This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare

by Gabourey Sidibe

The Oscar-nominated Precious star and Empire actress delivers a much-awaited memoir which is wise, complex, smart and funny. This Is Just My Face is the whirlwind tour of Gabourey Sidibes life so far. In it, we meet her polygamous father, her gifted mother who fed the family by busking on the subway, and the psychic who told her shed one day be famous like Oprah. Gabby shows us round the Harlem studio apartment where she grew up, relives the debilitating depression that hit her at college, and reminisces about her first ever job as a phone sex talker (less creepy than youd think). With exhilaratingly honest (and often hilarious) dispatches on friendship, depression, celebrity, haters, fashion, race, and weight, This Is Just My Face will resonate with anyone who has ever felt different - and with anyone who has ever felt inspired to make a dream come true. 'Frank, funny, and insanely charming' Lena Dunham 'A read that lives up to the unforgettable attitude of its name' Glamour 'Youre the BOMB, girl!' President Barack Obama

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Biography, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2017

About the author

Gabourey Sidibe is an award-winning actress who is best known for the title role of Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire. She has since starred as Queenie in FX’s American Horror Story: Coven and Denise in Difficult People, and can currently be seen as Becky on Fox’s smash-hit sensation Empire. Sidibe recently made her directorial debut with the short film, The Tale of Four. This Is Just My Face is her first book. She was born in Brooklyn and raised in Harlem, New York.

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabourey Sidibe’s delightful memoir This Is Just My Face: Try Not To Stare offers a memorable look into what happens when a black girl’s dreams come true, from the inside out. From her unique childhood as the daughter of a subway singer mother and polygamous father to struggling with depression to getting the role of Precious, Sidibe is fearless, incredibly funny and gorgeously open. What she offers of herself in these pages is a gift.

Also, major side eye to lee daniels. And andre leon talley.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you all should know by now, my reviews are based off of emotion. If you want fancy well thought out reviews...I'm not your girl.

Ok. Now on to my review.

I love Gabby! She says that's what her friends call her and obviously we're besties now so Imma call her Gabby.

I remember being afraid to watch Precious because I knew it would piss me off. It did, but I'm glad I watched it(if you haven't watched it, you should) I loved Gabby and was really happy for her, but I also thought I'd never see her again because Hollywood is shallow, racist, and hates fat(women). I remember hearing Howard Stern say pretty much the same thing and people getting mad at him. I didn't understand why, he was telling the truth. All he said was that if she wanted to continue working she would need to lose weight. He knows what I and a lot of people know. Hollywood only loves you if you're young, white, and anorexic.

So I was pleasantly surprised by her continued success. She's been in more movies(I haven't seen any of them) and tv shows The Big C(also never seen it) and Empire (which stopped being good after the 1st season) and American Horror Story(don't get me started).I'm glad she and Hollywood proved me wrong.

This Is Just My Face isn't the best celebrity book I've ever read but it made me laugh and I enjoyed getting to know Gabby and her interesting family. Her mother married her father so he could get a Visa and later she found out that he had taken a second wife and had more children. Her mother is funny, talented, famous in her way(Google Gabourey Sidibe's mother you won't regret it)and never let's the world get her down. I already liked Gabby but this book made me fall in love with her.

I'm ending my incoherent review with this, read this book its extremely entertaining.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe (Gabby) is an American actress who starred in the film 'Precious', co-starred in several seasons of the television series 'American Horror Story', and co-stars in the musical drama series 'Empire.'


Gabourey Sidibe in Precious


Gabourey Sidibe in American Horror Story


Gabourey Sidibe in Empire (with Jussie Smollett)

Gabby was a struggling young woman trying to make ends meet when she was offered the starring role in the 2009 movie 'Precious.' And the rest is history! Gabby's talent, drive, and winning personality propelled her into a rewarding show business career and worldwide fame.

In this memoir Gabby talks about her life - and what led up to her success - with humor, candor, and modesty.

Gabby was born and raised in New York City.


Gabourey Sidibe as a baby visiting her grandmother in Senegal

Her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, worked as a professional singer and schoolteacher, and was a devoted mom to Gabby and her older brother Ahmed. Gabby notes that Alice "shines as bright as a diamond because she is a goddamned STAR."


Gabourey Sidibe and her mother Alice

Gabby's father, Ibnou Sidibe, is a Muslim from Senegal. He worked as a cabdriver and never smiled or laughed. To Gabby, he "seemed like the most boring man in the world" - who brought gloom and darkness into the home. Alice and Ibnou had an unhappy marriage.

In Senegal, men are allowed to have multiple wives, and Ibnou (secretly) followed his native traditions. He married his Senegalese cousin Tola, had a child with her, and inveigled Alice to invite Tola to stay with them. So Ibnou had two wives in the same apartment....for a while. When Alice caught on, she happily left with Gabby and Ahmed (who were about nine and ten at the time).

Money was tight and Alice, Gabby, and Ahmed squeezed into a single room in the home of Alice's sister Dorothy.


Young Gabourey Sidibe

They stayed for two years before scoring a subsidized studio apartment in a Harlem high rise. Space was still scarce, and the family shared a bunk bed: Alice and Ahmed on the bottom and Gabby on top. The rest of their belongings consisted of a couch, dresser, and table to hold their TV, VCR, and Super Nintendo. They had one chair that Gabby sat on to do homework and look out at the skyline. Five years later the family got a two-bedroom apartment in the building, and Ahbed and Gabby got their own rooms....while Alice slept on a sofa in the living room.

As a child, Gabby didn't realize they were poor but knew they weren't rich because they weren't white. Gabby thought being rich was "only for white people and Michael Jackson." As Gabby got older she started to worry about money, and was floored when Alice quit her school job to sing in the subway. She thought, "Are you fucking crazy? Quit your job!!!!????"


Alice singing in the subway

Ironically, Alice's subway vocals netted about 800 to 900 dollars a week, much more than her teaching job. But Gabby was still uneasy, concerned that Alice might lose her voice. Gabby became very anxious, and this may have contributed to her problems in later life, when she suffered from an eating disorder, panic attacks, and depression.....plus she flunked out of school.

Gabby was never very close to her father, even as a small child. When Ibnou told six-year-old Gabby that he would live with her when he got to be an old man - and she would care for him like a good Muslim woman - she thought 'HELL NO' and decided not to be a Muslim anymore. Gabby's decision was probably reinforced the next year, when Ibnou took young Gabby and Ahmed to Senegal, to see his family.

Gabby writes, "The first two weeks of the trip were magical", with lots of fun and games. Then Ibnou left, and his family "went from being welcoming to being monsters." Grandma became cold and cruel and let the uncles hit Gabby and Ahmed. And the girls called Gabby 'Patapoof', which is Wolof (the Senegalese language) for fat. When Alice sent packages to her kids, the relatives took everything for themselves. Gabby longed to go home and when she finally got back to New York vowed never to set foot in Senegal again (though she's softening that stance now that she's an adult).

When Gabby was 21 and completely unemployable, she saw an ad for a 'phone actress' (phone sex worker) and went for an interview.



Gabby expected to see "a dungeon with girls in ripped underwear talking into phone receivers", but found a normal office with phone talkers, a receptionist, and a trainer for the ladies. Gabby notes that the 'phone girls', usually plus-size black women, portrayed themselves as "good ol' American white" - since most callers expected this. Gabby did well at the job, earned promotions, and finally became the person who trains applicants.

Gabby says that she took what she learned on the phone sex job and applied it to the real world. She learned "to talk to people, to flirt with everyone, to lead with her personality, and to deal with rumors"....because her co-workers whispered that she was a lesbian who slept her way up the ladder. Nothing could be further from the truth.


Gabourey Sidibe likes boys 💕

Gabby was 'boy crazy' since junior high school. However - since she's 'fat' (her words) - Gabby thinks most guys she meets are out of her league. Moreover, the issue of men has gotten even more complicated with fame. According to Gabby, before she became an actress she had her league figured out. She was probably going to marry a cabdriver since "her league included cabbies, sanitation workers, security guards, and maybe grocery-story managers."



Now that Gabby's a Hollywood bigwig, her league is all messed up. She doesn't have to marry a cabbie anymore, but she's pretty sure she "can't date the Liam Hemsworths and Michael B. Jordans" either. So she's thinking.....maybe she can date a high school teacher or something? LOL

Gabby has a great sense of humor and makes fun of herself. However, she doesn't like for other people to call her a 'fat bitch' or to stuff pillows in their clothing to 'be Gabby' for Halloween. The actress is offended that people's opinions are based on her body. She says, "It seems as if I cured cancer or won a Nobel Prize someone would say, "Sure that's great but her body is just disgusting." Gabby blows this criticism off, however, and notes "I am dope at any and every size. I am smart. I am funny. I am talented. I am gorgeous, I am black. I am a bad bitch." (You go Gabby!)



After years of trying to get ahead, Gabby went back to college (a few times) and finally got lucky when a friend tipped her off to an audition for a movie called Push (the original title of Precious). Gabby was skeptical, but tried out for the part. The film was a huge success, Gabby was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, and her career took off from there.

One of the proudest moments of Gabby's life was at the White House Correspondents Dinner when President Obama was in office. Gabby got in a line of people waiting to meet POTUS and FLOTUS, carrying a slip of paper with her name....to be given to a woman who would announce her to the first couple. When the woman began to say Gabby's name, President Obama cut her off and said, "I know who she is!" He told Gabby, "You're the BOMB, girl!", and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. Gabby writes, "Yeah....the President of the U.S. said I was the bomb! What else do you need to know." Ha ha ha


Gabourey Sidibe with President Obama

In addition to the topics I've mentioned above, Gabby writes about many other things, including: Twitter (she's an avid Tweeter); virgins (and not being one); psychics (who predicted her success); hair (her mother spent hours braiding her hair on weekends); dating (not so easy); boyfriends (not so great); award shows (you need nice clothes); death rumors (she supposedly died from an asthma attack); therapy (which helped her); weight-loss surgery (which she's had)....as well as friends, relatives, and more. And it's all entertaining and fun.



Gabby's a natural writer with a unique voice and I very much enjoyed the book. I'd highly recommend it to readers who like celebrity memoirs.



You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually do not read a whole lot of celebrity memoir-slash-essay books if the celebrity is not a writer or comedian whose work I'm familiar with. But I was so charmed by the cover and title of Gabourey Sidibe's book, and knowing a little of her backstory I thought it might be a fun read. I was very much right.

This is the kind of book you read where when it's over you feel like you and the author are now friends. Sidibe does this thing where her writing feels so conversational, so natural, that it made me want to figure out how to do that. She is also ridiculously funny, I laughed (out loud!) so many times. It is the kind of book where you want to have someone sitting next to you to read a funny line to.

While she plays up for laughs a lot, Sidibe also doesn't shy away from the hard stuff. She's able to talk about being a phone sex operator and having a famous subway singer for a mom, and she can turn on a dime to talk about struggles with money and her parents' tumultuous marriage and divorce.

Sidibe is just so open, so freely and frankly herself. She writes a lot about how she wants to have the kind of deep confidence her mother has and if she doesn't have it already she's well on her way. This is a fun read that you can easily pick up for five minutes or an hour.

[Ebony Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my reading goals this year was to read more nonfiction and poetry. And for some reason, reading memoirs is how that goal has manifested. This is interesting because for the longest time I have vocally declared my disdain of all things memoir/autobiography. It turns out I was wrong. I was just reading the memoirs of the wrong people . I was reading stories of the great heroes of our time, people I could barely relate to. Big mistake. Those people are important and so are their stories, but they don't capture my attention from a literary standpoint.

Gabourey Sidibe and I don't have a lot in common at a surface level (for starters, I'm not famous or artistically inclined and I grew up in Canada, lol). But her story is not so different from mine once you delve beyond those obvious things. Her memoir deals with her journey to fame, but also deals with her insecurities, being a plus-sized black woman in a world that has yet to realize our worth, hair struggles, family dysfunction and love, dating woes (OH the dating WOES!!!), and much more.

I read this book after seeing Gabourey at a book signing and listening to her speak. Who she is in person is exactly who she is on paper. The memoir feels honest, raw, and is intense in some moments. But it is also laugh-out-loud-on-the-subway funny, relatable and comforting. I intend to listen to the audiobook next, as there is something special about hearing people tell their own stories in their own voices.

I would recommend this book without any hesitation. It's worth a read and you won't regret it, I promise!

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sidibe's book is very good. This book is her memoir about her life before and after she became famous. I highly recommend it if you are looking for an interesting and funny book to read. I read the actual book, however, I wish I had read the audiobook version just to hear her say her asides and other remarks. Can't wait to see how the rest of her career will turn out. I hope she writes more books.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Gabourey Sidibe's funny, introspective, and healing reflections on her life was a pleasure. On top of reaffirming how much I adore the memoir/autobiography genre (I've been reading a lot more fiction lately to open my perspective), I learned so much about this talented young woman. Reading through her low points, triumphs, and everything in between kept me captivated from cover to cover, shown in the speed with which I paged through it. As reflected in the For Colored Nerds podcast episode featuring the author, it's so incredibly clear that this story was written by the woman we're learning about, a fact that isn't always apparent in books "written" by celebrities. I most appreciated how the sharing of her story was something that was as much for her as it was for us. It made the whole reading experience that much more enriching.

What I loved most about this was how so much of her life reminded me of my own while still being so different. Sidibe does a fantastic job of telling her story while also making it relatable for the reader. She is, like me, the child of a West African immigrant. Senegal is separated from Ghana, the country of my parents' origin, by a 3 hour flight. Her early reflections on her father reminded me very much of the relationship I share with my own, down to his incessant love of the news and constant seriousness. However I was floored by the number of times her love for him led to her feeling betrayed and undervalued, feelings I didn't necessarily have with my father. Because our relationship is not nearly as strained as theirs, I appreciated her thoughts on him as a person and as her father as they demonstrate a strong will to forgive in her. On a surface level, I was right there with her, but going deeper into their relationship gave me a new appreciation for her as a person. The portion where she mentioned playing with her mother and then hearing him come home and knowing the fun would end was like ripping a memory from my own life and putting it to paper. I'm thrilled to hear they're back on speaking terms and hope to hear more from her on her relationship to the continent as both an African and American.

There were several other things, big and small, I related to: the gift and curse of being able to help those you love while also feeling slightly used, the awkwardness of male interaction and knowing if they like you or like you like you (Juvenile? Perhaps, but you know what I mean!), those moments of sitting on the floor betwixt your mother's legs as she watched her week's worth of VCR recorded soaps, writing pages and pages of fan fiction as a teenager instead of interacting with the outside world. The list goes on and on...

As you can tell from this lengthy review, this introspective look at her life has made me grow to love Gabourey Sidibe in a new and beautiful way. I'd heard her name before and always enjoyed her work when I encountered it, but much like it's been with other memoirs and biographies, now I'm more invested in the woman behind those roles. I look forward to seeing her growth as an actress, director, and a person over the years. Great book, would absolutely recommend!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabourey made me laugh out loud with her life, it is so amusing how she can take real situations and turn them into comedy. Aside from the movie she was in and a few interviews I watched of her,a lot of things that she been through was shocking to me. I knew that she was talked about regarding her weight loss and how looks, but I love how she remained positive throughout. Whether she was a size two or a size 14, she was comfortable in her own skin.

There were many highlights in this book, but my favorite was when she talked about psychics. I loved how she never gave up on them, despite how inaccurate they were. Gabby wrote this book like you were sitting right next by her, that is what made this book so relatable.

Glad that I read it, it showed a different side of people you do not see in hollywood.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, and in a way that felt different than other celebrity autobiographies I have read.

For one, I felt like Sidibe is a lot different in real life than I expected...and also kind of not? Like, there were things she said and I would be like "oh man, that is SO me, YES!" and feel like I related to her so well. But overall, I can't say my life has been anything like hers. Which I think made this such a fascinating read.

Another thing that set her book apart from others is that it's really about HER. Not her rise to fame or her experience getting her big break as Precious, but about GABBY. Her life, her family, her parents, her struggles. I think the fact that fame came to her much later than it does for other celebrities (and when I say that, I mean in her 20s...Hollywood is clearly still a young person's game) was part of the reason for this. That, and the fact that she never really saw acting or performing as a calling for herself. That made it even more interesting to hear about how Precious came about, and launched her career.

I appreciated her message of empowerment and loving yourself, while also being honest about her own vulnerability and insecurities. I cannot imagine how it feels to put yourself out there in the way that celebrities do, especially when it's NOT something you sought after and expected.

I also found her discussion of her becoming famous and having money really interesting. You hear stories about celebrities saying that they always said when they got famous, they'd buy their parents a house or something like that. And I'm sure many of them do buy things for their families. Sidibe's discussion of the way her family and friends expected things from her, though, shed a new light on that idea. It wasn't just that she could do those things for people, it was that they expected her to do them, and if she was reluctant or said she couldn't help, she was viewed as the selfish celebrity. Nevermind the fact that she didn't have nearly as much money as everyone thought she did. It was interesting to hear her talk about that experience.

I really enjoyed this book, and found Sidibe to be incredibly honest and funny. She came off as very relatable, and a true introvert at heart. She also won me over when she talked about her 'N Sync fanfiction writing, because I'd be lying if I said I don't have my own embarrassing fanfic stories hidden somewhere too (not 'N Sync, but does that really even matter?). This was fun, and it made me fall in love with Sidibe even more.

Also? I really do need to watch Precious one of these days...

[Kelly]

A funny, punchy read that will appeal to those readers who love Mindy Kaling's memoirs. Gabby's voice is fabulous and her storytelling is engaging. Loved her talk about working on a sex line as a talker, as well as her final chapter on NSYNC fan fiction. I found her body talk, especially the chapter on her weight loss surgery, to be really empowering and positive.

As the kids say, it's pretty #relatable. You can't help but want to hang out with her.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beyond having once seen the movie Precious and having watched the Freak Show season of AHS (the only one I've been able to get through), I knew nothing about Gabourey Sibide. Her life isn't UNinteresting (I very much enjoyed reading about her father's Sengalese culture and how it affected their home life), but in a similar vein to other young actresses' memoirs, I finished this book feeling like she just hasn't reached an age of introspection enough to write a particularly compelling memoir. Her voice comes across as too wanting to be seen as clever to feel authentic, and some of her jokes seem to really be trying too hard to force a laugh. Not that she comes across as unlikable- she doesn't-- but she also simply seems kind of immature. I get it- a book deal means a paycheck, so sign her up-- but that doesn't make her a good author, though I wonder with a couple of more decades of life experience under her belt, if she could be. Three stars, and barely that, unfortunately.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sassy and serious! Sexism, eating disorders, phone sex workers, anxiety/depression, hair issues, psychics, twitter craziness, your dad's big secret...these are just some of the subjects that make an appearance, Gabourey discusses both the high and low moments in her life with raw honesty and a sassy wit that left me going 'No way' and then LOLing page after page.

[Chessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fabulous and Gabourey Sidibe is fabulous. SO FUNNY, but also sad and vulnerable, with a side of WTF?! I just love her.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this is a non-fiction novel, I don’t feel like I can divide this up in “good vs. bad” as I usually do. This is someone’s life we’re talking about. I’m not going to be the judge of that. We all make good decisions, bad ones and… sometimes we even run away from taking them in the first place. How can I possibly go “Oh, I didn’t like THAT” when it’s one of Gabourey’s own decisions? I can’t.

First off – if you hadn’t noticed yet – this is the story of a black, plus-sized woman who fought to get where she is now.
In her own sassy and sarcastic way she shares everything she’s been through, how she got where she is now and – most importantly – that it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. She shows how her life isn’t all that perfect, but she’s still happy with the way it is and the decisions she’s made.

In TIJMF, there is one specific subject touched upon that hit me hard. Stomach surgery.
The way she talked about the surgery hit home. Hard. And just so you know, it’s NOT easy having your life changed entirely in barely twelve hours’ time and not being able to go back. It’s NOT.
I could elaborate on this more, but the only thing I want to share on this specific subject is this: People who chose this surgery didn’t do it because they want to be skinny. They did it because they want to feel comfortable in their own skin, because they want to feel healthy and cannot get there through regular diets. Hell, if I would be skinny, I’d get an identity crisis. As Gabourey I’m happy with simply being chubby. That’s me. I simply don’t even want to be skinny. I’m not kidding about that identity crisis, okay?

Okay, let’s end this review and conclude that this book is proof we all choose our own paths. We all have our pasts, make our own decisions and we decide where we go, where we end up. We decide what and who we want to be – no one else. Gabourey shared her journey so far; I’m taking it with me to remind me I am the one deciding where my life is headed.

[Seymone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have nothing profound to say about this memoir. Gabourey is very entertaining and transparent.
After reading her story, I still dont feel any connection to her. I dont feel like I will follow her career more closely. The reason behind the four stars is due to the collection of memories that she chose to share. Some were interesting, funny, and some down right ridiculous. This memoir is definitely a page turner.

[britt_brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the novel Push by Sapphire several years back, but wasn’t able to finish the film “Precious” because reliving that gut-wrenching story was too much. What I did experience of Sidibe’s performance was incredible. It turns out, she’s a brilliant storyteller and talented writer, too. In this honest and funny memoir, she lays bare her unique family history, career, body image, etc. Fantastic on audio!

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I wrote a review....💖

https://renaisreading.wordpress.com/2...

[Lekeisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting memoir. I love Gabby as an actress, but this peek into her real life shines a little light on how she became famous. If you love nonfiction, I'd recommend giving this a go.

[LaDonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but I didn't love it. I was a little disappointed about the flow of the book, but enjoyed hearing about her life.

[Sarah Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A biography or memoir of a celebrity, especially and actor, is not the kind of book I tend to pick up, but after reading an essay by Gabourey Sidibe in the book Well-Read Black Girl, I was hooked on her voice and style and sense of humor.

By the end of this book, you want to be Gabby’s best friend. Which I think would mean hanging out until she pushes you out of the door so she can take a breather from people, remove her pants, and love on her cats.

She talks about her bicultural upbringing (American mom and Senegalese father), a series of psychics who kept predicting her rise to fame, her insistence that people call her by her real name, not something easier, and so much more. Being the “fat girl,” and all the judgement around that. Being black in America. Her struggles with depression and bulimia. And ultimately also the healing power of writing a book like this.

Beyond Precious, I haven’t even seen much of her work as an actor. That didn’t matter. She is a gifted and hilarious writer, and I could not put this book down. This is up there with Tina Fey’s Bossypants and Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime for comedic and insightful memoirs.

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is often difficult to write a review of a memoir, because you want to avoid passing judgment on a person's life. So, I try to focus on what about someone's life story can be helpful and inspiring to others and how much is the memoirist willing to share with the public. By this measurement Gabourey has done a great job. As she acknowledges, there is probably some stuff in here that her family may be embarrassed by, but she just "wrote the truth, and it made me feel better." So, it has the feel of authenticity and her parents, if they read it, will find out she once worked as a phone sex girl and has some funny memories to share about that and a host of other things.

She has become comfortable in her own skin, although that wasn't always the case and that journey to comfort is instructive and inspiring for anyone who has experienced uncomfort with being their true self. Plenty to smile at here and some cringe worthy moments but a most enjoyable and fun voyage.

[Nakia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In This Is Just My Face, Gabourey Sidibe discusses her very unusual life: parents who married only for her father's American citizenship; a father who was a polygamist; a mother who is a well-known subway singer; her battles with severe depression and eating disorders; being a phone sex operator; and the remarkable steps leading to her role in "Precious".

Sounds heavy but she keeps it lite and interesting with humor and wit along the way. The saddest part is the amount of ridicule and bullying she endures about her looks. People can be really, really terrible. But, Gabourey pushes through it. She's stronger than I could ever be.

This was a great book club pick. A lot to discuss.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick, entertaining read, mostly fluffy but with some strong moments. I like Sidibe's voice, but I felt like she still had a lot of things to process before publishing her memoir (she said the book was cathartic for her, and helped her forgive her father, which I thought was beautiful). Even the lessons she seemed to say she learned about herself are muddled. Not a bad book, but I think it suffers from MWY syndrome (memoiring while young).

I liked this bit though, "How many psychics does it take to convince a sad little girl that she can be much more than the world is telling her she is? None. She's got to be able to convince herself to show up for her own life."

[St. Gerard Expectant Mothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And she's telling you she's not going...."

Dreamgirls' Effie White character can best sum up who actress Gabourey Sidibe is. Smart, talented, and beautiful, she is well aware of her plus size status and is unapologetic about it. She just doesn't need you to be rude about it.

From her star making debut as Precious Jones in the film Precious, Gabourey has dealt with issues of her body image, eating disorders, and fair share of bullying from her classmates. However, that hasn't deterred her from embracing life and becoming the success that she is today.






Growing up in New York City as the child of a Senegalese cab driver for a father and a hard working subway singer for a mother, it is no wonder that Gabourey would have an usual upbringing that shaped the person she was about to become. In her book, she details her father's polygamist traditions which put a strain on her parents marriage but somehow manage to finish college while supporting herself as a phone sex operator. She also goes into detail about the difficulties of being a full sized actress in Hollywood, especially with an industry that is body conscious.



One thing to note is that Gabourey wrote every word in her autobiography. Sure, it's simplistic in its style and appears more of a personal diary but at least she didn't hire a ghost writer to translate as most celebrity bios usually do. You have to commend the girl for making the book her own.

This is Just My Face is a fun, light read and one to enjoy for a plane ride. Plus, Gabourey is just so adorable and likable. How can you not love her?

Like I quote from Dreamgirls, "And...you...and you...are gonna love...ME!!!!"

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatable, funny and an enjoyable quick read. I liked the sound bites from her social media which really give you a sense of the author's sense of humor.

[Smoran8m · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, yes, yes, yes yes.
First, memoirs should always be listened to in audio with the author reading them. Audio format at its best. And Gabourey (rhymes with cabaret) is perfect at this. She talks to "you" the reader and at first it is formal, but after sharing her innermost thoughts and secrets she gets comfortable and starts treating you (the reader) like a dear, old friend. She tells you secrets and begs you not to tell her mother.

The book is hella-honest, and doesn't claim to be anything it isn't. If you are triggered by weight loss talk or bulimia, skip Chapter 11 (MYOB - mind your own body) and if you are triggered by hearing how and why she decided to undertake gastric bypass, skip chapter 17 (will I still be beautiful when I'm not fat) Believe it or not this is not a book about being black or being fat. Her weight and her race come up, but except for these two chapters they are not focal points.

If you are triggered by depression or bullying or cursing, this might not be the book for you.

Gabourey has a black-belt in sarcasm, is funny and confident and sensitive. She is a contradiction and recognizes that she can hate something/someone and love it/them at the same time. (Twitter, Oprah, her father). She seems honest and brave and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

[BookOfCinz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an engaging, delightful, surprising read- I devoured this book in a day, that is how enjoyable this book was.

Gabourey (NOT GABBY!) Sidibe is best known for her roles in Precious, The Big C, Empire etc. I first saw her when she starred in Precious and then after in Empire. I wouldn't call myself a big fan, and I am usually not one for young celebrities writing memoirs, it usually comes off as shallow and self-absorbed- most of what they have the say doesn't add to the conversation and is usually eyerolling- that wasn't the case with Garbourey.

I absolutely loved how real Garourey was in her book, This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare . After finishing this novel I felt like we were besties- no lie, I actually started following her on twitter so we can talk (lol). I am a sucker for a great title and book cover, this was backed up a thoroughly enjoyable, insightful read. I loved how the book felt like a conversation, I actually read the entire novel in my head using Gabourey's voice.

Its great when you get just a raw look at how fame changes people and those around them, one of the things that stood out for me was how much was expected of her after her first role in Precious, how things remained the same and she showed up to red carpets in less than spectacular wardrobe. Another was how mean and rude people can be, she spoke about how people felt the need to give her health advice in the most obnoxious way.

Honestly, no memoir gets any realer like this. Gabourey KEEPS. IT. REAL. and keeps you laughing out loud in the process.

This is definitely a must read for me! I am now a big fan and twitter follower.

[ReGina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very interesting reading this book right after reading Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body. The differences are stark and led me to one conclusion - Sidibe wrote this book too soon. Both she and Gay have issues, traumas, histories - stuff. The difference is the perspective on the stuff. Gay writes from a place of understanding, having done some serious self-analysis work to see the root of her issues, the ways she contributes and belays them, and the reasons for the feelings she has about her stuff. It's still messy and unkempt, but she truly knows it and is willing to put it on the table.

Sidibe, on the other hand, doesn't even have a grasp on what her stuff is, much less its origin story or the true impact it has in her life. She references major life issues and challenges with the glibness most would give to a basketball without closer examination. There are also "young" things that are clearly "young." If you have to go through several rounds of games to determine if you are on a date, you clearly have not outgrown your tolerance for that foolishness. A doctor putting you on medication for your diabetes as opposed to the blood sugar monitoring with needles is not an issue of your doctor being "chill;" it's an issue of how far your diabetes has progressed. While she does have an interesting story to tell, it would be even more interesting and captivating if she had true perspective when she told it.

[Miranda Levi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this way more than I anticipated. Gabourey Sidibe is a well spoken, funny woman who has a great story to share. I'm a sucker for an autobiography so it should come as no surprise that I read this quickly. Totes worth the read.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan