I Will Survive... and You Will, Too! [Hardcover]

Tammy Faye Messner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2003

Tammy Faye is known for many things, including her steadfast faith, the scandal that rocked a nation, and those now-infamous eyelashes. But above all, she is a survivor. No matter how often life tried to push her down, Tammy Faye always landed on her high heels. From her appearances on national shows such as Larry King Live and Today, to her guest spots on Hollywood Squares and the award-winning documentary The Eyes of Tammy Faye, she has proven that she is here to stay.

Tammy Faye's journey has been a bumpy one-including divorce, cancer, addiction, and depression-but she has triumphed over it all, with her makeup intact. In I Will Survive . . . , she candidly recounts the lessons she's learned, surprising and delighting us with her unique insight on such topics as forgiveness, faith, and fashion.

Chock-full of lists, quotes, makeup tips, and "Tammy Faye-isms," I Will Survive . . . is a one-of-a-kind handbook for living a fabulous life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Best known for her marriage to Jim Bakker and work developing several Christian television networks, Messner here offers her philosophy on life in a breezy, conversational fashion. She's now happily remarried, but still bears the scars of the scandal with Bakker, who went to prison over charges of mail fraud; their marriage culminated in divorce and financial ruin. However, she exults in being a survivor and believes that others, especially women, can benefit from her advice. Messner discusses makeup, love of shopping, weight loss, children and more. Only a few pages examine the end of her marriage to Bakker and the scandal over criminal activities, though Messner asserts her and her ex-husband's innocence: "We lost PTL and Heritage USA because another minister propagated lies about us and our ministry, and the media saw an opportunity for a huge story and ran with it. As hard as we tried, we did not have the money to fight the case against us. The lies had somehow become truth in people's minds...." She goes from past to present, recalling her childhood and her work building several Christian televangelical networks. Some of her advice is sound. "Be careful," she warns. "The people I most trusted have most betrayed my trust in them. And believe it or not, it was usually over money... money is soon gone, and you have lost something so much more important than money when you lose a good friend." Other times, she's silly and frivolous, apparently unintentionally: "I think almost every woman should own a wig. It makes every day a good hair day." Fans of Tammy Faye will relish this book, admiring her ability to endure tough times. However, many readers may find it hard to take her seriously.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Tammy Faye Messner helped build the three largest Christian television networks in the world: CBN, with Pat Robertson; TBN, with Paul Crouch; and PTL, with Jim Bakker. She has spent more than twenty-five years in television and now performs to sold-out audiences across the country.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (September 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585422428
• ISBN-13: 978-1585422425
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,247,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tammy's Little Book Of Thoughts & Advice, October 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: I Will Survive... and You Will, Too! (Hardcover)

I have been a fan of Tammy Faye since the PTL Club days. I use to watch her and Jim Bakker everyday on The Jim & Tammy Show on PTL. I have read all of her books. But out of her books this is probably my least favorite. I LOVED "Run To The Roar" it was a book that really changed my life on how to face my fears. She titles one of the chapters in this new book "Run Towards The Roar" but really never goes in full details of the story behind running to the roar. For those who haven't heard the story or read Run To The Roar I reccommend it.This book "I Will Survive" is a fun book. I enjoyed it very much. A few recipes, make up tips, wig tips, nail polish tips, bible scriptures, encouraging advice. Its more of a journal than a book on surviving personal trials though. The weakness of the book is some of the chapters are very short...and kinda leave you with a taste for more.But I do love the fact that it is a very simple book and very easy to read and understand. This one is a lot of fun...but instead of calling it "I Will Survive" it should be titled "Tammy's Little Journal For Inspiration". If you ever loved Tammy, pick it up. Its a lot of fun. If you want a book on the PTL scandal though & her biography..."Telling It My Way" is the book she wrote for that topic.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, August 25, 2005

By 

Hamlet Baboumi - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Will Survive... and You Will, Too! (Hardcover)

I have read alot of books in my life time and let me tell you the last thing you can call me is religious. However this is a great book. I have never cried reading a book and yet somehow Tammy Fay made me cry. Her book is candid, honest and real. She talkes to you as if you were having a cup of coffee in her kitchen. You will love reading her life story, I did.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tammy HAS survived!, January 24, 2004

By 

Duke Marine (Newbury Park, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Will Survive... and You Will, Too! (Hardcover)

FABULOUS book that could only of been written by Tammy!

Its not particularly deep as the title would suggest but it does touch points that I think anybody would understand and identify with. Its basically a collection of thoughts and feelings and stories. But they are unmistakably from Tammy Faye and her wit and sense of humor and general zest permeate everything! One of the truly well-written, personal books by a "celebrity" where one feels they really made a connection with the author.

As somebody whose interests in Tammy come from her role as a gay icon, not a televangelist, the book can get preachy at times and if you're not into reading the Bible you'd better avoid whole sections of the book as the Bible and Christian ideas are oft-quoted and Tammy is clearly rooted in her faith. But I really feel that her faith is as much a part of her as her false eyelashes! In fact she is one of those Christians that really have that inner light they are all striving for and even if you don't agree with the particulars of her religion she has an undeniably beautiful spirit.

OF COURSE most of the book IS about false eyelashes...and clothes and wigs and purses and shoes and shopping!

Its just a hilariously fun ride through the mind of a hilariously fun person who has seen and survived alot!