baer said the writers had Perez in mind when they wrote the role of a young sexual abuse victim's mother. She suffered a serious injury during the filming of the episode. Most recently, Perez is the subject of a released album by Felt entitled Felt 3: A Tribute To Rosie Perez.
On September 16, 2013, Perez revealed to omg!INSIDER that she married artist Eric Haze the previous Sunday morning in Las Vegas, Nevada. While attending the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Alvarez fight in Vegas on that Saturday, Haze and Perez decided to stay over and get married at the MGM Grand the following day. She was previously married to filmmaker and playwright Seth Zvi Rosenfeld but the couple divorced in 2001.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
May 17, 2021
5 Stars for Handbook For An Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (With Great Hair) (audiobook) by Rosie Perez.
I had no idea. I thought that there might be some serious stuff and lots of funny stories. There’s not much on the light side in this story. This had to be hard for Rosie Perez to dredge up. But she has set the record straight. I’ve thought she was really talented but It’s staggering to hear what she went through to reach that success. Now I have to watch White Men Can’t Jump again.
I had no idea. I thought that there might be some serious stuff and lots of funny stories. There’s not much on the light side in this story. This had to be hard for Rosie Perez to dredge up. But she has set the record straight. I’ve thought she was really talented but It’s staggering to hear what she went through to reach that success. Now I have to watch White Men Can’t Jump again.
November 30, 2021
I was watching some reruns of the Graig Ferguson Late Late Night Shows, when a compilation of his interviews with Rosie Perez came up.
Craig Ferguson with Rosie Perez
Her unpretentious, spontaneous warmth, bubbly personality and her bond with her family fascinated me. God Bless America twice over, and later in her life, three times over, because they weren't the Brady Bunch for sure and nobody wanted to drown themselves in champagne at her birth either.
She has the ability to capture her audiences at once. I did not know about her at all. So when she promoted her brilliantly titled autobiography on one of his last shows, I grabbed the opportunity to get to know her. I just had to read it. What a discovery. What 'n life story. Apart from becoming a successful actress and choreographer for famous hip-hop artists, she also became a star in her own life.
In an interview with Aljazeera the interviewer asked her what she wanted to accomplish with this book. Her answer was:
The book started out with a striking quote from Israel Horovitz: "The artist is born in a suffering child. To which she reacted: I was moved by this comment, but angered too, because more often than not that cliché is all too true, and one thing I will not be defined by is a cliché.
After many years of trying to come to terms with Hollywood fame, the media vultures, and her background, she finally was diagnosed with dysthymia - sneaky, chronic type of depression. She felt relieved!
One thing is for sure, Rosie Perez never has been, and never will be, a cliché.
Think Frank McCourt( Angela's Ashes . Think J.D.Vance. ( Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis . Then read her story. The effect will be the same.
Brilliant.
Craig Ferguson with Rosie Perez
Her unpretentious, spontaneous warmth, bubbly personality and her bond with her family fascinated me. God Bless America twice over, and later in her life, three times over, because they weren't the Brady Bunch for sure and nobody wanted to drown themselves in champagne at her birth either.
She has the ability to capture her audiences at once. I did not know about her at all. So when she promoted her brilliantly titled autobiography on one of his last shows, I grabbed the opportunity to get to know her. I just had to read it. What a discovery. What 'n life story. Apart from becoming a successful actress and choreographer for famous hip-hop artists, she also became a star in her own life.
In an interview with Aljazeera the interviewer asked her what she wanted to accomplish with this book. Her answer was:
I want it to say many things. I think, first and foremost, to say that there's a certain group of people here in the United States that are thought [of] as less than, just because they were born into poverty. And it's not right, and it's not fair, and it's not true. I want those people to understand that they need to push through all of that, push through all their fears, and all their doubts, and step into their greatness and claim it. Because in this country, you have that right.
The book started out with a striking quote from Israel Horovitz: "The artist is born in a suffering child. To which she reacted: I was moved by this comment, but angered too, because more often than not that cliché is all too true, and one thing I will not be defined by is a cliché.
After many years of trying to come to terms with Hollywood fame, the media vultures, and her background, she finally was diagnosed with dysthymia - sneaky, chronic type of depression. She felt relieved!
One thing is for sure, Rosie Perez never has been, and never will be, a cliché.
Think Frank McCourt( Angela's Ashes . Think J.D.Vance. ( Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis . Then read her story. The effect will be the same.
Brilliant.
November 10, 2014
This was fantastic! The writing is accessible and true to Rosie Perez's very recognizable speech pattern and the broached topics are important. This memoir devotes a lot of time to Perez's traumatic and colorful childhood. It touches on mental illness, cultural and racial identity, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and most of all, perspective and self-awareness. There's also a sprinkling of behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories that range from hilarious to mortifying. But my big take-away from this memoir is the importance of kindness. That means being kind to the "bad" kid with the attitude and being kind to the "crazy" lady who does inexplicable acts and being kind to yourself. That latter bit is clutch.
A lot of celebrity memoirs amount to one big literary pat on the back with tons of self-congratulatory confetti littered through out, but this memoir is truly different in that sense. It feels raw and refreshingly honest. Kudos to everyone involved in this project.
A lot of celebrity memoirs amount to one big literary pat on the back with tons of self-congratulatory confetti littered through out, but this memoir is truly different in that sense. It feels raw and refreshingly honest. Kudos to everyone involved in this project.
February 25, 2014
This review first appeared on Young Adult Hollywood.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review*
**SPOILER ALERT**
I really loved this book! Reading it was effortless! Kind of like sitting with Rosie, having a drink, and chatting with you, like you were a really good friend.
Right from the start, she begins with the story of how her mother and father met – scandalous! From there, she goes on to tell how she was raised for the first few years by her Tia, (Aunt in Spanish), whom she called, “Mommie.”
When her schizophrenic birth mother, Lydia, comes back into Rosie’s life, she takes Rosie away and enters her in to a Catholic home for children. Rosie is about three years old and is scarred and confused, and that is where Sister Renata comes in. It was heartbreaking to hear Rosie’s recount of her time in the home.
Luckily, Rosie’s father, whom she knew as “Uncle Ismael,” kept in contact with her and helped her recognize her Puerto Rican roots, and never let her forget, even though she was constantly made to forget she was of Latin descent at “the home.”
Rosie goes on to recount her days of when she stumbled upon becoming a dancer on Soul Train, then a respected choreographer for Bobby Brown and LL Cool J. From there, she caught the attention of film director Spike Lee, who cast her in the 1989 film, Do The Right Thing. Soon after, Rosie went on to choreograph Fox’s hit show, In Living Color.
My personal favorite movie of Rosie Perez’s is Untamed Heart. What can I say, I love chick flicks!
Rosie Perez’s career was taking off, but personally, she was struggling with PTSD and depression. She seeks help, and also goes on to become an advocate for Puerto Rican rights and HIV/AIDS.
I give this book 5-stars and like Rosie’s Tia used to say, “God Bless America two times” for Rosie Perez on her honesty and candidness.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review*
**SPOILER ALERT**
I really loved this book! Reading it was effortless! Kind of like sitting with Rosie, having a drink, and chatting with you, like you were a really good friend.
Right from the start, she begins with the story of how her mother and father met – scandalous! From there, she goes on to tell how she was raised for the first few years by her Tia, (Aunt in Spanish), whom she called, “Mommie.”
When her schizophrenic birth mother, Lydia, comes back into Rosie’s life, she takes Rosie away and enters her in to a Catholic home for children. Rosie is about three years old and is scarred and confused, and that is where Sister Renata comes in. It was heartbreaking to hear Rosie’s recount of her time in the home.
Luckily, Rosie’s father, whom she knew as “Uncle Ismael,” kept in contact with her and helped her recognize her Puerto Rican roots, and never let her forget, even though she was constantly made to forget she was of Latin descent at “the home.”
Rosie goes on to recount her days of when she stumbled upon becoming a dancer on Soul Train, then a respected choreographer for Bobby Brown and LL Cool J. From there, she caught the attention of film director Spike Lee, who cast her in the 1989 film, Do The Right Thing. Soon after, Rosie went on to choreograph Fox’s hit show, In Living Color.
My personal favorite movie of Rosie Perez’s is Untamed Heart. What can I say, I love chick flicks!
Rosie Perez’s career was taking off, but personally, she was struggling with PTSD and depression. She seeks help, and also goes on to become an advocate for Puerto Rican rights and HIV/AIDS.
I give this book 5-stars and like Rosie’s Tia used to say, “God Bless America two times” for Rosie Perez on her honesty and candidness.
May 19, 2014
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! If Charles Dickens wrote about New York in the 1970s, he would've penned Rosie's story. Also, there's absolutely no question -- you NEED to listen to the audio. Rosie's voice is filled with so much emotion, passion, and humor that you'll immediately fall in love with her. Can't recommend highly enough!
January 13, 2023
I watched an interview Rosie did with Nicole Wallace where she touched on mental illness and some of her struggles in early life. Her kindness and strength came through so much and I really didn't know much about her but knew I had to know more; this lady has some important stories to tell. Boy was I right! This is a very raw and emotional read. One of the best things about it (imo) is how clear her voice came through. It was like talking with a friend. Casual in a down-to-earth and real way. I've found a new level of admiration for Rosie and I truly hope telling her story like this provided some cathartic relief in the end.
March 15, 2014
A friend of mine, who had read this book before me, had warned me that the book is "too ghetto." I replied with that it's Rosie Perez and, if it was indeed ghetto, that means it was authentic. I'm in no way trying to disparage Perez in any way but if he wanted the technical venacular of Sonia Sotomayor, this was the wrong Puerto Rican biography for him.
Rosie Perez's Handbook for an Unpredictable Life was inspiring and uplifting and, coversely, heartbreaking. I literally had no semblance of an idea regarding Perez's life pre Holkywood. I felt so bad for her and the abuse she endured from her mother and the nuns at that Catholic home. Thank godness, she had people in her corner like her Tía and her womanizing father.
I was reading Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers at the same time as this and I could see how his tenets to success could be applied to Perez. She had a good support system, the little that she had, she had a good work ethic that could be attributed to her cultural history (her Tía worked countless jobs at the same time to support her family, and Perez kind of faked it until she made it (choreographer of In Living Color).
I have to admire Rosie Perez. It took incredible endurance to withstand that level of abuse and still keep going. I also admire her for forgiving her mother. I know, if I were in that position, I would have never done that.
Rosie Perez's Handbook for an Unpredictable Life was inspiring and uplifting and, coversely, heartbreaking. I literally had no semblance of an idea regarding Perez's life pre Holkywood. I felt so bad for her and the abuse she endured from her mother and the nuns at that Catholic home. Thank godness, she had people in her corner like her Tía and her womanizing father.
I was reading Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers at the same time as this and I could see how his tenets to success could be applied to Perez. She had a good support system, the little that she had, she had a good work ethic that could be attributed to her cultural history (her Tía worked countless jobs at the same time to support her family, and Perez kind of faked it until she made it (choreographer of In Living Color).
I have to admire Rosie Perez. It took incredible endurance to withstand that level of abuse and still keep going. I also admire her for forgiving her mother. I know, if I were in that position, I would have never done that.
April 7, 2014
It was a good read. I read it in a day. Heavy in the family drama and lite in her professional life. I wanted more about her work. That is why we know her and the reason I bought the book.
December 5, 2024
This book is a mixed bag for me. I had difficulty believing that Rosie could recall tons of details from her childhood. I am not familiar with the writing of a memoir, if a writer has to speculate to fill in the pages with interesting facts and dialogue. By the time she was 6 years old, she had written enough detail that would have comprised my entire childhood!
I do emphasize with her and the immense amount of abuse and trauma that she suffered. I actually did enjoy hearing about her memories of the time period. She isn't exactly the best writer but her story is an important one. Her repetitive slang grew tiresome but was often humourous. A solid 3 stars.
I do emphasize with her and the immense amount of abuse and trauma that she suffered. I actually did enjoy hearing about her memories of the time period. She isn't exactly the best writer but her story is an important one. Her repetitive slang grew tiresome but was often humourous. A solid 3 stars.
December 12, 2014
this book was a real eye opener. I have seen some of Rosie Perez's movies. tv and on the View. I did not realize what kind of life she had until i read this memoir. She spent the first three years of her life happy with her beloved aunt she knew as "mommie" when she turned three her biological mother tore here away and put her in a Catholic home for children. she spent most of her childhood in this children's home. only seeing her aunt during summer stays with her. Rosie's mentally ill mother would not let her live with her aunt. she also spent many years in group homes with some bad memories there as well. she did not get to know her father until later years.
She shares with the readers her early years in show business including working on the show "IN Living Color' i was impressed with Rosie Perez's honest writing of her very rough childhood. It is amazing how well she turned out. this is a tough memoir to read. Ms. Perez had a very difficult childhood with many family members. It amazing she was able to rise above her difficult life to make a success for herself.
She shares with the readers her early years in show business including working on the show "IN Living Color' i was impressed with Rosie Perez's honest writing of her very rough childhood. It is amazing how well she turned out. this is a tough memoir to read. Ms. Perez had a very difficult childhood with many family members. It amazing she was able to rise above her difficult life to make a success for herself.
November 16, 2015
I will always say this at the beginning of every bio/memoirs, I don't like raring them. How can you rate how much you like someone's life story. I think people rate them more on how they felt about the person. I don't know much of Rosie perez's acting. I have been watching a lot of boxing and I loved how she was always enthusiastic and was genuinely passionate about the sport. You don't see a lot of women who genuine fans or commentators. So when i seen this at the library i grabbed it. I've only seen white men can't jump and do the right thing. I always feel guilty when I don't watch every single or know everything an actor is in. So anyway I learned so much from Rosie that I never knew. I definitely didn't know about her coming up as a choreographer. I loved her strength and hope through her struggles. I would honestly want to hang out with her. The beginning I thought her personality would be too much but she grew on me.
March 6, 2014
This was a great read! Reading about Rosie's hard life you really feel for her and you definitely cheer when things start going well. It's written very well but casually so that you almost feel like you're just in the room chatting it up with her and her Tia in one of their long conversations. As a Puerto Rican I also loved reading it for the cultural perspective. I grew up lower-middle class and with all my family's issues it seems super functional compared to Rosie's, but at the same time there are so many things I recognize in the culture of her upbringing; things that are just Puerto Rican no matter where or when you are.
November 25, 2014
Thanks to her honest and candid approach as well as her refreshingly witty and humorous personality which shines through on every page, I absolutely LOVED the time I got to spend with Rosie during my reading of her story.
And I word it that way because that's exactly how it felt, as though she was right there next to me, telling me her story just like any good girlfriend would, holding nothing back including her anger, her fears, and her hopes-along with good gossip tid bits on such names as the Wayans brothers, Woody Harrelson, P. Diddy, LL Cool J, and the so-called "feud" with Jennifer Lopez--Ha! Highly recommended.
And I word it that way because that's exactly how it felt, as though she was right there next to me, telling me her story just like any good girlfriend would, holding nothing back including her anger, her fears, and her hopes-along with good gossip tid bits on such names as the Wayans brothers, Woody Harrelson, P. Diddy, LL Cool J, and the so-called "feud" with Jennifer Lopez--Ha! Highly recommended.
June 24, 2014
What can I say? I've always loved Rosie. Reading this book was almost like taking a stroll down memory lane. It reminded me so much about my own childhood. While I would not consider this a literary classic (the writing needed work), I still loved it. The book is full of humor even though there are parts that are disturbing. It made me appreciate my childhood and Rosie even more.
PS. Pages 113 and 114 are HILARIOUS! (Holla!)
PS. Pages 113 and 114 are HILARIOUS! (Holla!)
August 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I saw Rosie on a talk show saying how her childhood left her with PTSD. Really? Sounds about right if a child has been severely abused, like Rosie was. By her parents, my the sisters of the foster care home where she was raised, by her father, by almost every adult in her young life. It's a compelling story. It makes me like Rosie more than ever. The story of negotiations with Spike Lee with a machete are hilarious. I read the book in two days.
March 19, 2016
very candid and honest. I just have a hard time believing the forgiveness she gave her mother. I don't know what it is about latinxs and forgiveness but they always want you to forgive and forget because "family". my heart ached for Rosie and I'm glad she climbed out of what could have been a completely different life given the circumstances.
I knew nothing about her life, and I recommend the audiobook if anyone decides to pick this up.
I knew nothing about her life, and I recommend the audiobook if anyone decides to pick this up.
December 13, 2014
An enjoyable read about a woman who endured so much and has done so much self-development. It is raw and funny, just like I imagine Rosie to be in person. Great vacation reading!
August 2, 2021
If you need a reminder that you really don’t know someone’s story until they tell you their story, this is the book for you. Read by Rosie herself and reminding us how freakin talented and hilarious she is. A heartbreaking memoir of her early childhood, abandoned by her mother, loved by her tia and then ripped from those loving arms and dropped in a home for girls where abuse and loneliness followed, along with a brilliance and strength to survive and perform. Did you know she started off on Soul Train and was the original In Living Color choreographer of the fly girls, also booking the musical talent performing on the show? She choreographed Bobby Brown, LL Cool J. Worked with Puffy before anyone knew him. Dismissed Mike Tyson when he hit on her. Threw a chicken wing at Don Cornelius. Bonded with 2Pac, had a crush on Woody Harrelson, met Spike Lee at a club in a total random incident where he decided she would be his actress for Do the Right Thing. The Hollywood stories are great but nothing greater than learning how beautiful a woman is who works her ass off to do what she loves and then does the harder work of loving herself by seeking therapy and finding forgiveness. An absolute gem 🤩
May 10, 2024
I had the pleasure of meeting Rosie Pérez years ago in Brooklyn.
Her tough childhood doesn't define her. She overcame a lot of odds to get to where she is now. Yet, she's still a warm and compassionate person.
I loved learning about how she broke into the business and first started choreographing.
This book reads like a conversation between friends. It perfectly represents who she seems to be.
It also highlights the dysfunction of the "But she's your mother" crowd.
I'd defintely read a follow up about her life now.
Her tough childhood doesn't define her. She overcame a lot of odds to get to where she is now. Yet, she's still a warm and compassionate person.
I loved learning about how she broke into the business and first started choreographing.
This book reads like a conversation between friends. It perfectly represents who she seems to be.
It also highlights the dysfunction of the "But she's your mother" crowd.
I'd defintely read a follow up about her life now.
July 16, 2025
I knew nothing about Rosie Perez before listening to this book. Her candor and tell-all attitude made it a great window into who she is, as a person - not as a celebrity. Parts of it were tough to listen to, because of what she had to go through, but that contributed to the attraction of the book.
I listened to the audio book. Again, an autobiographer narrating their own story has turned out very well. Her narration was very good.
I listened to the audio book. Again, an autobiographer narrating their own story has turned out very well. Her narration was very good.
May 27, 2019
I listened to this as and audio book read by the author. I absolutely loved it. Rosie writes and speaks with so much feeling and charisma. I laughed and cried and I couldn’t believe her incredible story. I have a whole new appreciation and respect for her! I definitely recommend you listen to this book!
May 5, 2024
Probably in my top 10 favorite memoirs I’ve ever read. Her life story was a roller coaster of trauma and triumph and I devoured very dramatic moment. I also adored hearing it read by Rosie with her distinct Brooklyn NY accent. This was one of the few books that’s brought me to tears and also had me stalling towards the end because it was so good I didn’t want to finish it.
March 26, 2019
What a sad yet successful life this girl had. Just goes to show anything is possible if you work hard.
January 20, 2020
She didn’t have to share, forgive, or work so hard, but she did. Thanks for the gift, Rosie Perez!
September 29, 2021
So Rosie Perez won’t win any literary awards for this book, but in her own colloquial way,she was able to tell the story of her traumatic childhood and how she overcame all.
October 28, 2016
I was completely in shock and awe throughout Rosie Perez’s memoir Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair).
I knew Perez as a sassy Nuyorican dancer, choreographer and actress, and was not prepared for what she shared about her childhood and her unlikely path to success. The memoir is aptly titled, so we might as well deconstruct it.
Sister Renata
Rosie and several of her half siblings grew up in Catholic children’s home run by strict and abusive nuns. Prior to landing at the home, from the age of a baby to three of four Rosie was raised by her aunt, whom she believed to be her mother. Lydia, Rosie’s biological mother, was married when she met and had an affair with Rosie’s father. For unknown reasons, Lydia chose to remove Rosie from Tia’s home and dropped her off in the upstate New York children’s home, where she would remain until moving into a group home.
My Crazy Mother
While many people may refer to their mothers as crazy because they drive them crazy, Lydia was indeed mentally ill. It was not uncommon for Rosie or her siblings to catch their mother talking to the kitchen cabinets and exhibiting other erratic behavior, such as carrying a handgun in a plastic bag to the corner store. As if that weren’t traumatizing enough, Lydia unabashedly treated Rosie differently than her older and younger half siblings, clearly playing favorites by requesting they leave the children’s home to visit her on holidays and weekends, leaving behind Rosie. The physical abuse was widespread, but Rosie felt like a pariah even amongst her siblings. She never bonded with them as she did with her cousins, whom she originally thought were his sisters and refers to them as her cousin-sisters.
Smiling
Rosie’s smiles and laughter are hard earned and well-deserved. Through her distress she always knew she’d eventually have a better life, but she never imagined having stints as a dancer on Soul Train, her first acting role in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, being a choreographer for the likes of Bobby Brown and LL Cool J and the show In Living Color. She was even Oscar-nominated for a role that flopped stateside but did well overseas.
I purchased Handbook for an Unpredictable Life as an audiobook, which was read by the author herself. Anybody remotely familiar with Rosie Perez knows that she’s a fiery and passionate person who brought all of that to the reading. There was also her thick New York and Spanish-tinged accent. Plenty of times, sentences were punctuated with “Come on, people!” when trying to get the audience to see her side of things. I wonder if these were included in the print version of the book or if she was ad libbing. I also wondered if during the recounting of especially emotional times if she was acting or actually choking back sobs and tears.
Rosie Perez's story is the epitome of overcoming a difficult past, none of which was her own fault. Her career path was not planned, but with each twist and turn she adjusted and became stronger, wiser, and eventually the successful and creative person she is today. This one of the those memoirs in which you truly see and believe that if someone else was able to make it through, then so can you.
I knew Perez as a sassy Nuyorican dancer, choreographer and actress, and was not prepared for what she shared about her childhood and her unlikely path to success. The memoir is aptly titled, so we might as well deconstruct it.
Sister Renata
Rosie and several of her half siblings grew up in Catholic children’s home run by strict and abusive nuns. Prior to landing at the home, from the age of a baby to three of four Rosie was raised by her aunt, whom she believed to be her mother. Lydia, Rosie’s biological mother, was married when she met and had an affair with Rosie’s father. For unknown reasons, Lydia chose to remove Rosie from Tia’s home and dropped her off in the upstate New York children’s home, where she would remain until moving into a group home.
My Crazy Mother
While many people may refer to their mothers as crazy because they drive them crazy, Lydia was indeed mentally ill. It was not uncommon for Rosie or her siblings to catch their mother talking to the kitchen cabinets and exhibiting other erratic behavior, such as carrying a handgun in a plastic bag to the corner store. As if that weren’t traumatizing enough, Lydia unabashedly treated Rosie differently than her older and younger half siblings, clearly playing favorites by requesting they leave the children’s home to visit her on holidays and weekends, leaving behind Rosie. The physical abuse was widespread, but Rosie felt like a pariah even amongst her siblings. She never bonded with them as she did with her cousins, whom she originally thought were his sisters and refers to them as her cousin-sisters.
Smiling
Rosie’s smiles and laughter are hard earned and well-deserved. Through her distress she always knew she’d eventually have a better life, but she never imagined having stints as a dancer on Soul Train, her first acting role in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, being a choreographer for the likes of Bobby Brown and LL Cool J and the show In Living Color. She was even Oscar-nominated for a role that flopped stateside but did well overseas.
I purchased Handbook for an Unpredictable Life as an audiobook, which was read by the author herself. Anybody remotely familiar with Rosie Perez knows that she’s a fiery and passionate person who brought all of that to the reading. There was also her thick New York and Spanish-tinged accent. Plenty of times, sentences were punctuated with “Come on, people!” when trying to get the audience to see her side of things. I wonder if these were included in the print version of the book or if she was ad libbing. I also wondered if during the recounting of especially emotional times if she was acting or actually choking back sobs and tears.
Rosie Perez's story is the epitome of overcoming a difficult past, none of which was her own fault. Her career path was not planned, but with each twist and turn she adjusted and became stronger, wiser, and eventually the successful and creative person she is today. This one of the those memoirs in which you truly see and believe that if someone else was able to make it through, then so can you.
Read
May 13, 2014Perez is the love child of two people who were married to others—the relationship did not last and Perez’s mother returned to her husband (who gave Rosie his last name to save face). Soon after she was born, Perez’s mother stopped by to visit her father’s sister, left Rosie, and didn’t return for three years. At that time, she wrenched little Rosie from her beloved Tia (Aunt) and a family that adored her and placed her in a Catholic home for children. That was the first memorable drop in Perez’s rollercoaster of an unpredictable life. Things come full circle when she arranges for her parents to reunite and make peace over the past and their fleeting and rocky romance.
Her father spent years trying to win her affection; she felt that he’d abandoned her and didn’t know about his attempts to get her back. Her aunt and father tried but her mother blocked them (to put it mildly). A number of Perez’s siblings from her mother also lived in the home, and although her mother’s mental instability was evident in the way she interacted with all of her children, there was a marked difference in the way she treated Perez that deeply hurt. Perez’s mother had been a singer in Puerto Rico but she scuttled her ambitions because her husband was not supportive of her talents. (If you didn’t know, both of Perez’s parents are from Puerto Rico.
When I told my brother I’d just finished reading this book, he asked me what made me want to read it and I said I’d heard her talking about it on a talk show and wanted to find out more.
The book is very conversational—it reads as if Perez is talking to you.
READ MORE of my review of HANDBOOK FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE LIFE on my booksploitation blog.
I don’t go through each twist and turn (you really should read the book) but I do interpret the lengthy subtitle "How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)."
Her father spent years trying to win her affection; she felt that he’d abandoned her and didn’t know about his attempts to get her back. Her aunt and father tried but her mother blocked them (to put it mildly). A number of Perez’s siblings from her mother also lived in the home, and although her mother’s mental instability was evident in the way she interacted with all of her children, there was a marked difference in the way she treated Perez that deeply hurt. Perez’s mother had been a singer in Puerto Rico but she scuttled her ambitions because her husband was not supportive of her talents. (If you didn’t know, both of Perez’s parents are from Puerto Rico.
When I told my brother I’d just finished reading this book, he asked me what made me want to read it and I said I’d heard her talking about it on a talk show and wanted to find out more.
The book is very conversational—it reads as if Perez is talking to you.
READ MORE of my review of HANDBOOK FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE LIFE on my booksploitation blog.
I don’t go through each twist and turn (you really should read the book) but I do interpret the lengthy subtitle "How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)."
November 20, 2014
Before reading this book, I didn't have any particular interest in Rosie Perez. A friend recommended it knowing that I like memoirs so I gave it a try not expecting too much.
I was on the fence about giving it 3 or 4 stars. Since I couldn't give 3.5, I decided to be generous and go with 4. First of all, I have to say that I listened to the audio version which may have been a big factor in earning the extra 1/2 star. Rosie read it and that made it really come to life. I found her story to be very compelling and her personality endearing. (You have to love her Puerto Rican/Brooklyn accent and vernacular to enjoy the audio book! For me it was a big plus.)
I was slow to like this book in the beginning, because it was bothering me that she gave so much detail about things she couldn't have known about. When she described the day her parents met as a "brisk day", it felt like she was trying too hard to make it read like a novel which turned me off. She also gave so many details of her baby and toddler years that weren't helping matters. Yes, she explains that she interviewed family members to get the details of the times she was too young to remember but I was less interested in their memories. These small concerns quickly fell away as she got into the rest of her story. She had an unbelievably difficult childhood with everything from a cruel, mentally ill mother, to living in a Catholic orphanage where she wasn't treated any better. Thankfully, she had an aunt who loved her and tried to save her from this madness. Aside from the beginning reservations, I thought her story was very hones. She didn't always paint herself to be the good person and expressed remorse at her mistakes. When she got into the later years, it was fascinating to hear how she broke into Hollywood. I was less interested in all the celebrity interactions especially in the choreography and hip hop world but that's just not my interest.
Overall, while it was far from a perfect book, it was definitely a book I consistently wanted to listen too. Rosie fans will love it.
I was on the fence about giving it 3 or 4 stars. Since I couldn't give 3.5, I decided to be generous and go with 4. First of all, I have to say that I listened to the audio version which may have been a big factor in earning the extra 1/2 star. Rosie read it and that made it really come to life. I found her story to be very compelling and her personality endearing. (You have to love her Puerto Rican/Brooklyn accent and vernacular to enjoy the audio book! For me it was a big plus.)
I was slow to like this book in the beginning, because it was bothering me that she gave so much detail about things she couldn't have known about. When she described the day her parents met as a "brisk day", it felt like she was trying too hard to make it read like a novel which turned me off. She also gave so many details of her baby and toddler years that weren't helping matters. Yes, she explains that she interviewed family members to get the details of the times she was too young to remember but I was less interested in their memories. These small concerns quickly fell away as she got into the rest of her story. She had an unbelievably difficult childhood with everything from a cruel, mentally ill mother, to living in a Catholic orphanage where she wasn't treated any better. Thankfully, she had an aunt who loved her and tried to save her from this madness. Aside from the beginning reservations, I thought her story was very hones. She didn't always paint herself to be the good person and expressed remorse at her mistakes. When she got into the later years, it was fascinating to hear how she broke into Hollywood. I was less interested in all the celebrity interactions especially in the choreography and hip hop world but that's just not my interest.
Overall, while it was far from a perfect book, it was definitely a book I consistently wanted to listen too. Rosie fans will love it.
September 9, 2014
Rosie Perez is reading her own audiobook. Her Brooklyn accent with Spanish dialect gets to me sometimes but she reads slowly and able to understand in most instances. She starts off telling us about her family; how her married father meets her mother. She gives it raw, gritty, and uses vulgar language at times and slang 'MAD' term that East Coast people tend to use to mean overly, extreme.
This book I rather read the hardcover version than audio to grasp some of the parts visually and keep mental note. I was interested in reading it after seeing her on Wendy's Show. So I requested it and got it via digital library as audio version.
Overall, I liked her determination to pursue further education regardless of her past, her parents, living in foster care/Catholic Home, and she wanted to travel as well as pursue a career. I enjoyed hearing her dreams, also mixing with real life situations like teen pregnancy and her views on this as being selfish during one's growing pains; drug addicts and family living in poor neighborhoods; going to Puerto Rico; including her sense of humor on some life experiences.
This memoir was chronological and heard her life since conception to adulthood. I wanted to hear how she got on Soul Train, Living Color, movies like DO the Right Thing, etc. So glad she did share these experiences closer to the end, after chapter 20 (around 24), and became so funny...with headset on, laughing out loud around midnight is not good when you got someone else in the household sleeping.
Leisure read 2014.
Adrienna Turner
Dream4More Reviewer, www.dream4more.org
This book I rather read the hardcover version than audio to grasp some of the parts visually and keep mental note. I was interested in reading it after seeing her on Wendy's Show. So I requested it and got it via digital library as audio version.
Overall, I liked her determination to pursue further education regardless of her past, her parents, living in foster care/Catholic Home, and she wanted to travel as well as pursue a career. I enjoyed hearing her dreams, also mixing with real life situations like teen pregnancy and her views on this as being selfish during one's growing pains; drug addicts and family living in poor neighborhoods; going to Puerto Rico; including her sense of humor on some life experiences.
This memoir was chronological and heard her life since conception to adulthood. I wanted to hear how she got on Soul Train, Living Color, movies like DO the Right Thing, etc. So glad she did share these experiences closer to the end, after chapter 20 (around 24), and became so funny...with headset on, laughing out loud around midnight is not good when you got someone else in the household sleeping.
Leisure read 2014.
Adrienna Turner
Dream4More Reviewer, www.dream4more.org
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews