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The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club) [UNABRIDGED] (Audio CD) (Audio CD)
by Sidney Poitier
Category:
Autobiography, Personal growth, Black Americans, Motivation |
Market price: ¥ 268.00
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¥ 238.00
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Good for Gifts
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MSL Pointer Review:
This powerful spiritual narrative offers one man's assessment of what is meaningful in life, as that man approaches the twilight of his years. |
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Author: Sidney Poitier
Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco
Pub. in: January, 2007
ISBN: 0061355437
Pages:
Measurements: 5.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BB00086
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0061355431
Language: American English
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- Awards & Credential -
One of the Amazon.com bestsellers in Biographies & Memoir category. |
- MSL Picks -
Having always thought of Sidney Poitier as a gifted, consummate actor, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the trials he went through to become that way. A current Oprah's pick, his memoir, The Measure of a Man, is the story of how a young man with so limited advantages and resources rises to become the consummate actor.
The consummate artist interprets rather than play acts, Poitier learned very early in his career, and in spite of acting lessons, turned to other artists to emulate, while achieving through imagination and daydreams . Thus, his outstanding, memorable performance in such movies as Blackboard Jungle, Cry the Beloved Country, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, To Sir with Love, and others. Among his many awards for his performances both on stage and in the movies is the Academy Award he received in 1964 for best actor in Lilies of the Field.
With a back and forth movement - moving from the present to the past, then back to the present - the memoir shows how his past shapes or explains his being. This memoir could be called an intellectual study into who Sidney Poitier is, how his past defines his measure as a man.
Sidney Poitier was born on Cat Island in the Bahamas, where he lived until ten and a half years old, when the family, of necessity, moved to Nassau. Until he went to Nassau, the outside world for him did not exist. Cat Island was a small, idyllic island, where the only threats Sidney met were those posed by nature and the strong discipline of his mother and father. Though very poor, his family was close. It was in Nassau that he was introduced to the prejudices toward blacks and the limitations racism placed upon them. Cat Island was idyllic, as opposed to the obvious haves vs. the have-nots of Nassau. He wore clothes made from flour sacks but loved and respected his parents so much he did not make a big deal out of the teasing he took from his schoolmates: "...knowing that my mom and dad were doing the best they could gave me the strength to suck it up and move on" .
He dropped out of school by the age of thirteen and was sent away from this environment - friends, even his older brother, were sent away because of the trouble they had gotten into because of the influence of the environment. (On Cat Island, the only dangers he had faced were those posed by nature.) Little Sidney was jailed briefly for stealing corn. So his father sent him to Miami to live with a brother ten years older than he. There, he also encountered race issues but did not let them interfere with what he had chosen for himself; so "the Jim Crow way of life had trouble overwhelming me" .
Sidney Poitier never compromised his values, refusing to play parts he did not believe in. Yet, this is exactly what his own race accused him of . Of course, he's angry about what he and other blacks had to endure, but "... I've learned that I must find positive outlets for anger or it will destroy me. I have to try to find a way to channel that anger to the positive, and the highest positive is forgiveness" .
There are lessons to be learned from this memoir on how to achieve in spite of the obstacles life and society may place in the way, for one's response is the measure of a man; and I agree that once again Oprah is right on in her selection. For example, hurt over the failure and breakup of his first marriage, he does not fail in fulfilling his father's legacy: the measure of a man is how well he takes care of his children. He is quite proud of his six talented and intelligent daughters he helped raise in spite of his divorce from their mother. Poor though he was, his own father, Reggie Poitier, always took care of his family, and in this respect, as well as others, Sidney chose to emulate him.
I would say "the measure of a man" is one's response to all of the opposition one is faced with in society, and Sidney Poitier certainly lives up to his measure as a man in all the racial opposition he encountered as a black man on his journey to becoming the consummate actor, beloved by so many.
(From quoting Lee Peoples "www.agendamag.com" , USA)
Target readers:
For all the people who long for motivational readings.
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Born in Miami 1927 and raised in the Bahamas, Poitier began acting after the war, and soon made his debut in Hollywood with No Way Out. He became the first black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 1968 he was knighted by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and is the recipient of four honorary doctorate degrees, the last from New York University. He has starred in over forty films, directed nine, and written four. He has received three Golden Globe Awards; an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award; the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other awards and honors. In April 1997 Poitier was named the Ambassador to Japan from the Bahamas. Sir Poitier is currently president and CEO of Verdon Cedric Productions. He is married, has six daughters, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
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From Publisher
"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set." - Sidney Poitier
In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measure - as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.
Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.
Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.
Here is Poitier's own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limits - his own and the world's. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.
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View all 10 comments |
Sylvia Moseley (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-13 00:00>
The written word is wonderful, but what an awesome experience to listen to Sidney Poitier tell his life story and lessons in his meledious voice. This book will encourage those who feel that life has thrown them some bad curves.
What a wonderful important book to read about the human struggle, not giving up, having a dream, and believing in yourself. Once again, we are all reminded of the importance of good parents. I envied the parenting that Sidney Poitier had. What was poured into him as a child has been measured out to the world in his life's work. I've always loved Mr. Poitier's work and integrity, now I understand how he came to be such a warm caring and compassionate man. What a wonderful , moving, inspiring story he has to tell. Thank you for sharing this with the world. I will listen to this over and over again. |
Grace Dewar (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-13 00:00>
I was immediately absorbed in the details of Sidney Poitier's fascinating life - from his childhood hours on Cat Island and the streets of Nassau to the interwoven account of his professional acting success, yet two issues plagued me during my reading.
First, I found the mix of different "voices" in Poitier's writing style erratic and disconcerting. These varied voices seemed to characterize not just Poitier at his different growth stages, but different personalities: To me, the spiritual nobility that patiently grew with this man (and the absolutely lyrical writing that marked some major passages and chapters of his book) seemed inconsistent with the too-frequent speech obscenities and an overly-personal intimacy with his reader (typified by sentences that ended with "you know?") These came off as weak efforts to make particular points, and I began to wonder which passages were authored by Poitier himself, and which were by members of the team he so lavishly credited in the book's introductory pages. I would have each writer involved know that the profanity sounded gratuitous, awkward, strangely placed - and detracted from the text, interrupting the flow of Poitier's often lovely narrative. I think it contradicted the images Poitier portrayed in his finest film roles and confused the images of the man he sketches in the pages of this text.
Second, on the purely selfish side, while I respect an author's decision to allow privacy to members of his family and friendship circle, I yearned to read more about the mother of his children and the role she (and they!) played in Sidney's success. Poitier's brief references to her end as the book continues to the mention of their divorce.
Yet certainly, the man values marriage and parenthood highly, giving abundant credit throughout to both his parents - and deriving his title, The Measure of a Man, from his father's words. |
RBSProds (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-13 00:00>
Five INSPIRING Stars!! Sidney Poitier's life is shown here as a BEACON which can serve to inspire others to do as he did: live his life and perfect his craft with consummate skill, dignity, "integrity and commitment, faith and forgiveness". Never stooping to either display or play a person of weak character, his strength of character, as depicted herein, comes from a deep spirituality and from remembering the lessons and dignity of his parents. And his acting roles are examples to an entire race (the human race) of how to conduct oneself and ultimately achieve success. As said in the introduction, this is not a book about Hollywood but a "book about life. Just life itself. What I've learned by living more than seventy years of it." And for us movie buffs, he does include many stories giving the background on and his frank opinion of some of his many movies, going far beyond the normal actor's memoirs, and that is very fascinating.
In "The Measure of a Man", the issue of the types of characters that Mr Poitier had played in his movies is necessarily addressed throughout the book and in Chapter Six, "Why Do White People Love Sidney Poitier So?" Those who feel the characters don't measure up as 'strong black men' must never have seen the Poitier films depicted in this book: never saw the strong but sympathetic criminal in "The Defiant Ones" with Tony Curtis; never saw Poitier slap the face of the rich man in retaliation and defiantly tell Rod Steiger's southern sheriff: "They call me Mr Tibbs" in "In The Heat of The Night"; or project great dignity in a small Oscar-winning B&W movie called "Lilies of the Field" that grabbed Hollywood and the world by the heart; and stand tough in the breach of Hollywood's first interracial love affair in "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". Those persons need to read about all of that in this book and the fact Sidney turned down roles of characters that didn't meet his personal standards, even when he desperately needed the money. This book tells the fascinating stories behind all of that, as it tracks the arc of Mr Poitier's real life from quiet evenings as a child on Cat Island, Bahamas through New York to the height of Hollywood fame. It also covers eye-opening issues like blacklisting and loyalty oaths: you may be surprised. "The Idyll" chapter is as affecting a piece of writing as I have read in a while. I really enjoyed his occasional fragmented-sentence style of writing. Along the way, his commentary, such as on kids and influence of ads, movies, video games, and TV are spot on in comparison to his early idyllic years with no radio or TV. A towering actor and a wonderful person depicted by a highly readable autobiographical memoir! Highly Recommended as a truly inspiring story for adults and mature teens. Five INSIGHTFUL Stars!! |
Laura Smith (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-13 00:00>
In this memoir, the respected actor Sidney Poitier who broke down many barriers in his life reflects on his life and career from the perspective of integrity. He asks whether he has upheld personal values and this introspection and reflection forms "The Measure of A Man." He measures himself in different roles, not just his public life as an actor but in his private life as a husband and father. Ultimately, he assesses himself as a man.
Poitier credits his upbringing on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for infusing in him his moral values. Poitier offers a wonderful description of his childhood there:
"In the kind of place where I grew up. What's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it."
It was a quiet, simple life that allowed him to develop his character. His character informed the positive roles he would play as an actor.
Poitier explores many important themes in THE MEASURE OF A MAN, including the importance of commitment, humility and forgiveness. He also points out the difficulties he went through in keeping artistic integrity. The final portrayal is of a man both with limits and possibilities.
His humility comes through this memoir and he makes it clear the intent of his autobiography: "I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite the contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set."
Poitier offers many insights through this reflective look at his life and career. I also enjoyed reading Nexus: A Neo Novel, which is a spiritual novel about people trying to overcome pain. Their journey brings them to a spiritual retreat where they realize their connection to the Nexus. |
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