What a truly heartwarming tribute to Whoopi’s mom and brother! Being a long-time fan of Whoopi Goldberg, listening to "Bits and Pieces" was incredibly meaningful for me. It’s clear how much Whoopi’s mom shaped her into the amazing person she is today, and it sounds like her mom had quite the sense of humor too!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for giving me the chance to experience this audiobook. It brought me so much joy from start to finish!

Whoopi Goldberg delivers a memoir that is largely a tribute to her late mother Emma and to a lesser extent her brother Clive. Along the way she shares about growing up in the NYC projects, getting her start and becoming Whoopi. I absolutely love listening to the audio book as Whoopi delivers the narration like she is telling stories to a friend. It feels conversational.

Clearly Whoopi’s mother is one of the biggest influences on her life. She encouraged her in ways that were non-traditional that allowed Caryn form the projects to bloom into a major star, comedian, and EGOT winner. The anecdotes told often are pivotal moments in Whoopi’s stardom and includes big name drops like Stephen Spielberg, Mike Nichols, Elizabeth Taylor and more. But her mother is always part of the narrative. Emma is there to deliver a lesson on the side, or having a fangirl moment shared with Whoopi over the people they meet. I knew but didn’t realize that Emma takes over raising Whoopi’s daughter and grandchild as Whoopi is gaining her career. Whoopi does include some practical advice about grieving and clearing out things of a loved one.

This isn’t a full biography as a lot of things are skimmed or stepped past. There is no mention of romantic partners, only a passing reference to many marriages. Her father is barely mentioned when her mother is taken away for two years when she is a child. She mentions her drug use and says she was lucky to be able to move away from it on her own. Other than mentioning she is on The View there are no stories about the show.

I enjoyed the book, and I like Whoopi. I did learn some new things about her but not much I didn’t know previously. She has had a unique career in movies, tv, stand up, all while being a groundbreaking person of color. If you’re interested in Whoopi you’ll enjoy her story.

Whoopi Goldberg's narration of Bits and Pieces was phenomenal! It was a true joy to listen to this audiobook and hear her take her words and express them so beautifully with her honesty and her signature laugh.

This book is like a love letter to her mother and brother. Her mother sounded like a wise and determined woman and with every chapter you felt like you got to know her even more. And she shared so much wisdom that was instilled in Whoopi.

I loved how close this trio was: Whoopi, her mom, and her brother. They could make any day, any situation great. They always had fun no matter where they were and that is the beauty in family. I felt Whoopi's sadness when she talked about their deaths and how that impacted her to this day, but I appreciated her willingness to keep going. Like she admits, she could easily have stayed in bed and it could have overtaken her life, but she knew her mother and brother wouldn't want that for her.

This is a memoir that stood out and made an impact. Whoopi spoke and wrote candidly and gave her truth no matter how hard or tough it may have been because that just who she is. She talks about the hard things so that, like her mother, she can spread her wisdom. This is a perfect read for fans of Whoopi and readers who enjoy memoirs,

I love Whoopi Goldberg, so I was excited to listen to this audiobook. She is such an beautiful and authentic person. She is true to who she is unapologetically. This was a beautiful tribute to her mother and brother. I enjoyed getting to hear about her upbringing and stories of her childhood, as well as her life after she became a mom and her journey in Hollywood. Her mother seemed like a wonderful woman. This book had everything in it - advice, humor, and relatability. I love that she wrote this book the way that she thinks, because it felt like I was sitting around chatting with a friend. I found myself laughing at the funny parts and going through the other various emotions she displays in this book. Overall, this book was heartwarming and such a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll always love a celebrity memoir, especially when it’s read by said celebrity. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🎧

I received this ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of the audiobook from NetGalley | Blackstone Publishing.

Whoopie gives a small glimpse into her childhood, early acting, and the present. We learn how tightly knit her mother and brother were to her and how they were just pure supportive. I completely feel like this was a love letter to her mother and brother. And if you pick up the audiobook, you will see that. I loved getting her experience and her voice.

Their losses have impacted her, and she explains how and why. It's a compelling read, and it reminds us that we don't always get our loved ones for as long as we would like.

It almost felt like Karen Johnson was evolving into Whoopie Goldberg. What an interesting person and a great storyteller.

Whoopi lost both her mother and her brother, and this book is built around those events. I listened to the audio which was narrated by Whoopi herself. I highly recommend the audio, especially due to the stream-of-consciousness style of some of the chapters.

Whoopi relates how she and her brother grew up in the projects of NYC with their single mom. Her childhood seemed to be pretty great as her mom worked very hard and was often able to provide them experiences with museums, plays and books. Both Whoopi and her mom were voracious readers and I enjoyed hearing Whoopi talk about books, especially her love of science fiction. There were also some bad years during Whoopi's youth, but she should relate that to you herself.

This book often wandered off whenever Whoopi got the urge. I liked that-it works especially well on audio. I loved hearing about how her mother changed into a different person whenever she met a big celebrity. The story about Sidney Poitier was especially funny. Well, that and the time Marlon Brando visited Whoopi's house unexpectedly. Whoopi was laughing on the audio and I was laughing in real life. Whoopi spoke about times when she did drugs in the 70's, and then other drugs in the 80's and 90's. She's always so down to earth, you might think, as I did, that she never got into any trouble, but she definitely dipped her toes into trouble from time to time.

Towards the end, Whoopi reels the narrative back to how she felt when her mom passed, and she offered some advice that I thought was helpful. (My mom passed a little over 2 years ago, it's not an easy thing.) She then talked about losing her brother and how it didn't really hit home for her until much later. I understood that too...grief doesn't always work on a linear basis.

In the end, I enjoyed this short audio. I laughed, I teared up and I could relate to what this woman, (who has not one thing in common with me), had to say. It seems to me that if more people could find this type of common ground with each other, the world would be a much happier place. Whoopi's mom was truly extraordinary and after listening to this, I think Whoopi is too.

Highly recommended!

*ARC from publisher. Thank you!*

An absolutely wonderful story. This is a love letter to and about her beloved mother and brother. Lots of stories about her life as and how Karen Johnson became the person we know as Whoopi today. It was like listening to a friend (a very famous one) tell stories over a cup of coffee or on a walk. The audiobook was narrated by Whoopi herself and absolutely added to the experience. What an interesting and wonderful life she has lead.

Whoopi Goldberg's latest memoir is filled with touching and humorous tales of her mother and brother. I enjoyed learning more about the beloved actress and two people closest to her. It was great to have Whoopi narrate her book, lending to the feel that Whoopi is talking directly to the listener. Bits and Pieces is a poignant memoir with its themes of family, love, and self-discovery. A true celebration of the lives of Whoopi's mother and brother and the impact they continue to have on her life.