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iampotassium's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book but I actually didn’t. I kept getting caught up by her blatant colorism, random name dropping (am I supposed to know these people?) and her ridiculous spending of money. Don’t like the fact that a store has a confederate flag out front? Buy the building, duh!
I’m happy that she was able to add Blackness to predominantly white spaces, but it seems she was only able to do that because of her epic wealth, which is not possible for most of us.
I really wanted to be cheering on her persistence as she became America’s first Black woman billionaire, but overall the story felt tone deaf to the world we live in today.
I’m happy that she was able to add Blackness to predominantly white spaces, but it seems she was only able to do that because of her epic wealth, which is not possible for most of us.
I really wanted to be cheering on her persistence as she became America’s first Black woman billionaire, but overall the story felt tone deaf to the world we live in today.
fauxbot's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fascinating story, and a quick read. I really enjoyed hearing about Johnson’s life and her experiences breaking ground for so many.
legawdess7612's review against another edition
4.0
She has a very very interesting story. I do not know how she accomplished so much and I had not known any of it! This was good black history in a memoir !
cashton's review against another edition
3.0
Shelia Johnson has certainly been through the fire, and her walk started when her father walked out on the family, causing her Mom to have a breakdown. Shelia declares she will never be like her mother but unfortunately her fate is very similar.
It’s interesting she reveals she and her father racially passed for her to attend school, and hid her mother, for her entire 2nd grade year. It seems taboo to admit, but she cleans it up by saying she served as the classroom nurse and got a laugh out of knowing these racist white kids being touched by a black person unbeknownst to them.
Shelia drives home the point that mentors are key to one’s success, without her mentors in orchestra teachers she would not have accomplished what she did musically and professionally.
Enter Bob Johnson, at a time when men particularly men in power are being outed on a daily basis, Shelia does not hold back about Bob’s gaslighting and mental abuse. Literally from the beginning of their relationship Bob was manipulating the situation, and he did the same thing with Debra.
Bob is wild boy! Giving her favorite record to another girl, leaving her in a hotel room alone on their wedding night, brazenly cheating on her with multiple staff from the organization she helped him found! And Shelia believing him and his verbal abuse, really shows us that unresolved trauma certainly impacts your life I the worst ways.
It’s amazing how many African Americans in the 60s and 70s were “the first” to do many things, some inspirational and other mundane. But the racism they endured is so unfortunate and scary. I had no idea she was the first black cheerleader at UIUC! But not her accidentally burning the first black homecoming queen’s afro up, and laughing as she said it! Damn Shelia!
I spent a lot of the book confused how much Shelia describes her self as the odd ball “square” in one sentence but the next she is a cheerleader, actress and hostess with mostest hosting cast parties…the math ain’t mathing. She spends a lot of time doubting herself, and saying how ingrained Bob’s voice of defamation impacted her even after her divorce and marriage to another man. People need to learn how to do to work and heal from their traumas and become whole.
While Shelia spills the tea on Bob, she also has a lot to say about BET. First and foremost she signed the loan for the company! Second the company was a hot mess, from Bob and his affairs, to his tyrannical rule, to his sister stealing money, it’s a wonder they made it the success it was. And third that Bob actually fired her, which is WILD! As she put it her “bobstacles“ were unreal..LOL! Shelia wants readers to know she was the moral code of BET! She didn’t agree to the Uncut music video programming and the like. She is responsible for the more educational programming like Teen Summit and shares her vision was for it to be the black CNN.
Shelia endured a lot of heartbreaking and physical pain during and after marriage to Bob, but I love that she got the romance and love she always wanted, with the judge that presided over her divorce no less!
Girlfriend did one thing right, she made sure that money kept growing for her! Demanding the sale of BET, Co-owning 3 sports teams in DC (which really burned Bob lol), a resort and spa in Middleburg, selling her photography, buying and refurbishing land, properties, and hotels. Life truly came full circle for Shelia, and she has been a boss from the beginning!
It’s interesting she reveals she and her father racially passed for her to attend school, and hid her mother, for her entire 2nd grade year. It seems taboo to admit, but she cleans it up by saying she served as the classroom nurse and got a laugh out of knowing these racist white kids being touched by a black person unbeknownst to them.
Shelia drives home the point that mentors are key to one’s success, without her mentors in orchestra teachers she would not have accomplished what she did musically and professionally.
Enter Bob Johnson, at a time when men particularly men in power are being outed on a daily basis, Shelia does not hold back about Bob’s gaslighting and mental abuse. Literally from the beginning of their relationship Bob was manipulating the situation, and he did the same thing with Debra.
Bob is wild boy! Giving her favorite record to another girl, leaving her in a hotel room alone on their wedding night, brazenly cheating on her with multiple staff from the organization she helped him found! And Shelia believing him and his verbal abuse, really shows us that unresolved trauma certainly impacts your life I the worst ways.
It’s amazing how many African Americans in the 60s and 70s were “the first” to do many things, some inspirational and other mundane. But the racism they endured is so unfortunate and scary. I had no idea she was the first black cheerleader at UIUC! But not her accidentally burning the first black homecoming queen’s afro up, and laughing as she said it! Damn Shelia!
I spent a lot of the book confused how much Shelia describes her self as the odd ball “square” in one sentence but the next she is a cheerleader, actress and hostess with mostest hosting cast parties…the math ain’t mathing. She spends a lot of time doubting herself, and saying how ingrained Bob’s voice of defamation impacted her even after her divorce and marriage to another man. People need to learn how to do to work and heal from their traumas and become whole.
While Shelia spills the tea on Bob, she also has a lot to say about BET. First and foremost she signed the loan for the company! Second the company was a hot mess, from Bob and his affairs, to his tyrannical rule, to his sister stealing money, it’s a wonder they made it the success it was. And third that Bob actually fired her, which is WILD! As she put it her “bobstacles“ were unreal..LOL! Shelia wants readers to know she was the moral code of BET! She didn’t agree to the Uncut music video programming and the like. She is responsible for the more educational programming like Teen Summit and shares her vision was for it to be the black CNN.
Shelia endured a lot of heartbreaking and physical pain during and after marriage to Bob, but I love that she got the romance and love she always wanted, with the judge that presided over her divorce no less!
Girlfriend did one thing right, she made sure that money kept growing for her! Demanding the sale of BET, Co-owning 3 sports teams in DC (which really burned Bob lol), a resort and spa in Middleburg, selling her photography, buying and refurbishing land, properties, and hotels. Life truly came full circle for Shelia, and she has been a boss from the beginning!
luvvie's review against another edition
5.0
Such an amazing book from a woman who has truly lived a movie-worthy and inspiring life. Her storytelling is superb. And this is the type of memoir that warrants a girls night in to discuss.
tjayreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book to be just okay. While I sympathized with everything Sheila Johnson endured, I struggled to connect with her story. It often felt more like a tell-all about Bob Johnson than a memoir of her own journey. I understand that being married to someone for 33 years means they’re a significant part of your life, but his presence seemed to overshadow much of the book. Perhaps writing this was part of her healing process, but as a reader looking in from the outside, I found myself feeling annoyed at times.
Sheila is undeniably talented in both business and the arts, but her decision-making often felt rooted in fear, which made it harder for me to fully engage with her narrative. That said, I admire her resilience and her ability to persevere despite everything she faced. Still, I didn’t find this book particularly deep or compelling, and I ultimately felt little connection to her story.
Sheila is undeniably talented in both business and the arts, but her decision-making often felt rooted in fear, which made it harder for me to fully engage with her narrative. That said, I admire her resilience and her ability to persevere despite everything she faced. Still, I didn’t find this book particularly deep or compelling, and I ultimately felt little connection to her story.
bellametaphor's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this and I will say it’s one of the fastest audiobooks I have finished. Sheila has lived a very interesting life and it was a good read overall. There were points in the book that I was convinced my contacts were going to fall out from how much I was rolling my eyes, and other parts that I just felt so sad for her. A good read overall though.