A Piece of Cake: A Memoir
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Brown reads her own horrific memoir of childhood paradise lost, sexual degradation and drug-fueled bad times with a surprising twinkle in her eye. Having made it through to the other side and a stable life, Brown revisits the ugliest places in her past, her matter-of-fact voice refusing to shy away from any of the brutal details. Brown does not milk her story for sympathy (although that is implicit in its very telling); she merely chronicles its twists and turns, its tragic losses and terrible indignities, choosing to honor her past by exposing it in its entirety. Brown's voice is measured and wry, exposing the foibles of her own stunted good sense at the same time as she documents the heinous callousness of the adults who by turns mistreat and neglect her after the untimely death of her mother. Her reading lacks something in emotion and professionalism, but its no-nonsense quality is the mark of an unhurried, self-taught storyteller.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Cupcake (La'Vette) Brown went from the relative security of life in a working-class neighborhood of San Diego to hardship and uncertainty when, at the age of 11, her mother died. Her estranged biological father lost interest when an expected insurance payout didn't materialize, and Cupcake and her brother were left with a merciless foster mother and her abusive son. Unable to take the mistreatment, Cupcake drifted into a life of prostitution, drug addiction, gang affiliation, stealing, homelessness, and any available means of survival. Her salvation comes in an unlikely group of fellow addicts who encourage her to change. Brown takes the same fortitude it took to survive the streets and uses it to become a lawyer. Her story of survival and triumph is incredible and often rough. Readers who like gritty, urban nonfiction will enjoy this book. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
More About the Author
Cupcake Brown was born in San Diego, in the heart of the ghetto. After years of hard work and dedicated study, she achieved her ambition, graduating from law school in the spring of 2001. She now practices law at one of America's largest law firms and is a motivational speaker. She lives in San Francisco.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
192 of 201 people found the following review helpful
By
ProperGander News (Dr. Emil Shuffhausen)
on March 13, 2006
Format: Hardcover
1 Comment
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Before this book lifts your spirit and expands your understanding, it will break your heart...on two levels. Brown's personal story of being abused and neglected is a shattering one. If she were the only little girl in America that this had ever happened to, it would still be too much. But when the understanding of another reality sinks in--that there are hundreds of thousands of children out there still being abused as Cupcake Brown was--it's too much to take.
And yet, as you read through unimaginable (at at times, graphic) depictions of Brown's personal hell, you will find your respect and admiration for her growing, as she finally begins her slow ascent, out of the valley of the shadow of death, and into redemption. Coming out of awful abuse, and a life of prostitution on the street, and drug addiction, she finally seeks--and finds--hope, strength, and focus in her relationship with God.
To use a Bible phrase, she "sets her face like flint" to accomplish worthy goals: she gets clean from drugs, she works hard, goes to school, and finally graduates from law school. Today, she is a highly respected lawyer at a top California law firm and a much-sought after motivational speaker.
Re-read the above paragraph, and pause to think about it.
This is not an everyday story. Sadly, the thousands upon thousands of little girls and boys who experience similar tragedy and abuse in their lives never rise above the horrific aftermath. How did Cupcake Brown do it? What makes the outcome of her story so different? What can we all learn from this amazing lady?
Read the book and find out. Some may criticize her writing style or grammar. Not me. (Or is it "not I"? Dang grammar police got me confused. Er, they HAVE me confused.Read more ›
And yet, as you read through unimaginable (at at times, graphic) depictions of Brown's personal hell, you will find your respect and admiration for her growing, as she finally begins her slow ascent, out of the valley of the shadow of death, and into redemption. Coming out of awful abuse, and a life of prostitution on the street, and drug addiction, she finally seeks--and finds--hope, strength, and focus in her relationship with God.
To use a Bible phrase, she "sets her face like flint" to accomplish worthy goals: she gets clean from drugs, she works hard, goes to school, and finally graduates from law school. Today, she is a highly respected lawyer at a top California law firm and a much-sought after motivational speaker.
Re-read the above paragraph, and pause to think about it.
This is not an everyday story. Sadly, the thousands upon thousands of little girls and boys who experience similar tragedy and abuse in their lives never rise above the horrific aftermath. How did Cupcake Brown do it? What makes the outcome of her story so different? What can we all learn from this amazing lady?
Read the book and find out. Some may criticize her writing style or grammar. Not me. (Or is it "not I"? Dang grammar police got me confused. Er, they HAVE me confused.Read more ›
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56 of 60 people found the following review helpful
By
Bookreporter
on March 24, 2006
Format: Hardcover
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Let's face it. We all know the expression "You only live once." Or, "Anything is possible if you put your mind to it." No matter how many times we may say these types of things to our friends or to ourselves, there are just as many other times where we brush that "go get 'em" attitude aside in favor of the easy way out because we are too lazy, too afraid, too set in our ways to actually do what it takes to succeed.
In her relentlessly crushing yet ultimately uplifting debut memoir, Cupcake Brown relays the down-and-dirty details of her disaster-prone life with such vigor and frankness that readers will be shocked to realize that she actually made it far enough to work through her problems without giving in to the weight of them, let alone graduate magna cum laude from college (without a high school diploma, I might add), finish law school, pass the bar exam, and publish a bound-to-be bestselling book, all the while remaining completely sober. It is a wonder that one human being could accomplish so much given the circumstances.
When Cupcake was 11 years old, her mother died from an epileptic seizure at the age of 34. Not soon after, Cupcake and her brother Larry were taken from the only father they ever knew and sent to live with their real father, Mr. Burns. Despite the fact that Mr. Burns had never paid child-support or visited his children, he was given legal custody by the state of California. Rather than take care of the kids he never wanted in the first place, he shuffled them off to live in a foster home, run by a violent and viciously manipulative woman who had been accused of "accidentally" killing two of her charges a few years earlier, and whose nephew repeatedly raped Cupcake for his own sick pleasure.Read more ›
In her relentlessly crushing yet ultimately uplifting debut memoir, Cupcake Brown relays the down-and-dirty details of her disaster-prone life with such vigor and frankness that readers will be shocked to realize that she actually made it far enough to work through her problems without giving in to the weight of them, let alone graduate magna cum laude from college (without a high school diploma, I might add), finish law school, pass the bar exam, and publish a bound-to-be bestselling book, all the while remaining completely sober. It is a wonder that one human being could accomplish so much given the circumstances.
When Cupcake was 11 years old, her mother died from an epileptic seizure at the age of 34. Not soon after, Cupcake and her brother Larry were taken from the only father they ever knew and sent to live with their real father, Mr. Burns. Despite the fact that Mr. Burns had never paid child-support or visited his children, he was given legal custody by the state of California. Rather than take care of the kids he never wanted in the first place, he shuffled them off to live in a foster home, run by a violent and viciously manipulative woman who had been accused of "accidentally" killing two of her charges a few years earlier, and whose nephew repeatedly raped Cupcake for his own sick pleasure.Read more ›
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32 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By
Gregory Farnham
on March 14, 2006
Format: Hardcover
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I felt this book. We have a foster child (and for those who have never taken in or known a foster child, once you do, your eyes will be open forever). I get this story. I admire this woman, and by the way, her life does happens. it is real. I could not put her book down. Thanks Cupcake Brown for sharing your story. It is inspiring.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By
Charles Robbins
on March 4, 2006
Format: Hardcover
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It's Saturday night and my evening plans are ruined thanks to this book. I just couldn't put it down. Every teenager, every young adult, heck nearly everyone will get something out of this read. Cupcake Brown tells her story of dropping out of school, running away and living on the streets. Her life of drugs, booze, crime, gangs and sex is told in an honest, unglamorous and emotionally raw style. Ms. Brown writes in a street fashion which young readers will relate to but she also sprinkles in the wisdom and comments of the current day Ms. Brown which I found unique and revealing. The story it true -- and at times disturbing, so be warned -- but stay with it as the payoff is unbelievable. This is one of the most inspirational books I've ever read. If you ever thought there was something in your life you just couldn't overcome -- read this book for motivation. Cupcake Brown, a high school drop out, prostitute, gang banger, drug addict and alcoholic, straightens out her very crooked life, goes on to graduate law school and is now a successful lawyer. Her life path was filled punishing obstacles -- yet she overcame. It's a lesson for the rest of us.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By
Little Miss Cutey
on March 3, 2006
Format: Hardcover
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So this may not be the most well writen book, but the story of Cupcake Brown is amazing and inspiring. From the depths of hell, she has done a complete 180 and turned her life around. Her life as an eleven year old was turned completely upside down when she finds her mother dead in her bed. From there her life is never the same after being turned over to foster parents who abuse her, followed by a life of drugs on the streets. At her ultimate low, she set a goal to change her life and is now an attorney. Amazing. I found this book to be so gripping, I read over half of it in one day (which for me, says something). It's a fantastic story that teaches us all that we can do better with our lives if the want is enough and when you think you are down and out, there can be good fortune if you make it work for yourself and pick your game up. I highly recommend this book - a great read.
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