Rating: 
Summary: More Confusing Than The Books Previous
Review: I have long been a fan of Ms. O'Donnell, from her television program to her work in movies, and even when she was hocking wares for heartless multi-national corporations, but unfortunately, her literary endeavors just confuse the heck out of me.I thought the book began well with a clever introduction that was wrought with deeply personal information and a tone of disparity, yet somehow still filled with hope. And all was well through this, I even found myself unable to put the book down. But then, right from the get-go in Chapter Four, she starts introducing gnomes and she, in my mind, completely lost the steam the novel had at that point gathered up. Certainly, I have nothing against fantasy or science fiction based literature, but it seems out of place here, in what seems an attempt at an autobiography. Maybe she's just trying to cash in on "The Lord of the Rings" franchise in having lengthy discussions with Gruedur the Elfin King about what to do when her children were misbehaving, or perhaps she was persuaded by the publishing house to include a trip to the Forbidden Realm to unlock the secrets of the Island of Mysteriouso. Whatever the reasoning behind this is, it makes the reader question both the message of the piece, as well as Ms. O'Donnell's sanity. I mean, really, what can one think when Rosie utters (in Chapter Eight), "I don't know what more I can do for Stacie! Perhaps Smitthy the Articulate Earthworm might be able to help! Yes, I will make haste to his secret lair immediately!" What makes this all so frustrating is the understanding that this could have been such a good, honest, albeit short, book had any of this extraneous material been left out. Instead of teaching Stacie how to fly using her magic fairy dust, maybe she could have explained how she'd simply spoken to Stacie in an attempt to help the young girl find herself. And instead of her fictitious battles with the countless number of fire-breathing dragons or ogres, maybe she could have explained her heated arguments with the network executives. She seems to think that analogies from sword-and-sorcery materials are the only way in which a story can be told. Unfortunately, they come across as muddled or contextually absurd (i.e. there are very few remaining warlocks in Florida). Although this book was disappointing, to be honest it was no great surprise. Her previous book, "Kids are Funny" was also filled with this sort of imagery, with a child saying something sweetly humorous only to be quickly devoured by a maniacal goblin. Or in her "Bosom Buddies : Lessons and Laughter on Breast Health and Cancer" in which she constantly restates, "THE WINGED SERPENTS OF MALOCAR DO NOT GET BREAST CANCER" (yes, the all bold type is hers). With that understood, and with a reader who is willing to take the time to translate her analogies, metaphors, or even her occasional bursts of ancient Icelandic text, one can come to figure out the basic messages in Ms. O'Donnell's work. But for the vast majority of the people who pick up this book, they will find themselves either sufficiently disappointed by the piece, or simply find it far too confusing. Best to stick with the magazine or the TV show.
Rating: 
Summary: Get over it , already
Review: Like Rosie's the only person in the world whose lost a parent at a young age? This is one of those books, which if it didn't have a celebrity name on the cover, would have a difficult time finding a publisher. Poorly written, even more poorly conceived, this book is one large waste of paper. Deal with it Rosie, then get over it already. Even the library should save its money on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Rosie-Ro-Roseann-The Real Person, not the celebrity.
Review: There are a few 1-2 star reviews for this book saying that you don't get to know Rosie. Let me tell you, you get to know Rosie. She was obsessed with helping this woman with MPD and it consumed her life for almost a year. She also flashes back to her childhood-what she can remember. But if you are looking for a book to see what her favorite foods/movies are you aren't going to get it here. This book is much deeper than that (I suggest you find a fan-based website.) At the end of the book I wanted just hug her-what a great afternoon read.
Rating:
Summary: Startling insight to the "Queen of Nice"
Review: At first,I was dismayed to see Rosie O'Donnell enter the ranks of 'celebrity autobiographies'. As a long time fan of the commediane I was courious to read more about the beginnings she briefly alludes to from time to time. The "dream come true" story of her life seemed to be the stuff of great reading, but I had no idea. Ro, as she tells the reader she is usually called, is very up front about the incident that is the common thread throughout this book. It is facinating to read as she tries to unravel the troubled life of a stranger, and she intertwines the pathos of her own childhood within the story. She is very frank, and very revealing, without going on and on. She talks openly about the loss of her mother, the loss of her father(although he is still alive) the people who came into her life and carried her throughout those sad and lonely years, the search for self. It was a priveledged glimpse into the life of someone I have in my home on a regular basis, and makes no apology for the life she lives. She is loyal and treats all that she includes in her life, the same, whether they be fameous, or just beloved. She seems just as I thought, a gifted commediane,who has an enormous capacity for giving, and honesty, who has continued on despite difficulties, and who seems to always hang on to her belief that there is good and joy to be found. I was not disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the Rosie I expected at all...
Review: Though the book was written with a style that only Rosie O'Donnel could, this book left me with an incredible empty feeling. I finished the book wondering what Rosie was trying to accomplish by even writing this book. I can totally relate to the drama life can bring such as losing a parent, but one must deal and go on. Rosie never showed me in her book that she did go on. She never keyed in on her strong bond between her and her children or her and Kelli. Though I don't want to know all about Rosie, I thought her book did nothing more than expose all of her weakeness. The book led you on a bizarre journey, one that left you totally and completely disappointed. I hated the book and where it eventually ended up. Rosie just opened the door for all the unstable people in America to call her at home. I guess this just wasn't what I was expecting from Rosie and was sadly disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Rosie needs to find herself first...........
Review: I pretty much avoid the purely celebrity subject books but Rosie O'Donnel's such a unique personality that I made an exception. Her crusades, her honesty, her passion and her openness all work to create a special buzz about the woman and I have to admit I was interested in seeing how her worldview developed and something about her early life. Rosie O'Donnel is all about making points. So it was no surprise as she began flogging her book that she made a distinct point about how this book was not about her sex life. That is certainly true. The problem is, it's not really about anything else, either. After reading this book, I'm still clueless about her early life or how her worldview developed.. Reading this book did precious little to inform or edify about Rosie the person. This is a very frustrating book. While the fact Rosie was abused as a child is well known, and, presumably, those experiences would be informative as to how her personality and politics developed, the whose issues is summed up in this sentence: "I was an abused child". That's it! A dozen pages are dedicated to her tattoos and love for arts and crafts, but her child abuse gets one very short sentence? It's absurd. There are some genuinely interesting sections. When Rosie writes about her mother, the book is truly moving. Yet, these sections are also frustrating. That Rosie deeply loved her mother is clear. How her mother influenced and shaped her is in complete absence. As for her father, his shortcomings are noted. Period. There's a lot about the problems she had in various relationships but nothing really about what those relationships meant to her or how they formed her ways of viewing the world and her fellow beings. There's a ton on her crusade for adoption, but again, that's all abut adoption and not about Rosie. In the end one is left with no sense for the woman at all beyond that which casual attendance upon her TV show would convey. Note to Rosie: no one else can "find you" till you find yourself!
Rating:
Summary: A Clearer Understanding
Review: I now have a clearer understanding of how much Rosie has been hurting since her mother's death. To watch her speak of her, you know she's in pain, but the reason she does some things, it all goes back to her mother. The idea to put this experience down on paper was brilliant. It only shows even more how much of a humanitarian she is. The book is a quick read and enthralls you until you are done. Anyone that has a close relationship with their mother or daughter should read the book.
Rating:
Summary: An honest book
Review: I liked Rosie before she was ROSIE.In a way she seemed childlike and full of wonder but with a touch of sadness. Now I have a better understanding of that sadness. She has a lot of talent and writing honestly is certainly one of them. Her book just flows. She warns you when it may get too weird but I bet everyone will just carry on with it. Her story of Stacey and her mother Barb IS strange but the way Rosie relates it, it is riveting. And when Stacey's secret comes out, Rosie's reaction is very telling and shows the type of person she really is. I admire her and wish her all the best. She's just beginning to struggle with her past but really trying. She seems to have her priorities in order and that plus her joy in life should see her through. I look forward to another book.
Rating:
Summary: Find Yourself
Review: At first, I wasn't sure how to rate this book. To be honest, it isn't like anything I have read (and I have read a lot as an English major in college and grad school). I bought this book thinking it would be a sensational summer read by a famous pop culture icon. Could I have been more wrong. Sure, I had heard the media's early synopsis of this book, basically hyping 30 or so words in the printed edition. Instead, what I found was a modern day Ecclesiastes-a real person's search for "me"aning in the world. I felt guilty reading this book, feeling as if I had obtained Rosie's personal journal. How one woman could be so courageous to share such truthfulness, I will never understand. If you are looking for juicy details of her past, you won't really find that here. What she reveals are the juicy details we all battle with in our own lives - our pains, sorrows, joys, battles, struggles, weaknesses, strengthens, habits, lusts, desires, and most of all, the concequences of our choices. This book is a must for anyone searching for meaning in the world today. Personally, I am not a victim of the type of abuse mentioned in this book, but I am a victim of the same world she lives in. I just wish I could talk to Rosie and discuss the meaning I found in this book! Rosie, if you read this, thank you!
Rating: 
Summary: I wanted more!
Review: Rosie is a very strong person...so I thought. The perception you have of her on TV everyday is not what or who she is in real life. And I would never have thought that before I read this! I use to love Ro when she first started, then I thought she was becoming too big for herself & now I have have read the book, all in one night, I know that she really is just the same Ro that she has always been. The only thing is that she can't ever really let you see it for yourself. She keeps herself well protected! Read & Find out!!!
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