Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
HarperOne (2022), 304 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. HTML: Narrated by Viola Davis 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..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mrsgrits
Viola Davis's memoir is heart wrenching and beautiful. You never know what someone is carrying just by looking at them. The fact that she is able to love others and love her self is a miracle. She went through some extremely traumatizing time during her childhood and youth and lived to tell the
Highly recommend this on audio, as she reads it herself.
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tale. Highly recommend this on audio, as she reads it herself.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
Conceivably one of the most painful recitations of brutal poverty I've ever read (like Dickens, with racism), Viola Davis manages to rise above her Central Falls, RI origins to the heights of acting awards and triumph over the most inconceivable obstacles. She is not shy about revealing the
Quotes: “I didn’t understand the living in New York City. I just thought all the apartments looked like George Jefferson’s apartment.”
“ I did a huge slate of what I call “best friends to white women” roles. Hollywood has a love affair with those, but they’re in Black rom-coms, too.”
“In the same way that I didn’t care about acting being hard. Hard was relative to me.”
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life-long damage from the abuse she's suffered as she shares the intense efforts that she and her four sisters were able to muster, with minimal support from parents, school, or community. The most tender part has her watching Cicely Tyson in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman on TV and deciding to follow in her path. In fact, in an accompanying photo of her with Tyson, Davis says, "I secretly used every opportunity to hold and kiss her." Davis uses her bully pulpit to focus on colorism and on how more difficult is the path of Black women with darker skin, who "didn't have smaller, classical (read whiter) features. That wasn't me." Quotes: “I didn’t understand the living in New York City. I just thought all the apartments looked like George Jefferson’s apartment.”
“ I did a huge slate of what I call “best friends to white women” roles. Hollywood has a love affair with those, but they’re in Black rom-coms, too.”
“In the same way that I didn’t care about acting being hard. Hard was relative to me.”
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LibraryThing member BDartnall
This was not an easy memoir to jump into at first- searing honesty, an emphasis on the events of her poverty stricken childhood and how it affected her pyschologically, but I wouldn't expect anything less from Viola Davis. Eventually, as her journey takes her to acting, theatre scholarships,
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college, theater offers, & then Hollywood - her prose describes the "acting business" forthrightly, not just the joys & thrill of the work, but its downsides as well. I couldn't put it down - all the tough situations in her schools, and her miserable home conditions didn't keep her from loving, & caring for her family. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
Intense yet approachable memoir that will really resonate with those in theatre.
LibraryThing member cherybear
Easy to read (as in reading level). Hard to read (as in content.) When I think I've got it bad, I can think about Viola, growing up in poverty (food insecure, abused, no working plumbing. . . ) and criticized not only for being black, but "too black." How she became the woman she is today is
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practically a miracle. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Finding Me by Viola Davis is a 2022 Harper One Publication.
What an amazing memoir! Viola is one of my favorite actresses- but I knew very little about her private life. This book was a huge surprise to me. I was absolutely riveting to both the e-book and the audiobook. I honestly have no words-
This must be one of the most straightforward and brutally honest memoirs I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Viola’s childhood was tough- and it wasn’t just that her family was poor- but that she lived in a home where substance abuse and violence prevailed.
The descriptions of the living conditions of her home are hard to wrap one’s head around, but despite her parents having their hands full with their own demons, Viola managed to get some support from siblings and programs offered to her which helped to build her self-esteem, incentivized her to change the course of her life, propelling her toward achieving her dreams.
The journey wasn’t an easy one- but my goodness was a ride it has been. Viola- I am so happy that you are full of self- love now- that you know how beautiful and talented you are, and I hope you know what an inspiration you are, as well.
Overall, Viola is such a strong woman, but she also shares her struggles and vulnerabilities, and how she made it to this point of stability, peace and understanding.
I love the way she handles her success. She’s humble, practical, and handles criticism stoically and with pragmatism, and that is not something many people are able to pull off in general, much less publicly. I have loved this actress for a long time based solely on her skills as an actress, but now I am doubly impressed. Now when I see Viola on the big or small screen, I will see her in a different light- one that shines brighter and stronger, with an everlasting glow…
This one gets my rare ‘highly recommended’ stamp of approval!
What an amazing memoir! Viola is one of my favorite actresses- but I knew very little about her private life. This book was a huge surprise to me. I was absolutely riveting to both the e-book and the audiobook. I honestly have no words-
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One simply must experience this memoir for themselves to truly appreciate it. This must be one of the most straightforward and brutally honest memoirs I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Viola’s childhood was tough- and it wasn’t just that her family was poor- but that she lived in a home where substance abuse and violence prevailed.
The descriptions of the living conditions of her home are hard to wrap one’s head around, but despite her parents having their hands full with their own demons, Viola managed to get some support from siblings and programs offered to her which helped to build her self-esteem, incentivized her to change the course of her life, propelling her toward achieving her dreams.
The journey wasn’t an easy one- but my goodness was a ride it has been. Viola- I am so happy that you are full of self- love now- that you know how beautiful and talented you are, and I hope you know what an inspiration you are, as well.
Overall, Viola is such a strong woman, but she also shares her struggles and vulnerabilities, and how she made it to this point of stability, peace and understanding.
I love the way she handles her success. She’s humble, practical, and handles criticism stoically and with pragmatism, and that is not something many people are able to pull off in general, much less publicly. I have loved this actress for a long time based solely on her skills as an actress, but now I am doubly impressed. Now when I see Viola on the big or small screen, I will see her in a different light- one that shines brighter and stronger, with an everlasting glow…
This one gets my rare ‘highly recommended’ stamp of approval!
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
What an amazing woman! I am in awe of how Viola Davis raised herself from poverty to attend Juilliard for acting classes and then become one of the highest regarded actresses. I only remember seeing her in The Help and Fences but looking at her page on IMDb she has acted in many films and TV
In this book she devotes quite a bit of time to talking about her childhood in Rhode Island with one brother and four sisters. Her father worked at a race course and her mother had various jobs but the family was poverty stricken. The apartment they lived in was rat infested and they were often without heat or water. Her father was also physically violent towards her mother but the two stayed together. Viola also divulges that their brother sexually abused all of the sisters. Acting was Viola's way out of that situation. And she was talented! But she was often passed over for roles that she auditioned for because she was "too black" or not pretty enough. Eventually her talent was enough to get offers for good roles and she then amassed more offers. She had to go through therapy to accept that she deserved to be happy and overcome the residue of her childhood traumas. She also faced significant physical pain from uterine fibroids which were so bad she requested that her OBGYN give her a hysterectomy. Since she could not then have children she and her husband adopted a child in 2011. She and her husband have also formed a production company to have more control over the projects they take part in. With success Viola also helps others including family members. Very inspiring.
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series. She started out as a stage actress and she has won a Tony Award for her role in King Hedley II and another for the stage production of Fences. She has also won an Oscar and a Prime Time Emmy Award making her the first black actor to win the "Triple Crown".In this book she devotes quite a bit of time to talking about her childhood in Rhode Island with one brother and four sisters. Her father worked at a race course and her mother had various jobs but the family was poverty stricken. The apartment they lived in was rat infested and they were often without heat or water. Her father was also physically violent towards her mother but the two stayed together. Viola also divulges that their brother sexually abused all of the sisters. Acting was Viola's way out of that situation. And she was talented! But she was often passed over for roles that she auditioned for because she was "too black" or not pretty enough. Eventually her talent was enough to get offers for good roles and she then amassed more offers. She had to go through therapy to accept that she deserved to be happy and overcome the residue of her childhood traumas. She also faced significant physical pain from uterine fibroids which were so bad she requested that her OBGYN give her a hysterectomy. Since she could not then have children she and her husband adopted a child in 2011. She and her husband have also formed a production company to have more control over the projects they take part in. With success Viola also helps others including family members. Very inspiring.
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LibraryThing member kaulsu
Wonderfully read by the author, with no holds barred in describing poverty, living with addicts, and living with physical abuse.Yet Davis uncovers the love that held her uber dysfunctional family together. Davis also lays bare the hard work it takes to learn to dig beneath all of that and find
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self-love. God bless her for sharing this with the rest of us. Show Less
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for:
Those familiar with Davis’s work. Those interested in a serious discussion of the challenges a Black woman faces.
In a nutshell:
Actor Viola Davis
Worth quoting:
“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past.”
Why I chose it:
I heard people talking about it so I purchased the
What it left me feeling:
Happy (for the author)
Review:
Before this book I didn’t know much about Viola Davis. I’ve seen some of her work - Doubt, The Help, How to Get Away With Murder - but I didn’t know how she chose this career, or what her life was like.
This is a memoir that feels deeply honest, written by someone who has done the work to sort through experiences that hopefully most readers can only imagine. Living in poverty, having an abusive parent, facing racism, sexism. And managing to find a way to be successful and happy working in an industry that is notoriously racist and sexist.
Davis’s childhood was rough. Like, rough in a way that I can’t quite fully comprehend. The fact that society just … allows living conditions like the one her family experienced. And that’s not a commentary on her parents - that’s a commentary on social support and safety nets. If food stamps only last half the month, that’s better than nothing but it’s also not nearly enough. No adults, let along children, should be fending off rats. The fact that she not only survived that childhood but is a functional, thriving adult? I mean, damn.
Another area that I wasn’t really expecting was Davis’s experience at Julliard and the how the gatekeepers of talent perpetuate the systems of oppression. People associate Julliard with training some of the most talented people in the arts, but Davis shared how that training promoted and perpetuated white ideals of what talent and art are. I’m not surprised to learn this, but I am disappointed.
I appreciated Davis’s transparency around being a working actor, and the ideas about ‘integrity’ and what types of roles people take. She breaks down how few people are able to make enough money to get the good health care in SAG - I think it’s 4%? - and the threshold for that is earning $20,000 a year. Imagine. 4% of all actors on TV and in film making that much. She is clearly someone who desperately loves her art and her craft, and takes it very seriously, but also seems to recognize that work is work, and very few people can afford to be choosy.
After listening to the audio book, I can see why she won the Grammy (completing the EGOT, and for performances only for the first time in many years). I’d recommend if you’re thinking of reading this to choose the audio version.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a Friend.
Those familiar with Davis’s work. Those interested in a serious discussion of the challenges a Black woman faces.
In a nutshell:
Actor Viola Davis
Worth quoting:
“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past.”
Why I chose it:
I heard people talking about it so I purchased the
Show More
audio book (I do love a celebrity memoir read by the author). Then she won the Grammy for the performance of it so I decided it was time to start it.What it left me feeling:
Happy (for the author)
Review:
Before this book I didn’t know much about Viola Davis. I’ve seen some of her work - Doubt, The Help, How to Get Away With Murder - but I didn’t know how she chose this career, or what her life was like.
This is a memoir that feels deeply honest, written by someone who has done the work to sort through experiences that hopefully most readers can only imagine. Living in poverty, having an abusive parent, facing racism, sexism. And managing to find a way to be successful and happy working in an industry that is notoriously racist and sexist.
Davis’s childhood was rough. Like, rough in a way that I can’t quite fully comprehend. The fact that society just … allows living conditions like the one her family experienced. And that’s not a commentary on her parents - that’s a commentary on social support and safety nets. If food stamps only last half the month, that’s better than nothing but it’s also not nearly enough. No adults, let along children, should be fending off rats. The fact that she not only survived that childhood but is a functional, thriving adult? I mean, damn.
Another area that I wasn’t really expecting was Davis’s experience at Julliard and the how the gatekeepers of talent perpetuate the systems of oppression. People associate Julliard with training some of the most talented people in the arts, but Davis shared how that training promoted and perpetuated white ideals of what talent and art are. I’m not surprised to learn this, but I am disappointed.
I appreciated Davis’s transparency around being a working actor, and the ideas about ‘integrity’ and what types of roles people take. She breaks down how few people are able to make enough money to get the good health care in SAG - I think it’s 4%? - and the threshold for that is earning $20,000 a year. Imagine. 4% of all actors on TV and in film making that much. She is clearly someone who desperately loves her art and her craft, and takes it very seriously, but also seems to recognize that work is work, and very few people can afford to be choosy.
After listening to the audio book, I can see why she won the Grammy (completing the EGOT, and for performances only for the first time in many years). I’d recommend if you’re thinking of reading this to choose the audio version.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a Friend.
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LibraryThing member bblum
It’s hard to believe that people live in such poverty and with non functional but eventually loving parents. Viola Davis’ book is a testament to her grit and the help of government programs for youth. Ms Davis is an eloquent writer, I didn’t see that she had a ghost writer, and her story is
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brutally honest about poverty in Rhode Island and racism. Also the racism in Hollywood projects not wanting a dark black woman but black actors that have a certain light look. Recommended Show Less
LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Viola Davis telling stories of her life and career.
I enjoyed this book. I liked the look into her childhood. I appreciated her sister's, Dianne, words to her. I liked how she and most of her siblings made it out of poverty and addictions. When she talks about going to college and beginning her
I was glad I read this. Everyone should as it brings home truths we too often deny.
I enjoyed this book. I liked the look into her childhood. I appreciated her sister's, Dianne, words to her. I liked how she and most of her siblings made it out of poverty and addictions. When she talks about going to college and beginning her
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career, it was no easier than her childhood had been. I was glad that her mentors were there to help her. I liked that she had people to ask her the hard questions and to let her know that what she was taught in childhood was not true. I could identify with some of her lessons. I could also identify with her words as she begins to heal from the trauma of her childhood.I was glad I read this. Everyone should as it brings home truths we too often deny.
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LibraryThing member rmarcin
I really like Viola Davis's work as an actor, so I was excited to read her story. It is amazing how she fought to break out of the poverty and abuse she experienced as a child. She is a gifted actor who worked tirelessly to perfect her craft and bring forth the perfect emotions for each role.
Davis
Reading this book has given me a greater appreciation for her and her journey to find herself.
Davis
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endured many hardships. The poverty was hard to read, her struggles with bed-wetting, fibroids, alopecia, avoiding the drug culture, abuse, and discrimination against her due to her dark skin tone. Reading this book has given me a greater appreciation for her and her journey to find herself.
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LibraryThing member thanesh
It was so nice I read it twice! A truly awe-inspiring memoir from Viola. I read this after reading Cicely Tysons memoir earlier this year and she referenced Viola from their time together in HTGAWM and the stories are similar from growing up in poverty and raising up beyond the ordinary to become
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leading figures in their craft. This both shared their love and passion for acting and how that ended up bringing them the successes they so richly deserve. Viola's account of the difficult circumstances of her upbringing is difficult to hear but it is important to share as it seriously affected her many years afterwards. Despite these challenges she overcame them all to rise above and Michelle's Obama's words about when they go low you go high ring true to Viola's response. Overall, it is great to see the recognition that Viola has achieved and realized today as she has blazed a path for others to follow! A great read and certainly the best I have read so far in 2023. Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Audiobook of the Year — 2023)
Grammy Award (Winner — 2023)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Nominee — Nonfiction — 2023)
Oprah's Book Club 2.0 (2022-04 — 2022)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2022)
RUSA CODES Listen List (Listen-Alike — Listen-Alike to "The Love You Save" — 2024)
Physical description
304 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0063037327 / 9780063037328