The Meaning of Mariah Carey

October 23, 2020

Carey's heartbreaking but down-to-earth and often humorous memoir begins with a childhood filled with neglect, emotional abuse, and poverty. The daughter of a Black man and an Irish American woman, Carey often felt like she didn't fit in, and was the frequent target of racism. Early on, she turned to music and humor, and her drive to succeed eventually led to her becoming the best-selling music artist of the 1990s. Along the way, she endured an abusive marriage to Sony Music head Tommy Mottola, a headline-making "meltdown," and constant battles with family members, who needed money but were unable to provide support or stability. Carey's obsession with Marilyn Monroe plays an ongoing role in her life story, and she draws parallels between herself and the actress; both faced unhappy childhoods and tumultuous relationships and were victims of their industries. Yet Carey's ability to overcome inspires. The stories behind her lyrics will undoubtedly create a new appreciation for her work, and readers will enjoy glimpses into the music industry that few have experienced firsthand. VERDICT A must-read for Carey's fans, though music lovers of all genres will also delight in this personal story.--Lisa Henry, Kirkwood P.L., MO

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2020
The mega-selling singer chronicles her life via the "moments that matter." Carey begins with her early childhood on Long Island in the 1970s, when she used music as a form of escapism and distraction. The fearful youngest daughter of a Black father and an Irish Catholic, opera singer mother, Carey and her two siblings braved physical violence, racial prejudice, and emotional trauma within a turbulent household "weighed down with yelling and chaos." In the late 1980s, her music career began to blossom, especially after she met and fell in love with Tommy Mottola, who was the head of Columbia Records at the time. Carey openly shares the lurid details of her controlling and emotionally abusive marriage to Mottola in the 1990s. Through her notes on the multifaceted recording process, readers will see the author's undeniable passion and work ethic as well as her burgeoning self-confidence. Some of the most entertaining moments are encapsulated in dishy free-form anecdotes sandwiched between tales of music career honors, personal triumphs and hardships, and health problems. Carey is at her best when her outspoken personality shines through, as when describing numerous "diva" moments or her harsh regrets about the "collision of bad luck, bad timing, and sabotage" that characterized the making of her disastrous film Glitter. The author also offers appreciative commentary on Marilyn Monroe, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin ("my high bar and North Star, a masterful musician and mind-bogglingly gifted singer who wouldn't let one genre confine or define her"). Carey frankly reveals the many conflicting emotions she has experienced as a mixed-race woman both energized by and dismayed at the music industry's cutthroat, often prejudicial landscape. "Lambs," as her fans call themselves, will find plenty of juicy gems, including the revelation that she recorded a never-released "breezy-grunge, punk-light" album. These intimate ruminations are impressively detailed without being overly concerned with industry gossip or petty squabbles, creating a refreshingly candid celebrity self-portrait. 100% Mariah, unburdened by filler material and written with pure heart and soul for both die-hard and casual fans.

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