“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 selfquestioning. 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.” set.”
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 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 selfworth 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 who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.
Here, finally, is Poitier’s own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, pride and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity, What emerges is a picture of a man seeking truth, passion, and balance 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.
more
This book is not about Mt. Poitier’s acting career. It is more about his journey to becoming the man he is. There is a line from ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ wher his character says to his Father, “you think of yourself as a black man, I think of myself as a man”. It did not matter to him, black, red, or white, a person should hold his family …
I don’t read much non fiction but this was good and I liked his honesty.
Sidney Poitier shares his life so deeply in this book. I feel I came to know him better as a human, not just as a highly talented actor. It helped me to better understand the roles he has chosen to play too, and why he thusly chose.
I read this book a few years ago and it is a great book by a great man and actor. I have admired Sidney Poitier since watching ‘To Sir With Love’ in the 60’s and reading this book gave me the insight to a truly remarkable person.
Too much preaching by Poitier.
Interesting life story – unique narratives
This book confirmed for me that Sidney Poitier is a special man with integrity. I believed it from the roles he chose to portray, which were meant to convey certain values. He is a courageous man whose message is one of forgiveness; he tells the reader that anger should be converted into positive energy.
I was a bit disappointed as I thought he would talk a little more about his present family and his career. I did realize that this book was written 20 years ago and much has occurred since the writing. The use of the expression ‘you know’ was very annoying.
Poitier is one amazing man, an incredible mind. This book proves that.
A wonderful and interesting story of his life.
I enjoyed learning some behind the scenes information about Mr. Poitier and his movies and co-stars, etc. But particularly in the last 1/2 or 1/3 of the book he seemed to ramble on about unrelatable philosophies and thought streaming. I eventually skimmed a lot of those pages.
This does not read like a book; rather it is like a conversation.
This book surprised me. You won’t be disappointed.
I loved this book and admire Sidney Portier for all he has accomplished and for his integrity. I was very impressed with his writing and his vocabulary.
I love enjoy reading a good memoir of a person I admire. I love Sidney Poitier’s movies and was interested in his roots. Life is a long road to success for most and I enjoyed hearing his journey all the way.
I found the first half of the book very informative and interesting. However, I found the second half seem to fall into cliches and my interest ebbed.
Part autobiography and part philosophical treatise, Sidney Poitier appears to use the writing of this book to take stock of his entire life — to understand who he truly is, to evaluate his success as an Academy Award winning actor, to examine his roles as father and human being, and to come to terms with some of the big mysteries of life. It’s …
Sidney wrote an introspective story about his life and experiences. It is hard for a white woman in America to understand what a black man encounters every day especially when he was growing up. That he succeeded is a wonderful thing.
Excellent book.
This was a well-written memoir of a man who had a strong concept of who he was. He expressed much of his philosophy on life as well as telling many stories about his early life.