Performing hundreds of film and television roles as the “Mama” to characters portrayed by stars like Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, and Taraji P. Henson cemented Jenifer Lewis’s status as “the Mother of Black Hollywood.”

When she experiences an emotional breakdown while filming The Temptations, her quest for wholeness becomes a harrowing yet inspiring tale that includes revelations of bipolar disorder.

This gripping memoir is filled with insights gained through a unique life that offers a universal message: “Love yourself so that love will not be a stranger when it comes.”