Matriarch Audiobook By Tina Knowles cover art

Matriarch

A Memoir

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Matriarch

By: Tina Knowles
Narrated by: Tina Knowles, Beyoncé, Solange, Kelly Rowland, Angie Beyincé
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INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A glorious chronicle of a life like none other—enlightening, entertaining, surprising, empowering—and a testament to the world-changing power of Black motherhood

“A beautiful and brave story of strong women, fierce mothering, and the power of continued evolution.”—Michelle Obama

“A fascinating memoir of Tina Knowles’s journey to become the global figure she is today.”—Oprah Winfrey

“Told in rich color with flourishes so detailed . . . they conjure a fully realized world the reader can inhabit.”—The Washington Post

Here is a page-turning chronicle of family love and heartbreak, loss and perseverance, and the kind of creativity, audacity, and will it takes for a girl from Galveston to change the world. Matriarch is one brilliant woman’s intimate and revealing story, and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America—and the wisdom that women pass on to each other, mothers to daughters, across generations.

Accolades & Awards

Best of 2025
Best of 2025 Biographies & Memoirs Black Creators Cultural & Regional Motherhood Parenting & Families Relationships Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

“A fascinating memoir of Tina Knowles’s journey to become the global figure she is today. We learn how the strength and wisdom of the women who came before her fueled Tina’s passion to achieve and gave her the ability to nurture her own daughters into the incredible women they are today.”—Oprah Winfrey

“Both her great-grandmother and grandmother fought to keep their children from being sold away or otherwise separated in slavery. How remains a mystery. Matriarchs, Knowles writes, ‘are filled with the most enduring and ferocious love.’”—The New York Times

“As a fan of the Knowles family music empire, I was not expecting to uncover information I did not already know, but [Tina] Knowles proved wrong. She delves deeper into her own backstory than ever before.”—The Washington Post

“A great story of a singular American life.”—Kirkus Reviews
Rich Family History • Authentic Storytelling • Emotional Narration • Inspiring Personal Journey • Soothing Voice

Highly rated for:

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Love that the first half was really her story and history through memoir that was real and heart changing, followed by sharing the story of raising her children and those experiences with peeks behind the scene of raising grounded, loving stars who are empowered to change our world. She is a strong mentor to mothers and women everywhere, helping us to understand that we are enough and can make change for us. Thank you Tina Knowles for sharing your beautiful story!

Powerful, real and her faith is an inspiration

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WOW! Mrs. Tina Knowles delivers a masterful narrative in this compelling and heartfelt book. From beginning to end, I was completely captivated, as if sitting in a cozy living room with family, immersed in her powerful and inspiring journey. Each chapter evoked deep emotion and offered meaningful life lessons. Without a doubt, this is the most impactful book I’ve read this year!"

POWER, STRENGTH, FAMILY, AND GOD ALMIGHTY!

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The memoir is interesting albeit average in many respects, offering a glimpse into the life experiences that make and mold the person Ms. Tina is today. The bond of family and the depth of loyalty, support, and sacrifice is a blessing and it's value learned over time and sometimes through comparison (after realizing not all families share such connections). There's an interesting mix of references between "giving as the vehicle for receiving" vs "manifesting" and the latter feels more of a catchphrase than actual wording from the time periods referenced. Then again, in California and in entertainment circles, such language likely pre-dates average use. Many themes in Ms. Tina's life experience are easily relatable. Divorce after decades of marriage, being single at 58 and wondering if "love" will come again, discovering and settling into one's own self-worth, the vulnerability that comes with cancer diagnosis, the challenge of deciphering medical care, and the reality that treatment is big business. We never learn the "why" behind Matthew's incessant cheating (although its as likely "because he could get away with it" as anything any therapist might reveal) or the depth of insecurity that contribute to Ms. Tina taking the "mother as martyr" defense for staying (although financial security and appearances likely play a bigger role than we're led to believe). It's always nice to hear the author tell their own story and thats true here as well. At the same time, Ms. Tina speaks with a thick tongue and slow diction that is not conversational but more obvious that she is reading. At times, it's distracting. The moments when Ms. Tina's passion is greatest (defending her kids or recounting moments where cursing comes easily) are when her guard comes down and the storytelling comes alive. Some topics likely have a more intriguing backstory and storyline that Ms. Tina glosses over, carefully selecting just the parts she wants us to know (i.e. raising other people's kids, the stylists who left Headliners, discovering/encountering mistresses, Richard/Tina bringing out the worst in each other). Then again, who wouldn't flatter themselves in the re-telling. History favors the one holding the pen. Refreshing to hear gratitude and appreciation since as Ms. Tina alludes, her life represents the wildest dreams of the matriarchs before her.

Relatable Moments

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Inspiring, exquisite, epic. What a story. The brilliance of this book is not the stories about Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child… it’s about the revelation of the history of an incredible family. I loved it

Life changing

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Loved this book and especially Mama Tina’s narration. It was a beautiful tribute to her roots. And incredible to learn that you’re never too old to realize your worth.

Mama Tina!!!!

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