by Robin Givens,
Miramax, 2007
Most of us know Givens as an actor and as the former wife of boxer, Mike Tyson. It was a marriage that we could have predicted would fail. So when I saw this book on the shelf of my local library, I was intrigued by its title, which hints at the author's spiritual journey.
The story is fascinating. Givens' grandmother and mother were both victims of spousal abuse and left their husbands. While Robin's mother, Ruth, did an excellent job of raising Robin and her sister on her own, the absence of a father left a huge hole in Robin's heart. Furthermore, she felt very much under her mother's thumb during the early years. As a young adult, Givens defied her mother by pursuing an acting career, and rebelled again in marrying Tyson. The union nearly destroyed her and it was not until long after she left Mike that she finally found the wholeness she was searching for in a connection with Heavenly Father.
Women who are in abusive relationships (or have been), or who have experienced fatherlessness will find much to connect with in this book. I had a hard time putting it down. The author relates the facts while remaining gracious to, and forgiving of, her former husband.
My only disappointment is that Givens stops short of filling in some important gaps for the reader. The only post-Tyson relationship she reports on is one she had with Brad Pitt, but she had two sons by other men after her first marriage dissolved. I am sure that the choices she made after leaving Tyson also played a part in her journey "home".
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