Reading her memoir, Finding Me. . . you understand where her ability comes from: Only someone who has already been dragged into the depths of emotion readily knows how to get back there.” — New York Times Magazine
"An unvarnished chronicle of hard-won, well-earned success." — Kirkus Reviews
“It’s clear from the first page that Davis is going to serve a more intimate, unpolished account than is typical of the average (often ghost-written) celebrity memoir; Finding Me reads like Davis is sitting you down for a one-on-one conversation about her life, warts and all.” — USA Today
"Davis gives readers hope, encouraging us to look back and embrace childhood dreams or failures, let go of shame, and move forward to become the best version of ourselves." — Booklist
"Davis’s grit and determination are moving, and her unflinching reckoning with the “racism and misogyny” she faced in Hollywood makes her story of overcoming all the more effective. Fans will be utterly enthralled." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Davis’s grit and determination are moving, and her unflinching reckoning with the “racism and misogyny” she faced in Hollywood makes her story of overcoming all the more effective. Fans will be utterly enthralled." — Time magazine
“[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success. . . . Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.” — Los Angeles Times
“Brimming with love, heartbreak, and hard-won wisdom." — Bustle
“This book is a testament to resilience, hard work, and the power of owning your truth." — Real Simple
"Raw in its anger, shocking in its frankness, often downright vulgar—and wonderfully alive with Davis’ passion poured into every page." — Associated Press
It’s clear from the first page that Davis is going to serve a more intimate, unpolished account than is typical of the average (often ghost-written) celebrity memoir; Finding Me reads like Davis is sitting you down for a one-on-one conversation about her life, warts and all.
"Davis’s grit and determination are moving, and her unflinching reckoning with the “racism and misogyny” she faced in Hollywood makes her story of overcoming all the more effective. Fans will be utterly enthralled."
Reading her memoir, Finding Me. . . you understand where her ability comes from: Only someone who has already been dragged into the depths of emotion readily knows how to get back there.”
"Davis gives readers hope, encouraging us to look back and embrace childhood dreams or failures, let go of shame, and move forward to become the best version of ourselves."
[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success….Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.
Brimming with love, heartbreak, and hard-won wisdom."
This book is a testament to resilience, hard work, and the power of owning your truth."
"Raw in its anger, shocking in its frankness, often downright vulgar—and wonderfully alive with Davis’ passion poured into every page."
[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success….Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.
"Davis gives readers hope, encouraging us to look back and embrace childhood dreams or failures, let go of shame, and move forward to become the best version of ourselves."
★ 09/01/2022
Raw and unflinchingly honest, this powerful memoir will have fans celebrating actress Davis's resilience and drive to be more, leave her small-town childhood behind, and find her voice. Listeners get a glimpse into Davis's private life, from Central Falls, RI, to New York City and more locations worldwide. Her willingness to describe what she has overcome is powerful and not to be missed. Having an author narrate their own memoir adds intimacy, and this audiobook is no exception—no other choice would have made sense. Listeners hear the pain, feel the love, and celebrate the accomplishments Davis unfolds throughout her determined rise to be the remarkable leading powerhouse she is. This memoir takes listeners on Davis's journey through the racism, misogyny, and abuse she's experienced throughout her life and career. VERDICT Not to be missed, this memoir is a powerful reminder that our childhoods do not define us, that we can determine our perception and worth.—Stephanie Charlefour
Actor Viola Davis doesn't mince words. Her audiobook captures the voice of a woman with a fascinating, heartbreaking lived experience. Davis's performance here is essentially a one-woman show, bringing listeners in close from the first moments. While she was growing up in a condemned property, her family struggled with poverty. But her hard work and talent brought her to the Juilliard School. Davis describes how her true artistic connection came when she traveled to Africa. She's clear about how her focus on acting, and not stardom, has guided her throughout her career, and how success in the arts has a lot to do with luck. Davis is the consummate actor and storyteller, perfect for the audiobook medium. Her voice is vulnerable yet strong. The result is electric. S.P.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2022 Best Audiobook, 2023 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Actor Viola Davis doesn't mince words. Her audiobook captures the voice of a woman with a fascinating, heartbreaking lived experience. Davis's performance here is essentially a one-woman show, bringing listeners in close from the first moments. While she was growing up in a condemned property, her family struggled with poverty. But her hard work and talent brought her to the Juilliard School. Davis describes how her true artistic connection came when she traveled to Africa. She's clear about how her focus on acting, and not stardom, has guided her throughout her career, and how success in the arts has a lot to do with luck. Davis is the consummate actor and storyteller, perfect for the audiobook medium. Her voice is vulnerable yet strong. The result is electric. S.P.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2022 Best Audiobook, 2023 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
2022-01-26
The life story of an actor whose success has been shaped by grit and determination.
In a starkly forthright memoir, Oscar and Tony winner Davis reflects on family, love, motherhood, and acting. Born in South Carolina on a plantation where her grandparents had been sharecroppers, she grew up in dire poverty in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Her father was a physically abusive alcoholic, and the family lived in a rat-infested apartment where they often had no heat or hot water. Besides being taunted by her classmates for being Black, she was shunned because she smelled, often of urine. As she writes, she wet the bed until she was 14. “I was an awkward, angry, hurt, traumatized kid,” Davis writes. “I couldn’t articulate what I was feeling and nobody asked. I didn’t believe anybody cared. I was saturated in shame.” Inspired by seeing Cicely Tyson on TV, Davis wanted to become an actor—a goal that seemed far out of reach. But an acting coach in an Upward Bound program encouraged her, and she won a scholarship to Rhode Island College. After graduating with a theater degree, Davis worked tirelessly to hone her craft, both by performing and studying. At Juilliard, she bristled, at first, at their Eurocentric approach. A trip to Africa, when she was 25, energized her. Early in her career, Davis was discouraged about the stereotypical roles she was offered, most for “drug-addicted mothers.” Later, she writes, “I did a huge slate of what I call ‘best friends to white women’ roles.” For years, money worries dogged her. Even when working in theater, movies, and TV, she needed to supplement her income, and always, her family’s financial straits weighed heavily. Therapy finally helped Davis face the generational trauma that created her sense of “emotional abandonment.” About her professional triumphs, the author is modest: “It’s an eenie, meenie, miny, mo game of luck, relationships, chance, how long you’ve been out there, and sometimes talent.”
An unvarnished chronicle of hard-won, well-earned success.
