The next Must Read book you should read is Finding Me: a Memoir by Viola Davis. Congratulations to Viola for winning a Grammy for the best audiobook! I love memoirs; this genre has pulled me in since I was a little girl.
I knew my life would be a fight, and I realized this: I had it in me.
Viola Davis is one of my favorite actresses. When she plays a role, I believe her, and I am on the ride with her, so for her to open up her life to us was brave. She talked about growing up in poverty, witnessing domestic violence, experiencing sexual violence, dealing with overt racism, and overcoming hygiene inequities due to poverty. Also, it was a magnifying glass of the different systems that failed Viola and her family. The housing, schooling, healthcare, mental health, and social services systems did not support her family to the point that they barely survived, and their basic needs were not being met. Hearing about all they had to navigate and overcome was heartbreaking.
Then she goes into why acting was the thing that made her feel alive. Her story is nuanced, raw, and inspiring. It was great to see that even though Viola is a fighter, she overcame so much that even she had to accept love and support from people who came into her life. This part of her story was so relatable when you are used to fighting all the time just to survive. It is tough to accept that good people are willing to just love on you without anything in return but your time to do so.
This book is a must-read because of all the topics it covers, some of which are listed above. It was great to learn how this brilliant and beautiful woman was vulnerable enough to take her wig and makeup off on a television show like How to Get Away with Murder. This book reminded me that it is essential to stand in my truth and that I have a fight that doesn’t need to be extinguished.
My biggest discovery was that you can literally re-create your life. You can redefine it. You don’t have to live in the past.
Have you read this book or listened to the audiobook? If you love audiobooks, then this is the one for you.
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