What do you think?
Rate this book
Strength of a Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story
The story of singer Phyllis Hyman is brought to light in the powerful new biography Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story by Jason A. Michael.
Hyman's 20-year career, which included the release of eight albums as well as a Tony nomination and Theater World Award for her Broadway turn in Sophisticated Ladies, was brought to a tragic end by her suicide June 30, 1995, just hours before she was due to take the stage at the legendary Apollo Theatre.
In the spotlight, Hyman's breathtaking voice and stunning beauty shone brightly. But off stage, after the applause and the laughter produced by her bawdy humor had faded, Hyman spent her days and nights engaged in an exhausting battle against bipolar disorder. Complicating its crippling effects was Hyman's addiction to drugs and alcohol, which she tried repeatedly to kick, and the demands and constraints of being a female African-American entrepreneur in an industry controlled by white men.
But though she ultimately chose to extricate herself from the pain, she did so not before leaving a legacy of beautiful music that will last and live on forever as a true testament to the 'strength of a woman.'
Hyman's 20-year career, which included the release of eight albums as well as a Tony nomination and Theater World Award for her Broadway turn in Sophisticated Ladies, was brought to a tragic end by her suicide June 30, 1995, just hours before she was due to take the stage at the legendary Apollo Theatre.
In the spotlight, Hyman's breathtaking voice and stunning beauty shone brightly. But off stage, after the applause and the laughter produced by her bawdy humor had faded, Hyman spent her days and nights engaged in an exhausting battle against bipolar disorder. Complicating its crippling effects was Hyman's addiction to drugs and alcohol, which she tried repeatedly to kick, and the demands and constraints of being a female African-American entrepreneur in an industry controlled by white men.
But though she ultimately chose to extricate herself from the pain, she did so not before leaving a legacy of beautiful music that will last and live on forever as a true testament to the 'strength of a woman.'
239 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2007
69 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 8, 2010
There are big lessons that reading this book teaches:
1. Having multiple behavioral health conditions in one person can be nearly impossible to manage -- and can be deadly. Phyllis Hyman was bipolar and had an extremely addictive personality: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, food, shopping -- she did it all. With all this going on at once, and at the time she was going through them, there was no really comprehensive, holistic help for her available.
2. Codependency/enabling can kill. Being in a business that is notorious for enabling and facilitating excess, ego and chemical abuse on top of being surrounded by loved ones, employees and friends who never gave her the tough love she needed was a key factor in Hyman's decline and death. With no one around her willing to draw the line or let her hit bottom, she just kept on destroying herself because she had no reason to stop. People who have a loved one who has an addiction/compulsion, hear this: LOVE WILL NOT SAVE THEM. DO NOT LOVE THEM TO DEATH.
3. Self-sabotage is a b&*ch! Those of us who have behavioral health issues and chemical abuse histories (and those of us who don't!) have to be vigilant not to take opportunities presented to us and throw them in the trash. Believe in yourself, be aware of yourself, take care of yourself, and when opportunity knocks you'll be ready to jump all over it. Phyllis Hyman had a long history of trashing major breaks and taking successes and turning them into failures because she didn't believe in herself or take care of herself.
In the end, as a fan of Hyman this book just makes me love her more, and be more determined than ever to not let my own issues get in the way of my relationships, my career and my dreams. On top of that, I think that people who are not fans could benefit from reading this book because of the lessons on addiction/compulsion, behavioral health and codependency it teaches.
Note: I had to get this book through interlibrary loan because the website where this self-published book was originally sold is down and now used copies are being sold on the Internet for $50 and up. I hope the author will consider going to Lulu.com or some other service and put the book back on sale as a downloadable e-book. That's probably a lot cheaper than the expense of self-publishing a physical book. There's certainly a demand for this book.
1. Having multiple behavioral health conditions in one person can be nearly impossible to manage -- and can be deadly. Phyllis Hyman was bipolar and had an extremely addictive personality: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, food, shopping -- she did it all. With all this going on at once, and at the time she was going through them, there was no really comprehensive, holistic help for her available.
2. Codependency/enabling can kill. Being in a business that is notorious for enabling and facilitating excess, ego and chemical abuse on top of being surrounded by loved ones, employees and friends who never gave her the tough love she needed was a key factor in Hyman's decline and death. With no one around her willing to draw the line or let her hit bottom, she just kept on destroying herself because she had no reason to stop. People who have a loved one who has an addiction/compulsion, hear this: LOVE WILL NOT SAVE THEM. DO NOT LOVE THEM TO DEATH.
3. Self-sabotage is a b&*ch! Those of us who have behavioral health issues and chemical abuse histories (and those of us who don't!) have to be vigilant not to take opportunities presented to us and throw them in the trash. Believe in yourself, be aware of yourself, take care of yourself, and when opportunity knocks you'll be ready to jump all over it. Phyllis Hyman had a long history of trashing major breaks and taking successes and turning them into failures because she didn't believe in herself or take care of herself.
In the end, as a fan of Hyman this book just makes me love her more, and be more determined than ever to not let my own issues get in the way of my relationships, my career and my dreams. On top of that, I think that people who are not fans could benefit from reading this book because of the lessons on addiction/compulsion, behavioral health and codependency it teaches.
Note: I had to get this book through interlibrary loan because the website where this self-published book was originally sold is down and now used copies are being sold on the Internet for $50 and up. I hope the author will consider going to Lulu.com or some other service and put the book back on sale as a downloadable e-book. That's probably a lot cheaper than the expense of self-publishing a physical book. There's certainly a demand for this book.
April 8, 2019
A little over 40 years ago (March 21st, 1979), I was privileged, as a teenager, to see PHYLLIS HYMAN in concert. She was the epitome of class and elegance that evening, wearing a broad-brimmed hat with rounded edges and looking very chic. She also had a way of engaging with the audience that was at once welcoming and captivating. And while I don't remember all the songs she sang at that concert, I do remember that the last song she sang was "Somewhere in My Lifetime". I loved the concert and became a fervent Phyllis Hyman fan.
Phyllis Hyman was one of those singers who could fit her style seamlessly into any song she sang. And when you listened to her, you believed fully in the seductive magic in her voice, as well as the essence of the song itself. I gained a better appreciation through reading this book, of the struggles she went through in her career. I confess that when she was alive, it was hard for me to grasp how unhappy she was, as well as frustrated with the way she was treated as an artist. Phyllis Hyman was this incredibly beautiful, tall (6'0"), statuesque woman. In interviews she had given, she sometimes either hinted at or spoke very openly about her despair about some aspect of her career or lament not having a man in her life. (The latter I could not understand!) But in having read this book, I feel that I now know - inasmuch as that is possible - a lot about who the real Phyllis Hyman was, and why she wasn't given the full recognition she richly deserved as one of the finest interpretive singers of her generation.
Phyllis Hyman was one of those singers who could fit her style seamlessly into any song she sang. And when you listened to her, you believed fully in the seductive magic in her voice, as well as the essence of the song itself. I gained a better appreciation through reading this book, of the struggles she went through in her career. I confess that when she was alive, it was hard for me to grasp how unhappy she was, as well as frustrated with the way she was treated as an artist. Phyllis Hyman was this incredibly beautiful, tall (6'0"), statuesque woman. In interviews she had given, she sometimes either hinted at or spoke very openly about her despair about some aspect of her career or lament not having a man in her life. (The latter I could not understand!) But in having read this book, I feel that I now know - inasmuch as that is possible - a lot about who the real Phyllis Hyman was, and why she wasn't given the full recognition she richly deserved as one of the finest interpretive singers of her generation.
October 10, 2019
First, let me start by taking a moment to applaud Jason A. Michael for creating such a powerful, impactful and sympathetic body of work👏🏽. To be able to convey this story with the accuracy and attention to detail as he did is nothing short of amazing! Absolutely brilliant👏🏽!
Gosh, I have so much to say...To begin, this book is not only the heartbreaking story of Phyllis Hyman. But, it is also the most authentic documentation of mental illness that I’ve personally ever read. This book can be used as a case study to show what mental illness really looks like in a person. Many times we hear the terms “mental illness, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety” and although we hear the terms, we are not always able to recognize the behaviors associated with these diagnoses. However, in this book Michael shines a spotlight on the actions (verbal outbursts, mood swings, self neglect & self sabotage) that are often seen with mental illness.
Strength Of A Woman contains a lot of facts and details about the musical career of Phyllis Hyman. As a biographer Michael did substantial research. With so much information I could have easily become bored at certain times. However, that never happened. Instead I was totally engrossed in every aspect of the book. I learned about Phyllis’s romantic relationships, the relationships she had with her siblings, and those in the entertainment industry. But more importantly, I learned about the relationship she had with herself.
What I was most surprised to learn is that she had actually tried to commit suicide 2xs prior to succeeding the 3rd time. Phyllis did not keep her desire to end her life a secret. She wholeheartedly believed she had the right to decide when her life should end. She even told her loved ones to prepare themselves because she was definitely going to be successful on her 3rd attempt. There’s a pic (swipe) she drew while in therapy that displayed her belief in suicide.
I believe this is not just a book for Phyllis Hyman fans. It is also a must read for anyone who has a loved one that suffers from mental illness. Reading this book may help you to see your loved ones illness from a different perspective. You may begin to see their anger as fear. And instead of being frustrated by their impulsivity, this book may inspire you to be more empathetic to what they are going through.
I lived with Strength Of A Woman, for about 3 weeks. I carried it with me everywhere I went. I listened to the music as the author wrote about it. I watched YouTube videos of interviews and music videos as they were mentioned. Basically I submerged myself in the world of Phyllis Hyman. And as a result, my heart has been touched in a way that I could have never imagined before reading this book. For this was not just a story, but it was also a teaching tool that has helped me to better understand the devastation of mental illness.
Gosh, I have so much to say...To begin, this book is not only the heartbreaking story of Phyllis Hyman. But, it is also the most authentic documentation of mental illness that I’ve personally ever read. This book can be used as a case study to show what mental illness really looks like in a person. Many times we hear the terms “mental illness, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety” and although we hear the terms, we are not always able to recognize the behaviors associated with these diagnoses. However, in this book Michael shines a spotlight on the actions (verbal outbursts, mood swings, self neglect & self sabotage) that are often seen with mental illness.
Strength Of A Woman contains a lot of facts and details about the musical career of Phyllis Hyman. As a biographer Michael did substantial research. With so much information I could have easily become bored at certain times. However, that never happened. Instead I was totally engrossed in every aspect of the book. I learned about Phyllis’s romantic relationships, the relationships she had with her siblings, and those in the entertainment industry. But more importantly, I learned about the relationship she had with herself.
What I was most surprised to learn is that she had actually tried to commit suicide 2xs prior to succeeding the 3rd time. Phyllis did not keep her desire to end her life a secret. She wholeheartedly believed she had the right to decide when her life should end. She even told her loved ones to prepare themselves because she was definitely going to be successful on her 3rd attempt. There’s a pic (swipe) she drew while in therapy that displayed her belief in suicide.
I believe this is not just a book for Phyllis Hyman fans. It is also a must read for anyone who has a loved one that suffers from mental illness. Reading this book may help you to see your loved ones illness from a different perspective. You may begin to see their anger as fear. And instead of being frustrated by their impulsivity, this book may inspire you to be more empathetic to what they are going through.
I lived with Strength Of A Woman, for about 3 weeks. I carried it with me everywhere I went. I listened to the music as the author wrote about it. I watched YouTube videos of interviews and music videos as they were mentioned. Basically I submerged myself in the world of Phyllis Hyman. And as a result, my heart has been touched in a way that I could have never imagined before reading this book. For this was not just a story, but it was also a teaching tool that has helped me to better understand the devastation of mental illness.
October 27, 2014
Being that I am a huge fan of Phyllis, Strength of a Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story was a must read for me. I felt what the author was trying to do, however I wish her youthful years were told better. The book just seemed to skip through a lot of her younger years and hurried to her young adult life. Nonetheless, the author did an excellent job with etching her story and allowing her fans to see the real Phyllis.
April 3, 2017
As a huge fan of Phyllis, I recommend this book to fellow fans. Not only is it full of detail chronicling the intense highs and lows of her career, it also sheds unique light into the recording industry.
May 29, 2020
This book encouraged me to maintain clarity and peace with my self and others. I pictured Phyllis Hyman to be a sweet-tempered woman with laughter and joy. She did have laughter but her misery overwhelmed her. There were good moments but it saddened me that she was an enemy to herself. This absence of self-love alienated her from prosperity. It's important to advocate for yourself but she didn't employ diplomacy.
On a lighter note, there are two anecdotes in this book that kept me laughing for more than five minutes each: the chicken leg incident (pages 98-99) and the Chicago ribs incident from pages 163-164.
If you haven't heard her music, I implore you to listen to "Living All Alone", " Betcha By Golly Wow", and her posthumously released album , I Refuse to Be Lonely .
On a lighter note, there are two anecdotes in this book that kept me laughing for more than five minutes each: the chicken leg incident (pages 98-99) and the Chicago ribs incident from pages 163-164.
If you haven't heard her music, I implore you to listen to "Living All Alone", " Betcha By Golly Wow", and her posthumously released album , I Refuse to Be Lonely .
Read
January 26, 2026Strength of a Woman
It’s interesting that the very last sentences of the book say. “There’s nobody - ever - who’s gonna be like her,” said Patti LaBelle. “There’s no voice in the world like hers. There’s no spirit like hers. When she left, like with Luther, you just don’t get any more. Phyllis Hyman was a superstar just waiting to shine.” Because I found myself comparing “Strength of a Woman” to “The Life and Longing Of Luther.” Both told about the lives of two very talented entertainers who struggled to find hits big enough to reach #1s on the pop (and RNB) charts, both struggled with finding (and keeping love)-and this had “difficult” personalities to work with, and both who had food addictions -and weight issues.
My experience with Phylis Hymon was slight before reading this. Usually if I choose a memoir about an artist, I’ll at least know a handful of their songs. Typically, it’s the earlier stuff. By the time its gotten to the 4rth album and some time has passed they’ll kind of fall off the radar. But with Phylis Hyman surisingly to me only one song popped into my head. “Living All Alone”. And I could not believe that when I read this (this) song never hit #1.
“With Living All Alone, the powers at PIR-everyone was hoping for a number one, and at the least a top ten single, but it was beginning to look like that obviously...” REALLY?! As heartfelt and as POWERFUL as this ballad was (is). It just saddens me that no one really recognized what they had in Mrs. Hyman and thus didn’t give her the push that other artist got such as Whitney Houston. I may not have could bring up one song she sang but even from that one song alone, it’s obvious that this lady could have gone just as far as some of the other singers she was bitter about (Brandy, Whitney, New Edition, etc).
“In Phyllis’s case, Clive was confident in her voice, but he obviously felt that her stubbornness and independence proved too great a challenge to conquer. Clive could have made Phyllis a superstar, but at a cost she was unwilling to pay. She needed to feel that her input and opinions mattered. She needed to be shown that she was valued and respected for who and what she was, not just what some record mogul thought he could make her into. But her independence and integrity came at a high cost. Many think that Phyllis could have today been the household name that Whitney became had she been willing to do it Clive’s way.”
But this was a HEAVY read for me. Memoirs I’ve read all have very similar traits but NONE of them have started off. “But while her self-awareness and sense of reality may have fluctuated in years past, Phyllis had moments of clarity; and on one point she was certain - the end was near. Phyllis confessed this to her longtime friend Tina Stephens. “She told me she loved to eat and she loved to do drugs so she was going kill herself.” And this is in the VERY FIRST CHAPTER! And the end was just…. Eerie with the song playing in the police car.
The Barrys and Lennie left the hospital immediately, while Bill lingered for a moment. A police officer eventually offered to drive him back to Phyllis’s apartment. In the cruiser, the officer switched on the radio to ease the strained silence. Suddenly, Phyllis’s voice filled the car. The song was “Living All Alone” but Phylis no longer was.
Do you know what made this especially HARD to read for me? Now never ever have I thought about taking my own life but It’s just some of the EXACT same things she said I’ve said. Some of the EXACT same things she’s felt I’ve felt. And I’m not bi-polar or suicidal but I could FEEL it and it resignated with me so DEEPLY because I’ve been there. I’ve said (to a friend many a time) I’m unhappy or I’m just not happy. Many a day I’ve struggled with a lack of energy from this or that. I’ve worried about financial stability and the future. I’ve said I just don’t want to be here. My best friend can attest to the countless times by the illness I’ve told him over and over and over “I’m tired! I’m just tired!”
“For years, serenity had eluded Phyllis. Now she made one final attempt to find it. Hers was a mind that worked overtime, packed full of loud and robust thoughts. But as the darkness began to envelop her, her restless mind was quieted at last” I felt this too because sometimes life just doesn’t seem to let up and it’s constantly throwing things at you and throwing things at you. And *mentally* tired is the worse kind of tired (in my opinion) there is.
And it hurt my heart for this lady because she wanted to be saved. But not in the right way. A husband or a man can’t save you. Throughout this story she looked to men for happiness. It even said her ups and down mood swings were reflective of her relationships status. (It wasn’t until the end of the book that she addressed this to her audience and told women they needed to unite and not attack each other over men). But then (while in therapy) she learned that there was no white knight and she had to save herself. Yet in the end she couldn’t save herself and just got tired of life.
“Phyllis was a very warm, special, loving and tender woman who really just needed to know that someone special would be there for her no matter what; that they could handle her - all of her - and love her unconditionally. But to receive unconditional love, each of us has to first love ourselves unconditionally. This way, we really know it when we find it because we do it for ourselves. This was Phyllis’s greatest challenge.”
Also it hurt to see her so terrified of success that she’d throw away opportunities. “ For as much as she craved it, Phyllis was scared of success. Totally terrified. Glenda and Sydney were working hard to take Phyllis to the next level. But every time they reached the brink, Phyllis sabotaged herself and her chances. Just as Phyllis would pull back in her personal relationships when someone managed to get too close, she did the same when it came to her career. She just could not tolerate succeeding beyond a certain point. The risk was too painful. The pressure too intense.
And I feel like I learned from this that you just never know *what* a person is going through despite how it looks from the outside. “The pressure soon grew to be too much for Phyllis. Amid her troubles, there was still much to be optimistic about. She was engaged to be married. She had a record in the bag that, once released, was sure to be as big a success as the last one. But the combination of the disappointments and anxieties floating around in her head proved too potent for Phyllis.”
Just a small thing for me is that this book gave us her struggles and the more “challenging” aspects of her personality. I wish it would have done more to show the positive. There were two things in this whole book that showed her good light. One was that once she saw a homeless person on the street and she took off her coat and gave it to them. The other is that she made a friend of a young boy that came up to her table and asked for her autograph. She actually gave him her number (her real number) and told him to call her any time. Tell more stories of her like that. Not just the ones were she’s acting out and being snippy to other artists and bitter.
It was interesting to learn little bits and pieces. Like she was sharing Christopher Williams. She was in School Daze (She was chosen to be Shug Avery (which she would have KILLED this role). But overall this put something heavy on my spirit. After reading this, I went on ITUNEs and bought “Living All Alone”. I looked at all her albums and made a promise to myself that I would make up for what the record companies failed on and that is bringing to my attention this amazingly talented phenomenal lady. Even tho I’m sorry that she struggled so hard in this life, I’m happy that she finally got the peace she sought to find. R.I. P Mrs. Hymon!
Rating: 8
It’s interesting that the very last sentences of the book say. “There’s nobody - ever - who’s gonna be like her,” said Patti LaBelle. “There’s no voice in the world like hers. There’s no spirit like hers. When she left, like with Luther, you just don’t get any more. Phyllis Hyman was a superstar just waiting to shine.” Because I found myself comparing “Strength of a Woman” to “The Life and Longing Of Luther.” Both told about the lives of two very talented entertainers who struggled to find hits big enough to reach #1s on the pop (and RNB) charts, both struggled with finding (and keeping love)-and this had “difficult” personalities to work with, and both who had food addictions -and weight issues.
My experience with Phylis Hymon was slight before reading this. Usually if I choose a memoir about an artist, I’ll at least know a handful of their songs. Typically, it’s the earlier stuff. By the time its gotten to the 4rth album and some time has passed they’ll kind of fall off the radar. But with Phylis Hyman surisingly to me only one song popped into my head. “Living All Alone”. And I could not believe that when I read this (this) song never hit #1.
“With Living All Alone, the powers at PIR-everyone was hoping for a number one, and at the least a top ten single, but it was beginning to look like that obviously...” REALLY?! As heartfelt and as POWERFUL as this ballad was (is). It just saddens me that no one really recognized what they had in Mrs. Hyman and thus didn’t give her the push that other artist got such as Whitney Houston. I may not have could bring up one song she sang but even from that one song alone, it’s obvious that this lady could have gone just as far as some of the other singers she was bitter about (Brandy, Whitney, New Edition, etc).
“In Phyllis’s case, Clive was confident in her voice, but he obviously felt that her stubbornness and independence proved too great a challenge to conquer. Clive could have made Phyllis a superstar, but at a cost she was unwilling to pay. She needed to feel that her input and opinions mattered. She needed to be shown that she was valued and respected for who and what she was, not just what some record mogul thought he could make her into. But her independence and integrity came at a high cost. Many think that Phyllis could have today been the household name that Whitney became had she been willing to do it Clive’s way.”
But this was a HEAVY read for me. Memoirs I’ve read all have very similar traits but NONE of them have started off. “But while her self-awareness and sense of reality may have fluctuated in years past, Phyllis had moments of clarity; and on one point she was certain - the end was near. Phyllis confessed this to her longtime friend Tina Stephens. “She told me she loved to eat and she loved to do drugs so she was going kill herself.” And this is in the VERY FIRST CHAPTER! And the end was just…. Eerie with the song playing in the police car.
The Barrys and Lennie left the hospital immediately, while Bill lingered for a moment. A police officer eventually offered to drive him back to Phyllis’s apartment. In the cruiser, the officer switched on the radio to ease the strained silence. Suddenly, Phyllis’s voice filled the car. The song was “Living All Alone” but Phylis no longer was.
Do you know what made this especially HARD to read for me? Now never ever have I thought about taking my own life but It’s just some of the EXACT same things she said I’ve said. Some of the EXACT same things she’s felt I’ve felt. And I’m not bi-polar or suicidal but I could FEEL it and it resignated with me so DEEPLY because I’ve been there. I’ve said (to a friend many a time) I’m unhappy or I’m just not happy. Many a day I’ve struggled with a lack of energy from this or that. I’ve worried about financial stability and the future. I’ve said I just don’t want to be here. My best friend can attest to the countless times by the illness I’ve told him over and over and over “I’m tired! I’m just tired!”
“For years, serenity had eluded Phyllis. Now she made one final attempt to find it. Hers was a mind that worked overtime, packed full of loud and robust thoughts. But as the darkness began to envelop her, her restless mind was quieted at last” I felt this too because sometimes life just doesn’t seem to let up and it’s constantly throwing things at you and throwing things at you. And *mentally* tired is the worse kind of tired (in my opinion) there is.
And it hurt my heart for this lady because she wanted to be saved. But not in the right way. A husband or a man can’t save you. Throughout this story she looked to men for happiness. It even said her ups and down mood swings were reflective of her relationships status. (It wasn’t until the end of the book that she addressed this to her audience and told women they needed to unite and not attack each other over men). But then (while in therapy) she learned that there was no white knight and she had to save herself. Yet in the end she couldn’t save herself and just got tired of life.
“Phyllis was a very warm, special, loving and tender woman who really just needed to know that someone special would be there for her no matter what; that they could handle her - all of her - and love her unconditionally. But to receive unconditional love, each of us has to first love ourselves unconditionally. This way, we really know it when we find it because we do it for ourselves. This was Phyllis’s greatest challenge.”
Also it hurt to see her so terrified of success that she’d throw away opportunities. “ For as much as she craved it, Phyllis was scared of success. Totally terrified. Glenda and Sydney were working hard to take Phyllis to the next level. But every time they reached the brink, Phyllis sabotaged herself and her chances. Just as Phyllis would pull back in her personal relationships when someone managed to get too close, she did the same when it came to her career. She just could not tolerate succeeding beyond a certain point. The risk was too painful. The pressure too intense.
And I feel like I learned from this that you just never know *what* a person is going through despite how it looks from the outside. “The pressure soon grew to be too much for Phyllis. Amid her troubles, there was still much to be optimistic about. She was engaged to be married. She had a record in the bag that, once released, was sure to be as big a success as the last one. But the combination of the disappointments and anxieties floating around in her head proved too potent for Phyllis.”
Just a small thing for me is that this book gave us her struggles and the more “challenging” aspects of her personality. I wish it would have done more to show the positive. There were two things in this whole book that showed her good light. One was that once she saw a homeless person on the street and she took off her coat and gave it to them. The other is that she made a friend of a young boy that came up to her table and asked for her autograph. She actually gave him her number (her real number) and told him to call her any time. Tell more stories of her like that. Not just the ones were she’s acting out and being snippy to other artists and bitter.
It was interesting to learn little bits and pieces. Like she was sharing Christopher Williams. She was in School Daze (She was chosen to be Shug Avery (which she would have KILLED this role). But overall this put something heavy on my spirit. After reading this, I went on ITUNEs and bought “Living All Alone”. I looked at all her albums and made a promise to myself that I would make up for what the record companies failed on and that is bringing to my attention this amazingly talented phenomenal lady. Even tho I’m sorry that she struggled so hard in this life, I’m happy that she finally got the peace she sought to find. R.I. P Mrs. Hymon!
Rating: 8
October 26, 2020
Excellent biography
I was 17 when Phyllis Hymen died (1995). I had not been a big fan but her episode of TVOne's Unsung made me want to learn more about her. The book describes her life and her difficult personality without painting her as a villain. I hope the author continues with writing biographies.
I was 17 when Phyllis Hymen died (1995). I had not been a big fan but her episode of TVOne's Unsung made me want to learn more about her. The book describes her life and her difficult personality without painting her as a villain. I hope the author continues with writing biographies.
August 18, 2020
After reading this book, my heart hurted for Phyllis Hyman. She tried to live life, but the demons like drug and alcohol addiction took over. She was a very difficult woman to be around because of her bipolar disorder and I know that can be a challenge to the people around her. She went through so much pain and heartache and she just couldn't take it anymore. This book taught me to look inside myself and appreciate the life I do have and the people who loves me. Phyllis had people who loved her and she had friends, but in the end she felt all alone. Great read.
July 8, 2021
As a fan of Phyllis Hyman's voice and music, I was extremely thrilled to read this bio. It shocks me that there is not more material available in the form of books or documentaries covering the life of this talented woman. I always knew the story about her death but I never knew much more until I found out about this bio. This bio puts a lot into context and is very believable with sources from people that personally knew her or worked with her.
June 19, 2020
This was a good self published book the writer really loved phyllis hyman it's such a sad cautionary beautiful tale. About a woman woman stuck in her mind , emotions, career , and secret drug use. The book held nothing back and I'm sad Phyllis is no longer here. She was so outspoken, strong , weak , sad , happy , loved, and hated .... she experienced so much poor woman I wish certain people can get a do over in this game of life. This book taught me to Always take suicide threats serious.
March 3, 2019
"If I had felt that Phyllis didn't deep down really love me and trust me I wouldn't have stayed. As much as anyone could, I felt understood her - as did all the other people in her life who stayed by her side. With Phyllis you had to take the good with the bad. I knew no one could help her change and heal until she was ready."
January 9, 2021
I didn’t think it was possible to love Phyllis Hyman any more than I did, but boy did this book make it possible. Jason - you did an amazing job and covered so many aspects of Phyllis’s life. This book was extremely powerful and made me take a deeper look at myself. So many lessons...Phyllis - your life continues to inspire so many others. Your spirit and voice will forever be unmatched. ❤️
May 28, 2025
OMG! I've had this book since 2018. Why did I wait so long to read it! All I can say is, that if you're a fan! This is a must read! This book had me crying, laughing out loud, shocked. I really miss her and I hope she's filially at peace.
July 10, 2022
Fucking loved this book justice for her legacy
July 7, 2024
The book shows how mental illness can play a pivotal role in your life if not handled properly. It also reminds that self-love is very important. I wished Phyllis knew how much she was loved.
March 1, 2023
Devastating and Wonderful
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews