I Love You and I'm Leaving You Anyway: A Memoir

I'd gone to a book signing for this author without having read the book. She was so interesting that I came home and purchased it. I'm currently working on my own memoir, so I'm ultra-critical about the works of other authors. This book is well written, fascinating, honest, personal, and so well done. I hope to read more from this author.

Its hard to imagine that a memoir would be a gripping thriller. Tracy Mc Millan's life is set in a series of short scences, each one a snapshot of her life at certain stages. Few writers can flip back and forth from one stage to the near present, and hold your interest throughout. "I love you" is a fantastic illuminating journey from abandonment to coming home to yourself with wise humor and grace. Generally memoirs that feature abuse, abandonment, drug addiction, obsession are hard going and dip somewhere along the way in insight, glamor and reverence. Tracy manages to underplay expertly certain scenes like when she finally gets to meet the mother who abandoned her as a baby. Rather than a tear sodden, wrenching drama this scene is observent, wise and humorous to boot. Few writers can find humor, glamorous fashion scenarios and enchantment in prison scenes, multiple divorces, child abuse and ultimately a joyous sweet endearing recovery, Tracy does this and far more with a precise lightness which is generaly missing from this genre. I highly recommend this book if you want something that will hold you to your seat breathless like "Chaser" (the Korean gangster movie) the revolving scenes will carry you right through to the sweet end in Europe. Happy endings may take a different form but they are possible. Mary Dowd Freelance writer.

I just finished reading Tracy McMillan's book. I didn't want it to end. I found myself addicted to wanting to know and understand her story. Everyone who has ever wondered why they make the romantic choices that they do, needs to read this book. It's about learning about self through your heartbreaks and the hearts that you break. It's about tracing your roots and not being afraid to look at what you find. It's about embracing your history and owning who you are. Tracy manages to find humor even in the darkest of moments. It is one of her many gifts. Where does love come from? How do we learn to give it in a healthy way. Why do we keep going down the wrong road? Through diving into Tracy's hunger for answers, you will find yourself seeking your own. I identified with her desire to love and be loved. Tracy writes, "It's like I have two opposing parts of myself: one that nurtures, and one that destroys." I LOVE the revelation that the birth of her son was all part of a master plan. She writes,"...My boy child's is going to bestow upon me one of the greatest gifts I've ever imagined wanting. A gift I don't even know I need. He's going to teach me to love men." This is one of those books that you will never forget. Jen Grisanti, Story Consultant, Independent Producer, Writing Instructor for NBC's Writers On The Verge

McMillan tells her own story, and if there's a woman out there who doesn't find some of herself and healing in this beautiful book, then my name's mud. And it's not. Mud. Seriously put down your self help, you're gonna laugh, cry and learn more if you get on the magic carpet ride that is "I Love You And I'm Leaving You Anyway".

Father a pimp and mother a prostitute, but girl grows up to be glamorous writer. It reads like a shot. It's edgy, with sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, but it's also got suspense to burn. It's not a memoir as much as a page-turner. She builds this improbable world until it feels as real and as chaotic as anything you can imagine.