Yesterday I Cried: Celebrating the Lessons of Living and Loving (Hardcover)

by Iyanla Vanzant (Author) "DOES IT EVER STOP?..." (more)
Key Phrases: northern children, doing spiritual work, Aunt Nadine, Uncle Leroy, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
"Life is about cleaning up the crap and, while you're doing it, being okay with the fact that you have to do it.... A word of caution. You can't get caught up in the crap! If you do, you will surely lose sight of the real meaning of life and lose your Self."

Iyanla Vanzant knows plenty about dealing with just such "crap." She has led a difficult life, full of periods of abuse and self-loathing, but she has managed to learn "the lessons beneath the tears" and move beyond her grief and into understanding. In Yesterday, I Cried, she passes these lessons along, continually stressing that past hardships can and should be used to teach us how to grow, heal, and love others and ourselves. The message is one that has been echoed in her bestsellers One Day My Soul Just Opened Up and In the Meantime, but when presented as a memoir, the result is particularly moving.

As any regular Oprah viewer knows, Vanzant is a feisty and charismatic orator, and her no-nonsense style translates well into print. She is candid about her experiences without ever painting herself as a victim, effectively coming across as inspirational rather than preachy or self-pitying. The tone of the book is especially engaging because she seems to be actively working out her problems as she writes, gently pulling the reader into what becomes a mutual catharsis. "Of all things to master," she asks, "why did I have to pick tears?" By the end of Yesterday, I Cried, she finds the answer. And in searching the depths of her own soul, she encourages others to do the same.

Review
USA Today Iyanla Vanzant taps the universality of spiritual yearning. -- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (March 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068486424X
• ISBN-13: 978-0684864242
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (110 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #164,609 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully instructive, June 15, 2000

By	MarvelousMarla "MarvyM" (Way down in Dixie) - See all my reviews

It took me a while to finish this book because of its sheer emotional impact. It starts with a wonderful poem that describes the shedding tears that had long been held back. Iyanla lays herself bare before her readers and revisits her coming of age. With the harsh life that this woman endured -- sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, spousal abuse, poverty -- it is amazing that she emerged with her sanity, let alone the ability to minister to others.

The author draws upon her experiences to show her audience how to look for lessons in life's unpleasantness. She showed us how her upbringing caused her to internalize some damaging messages from her cruel grandmother, absentee father and an array of abusive lovers. The author explains her transformation from the much-abused Rhonda, to Iyanla the Yoruba Priestess and acclaimed author. And she does it in such a way that the readers know that they too can transcend their circumstances.

I found myself in tears a couple of times while reading this book. Tears may sometimes be viewed as a sign of weakness, but this is a tome about strength and courage. I applaud Iyanla's courage and thank her for sharing her wisdom.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant - A must read for every woman, November 15, 1999

By	Dana Joy (Alaska) - See all my reviews

This book is breath taking. For Iyanla to go thru such trials in her life, it is truly amazing that she still exsist. Her strength and determination is a lesson for all. I was so moved by each chapter, at times I just held the book to my chest and sighed. A lesson in the hard knocks of life that everyone human being can learn from. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Iyanla has moved me to the very core of my soul. I have highlighted special excerpt that I can use to reflect on my daily situations. Just a very inspiring book and a must for all to read.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE DAY I CRIED!, February 25, 2000

By	"nubiandimples" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yesterday I Cried: Celebrating The Lessons Of Living And Loving (Audio Cassette)

I had heard about vanzant through a number of people. Even though at the time I was still a skeptic I went and got the audio version. I would listen to it around the house but after a couple of minutes I had to give Iyanla my full attention. It as if she had watch my my entire preteen life (being that I am 19). To make a long story short it was as if she was speaking directly to me. Iyanla made me really believe that even though thing were not good in the past don't mean they have to be that way in the future. After I finished crying with her I put the past in the past and went our and enrolled in college. I am now in the middle of my sophomore year and in a few years I will have a degree in accounting. Most importantly I will be able to prove a better life for my son. Thank you so much Iyanla for giving me the push I needed to go ahead and face who I was so that I can see who I can be. P.S. I am no longer a skeptic