First published 2025
Cynthia Erivo opens her collection of personal reflections by revealing how she memorized the Wicked soundtrack years before auditioning, never imagining those songs would transform her career. The Tony and Grammy winner examines her path from learning those melodies in private to performing them on Broadway and beyond. She explores how the qualities others labeled excessive became her greatest strengths as a performer and person. Erivo connects her experiences running actual marathons to the endurance required for artistic pursuits, drawing parallels between physical and creative challenges. She advocates for trusting bodily wisdom and pursuing balance between mental and physical well being. Through candid stories about her growth as an actor and individual, she demonstrates how setbacks and mistakes contribute to personal development. The book encourages readers to pursue their ambitions despite obstacles, emphasizing that small consistent actions accumulate into meaningful progress toward our goals.
Genres: autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, personal-journey
Period: 2025
208 pages · Hardcover · Flatiron Books