Rating: 
Summary: A great book by a great actor...
Review: I didn't know that Sidney Poitier had written a book until I saw the commercial for the "Oprah" show. I decided to tune in to see the interview, and found that Mr. Poitier was a very wise person. So, I decided to get the book, and I was not disappointed.Poitier's prose is very much like a friend having a discussion with you over a cup of coffee -- more like a conversation with an intimate friend, rather than just a written record of his life and career. There is much wisdom here -- from his early beginnings on a small island in the Bahamas, he learned quite a bit about life and living. He has carried this knowledge throughout his life, and he now shares it with us. It's hard to know a person just from the movies he makes. Mr. Poitier's body of work speaks volumes -- and so does this excellent book.
Rating: 
Summary: Mistakes are to be found in this book!
Review: When I began reading this book (audio), I didn't truly know what to expect but to learn a bit more about this man who has appeared in so many fine motion pictures. In the eight hours of listening, I came to see Poitier as a man of character and integrity, something missing in so many men and women in the theatre today. It was fascinating to learn of his background in Jamaica, a background that most would view as one of poverty but one which was rich in building character. In his own words Poitier describes his journey from poor kid to a man of honor in the entertainment business. The audio book conveys the slight voicings of words which can not be done with simply the printed page; these add color to the presentation. Someone wishing to know a bit more of the background of his movies will find this book a welcome addition. In my opinion he might have spent a bit more time explaining his educational experience. Hearing his voice and knowing the words are his, makes a person wonder how this all came to be.
The latter moments of this work includes pages of Poitier trying to explain his worldview, his religion. It is, my opinion, a confused view, combining elements of Roman Catholicism (not the same as Christianity), spiritualism (from his days in Jamaica), the atheism/naturalism of Carl Sagan (a friend), idealism, and an acceptance of evolutionism. That he would go to this area of his experience was not unexpected, given the book's subtitle. To be fair, understanding this realm of his thinking will contribute to anyone's appreciation of Poitier as an actor as well as a man.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read
Review: All in all a good read. Poiter does an effective job of telling how his youth rooted in values like family and self esteem served him well many years later. The book is a fast read with lots of wonderful stories about Poiter. It only gets boring when he digresses into a debate about "religion" and does not offer any practical advice to the reader. Read it. You'll like it.
Rating:
Summary: POITIER SURPASSES THE MEASURE OF A MAN...BY MILES!
Review: I first became interested in Sydney Poitier when he starred in one of my all time favourite movies, "To Sir with Love." After that, I avidly followed his career, but as the years passed, less and less was written about him. I was elated when this book appeared and was not disappointed upon it's conclusion. Everything about this book only confirmed what a beautiful and spiritually enlightened person Mr. Poitier truly is. In spite of his lucrative movie career and fame, Mr. Poitier has clearly never lost sight of where he came from or what is important in life. He did not abandon his personal values, beliefs and integrity in search of fame and fortune. His love for humanity and family, and the happiness, peace and contentment he has found within himself, is evident on almost each and every page of his extremely well-written book. He is the ultimate example of refinement, culture and class. Mr. Poitier is the type of man one would love to sit down with under a shady tree, over a cup of tea, and share his joys, tribulations and deep spiritual philosophies on life. He is an astoundingly charismatic gentleman as one will discover through his autobiography. If you only read one autobiography in a lifetime, let it be this one - the reader will definitely not be disappointed. If simplicity, faith, integrity, humbleness and inner peace are the "measure of a man", then Mr. Poitier's shoes would be very difficult to fill. The book is deserving of an entire universe of stars.
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