Cold Sweat: My Father James Brown and Me

The oft-used and clichéd phrase "living in the shadows" takes on a different meaning in this offering, in which Brown details her contradictory and complex relationship with her father, James Brown (1933–2006). The Godfather of Soul's heavily documented successes, drug addictions, and abusive marriages frame the author's own abusive marriage to a businessman of questionable background. This memoir serves as a case study of the effects of parental relationships on mate selection as well as a discussion of the impact of fame (and its downside) on the offspring of celebrities. Matters that would be private among family members are played out center stage (e.g., domestic violence, contested wills, funeral arrangements, etc.), with each family member a character in a drama fueled by a combustible mix of emotions and paparazzi attention. Each chapter is framed by relevant quotes from well-known authors, philosophers, and others, which adds poignancy to the story. Readers will share the grief, disappointment, and successes of both James and Yamma Brown while wishing for a "happily ever after." Although this book is less about "the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz" and more about the "making of Dr. Yamma Brown," the daughter's perspective provides insight into the father.