FINDING ME

by Viola Davis

Memoirs written by actresses aren’t the usual type of book toward which I normally gravitate.  But boy am I glad that I read Finding Me by powerhouse Viola Davis.  What an incredible, inspirational story she has written. She was raised in Rhode Island in an apartment with no running water, heat or working toilet, but plenty of rats and a dysfunctional mother who was routinely beaten by Viola's alcoholic father. Chased to school by neighborhood kids because she was Black, she also consistently received racist admonitions from teachers and administrators about what she was (or wasn’t) capable of achieving.

It wasn’t until Davis found acting as a young teen that she was able to imagine a way out for herself.  Buoyed by sheer grit and determination, she made it to Julliard and eventually on to Broadway, television and the movies.  In none of these places did anyone pave the way for her.  She had to fight for every role as a dark-skinned Black woman who wasn’t skinny.  Davis’ unflinching honesty in relating her story is so extraordinary that I found myself rooting for her at every stage.  Davis lays wide open not just her life, but her soul.   The result is a book that comes as close as I’ve ever been to feeling what is must be like for a Black woman living in our society today.

Although Davis’ childhood stories can be extremely hard to read, I found her strength and resolve truly uplifting.  I noted all her movie roles and have started to watch those movies with a new, eyes-wide-open appreciation of who she is and what she has accomplished.  I highly recommend this stunning memoir. (Liz)

A SECOND HELPING

Holy moly you do not want to miss this book!  I have been a Viola Davis fan for many many years, but I had no idea how much she overcame to be the icon she is today. I listened to this as an audiobook which added an incredible layer of emotion hearing her tell her own story. My mom highly recommended this book and so do I! (Lily)