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A strong memoir, a weak ending
By Daniel Mackler on August 5, 2001
Format: Mass Market Paperback
A strong memior, lots of touching and interesting detail about his life growing up, his constant struggle to overcome adversity. I totally empathized with his hustling and lying at points to get ahead in a world so poised against him. the main thing I liked about the book was his VERY HUMAN side, his compassion for himself, his pain he suffered at being poor, mostly fatherless, black, dirty, hungry, uneducated. I loved it that he could cry, he could keep his humanity despite the world's cruelty...and not just keep it and feel it, but write about it later.
Weak point: the ending petered out. It went from being a man's internal struggle to "make it" in the world - the place in which I found the book's power lay - to being just another typical civil rights journal. And although I think the civil rights movement has its place, and Dick Gregory his place within it, I think I would have found the book far more satisfying it ended by its author turning further inward and exploring his own motives on his own purely personal journey, rather than outward to the struggle of society. Perhaps he wasn't ready to write on this level when he published his memoir, as he was only 30 or 31 when he wrote it, but to me his lack of wisdom still doesn't let the book off the hook.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Dick Gregory is an american hero.
By PJ Hogan (pjsusedbks@aol.com) on October 26, 1999
Format: Mass Market Paperback
This book should be required reading. Dick Gregory tells the story of one black man's life from poverty to world-class entertainer and comedian. Most biographies would end here, but Mr. Gregory is not content with his incredibly successful career, but details his desire to make the world a better place for all of the disadvantaged children that will not be as fortunate to be as talented as Mr. Gregory. I found this book at a used bookstore and I am so pleased to see that it is still in print.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
One of the best Black history/bio books i've read!
By Frank Francis on January 7, 2006
Format: Mass Market Paperback
This book is one of the best i've ever read. Dick Gregory keeps you entertained and hooked all throughout the book. Gives you great insight into an african american's life not so long ago. He's honest , succint and to the point.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
A terrific piece
By soulonice on November 20, 2004
Format: Mass Market Paperback Amazon Verified Purchase
Gregory told his story in an extremely honest way. It starts off almost in a reflective state, with him speaking to his mother in his own way. He moves on to talk about his childhood, which was unpleasant to say the least. How he, along with many other people who live under those conditions, survived it is a testament to itself. He had a lot of help along the way from friends, family, associates, and many others. Those people really believed in him, because all he could offer at that time was his word. He moves on to talk about the civil rights struggle, which took on a huge part of his life as he got older. Remember this book was written in his early 30s, and as much as he gave ithat time, his gives even more and his impact on the black community as a whole was much bigger as he got older and gained more wisdom. The book will mkae you laugh, maybe cry at times, but most of all, it will make you think.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A Gregorian Chant
By Franklin the Mouse on July 28, 2009
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Reading Mr. Gregory's memoir of his first 31 years of life (1932-1963) was like being hit