Its No Wonder, Dr. Margena A. Christian
Its No Wonder, Dr. Margena A. Christian
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It's No Wonder
The Life and Times of Motown's Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy

Author: Dr. Margena A. Christian

Narrator: Lynnette R. Freeman

Unabridged: 10 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Da Capo

Published: 02/10/2026


Synopsis

The biography of Sylvia Moy, Motown’s first certified female in-house producer and songwriter, and one of the authors behind classic hits like “My Cherie Amour,” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” and a slew of other time-honored tunes. Imagine a world without the music of Stevie Wonder. A world without hits like “I Was Made to Love Her” and “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day.” That's the world we would live in had it not been for Sylvia Moy, a woman whose legacy has been carefully tucked away within the annals of music history—until now. It’s No Wonder examines the groundbreaking career of the pioneer who battled sexism and broke down barriers to become Motown’s first certified female in-house songwriter and producer. As the lone woman in a room full of men, the odds were stacked against Moy from the start. Amidst racial strife at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, most African American women who were allowed into the music industry could only dream of a career as a singer. Nevertheless, the Detroit native found unprecedented success as both a songwriter and producer. In addition to single-handedly saving Stevie Wonder's early career at Motown, Moy solidified herself as one of the label's most prolific composers, penning many of Wonder's classic hits as well as songs for other Motown acts like “Honey Chile,” “It Takes Two,” “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You),” “My Baby Loves Me,” “(We've Got) Honey Love,” “Forget Me Not,” “With a Child's Heart,” and countless others. Meticulously researched, fiercely feminist, and told with the cooperation of Moy's estate, It's No Wonder is a historical corrective that restores Sylvia Moy to her rightful place at the forefront of music history.
 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nancy on January 14, 2026

Without Sylvia Moys, Little Stevie Wonder’s career would have halted to a dead end before adulthood. There would have been no Uptight, no My Cherie Amor, no I Was Made to Love Her. Without Sylvia Moys, Michelle wrote that she and Barack Obama would never have gotten together. They bonded over Stevie......more

Goodreads review by Chandi on January 19, 2026

This book was well researched and such a fun read. This book was written at a time when women's rights and credit for their work is STILL up for debate and up for grabs. I learned so many things from this book. I had never heard of this almost silent wonder in Motown. I am not very well versed in t......more

Goodreads review by Bruce on December 16, 2025

This is a well researched, well written book about the life of one of Motown's unsung heroes. I had seen Sylvia Moy's name credited on some of my old Motown records and she was mentioned in passing in some of the books I've read, but I had no idea what a vital role she played at Motown and especiall......more

Goodreads review by Alise on February 23, 2026

(4.5 rounded up) An interesting history of a woman’s whose contributions have often gone overlooked even though her music is widely known. The irony isn’t lost of me that a book about a woman whose contributions were often overshadowed or uncredited due to sexism in the industry also has such a larg......more