Staff Pick
The first African-American actor to receive an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony award, Viola Davis has written a beautiful and inspiring memoir, beginning from her working-class upbringing in Rhode Island to her time spent at Julliard and her determination for playing the roles she wanted to play. If you’ve been enthralled by her craft in film, television, and stage, you will enjoy this wonderful memoir by an amazing actor. Recommended By Kim T., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Oprah's Book Club Pick - A Harpers Bazaar Best Book of 2022 - A Parade Most Anticipated Book - A Marie Claire Most Anticipated Book
"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
"[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success....Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels." Los Angeles Times
In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.
This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn't always see me.
As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be…you.
Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.
Review
"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
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." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
"An unvarnished chronicle of hard-won, well-earned success." Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Viola Davis is an internationally acclaimed actress and producer, known for her exceptional performances in television shows like 'How to Get Away with Murder' and movies like 'Fences' and 'The Help.' She is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, and in 2021 she won a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'. In both 2012 and 2017, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Davis is also the founder and CEO of JuVee Productions, an artist driven production company that develops and produces independent film, theater, television, and digital content.