The Way I Am

by Eminem

Chart topping-and headline-making-rap artist Eminem shares his private reflections, drawings, handwritten lyrics, and photographs in his New York Times bestseller The Way I Am

Fiercely intelligent, relentlessly provocative, and prodigiously gifted, Eminem is known as much for his enigmatic persona as for being the fastest-selling rap artist and the first rapper to ever win an Oscar. Everyone wants to know what Eminem is really like-after the curtains go down. In The Way I Am , Eminem writes candidly, about how he sees the world. About family and friends; about hip-hop and rap battles and his searing rhymes; about the conflicts and challenges that have made him who he is today.

Illustrated with more than 200 full-color and black-and-white photographs-including family snapshots and personal Polaroids, it is a visual self-portrait that spans the rapper's entire life and career, from his early childhood in Missouri to the basement home studio he records in today, from Detroit's famous Hip Hop Shop to sold-out arenas around the globe. Readers who have wondered at Em's intricate, eye- opening rhyme patterns can also see, first-hand, the way his mind works in dozens of reproductions of his original lyric sheets, written in pen, on hotel stationary, on whatever scrap of paper was at hand. These lyric sheets, published for the first time here, show uncut genius at work. Taking readers deep inside his creative process, Eminem reckons with the way that chaos and controversy have fueled his music and helped to give birth to some of his most famous songs (including "Stan," "Without Me," and "Lose Yourself").

Providing a personal tour of Eminem's creative process, The Way I Am has been hailed as "fascinating," "compelling," and "candid."

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Music, Memoir, Autobiography, Hip Hop, Biography Memoir

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2008

About the author

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known as Slim Shady and his primary stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award-winning American rapper, record producer and actor. Having sold over seventy million albums worldwide, Eminem is one of the highest-selling rappers of all time.

Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP. The following album, The Marshall Mathers LP, became the fastest-selling hip hop album in history, followed by an increasing amount of popularity, critical praise, as well as controversy. While Eminem has won many Grammy Awards, been praised for having "verbal energy", high quality of lyricism and been ranked at number nine on MTV's list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, #13 on the MTV's "22 Greatest Voices in Music" and #82 on Rolling Stone's "The Immortals" he has often been infamous for the controversy surrounding many of these lyrics, including allegations of glorifying homophobia, misogyny, and violence.

Reviews

[sarah سارة ꫂ᭪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

y'all remember my eminem screaming and creaming era bc we're so back
anyways idec 5 stars bc he's fine as hell

"I'm tired of all you
I don't mean to be mean but that's all I can be it's just me
And I am whatever you say I am
If I wasn't then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news, everyday I am
...I don't know, that's just the way I am"

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

pre-read .ᐟ.ᐟ

PLEASE MY FAVORITE HUSBAND WROTE A BOOK?????
HOW AM I JUST NOW LEARNING ABOUT THIS 😭😭😭😭😭
when i get my hands on this ur feed is gonna be filled with me

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a HUGE Eminem fan and therefore I am extremely biased so I'm not expecting anyone to take this review seriously... But whatever.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. Em's brand of humour is all over it, the pictures are amazing and rare, and his stories from his past tours are hilarious. The absolute best part is the scanned lyric sheets. You ACTUALLY get to see the work of a genius (told you I was biased). You can actually see this jumble of chicken-scratch writing, in different coloured pens scattered all over the page (who needs to follow lines on a paper when you're Eminem?)... and somehow that turned into a song we all know and love. As an Em fan, it's the greatest thing ever, to actually see where songs came from. A-MAZ-ING. Every Eminem fan MUST own a copy of Eminem: The Way I Am.

PS - Mine came with a bonus DVD which was equally as awesome as the book.

[Johnny Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not big into bio's because I don't feel many celebrities have anything significant to offer, mostly because they lead such different lives than normal people (over the course of time). It becomes hard to relate to their story. Marshall Mather's story is equally difficult to relate to, on both sides of the spectrum, from dirt poor working at Little Ceasars to practical billionaire. But it's the honest telling of the drastic difference from welfare to uber fame that makes it so entertaining. We get to catch a glimpse of what it's like to be ridiculously famous. And I'm glad I'll never be there or live that life. This is the book's largest appeal, and to a lesser degree, big fans of Eminem will get a kick of his history, album to album, the movie, public stuff, beef and all that I don't keep up with, and where he's at now. I'm a fan of his music but I'm not really into what people eat for breakfast, which is why I don't bother reading bios. I had a feeling this one would be honest though, and it is. My family is wealthy but they didn't come from a lot so I had a job as soon as I was old enough, so I respect and relate on a certain degree. While it's definitely not to the point I would stop him in public for an autograph, I'll definitely always give his tracks a run or two hundred. An honest and compelling bio.

[imane · Rating 5 out of 5]

لست معجبة بامينيم كمغني راب لكن ككاتب كلمات كشخص عاش حياة قاسية وقرر ان يصبح شخصا جيدا كاب رائع لثلاث بنات يحاول ان يوفر لهن ما حرم منه في طفولته (جو عائلة منزل استقرار مستوى مادي مناسب تعليم حنان اب) . وانت تستمع الى اغانيه تحس بصدق ما يقوله كانه يتحدث عن قصته الخاصة يشاركك جزء من حياته. المضحك في الامر امينيم مغني الراب المشهور قال عن نفسه انه في طفولته كان شخص غير اجتماعي هادئ و خجول وان الغناء وسيلته لتجاوز خجله كما انه اشتكى من المعجبين الذين ينسون ان اشهر مغني راب يبقى مجرد انسان عادي لديه الحق في بعض الخصوصية. تحدث في الكتاب عن طفولته عن موت صديقه بروف عن حبه للراب عن بعض المواقف المضحكة عن تجربته في التمثيل عن الظروف القاسية التي عاشها في حياته و جعلت منه شخصا سريع الغضب لا يستطيع التحكم في اعصابه عن طريقة كتابة كلمات اغانيه....امينيم قال انه يجد صعوبة في قراءة كتاب بدون صور ربما لذلك كتب كتابا مليئا بالصور تحدث فيه عن نفسه بصدق. استمتعت جدا بقراءة الكتاب.

[Jennifer Defoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what I expected out of this book. I used to LOVE Eminem and not that I don't like him now but I'm not really into rap like I used to be. So for me reading this took me back to the time when I was into all of that stuff.

I think the book was fairly well written. Being a rapper it seems obvious that Eminem has a way with words, but the way he says things is so simple. He doesn't sugar coat or try to play around the issue. He says what he needs to say and that's it.

One thing I really liked about this book was it made him seem human. Underneath all of the bad boy image there's a man that is just like any other man you may know. Trying to be a good father, and living a real life. I think that being the star that he is people seem to forget that he's just a normal guy who happened to make it. I think this book did a real good job of making that point.

Overall I was pretty happy with the book. It was a quick read, and it wasn't confusing. I hate books that jump all over the place all the time and this was very linear. So not the best book I've ever read, but no where close to the worst either.

[Ben Westhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eminem is a great storyteller, and knows how to self-mythologize. Even casual fans know his story, as well as the names of his daughter, ex-wife, and murdered best friend. He makes you care about him, without wallowing in self-pity. This isn't exactly the same thing as being a skilled memoirist, however. Though "The Way I Am" has lots of interesting details and anecdotes, it's glossy, both literally and figuratively. Almost every page has photos, and it's not written chronologically. Whole sections of his life are skimmed over, and it's often difficult to understand how he got from here to there. Still, I enjoyed it. For the most part he doesn't shy away from ugly episodes, including those of his own making. Could I have used more about what inspired him to write a song about murdering his wife while his daughter watched? Yes. Maybe his advancing years will inspire greater self-reflection. I look forward, someday, to his proper memoir.

[Jovan Johnson]

he is the best rapper alive.

[Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Way I Am" is an amazing book full of inside personal details that can only be told by the amazing rapper himself. He describes his early life and career through 2008. When the autobiography came out, he was in a musical hiatus and all he could say in the book was that he was "working on new stuff." Since then he has come out with three albums.

The autobiography itself is set up perfectly. He describes every aspect of his life and all three of his alter-ego's. He has countless personal pictures throughout the book and to top it all off he threw in a bunch of his original rhyme sheets that depict some of his very first songs.

I can only recommend this peice of amazingness to everyone that is breathing. It is the life of a true american genius that started with nothing and came out on top, told by the man himself. Every question that you could ever ask him is answered in his autobiography.

[~:The N:~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Houdini totally brought back my love for Eminem's music. Slim Shady is back, yo!

But honestly the Temporary music video truly ignited my desire to seek out this book. I've been familiar with Hailie Jade since her childhood days in Mockingbird—or was it '97 Bonnie & Clyde? Witnessing Eminem's emotional tears at Hailie's wedding hit me right in the feels. Plus, how cool is it that Eminem is going to be a grandpa now? I'm just happy that he broke the cycle of abuse and poverty and made a better life for his daughters.

This book was penned in the wake of the tragic passing of Proof, Eminem's closest friend and confidant, in 2006. However, it remains unclear whether it was completed after Eminem's own near-fatal overdose in 2007, as the book was published in 2008. While there is a brief mention of his time in rehab, I find myself wishing he had elaborated on his journey to sobriety, particularly if the book was written post-recovery. Nevertheless, the narrative offers a captivating glimpse into his childhood, his ascent to becoming one of the world's foremost rappers, and the creative process behind his music. One chapter especially resonates with me, as it reveals notes filled with ideas that would later blossom into some of his most iconic lyrics.

This memoir is certainly intriguing, yet for true stans, it may not fully satisfy your desire for a deeper understanding. It also feels more like a tribute to Proof. In fact, immersing yourself in his music might provide richer insights into his experiences than this book can offer. However, I do appreciate the abundance of photographs included, as Eminem himself candidly shares his preference for visually enriched reading, ensuring that his own memoir is filled with images that resonate.

[Kat Jacobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big time Eminem fan I absolutely enjoyed the book, the background information especially concerning his writing process and insights in the real person behind the figure Eminem. This is a fairly short book with lots of pictures, I would have wished for even more intimate details but still this book is worth 5 stars. However, please keep in mind that I may be slightly biased (because Eminem is the Rap God and who wants to have an argument with God?)

[Pallavi Chamarthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book really vapid and bland. There's nothing new - stuff most people already know. He talks mostly about his career and lists names of a bunch of underground rappers that aren't even a part of my generation. He did offer some analysis behind his lyrics but, like I mentioned before, nothing surprising. And certainly not a page-turner.

It's important to note that it was written a while ago...2004 or 2005? He's unmistakably changed over the past five years, maturing and evolving as an artist. There was still a "Slim Shady" when the book was published, even though his existence was starting to fall apart.

I did, however, admire the candidness and genuine tone. This guy has been through a lot, and he says everything in a straightforward, easy-to-comprehend manner. It's kind of interesting to see where his songs and musical talent stems from. Plus, there were several exclusive photographs on each page. I think I actually spent more time looking at the pictures than reading the text.

At one point, I was a huge Eminem fan...but ever since Slim Shady went away, I haven't been as enthusiastic. I still think, though, that Eminem is a lyrical genius and a pioneer of a whole new style of music. I was hoping to gain more knowledge about his life by reading this, but it just didn't happen.

I guess my expectations for The Way I Am were too high. The past couple of months, I've been on a winning streak, reading all sorts of fantastic novels & autobiographies. This particular read didn't exactly meet that standard...


-Pallavi Chamarthy

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t just an autobiography. It’s a work of art containing personal memories, lots of photos and some original lyric sheets. I love that the editor allowed his personality and humor to shine through. It’s like you can hear him talking when you read it.

Eminem is incredibly humble, and it says a lot that he’s remained down to earth despite his fame. I enjoyed learning more about his history, his inspiration and what makes him tick.

As someone with social anxiety, I actually feel quite sorry for him that he cannot leave his house without being mobbed so he often doesn’t leave at all. I’d like to think if I ever saw him in public I would behave myself, but I know it’d be hard to not at least gawk.

[Madison Hanneman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally, I loved this book. It was fun and super easy to read because there were many different pictures and different fonts. I am a big fan of Eminem, so it was really interesting to me to read about his life and all of his accomplishments. The book was written by Eminem himself, so everything in it was true and I could learn from his perspective of things that happened in his life. I think this book would appeal most to people who are fans of him or who are into rap music. Most of his fans are teenagers or in their early 20s.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the photos of his actual lyric notes. This is not a beginning to end story of his life but rather interesting tidbits and facts. I loved it.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo releí pues lo había hecho hace 7 años pero había olvidado algunos detalles. Amo el libro porque captura su esencia completamente, se siente como si el estuviera contando una historia sentado frente a ti. Me hizo reír mucho (pues amo su sentido del humor), llorar, me encantaron los detalles sobre la música y como mostró su lado vulnerable, me encantan las fotos (algunas no las recordaba). Sobretodo una gran historia de superación.

El libro siento que será más interesante para personas que saben un poco del rap o de la música de Eminem.

[Jake Wambaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eminem's travels have come near death and also greatness. His life will never be forgotten. Eminem's takes us on a journey through his life mapped out like a timeline. He tells us about the bullying he used to face every single day at school, his father absence in his life, and his less than satisfactory childhood.
As he talks about his life down the road he mentions his battle with prescription drugs and his anger problems. But not all of Em's life was so negative. We get a look at his success on stage and him being a father to his daughter, Hailie and his niece Alaina. Eminem, obviously writing his book from experience, shows a remorseful tone at points and a proud unregretful tone at other times. That is the beauty of Eminem's attitude in this memoir. He knows he messed up at some points in his life and he is remorseful, but at other times he knows he made the decision he thought was right at the time and it made him who he is today so he does not regret it.
There are a few significant times in Em's life that made him who he was. One being how Eminem got his nickname and the image most people to know him as, "Slim Shady." In the midst of one too many extacy pills he poured peroxide all over his hair bleaching it. He went up to his producer and good friend "Dr. Dre," and he found Eminem's alter ego. This was what Slim Shady was supposed to look like. Another very important series of events in the memoir was his father being absent. He was raised by his grandmother and uncle because his father was gone and mother was not around too much. I think this was what made Eminem who he is today more than anything else. I know this from experience and from the viewing of his acting out, how he acted out, and when he snapped. This memoir was a very well written one. It was very relevant to today's society and so many people could relate to this story as I did. In my opinion Eminem did such a wonderful job of telling his life to anyone who cares to read it. He showed tremendous courage to put himself on the line like that. To be honest, this truly is the best book I have ever read.

[Vanessa.Fortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was something different, it was such an incredible book with so much detail. It was so crazy of what the artist himself said about his past that takes a lot of courage. The title itself says a lot The Way I Am, he speaks about his past and how he grew up very poor trying to achieve his dream as a MC or rapper. This is a different book because of his race which is a white American boy, many people judge him based off his skin color thinking he couldn't rap for shit. I really enjoyed this book because he's speaking the truth and it can inspire younger people who what to achieve the same goal as him.

[Ter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn this was a good book. Outside of my normal reading material but 100% in my lane of interests. I’ve been a big fan forever and the minute I knew there was a book of course it was on the way and I was reading it. This is a super cool look into his life and his reflections on the times at the time. I would kill for a second book now reflecting on then! Please em! A lot of this is reflection on career mentality and people in hip hop. Don’t pick this up expecting a biography. It’s not. This is a reflection piece and I want more!

[آبگینه · Rating 5 out of 5]

《آنان که آثار نبوغ‌ آمیزی می‌آفرینند کسانی نیستند که در فرهیخته‌ترین محیط‌ها زندگی می‌کنند، و از درخشان‌ترین گفت‌و‌گوها برخوردارند، و دارای گسترده‌ترین فرهنگ‌اند، بل کسانی‌ که توانسته‌اند یک‌باره از زندگی کردن برای خودشان دست بردارند و شخصیتشان را به صورت آینه‌ای درآورند، به گونه‌ای که زندگی‌شان، هر چه قدر هم که می‌توانست از نظر اجتماعی و حتی به تعبیری، از نظر فکری، پیش پا افتاده باشد، در آن آینه بازتابد، چه نبوغ در توانایی بازتابیدن نهفته است و نه در کیفیت ذاتی نمایشی که بازتابانده می‌شود.》
-در سایه‌ی دوشیزگان شکوفا، مارسل پروست

You know what I'm sayin' ? ;)

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a diehard Eminem fan, but I do find some of his music and much of his life fascinating. I know next to nothing about hip hop, and a lot of this book assumes that you know certain artists or events or terms, so I likely wasn't the target audience. Overall, I enjoyed it and feel that I learned a bit about hip hop and a bit about Eminem. The book itself is designed beautifully with photos and graphics- I found it very impressive.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm certainly not a big rap fan, I do like some of Eminem's music, and I also love reading musician's autobiographies. This one is a little different to say the least. If you can get past the street slang and invectives, it's definitely interesting to read about Marshall Mathers' rise to fame. I think he's a lot smarter and more talented that many people might think.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm only partially through this book, but I'm enjoying the straight-forward style. I loved the paragraph where Eminem writes that he is a regular suburban dad, taking care of the kids, doing stuff around the house and mowing the lawn. Then he says that he mows the lawn naked with a chainsaw. There is always a quick wit lurking around the edges of his writing.

[Amy Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Eminem speaks his honest truth. Everything he says or does is his life but even the bad mistakes that he makes, he admits them and tells the world so that the world can accept his change that he know has. Eminem is the one and only idol i look up to, maby not so much because of his past but now. now he is awesome!

[Mrinal Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marshall Mathers is an inspiration to everyone-a fan or not. Not everyone gets to stand up and fight against the difficulties presented in our lives, let alone win. He makes it possible for everyone to believe that they can be whoever they want to be, regardless of who they are now.
A great read, especially for a Stan.

[Serena Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Marshall B. Mathers describes some difficult and some joyful parts of his life. Events like Dr. Dre, his mom, and his 3 daughters are mentioned. His upcoming in Detroit, Michigan as a battle rapper is a point he wants people to know. He even goes as far as throwing hints towards the rumors of him and Mariah Carey going out.

[Stephanee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you would expect, Eminem was pretty candid in this autobiography. There's a lot of neat stuff in there. I was mainly reading this for nuggets of inspiration. It's pretty cool to see the chaotic way he writes down lyrics - makes me not feel so bad about my piles of random papers with half-written poems. Love Eminem, love the book.

[Trevor Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather shocked at Marshall's tale, but more shocked at the intimate notes he includes. This work focuses mostly on his friendship with Proof, as it was released shortly after his death, but also illustrates a very private life (not much of Kim... sorry!). Overall, a powerful and visual journey through the life of Slim.

[Jessica Luckey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because my brother is interested in eminem and it was very fascinating to see his past life and what he had to go through before his fame career and during his fame. career

[Mylene Potter]

Yo...Eminem is the best rapper.

[Toni FGMAMTC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eminem is so private. This is stories from him after Proof's death so it's gold. Actual stories from the man.