Why we’re excited
Sheryl Lee Ralph has been a Broadway star, a sitcom mother and, late in a long career, an Emmy winner, and this book gathers what those decades taught her about self-worth. It is not a straight memoir. Stories from Catholic school, Rutgers and a lost TV job sit beside advice on faith, joy and getting back up.
Most readers know her as Barbara Howard on Abbott Elementary, the role that won her the Emmy in 2022, while theatre fans remember her as Deena in the original Dreamgirls. Pick this up for encouragement from someone who has earned the right to give it.
On our most-anticipated list since 3 November 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about You Better Love What You See: Living with Joy, Confidence, and Unapologetic Self-Worth
Sheryl Lee Ralph is new to The Bookish Elf: none of their books has a review here yet.
At 272 pages it is about the usual length for a other release this month.
From the publisher
Hollywood icon and Emmy Award-winning Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph shares the personal stories that have shaped her and the advice that has guided her throughout her life—helping readers breathe deeper, love stronger, and rise higher.
Sheryl Lee Ralph understands a truth most of us learn the hard There are moments in life when you must let your light shine. Moments when the noise of the world tries to mute your mic and silence your voice, dull your glow, and convince you to forget who you are. She has known those moments intimately—under the bright lights of Broadway and in the quiet hum of hospital rooms, on red carpets and in church pews. Sheryl has worn crowns and carried a few crosses, but through it all remained her unshakable faith in one simple better must come. No matter how many times life knocks you down, you can rise, you must rise, reclaim yourself, and begin again.
You Better Love What You See isn’t a list of commandments to make you feel guilty, a to-do list, or the play-by-play story of an actor’s life. Filled with boundless empathy and wisdom, it’s a moving guide for anyone who wonders if they’re enough, who wants to lead with love and heal themselves, or who still battles with self-doubt.
Sheryl’s reflections draw from her life as a performer, mother, daughter, wife, sister, and above all a wise, wild woman. She shares stories about remaining determined in the face of defeat, overcoming obstacles when systemic oppression tried to keep her down, and how to find strength in every storm,
Experiences from her childhood as the only girl of color in her Catholic school, to being fired from a TV role for not being “Black enough”Enrolling in the very first coed class at Rutgers UniversityBringing down the house with her historic Emmy Award win and acceptance speechAnd many more inspiring moments touching on themes such as faith, resilience, choosing joy, and finding purpose
Sheryl’s warm and empowering message is that, bottom line, when you look in the mirror, you better love what you see, because feeling powerful and purposeful won’t come from external accolades or approval—it starts with YOU. Her strong, authentic voice and magnetic presence are evident on every page—and readers will return to it again and again whenever their light is feeling a little dim.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read You Better Love What You See: Living with Joy, Confidence, and Unapologetic Self-Worth yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
