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A review by chrissie_whitley
Finding Me by Viola Davis
5.0
When Viola Davis was recently asked by The New York Times about the last book she read, she responded that it was [b:Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body|38821391|Hunger A Memoir of (My) Body|Roxane Gay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519749177l/38821391._SY75_.jpg|42362558] by [a:Roxane Gay|3360355|Roxane Gay|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1407278304p2/3360355.jpg], and said of it, "I so admire this level of bravery. The kind that requires you to put your truth out there in a way that can celebrate or ostracize you. Man, it’s beautiful to witness that kind of courage."
That is exactly how I felt after exploring Finding Me. Viola has torn open her full being and you see inside everything you'd expect — her strength, her determination, her talent — and, most importantly, her vulnerability. Her level of bravery, the courage it takes to be this vulnerable and exposed, only adds to my admiration for her. She pulls no punches, holds very little back, and shares her story — the lows and the highs — in this beautifully raw memoir.
Audiobook, as narrated by the author: Viola recorded her own memoir, and while that is certainly the preferred way to listen to a memoir or autobiography, I cannot but help think of how difficult this must've been for her — a self-issued challenge she conquered. Reliving all these moments with and through Viola, as she reads her own words about herself, is as intimate experience as you can share with the thousands of others who've also listened. With every word she spoke, she is vibrating with emotion, conveying the portion of her story with the same depth and passion she imbues in her acting performances. But to draw from her own well to fill the cup over and over again for her own life's scenes requires something different, tests something different — and she faced this challenge head-on and emerged bloodied, tear-stained, and victorious.
That is exactly how I felt after exploring Finding Me. Viola has torn open her full being and you see inside everything you'd expect — her strength, her determination, her talent — and, most importantly, her vulnerability. Her level of bravery, the courage it takes to be this vulnerable and exposed, only adds to my admiration for her. She pulls no punches, holds very little back, and shares her story — the lows and the highs — in this beautifully raw memoir.
"And I realized that your depth of understanding of yourself is equal to the depth of understanding a character. We are after all observers of life. We are after all a conduit, a channeler of people."
Audiobook, as narrated by the author: Viola recorded her own memoir, and while that is certainly the preferred way to listen to a memoir or autobiography, I cannot but help think of how difficult this must've been for her — a self-issued challenge she conquered. Reliving all these moments with and through Viola, as she reads her own words about herself, is as intimate experience as you can share with the thousands of others who've also listened. With every word she spoke, she is vibrating with emotion, conveying the portion of her story with the same depth and passion she imbues in her acting performances. But to draw from her own well to fill the cup over and over again for her own life's scenes requires something different, tests something different — and she faced this challenge head-on and emerged bloodied, tear-stained, and victorious.