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Title: The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography by Sidney Poitier ISBN: 0-06-251608-6 Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco Pub. Date: 24 April, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.28 (40 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A great book by a great actor...
Comment: I didn't know that Sidney Poitier had written a book until I saw the commercial for the "Oprah" show. I decided to tune in to see the interview, and found that Mr. Poitier was a very wise person. So, I decided to get the book, and I was not disappointed.
Poitier's prose is very much like a friend having a discussion with you over a cup of coffee -- more like a conversation with an intimate friend, rather than just a written record of his life and career. There is much wisdom here -- from his early beginnings on a small island in the Bahamas, he learned quite a bit about life and living. He has carried this knowledge throughout his life, and he now shares it with us.
It's hard to know a person just from the movies he makes. Mr. Poitier's body of work speaks volumes -- and so does this excellent book.
Rating: 4
Summary: Does this one measure up? (3.5 Stars)
Comment: When I chose to read THE MEASURE OF A MAN: A SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Sidney Poitier this year, it had nothing to do with the fact that he is an American icon who is recognized and respected by many throughout the world. If truth were told, I've only seen 4 of his 40+ films, which clearly establishes the fact that I am no Sidney Poitier movie buff. I simply chose to add this book to my reading list this year because I was drawn to its title.
For me, the title meant that this charismatic and successful man would look back over his long complex life to share some insights to the kind of scale he used to measure and/or weigh the true meaning of his life. Just as a scale is arranged in graded series, so are the significant events in Poitier's life. Even though this book does not tell his life in chronological order, it does present events in his life as themes, which were shaped by the times and circumstances that surrounded him.
Clearly at the base of his scale are the strong core values/morals he learned from his parents while growing up on the tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas. It will be those core values that sustain him upon his arrival in America at age 15 in 1943 and throughout his life as a husband, father and ultimately, an actor. As Poitier begins to carve out a successful acting career during the '50s & '60s, he is mindful that his personal and public life must be reflective of the kind of legacy that the Poitier elders left behind. Therefore, he did not let the backlash he received from some in the black community during the '60's for making films that depicted "exemplary human beings" deter him. Instead of being angry and confrontational about the social injustices of the times, he chose to channel those emotions into something positive. That positive energy is what kept him seeking and demanding quality roles as a black actor.
Sidney Poitier is an excellent storyteller and this book as some say is, "anecdotally rich." Even though I enjoyed much of what he talks about, I felt that some of his writings rambled on, and at times were out of place with regards to the book's chapter. So continuity of content was definitely not a strong issue during the editing stages of this book. The fact that he refers to this as, "a spiritual autobiography" is a bit ambiguous too. Neither religion nor any other spiritual philosophies are apart of what he explains is the measure of his success as a man.
So when one thinks about the saying, "The true measure of a man is not what he accomplishes, or in the wealth he may acquires. It's found in the lives he touches," does Mr. Poitier's life measure up? Read his book and you'll know the answer!
Reviewed by Marlive
Rating: 4
Summary: The Measure of a Man, a literary addition to Poitier's life
Comment: Sidney Poitier fans are not hard to come by and would thoroughly enjoy this book, seeing as how the tone of the book is exemplary of Poitier's signature calm and confident demeanor.
_The Measure of a Man_ is organized into eleven sections that take the reader sequentially through the main lessons of Poitier's life with insights by the author looking back. Each section contains several stories from Poitier's life, each flowing seamlessly into the next. For example, under the chapter title, 'Life in Black and White' Poitier recalls the Harlem, New York that he loved. He opens with the politics of the area, including the fact that blacks were expected to go into New York City to work, but once the day was over, they were expected to stay far away from downtown, which segways into Poitier recalling the great nightlife of Harlem which in turn leads to a story of a specific man who was able to stay in Harlem as a hot item for one week annually. The man saved his money all year to spend on himself and others in the city in seven days before returning to Poitier's home place, Cat Island. These examples, along with many others support the overall lesson of this section; that the author was faced with discrimination many times, but he did not accept it into his beliefs and was happier with himself and his lifestyle.
The highlight of the book for me was understanding how Poitier's beginnings and upbringing support the life of an actor so well. Poitier never comes out and states, "this is what happened when I was a kid and at this moment on stage I drew from it," rather it is left to the reader to make the connections which I rather enjoyed. Any aspiring actor or speaker can take note from Poitier's examples and apply them to their own situation.
Anyone faced with adversity can respect and draw strength from Poitier's firm beliefs that had to be proven over and over again. His upbringing comes in to play in this aspect because he was raised in the 1940s but was unaware of racial segregation for the majority of his childhood. Being raised on an island where everyone was black with the exception of two people was helpful for Poitier because he developed his sense of self without the concept of prejudice. When this was introduced to him in his early teens, Poitier was already developed enough to feel confident enough to reject bigotry.
I have read other reviews that found tones of "black anger" in Poitier's story and I have found none. I believe he tells his story from his point of view and it is a viewpoint of equality for all men and a view of high self-respect, containing no notable tones of "black anger."
Some less enjoyable moments of _The Measure of a Man_ are the times Poitier drops names like a novice at a networking luncheon. Anyone who writes an autobiography thinks enough of himself or his story that he expects others to be interested. Poitier, for the most part does this unpretentiously and without excessiveness. Unfortunately, that makes the few times he does preach all the more noticeable. When recalling a filming, an integral meeting, or a high stakes encounter, Poitier drops a lot of names. Reading through the lists five or six lines long full of names becomes a bit tedious.
Another aspect to be aware of is that where as this is a great book for anyone looking to know more about Poitier's career, but anyone questioning about his family or personal life will be disappointed.
Sidney Poitier's _The Measure of a Man_, published by Harper SanFransisco is the literary addition to Poitier's life, and is not to be missed by those who respect his work.
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Title: This Life by Sidney Poitier ISBN: 0345294076 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 01 March, 1981 List Price(USD): $2.95 |
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Title: Vernon Can Read!: A Memoir by Vernon E., Jr. Jordan, Annette Gordon-Reed, Vernon E. Jordan Jr. ISBN: 046503697X Publisher: Basic Civitas Books Pub. Date: 17 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones by Quincy Jones ISBN: 0385488963 Publisher: Doubleday Books Pub. Date: 09 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: The Measure of a Man by Martin Luther, Jr. King ISBN: 0800634497 Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers Pub. Date: 01 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.00 |
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Title: Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon by Aram Goudsouzian ISBN: 0807828432 Publisher: University of North Carolina Press Pub. Date: 01 March, 2004 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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