Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far

If you are an Amy Grant fan, as I admit unabashedly to being, you will love this book because it so quintessentially Amy. Her personality comes through on every page, whether song lyrics, prose or poetry. This is a loosely woven look at Amy's life and what has been, and is, important to her as Amy Grant Gill, daughter, sister, wife, mother, co-worker and friend. If you are not already a fan, you'll find that this book offers intimate insights into the life of a major recording star and public figure turned memoirist. At age 48, Grant is defined more by her relationships than she is by her music or her career. Indeed, those are but a reflection of the person she has become. She says of this stage of her life: "The beauty of being in the middle of my life is the vantage point it provides. From my forties I can look ahead to my parents navigating old age at full tilt and take mental notes about what lies ahead. Even from here I can see that growing old is not for the cowardly. At the same time I can look back to childhood and the young-adult years with more understanding and compassion for myself in retrospect, for my children and for all the young people I know who are swept up in the swirl of the early decades of life." (p. 117) The book is full of vignettes about important people in her life, from Uncle Larry, whom she never knew, to a friend ill with cancer, to her greatly valued crew of managers and musicians. Inserted throughout are song lyrics and poems which serve to highlight her musings and recollections. She shares uplifting accounts of her journey, beginning as an awkward 16-year-old singer and becoming an accomplished mega-star in both Christian and contemporary music. Grant has certainly won her share of awards. She has dined with, entertained for, and been a personal guest of presidents. Still, she seems at times in awe of all she has achieved. Grant never denies that there have been rough times in her life, including a divorce from first husband Gary Chapman, father of her three older children. She never asks for the reader's sympathy nor does she offer excuses. She doesn't mention the very public outcry when it was learned that a Christian artist was divorcing. She easily could have slipped into self-pity when she was maligned by those who were more interested in her supposed sin than in her singing. She mentions the divorce only in terms of how she struggled with her own failure and rebuilding her broken family. Her marriage a year later to Vince Gill became more fodder for the gossip-mongers, since these Christian stars, both divorced, were now marrying. They could have retreated from the public eye but both chose to stand with their heads high and proclaim publicly how blessed they were to have found one another. Now, years and their daughter Corrina later, their relationship is quietly serene. Amy's attitude toward hard and trying times is reflected in something her dear friend Sarah Cannon (aka Minnie Pearl) told her. "

Folks....if you are looking for the dirt on Amy Grant's life, you will not find it here. She has given you a mosaic, pieces of her life. And she addresses her idea why it is called mosaic. She shares the effect the memories have been - one is to value those people and experiences and two to reinspire mundane and magical moments. It is not a biography, but there is a chronology called "Times of My Life", plus a discography with award merits. I have not been an Amy Grant fan, so I cannot identify with the lyrics and poetry, only that the words are profound, the message is clear. Since the eighties, I have respected her as a radiant and compassionate person, and, then, as the woman who stole his heart, one of my favorites, Vince Gill. Since he was compassionate, giving, sincere, fun and extremely handsome, it was only fitting that he found a wholesome person as Amy Grant. Grant will share with you the stories about simplicity of life alongside places and people encountered because of fame and music. You will hear about a friend with cancer not knowing how much time she had to live, but that everyday became a gift. Grant shares a story of herself and Vince paying a home visit to an 89 year old fan of his. She reveals such pleasure in the experience of taking nieces to see the ocean for the first time. Simple things like her sister's story, wanting to miss a phone call from her son when he was off to college. She reveals how her song "Hats" came about due to the craziness in your life. Fame and music led to many paths, opportunities, and sharing moments with the famous, Reverend Billy Graham, time at the elder President Bush compound, singing with Tony Bennett, time at Kevin Costner's ranch and her favorite movie, Dances with Wolves. Pictures include golfing with Michael Jordan, meeting President Bill Clinton, the Andretti family, and more. There also simple loving pictures of friends and family. There is a lot of emotion in these stories, and you as the reader will learn, react and connect to this gifted inspirational woman and mother. It's clear why Vince married her. ....Rizzo

As a "Grant Head" myself (That's what Amy calls her fans), I of course was going to buy this book. Hearing that there was going to be an audio book too, I had to have this also. I love to her her talk! It took me one day to read the book and I knew that I would read it again! This is a wonderful book for anyone who has been through a divorce, a major disaster in their life, trying to decide about their faith or their walk with God. Though it's not too preachy..it's just enough to get one to think. That there is something alot bigger than us. She did a wonderful job and there will be a few of these under my tree this Christmas as presents.

I have followed Amy every since her "Fathers Eyes" days. I have even had the honor to meet her a few times and found her to be very sincere. This book gives an insight to her music and life from early to now. It is not a tell all which I admire it is rather a book of her thoughts and how her music and life shaped her into the woman of God she is. Thanks Amy for sharing with us.

Mosaic by Amy Grant took me by surprise. The book itself is lovely with color photographs, but it was the text that moved me so many times. Amy takes the lyrics from several of her songs and offers the inspiration behind them as well as other short personal vignettes. The format flows beautifully and gives a deeper view of her life than even a memoir could have. She talks about growing up in her tight-knit family, the love she has for her children, the pain of her divorce, and the miraculous love she shares with husband Vince Gill. She offers herself completely exposed without polish or facade, and it's an amazing sight. Her writing is lyrical and poetic with scenic descriptions and occasionally knock-the-wind-out-of-you emotion. Reading how she struggles to keep her mind on God when praying, a spontaneous dance in the moonlight as prayer to the Lord, her wonder at finding herself in such a lofty place, all of it makes her very real and her faith profound. I found myself putting the book down to reflect on her words or to share sections with my husband. It's just too powerful to take in all in one sitting, and many times it brought me to tears. This would make a great present for a loved one or yourself!