Handbook for an Unpredictable Life - Hardcover

Rosie Perez

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0307952398 ISBN 13: 9780307952394

Publisher: Crown Publishing Group, Division of Random House Inc, 2014

Synopsis

"Oscar-nominated actress Rosie Perez's never-before-told story of surviving a harrowing childhood in an orphanage and how she found success-both in and out of the Hollywood limelight. Rosie Perez is known for her effervescent personality and memorable roles in Do the Right Thing and White Men Can't Jump, but most of her fans would be surprised to learn she has a secret straight out of a Dickens novel. Rosie's life began as the child of a poor, schizophrenic mother who sent her to live at a Catholic orphanage when she was a toddler. Rosie's childhood was challenging, shuttled between ""the home,"" where she and other kids suffered abuse, and various relatives' apartments in Brooklyn. This unstable lifestyle forced a precocious kid to become a fiercely independent young woman, and eventually inspired her to perform, an obvious escape hatch. In anyone else's hands, this might be considered a ""misery memoir,"" but Rosie's inimitable voice makes this the heartfelt, riveting, raw, funny, and inspirational story of a woman who has finally found a place of strength and peace."

About this title

Review:

"I read Rosie Perez's magnificent, very real, and heart wrenching book with equal parts joy and horror--horror that the world can and routinely does inflict its terrors on its children, and joy that Rosie made it out to become not only the superior, iconographic artist she is, but the magnificent woman this book reveals her to be. Her voice is the captivating instrument here: forthright, funny, and utterly her own."--Hilton Als, staff writer, "The New Yorker
""Rosie Perez's "Handbook For an Unpredictable Life" is a shockingly brave, honest book, filled with so much grace, forgiveness and humor that you feel invigorated reading it. A deeply moving story, told with unapologetic courage and heart.""""-- George C. Wolfe
"
"Reading this story I was shaking my head in amazement that Rosie is even walking around on the earth, still smiling, let alone creating, contributing and caring about the world. I know lots of artists who had to persevere and overcome a lot to get where they got and do what they do, but Rosie takes the prize for triumph of a spirit undimmed. Charles Dickens never dreamed up a more incredible hard-knocks story.""""--Edward Norton
"
"Rosie Perez has written a brave, hysterical, wise and compulsively readable chronicle of growing up and surviving the dual challenges of a crazy family and crazy life in Hollywood. Like "Running With Scissors" before it, "Handboook For an Unpredictable Life" is ultimately a story of survival and will inspire us all.""--Liz Garbus
"
"With refreshing candor and sass, Perez transforms the painful details of her life into an inspiring reminder that even the most unforgiving of personal circumstances can be overcome. A spunky and heartfelt memoir." "--Kirkus"

I read Rosie Perez's magnificent, very real, and heart wrenching book with equal parts joy and horror--horror that the world can and routinely does inflict its terrors on its children, and joy that Rosie made it out to become not only the superior, iconographic artist she is, but the magnificent woman this book reveals her to be. Her voice is the captivating instrument here: forthright, funny, and utterly her own. Hilton Als, staff writer, "The NewYorker
" Rosie Perez's "Handbook For an Unpredictable Life" is a shockingly brave, honest book, filled with so much grace, forgiveness and humor that you feel invigorated reading it. A deeply moving story, told with unapologetic courage and heart."" "--George C. Wolfe
"
Reading this story I was shaking my head in amazement that Rosie is even walking around on the earth, still smiling, let alone creating, contributing and caring about the world. I know lots of artists who had to persevere and overcome a lot to get where they got and do what they do, but Rosie takes the prize for triumph of a spirit undimmed. Charles Dickens never dreamed up a more incredible hard-knocks story."" "--Edward Norton
"
Rosie Perez has written a brave, hysterical, wise and compulsively readable chronicle of growing up and surviving the dual challenges of a crazy family and crazy life in Hollywood. Like "Running With Scissors" before it, "Handboook For an Unpredictable Life" is ultimately a story of survival and will inspire us all. " Liz Garbus
"
With refreshing candor and sass, Perez transforms the painful details of her life into an inspiring reminder that even the most unforgiving of personal circumstances can be overcome. A spunky and heartfelt memoir. " Kirkus""

About the Author:

ROSIE PEREZ is an Oscar-nominated actress, whose credits include "Do the Right Thing, White Men Can't Jump, " "Fearless, " and "The Counselor." She is the Artistic Chair of Urban Arts Partnership and sits on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.

About this edition

• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group, Division of Random House Inc
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0307952398
• ISBN 13: 9780307952394
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320