'Around the Way Girl: A Memoir' by Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson has played many roles in her career, but in her book she makes it clear that none of her success came easy. Between the rejection, pay gap, and body ideals, Henson proclaims in her book that she "had to create her own lane" through hustling hard and finding opportunities even in the darkest of moments. When describing how she drew from her own personal experiences for her critically acclaimed character Cookie from Empire she said, "I'm that girl with whom everyday woman identifies. I'm that struggle. Hell, I'm the American dream. I didn't go to an Ivy League school, I didn't study at Juilliard, I didn't grow up in a mansion. I came from the goddamn hood and put myself through Howard University...I'm not some fantasy. I'm tangible."
Buy: Around the Way Girl