Bits and Pieces
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An instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller!
From multi-award winner Whoopi Goldberg comes a new and unique memoir of her family and their influence on her early life.
If it weren’t for Emma Johnson, Caryn Johnson would have never become Whoopi Goldberg. Emma gave her children the loving care and wisdom they needed to succeed in life, always encouraging them to be true to themselves. When Whoopi lost her mother in 2010—and then her older brother, Clyde, five years later—she felt deeply alone; the only people who truly knew her were gone.
Emma raised her children not just to survive, but to thrive. In this intimate and heartfelt memoir, Whoopi shares many of the deeply personal stories of their lives together for the first time. Growing up in the projects in New York City, there were trips to Coney Island, the Ice Capades, and museums, and every Christmas was a magical experience. To this day, she doesn’t know how her mother was able to give them such an enriching childhood, despite the struggles they faced—and it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood that Whoopi learned just how traumatic some of those struggles were.
Fans of personal memoirs such as Finding Me by Viola Davis and In Pieces by Sally Field will be touched by Bits and Pieces: a moving tribute from a daughter to her mother, and a beautiful portrait of three people who loved each other deeply. Whoopi writes, “Not everybody gets to walk this earth with folks who let you be exactly who you are and who give you the confidence to become exactly who you want to be. So, I thought I’d share mine with you.”
An instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller!
From multi-award winner Whoopi Goldberg comes a new and unique memoir of her family and their influence on her early life. Includes a new foreword by bestselling author Adriana Trigiani and a note from the author.
If it weren’t for Emma Johnson, Caryn Johnson would have never become Whoopi Goldberg. Emma gave her children the loving care and wisdom they needed to succeed in life, always encouraging them to be true to themselves. When Whoopi lost her mother in 2010—and then her older brother, Clyde, five years later—she felt deeply alone; the only people who truly knew her were gone.
Emma raised her children not just to survive, but to thrive. In this intimate and heartfelt memoir, Whoopi shares many of the deeply personal stories of their lives together for the first time. Growing up in the projects in New York City, there were trips to Coney Island, the Ice Capades, and museums, and every Christmas was a magical experience. To this day, she doesn’t know how her mother was able to give them such an enriching childhood, despite the struggles they faced—and it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood that Whoopi learned just how traumatic some of those struggles were.
Fans of personal memoirs such as Finding Me by Viola Davis and In Pieces by Sally Field will be touched by Bits and Pieces: a moving tribute from a daughter to her mother, and a beautiful portrait of three people who loved each other deeply. Whoopi writes, “Not everybody gets to walk this earth with folks who let you be exactly who you are and who give you the confidence to become exactly who you want to be. So, I thought I’d share mine with you.”
“Bits and Pieces shows the rise of a beloved performer, and is a tribute to the loved ones who supported her along the way.”
People
A Publishers Lunch Pick of Books in the News
An AARP Magazine Editors’ Pick of Big Books of Spring
A BookBub Editors' Pick of Spring's Best Biographies & Memoirs
A Library Journal Pick of Most Anticipated Memoirs in Audio
An Entertainment Tonight Pick of Best Celebrity Memoirs of 2024
The Root Pick of the Month's Black Books We Can't Wait to Read
A Barnes & Noble bestseller
An Apple Books Pick of the Month
A Barnes & Noble Favorite Indie Book of the Week
A #1 Audible.com bestseller
A USA Today bestseller
A #1 Amazon.com bestseller
An Apple Books Top Audiobooks Bestseller
A New York Times bestseller
A Vulture.com Pick of 11 Great Audiobooks of the Month
An NPR Pick of the Day
A Libby Life Pick of 20 New Books
A She Knows Pick of Celebrity Memoirs
A Hasty Book List Pick
A Barnes & Noble Pick of 2024's Best Books (So Far)
An Audible Editors Top Pick of Best Listens of 2024 (So Far)
A Midwest Indie Bestseller
A Mocha Girl Read Pick of the Month
A First Coast Senior Living Pick of Summer Reads
A FiveBooks.com Pick of Best Audiobooks of 2024 (So Far)
An Audible Best Audiobook of the Year
A 2024 AudioFile Best Audiobook of the Year for Biography & Memoir
Nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Biography/Autobiography
A Town & Country Magazine Pick of Best Celebrity Memoirs of 2024
A Booklist Editors’ Choice of Best Adult Audiobooks of 2024
A BookBub Pick of 13 Celebrity Memoirs That Shocked the World
Winner of the 2025 Audie Award for Best Narration by the Author
A BuzzFeed Books Pick of 17 of the Most Gut-Wrenching and Shocking Revelations That Celebrities Shared in Their Memoirs
A Biography.com Pick of 33 Best Memoirs That Are Nothing Short of Inspiring
An Us Weekly Pick of 7 Celebrity Memoir Revelations About Other Stars
An Audible Pick of the Best Audiobooks to Give and Hear This Mother's Day
A Kirkus Reviews Pick of New Memoir on Audiobook: 3 Critic's Picks
An Audible Pick of the Best Audiobooks to Give and Hear This Mother's Day
An instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller!
From multi-award winner Whoopi Goldberg comes a new and unique memoir of her family and their influence on her early life.
If it weren't for Emma Johnson, Caryn Johnson would have never become Whoopi Goldberg. Emma gave her children the loving care and wisdom they needed to succeed in life, always encouraging them to be true to themselves. When Whoopi lost her mother in 2010-and then her older brother, Clyde, five years later-she felt deeply alone; the only people who truly knew her were gone.
Emma raised her children not just to survive, but to thrive. In this intimate and heartfelt memoir, Whoopi shares many of the deeply personal stories of their lives together for the first time. Growing up in the projects in New York City, there were trips to Coney Island, the Ice Capades, and museums, and every Christmas was a magical experience. To this day, she doesn't know how her mother was able to give them such an enriching childhood, despite the struggles they faced-and it wasn't until she was well into adulthood that Whoopi learned just how traumatic some of those struggles were.
Fans of personal memoirs such as Finding Me by Viola Davis and In Pieces by Sally Field will be touched by Bits and Pieces: a moving tribute from a daughter to her mother, and a beautiful portrait of three people who loved each other deeply. Whoopi writes, "Not everybody gets to walk this earth with folks who let you be exactly who you are and who give you the confidence to become exactly who you want to be. So, I thought I'd share mine with you."
Praise