Customer Reviews

Creating Myself: How I Learned That Beauty Comes in All Shapes, Sizes, and Packages, Including Me

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I finished this book in one day. Impossible to put down. I received it in the mail, opened the box and that was it- I read the whole darn thing.

It is so well written and it was great to finally hear the truth through a child's eyes. Her truth. Her experiences.

I've heard the story about her sister Liv in both Bebe Buell's bio "Rebel Heart" (which I LOVE) and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". I've heard all the rumors and it is lovely to put the puzzle pieces together. What a story.

I was left sobbing my eyes out in the parts about her mother Cyrinda Foxe dying of cancer. Her perspective was honest and moving.

This is such a good read. You put it down feeling good. Feeling good about yourself and others.
Not to mention the great inside stories about some rock icons.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think it's a great read. It's very intersting and captivating while offering a very candid look at Mia's life. I definitely think it has the potential to positively influence readers in how they live their lives. The mixture of feelings is basically referring to the fact that Mia is brutally honest. While I appreciated her tell most (not all) tale others, as noted by these reviews do not. I think she is incredibly brave to write this book. I also think it's impossible for any reader to say that she complains too much about her mother when they clearly were not around to witness what I would describe as a trainwreck of a parent. Therefore, I would say my review of the book is that it is compelling and honest and I love it.

I want to start by saying that I did enjoy the book. I am a fan of Steven Tyler so I decided to buy the book, and I have read about Mia in her moms book, however into the book I realized there are alot of similarites in my life and Mia and those kept me reading until the sun came up.

My only problem with the book and its the reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because she seems to have no problem exposing her mom for the terrible parent that she feels she was, however she never even goes into why when she calls her father and asked him to live with him he said no. Why after the rehab could she not live with him? Where was he at any time? Why does she say that he did not like Dave as soon as he met him however he wanted her to marry this loser at his concert? Where is the parenting there? she seems to be a daddys girl, and I dont fault her for it, so am I, however this book is riddeled with horrid details of bad parenting on her mothers behalf, but pretty silent when it came to Steven Tyler. I understand he had a rock band, but she is his child, and if the Rock Band was more important than his daughters life and saftey why is this not an issue with her as much as it was her mother? Im sorry Mia, I have also been where your mom was, being divorced when you didnt want to be and being paralyzed from it, im fortunate not to have a child, but I cant imagine that I would be a good parent right now.

I love a book that makes you feel, and this book made me feel... So thank you Mia...

I went to Mia Tylers myspace page. I loved the pearl she speaks in the book " Not everyone who **** on you is your enemy and not everyone who gets you out of ****is your friend.... LOVE IT.

Again Thank You Mia, for telling your story for helping others and for keeping me into your book from cover to cover..

It's so rare for a book to be this good! I've always been such a bookworm too! I've read Mia's mom's, dad's, and Bebe Buell's books, so I was already familiar with everybody. Reading is the next best thing to experiencing many lives! Congrats, Mia! I'd just love to be able to mesmerize people like you!

Laura, what do you mean why was she so troubled? Didn't you read the book? She told us! In spite of Mia's rich and famous father, she was neglected terribly as a child. She didn't just randomly hate her mom, she was angry and hurt by her mom's lack of attention and lack of ability to love her. And her father, while loving, was largely absent and unable to help her in the way she needed.

This book was clearly written by someone young and, while mature in some ways, clearly not in others. I appreciate what she is trying to do for young people in validating overweight young girls. I appreciate more her search for acceptance and understanding about herself. I liked the one poem she chose to publish quite a lot.

Still, as she tells about her crappy first marriage you wonder why is this girl who is claiming to be so confident and strong marrying this creep?

So, the most problematic part for me is the feeling that even though we are supposed to view this as a finish act (creating myself), I am pretty clear that there is still a lot of creating to be done. I want to be her mother and offer her what she never got from her own mom. And, I wonder, will that gap ever be filled?

Strong willed, high spirited Mia, fighting her way through life. She is fearless, truthful and has a sense of humor about things that is refreshing. She is the master of her life. I admire her attitude and ability to rise above it all. Lots of great stories, very inspirational, some funny, some sad and touching, but all honest and real. Also some very sensible, sound advice. Mia is wise beyond her years. Seems like she has been to Hell and back. Welcome back, Mia, glad you made it: Great book.

I have looked forward to reading this book since I first heard about it. I know the author feels she poured out her heart and soul in an effort, I believe, to help others achieve a positive self-image without all the pain she endured. I hope she achieves success in that, since god knows there is plenty of room in this society for more self-worth. But knowing that Ms. Tyler was a plus-size model, and given the title of the book ("How I Learned that Beauty Comes in All Shapes, Sizes and Packages, Including Me"), it was my assumption that her story was one of combatting the evils of a society in which she was made to feel less worthy because of her size or appearance. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the author makes quite clear that she has absolutely no such issues: she is and has always been quite comfortable with who she is in that respect. So then what is this book really about?

I have the utmost admiration for Mia Tyler. It cannot have been easy growing up with a mostly absent rock star dad, a self absorbed and somewhat neglectful mom, and a gorgeous and incredibly talented older sister that she did not even know about until she was a pre-teen. Mia grew up in a world that prizes physical beauty and material possessions above all. Yet this young woman is mature, intelligent, funny and outspoken. One gets the distinct impression that she brought herself up and often acted the role of adult in quite a few situations she should not have had to. I enjoy her independence of spirit and her efforts to help young women with their self image and other issues. At the risk of sounding shallow, I have to say she is also a very beautiful woman, notwitstanding her so-called "plus size." But it is her beauty of spirit and independence that is truly impressive, especially given her background.

Nevertheless, I found it quite painful to read this book. The author is a woman who has abused drugs and alcohol, rehabbed, abused drugs and alcohol again, entered into destructive relationships, contemplated suicide, and mutilated herself. The huge question that begs to be answered is, "WHY?" Why would a young girl/woman who seems to have had everything: good schools, nice clothing, a father whom she admired and loved, an extended family that seemed to care for her, great friends, and the unlimited access and purchasing power provided by her father's gold card, engage in such self-destructive behavior? That question remains largely unanswered in this book. The closest we get is that Mia hated her mother, a hatred that seems to have continued until her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer a few years ago, at which point they both attempted to mend their relationship. But the pain that Mia describes started well before that sad episode. She began abusing drugs, alcohol and herself at quite a young age. And while I don't doubt her pain, I don't understand it any better having read this book.

Is this really just another tale of hedonism and excess? As a young girl, Mia had access to drugs and fame, with apparently very little supervision. She talks endlessly of her hard partying and her reckless behavior in situations she should never have been in. Because of who her father is, she was permitted free access to bars and clubs where her reckless behavior continued unabated. At the age of 18, her cocaine and other substance abuse landed her in a rehab facility, where she claimed to overcome her addictions. Shortly therafter, she began her hard partying ways again, though avoiding cocaine -- at least until the man she had married talked her into a multi-day cocaine binge. It all makes me wonder whether the pain Mia suffered led to her numbing herself with drugs, alcohol and meaningless relationships, or whether the pursuit of the next high and a life of pleasure gave rise to the emptiness and pain she so vividly describes.


Mia seems to be in a better place at the moment. She is divorced, in love again, and hard at work "creating herself": this time by way of a website in which she shares her experiences with her many myspace "friends" who feel they have learned from her struggles. That better place may be the real reason this book was written. Somehow though, I don't think she has really succeeded in "creating herself" or in learning many of life's hard lessons. I don't think that we have heard the end of Mia's struggles. I wish her happiness: we all deserve that. But I would hold off on reading the story until the sequel comes out.

Creating Myself: How I Learned That Beauty Comes in All Shapes, Sizes, and Packages, Including Me- By Mia Tyler. This is an amazing book that takes you on a journey of self discovery, real hurt and real people living life. This isn't a "tell all book" about her dad or life as a rock stars daughter, it is about how we as humans make mistakes, learn from them and if we are lucky enough we grow from them. Mia is a great story teller and a great role model. You can feel her pain and her triumphs. Great book all around.

I agree with the previous reviewer who mentioned how harsh Mia was on her mother, while giving her father a pretty broad pass. Why couldn't she live with him? She never asked why he could go on to have a new family and not want her around? Mia was really angry about her mother's book trashing her father for money, yet she turns around and does the same thing to her mother. There are so many inconsistencies in this book. For example, she bristles when her mother suggests that she use the last name Tyler instead of her birth name of Tallarico in order to get ahead, yet she uses Tyler when writing this book. Also, although she claims that she didn't read her mother's book, she goes into some detail about it's content. She paints her as an uninvolved, unconcerned mother, but describes many instances where her mother bailed her out of school trouble. She complains that her mother didn't make anything of her life, yet her big claim to fame at the ripe old age of 30 is that she spends alot of time on Myspace. Mia barely made it through high school but somehow feels that she is qualified to me an amateur therapist. Perhaps this book is written a bit prematurely. Mia describes drinking and taking pills after leaving rehab, and we never really know if she has kicked her demons.

I love books that inspire others to overcome life's trials and believe that life can hold unlimited possibilities for meaning, fulfillment, and happiness. It seems clear that Mia's goal in writing this book is to help struggling girls and young women. Her honest and authentic story encourages strength and perseverance in readers who may be searching for understanding and hope. A reader cannot help but to be encouraged to become an authentic individual and to create her own destiny. Mia's famous father and her own modeling career provide a platform for her to get her message out to those who may need a thoughtful message of overcoming. Mia's insight is revealed in her realization that she needed to make peace with her relationship with her mother. I imagine many people will be encouraged to put in the time and effort to resolve differences, hurts, and misunderstandings in their own fundamentally important relationships because of Mia's example. It takes courage to reveal intimate details of one's life. I wish Mia continued growth and happiness. Other inspirational books: Crossbearer: A Memoir of Faith, Five Wishes: How Answering One Simple Question Can Make Your Dreams Come True Five Wishes, and THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams