Patti's Pearls: Lessons in Living Genuinely, Joyfully, Generously

It was as if you were having a sister girl conversation and she was and did tell it like it is as she sees it .
So much truth to the words of wisdom and great lessons to think about.
I highly recommend Patti's Pearl for a fast and inspirational read. Who knows you might even learn something from her book of life. I sure did.
You might understand some things in your life. Patti, 4.5* for sharing your words of wisdom .


Lessons in Life From a Sister Who Has Lived It   April 11, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

In Patti's Pearls, singer/entertainer Patti LaBelle with Ebony columnist, Laura Randolph Lancaster, gives her readers lessons, anecdotes, and pearls of wisdom that she has culled over the years. She takes incidents from her life as an entertainer, daughter, sister, and mother to reveal the fears, trials and joys of life.

Each chapter is headed by a title that will grab and take hold of your senses and make you contemplate, such as "Many a false step is made by standing still", "If you can't be the tablecloth, don't be the dishrag", and "The best way to predict your future is to create it". She shares the heartaches of losing her sisters to illness and the fickle world of show business. She shares candidly the heartache of the end of her long-time marriage and the determination to move on, hopeful that the future promises a brighter future.

This is a little book with big ambitions, not unlike many of the feel-good, self-help books that are offered by many entertainers who want to share their triumphs over adversities. This book is forthright but does not have a preachy tone that can be a turn-off as some other similar books do. I keep this book next to my bed to grab and read a chapter at will for a quick uplifting pick-me-up. Tell it Patti!

Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub


Real gems...Lessons to live by!   February 7, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

For 40 years as a singer, Patti LaBelle has mesmerized us with a style that many imitate but rarely duplicate. The stylistic rendering of this diva of song from her third Literary effort, Patti's Pearls: Lessons In Living Genuinely, Joyfully, Generously, are self-help inspirational guidelines delivered in a believable idiom much like her singing -- with invigorating energy that implores one to sit up and listen. After listening, I couldn't help but bring to mind my own upbringing, remembering much of the same logic being dispensed here. Written in tandem with her longtime friend, Laura Randolph Lancaster, this offering is in audio form which adds a different, if not compelling. version in light of Patti's stage machinations.

If the intent is to truly inspire, cajole, and motivate, one easily wonders whether these "pearls" are a direct result from personal tragedy, mayhem, or situations from being there. One thing that I feel listeners will agree with is her candor and down-to-earth voice capturing valuable lessons. If you're looking for something different, perhaps you must take a look at yourself before giving this audio-book a chance, especially if it's perceived that they all are one and the same. I feel that to each his own, and one must give a meaningful listen to get the gist of what this author is trying to say. I recommend itlisten for what it's worth. This would be "the perfect anecdote for the ultimate secret of happiness; to grow wise before you grow old" as Patti opined in one of her pearly delights. Give it a shot!