He is a white rapper, and that in itself is almost enough to make his tale worth reading. But his autobiography lays out much more. He's a Caucasian rap artist born poor in a bad part of Detroit who would eventually rise in stature to the level of the major black rappers of the day. Describing himself as "The underdog who wins," he reveals how the Slim Shady character was born, his children, the climb to fame, and what it feels like to be there on the throne.
The book is laid out like a high school yearbook,
with scribbles on the covers and reproductions of his lyrics - and a couple hundred photos with musician friends, family snapshots, in-the-studio moments, arty shots, and much more.
While his prose style may not be as stylish and intriguing as his lyric writing ("Other shows, man, I've seen people in the front row, saying the whole shit ..."), he is honest about his life.
This edition of The Way I Am comes with a DVD that features footage from the artist's own camcorder accompanied by a running commentary.