The Measure of a Man, Sidney Poitier
The Measure of a Man, Sidney Poitier
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The Measure of a Man
A Spiritual Autobiography

Author: Sidney Poitier

Narrator: Sidney Poitier

Unabridged: 7 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperOne

Published: 01/26/2007

Synopsis

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. 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 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.

About Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier was the first black actor to win the Academy Award for best actor for his outstanding performance in Lilies of the Field in 1963. His landmark films include The Defiant Ones, A Patch of Blue, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and To Sir, With Love. He has starred in over forty films, directed nine, and written four. He is the author of two autobiographies: This Life and the ""Oprah's Book Club"" pick and New York Times bestseller The Measure of a Man. Among many other accolades, Poitier has been awarded the Screen Actors Guild's highest honor, the Life Achievement Award, for an outstanding career and humanitarian accomplishment. He is married, has six daughters, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by Nancy on 2007-04-18 15:32:07

Highly recommended.

AudiobooksNow review by Carla on 2007-10-19 16:21:08

.

AudiobooksNow review by Cyndie Browning of Tulsa, OK on 2008-03-25 11:44:17

Sidney Poitier reading his own life story at times, he's so into the story that I'm sure he was telling it rather than reading it. I especially enjoyed the stories he told of his boyhood, and of his experiences on the stage and while making the movies that I remember whenever I think of him. Since he made his movie debut in 1950, the year I was born, I've been renting those movies and watching them and getting to know the young actor who became the older gentleman I've admired all these years. The only problem I had with the book is that after about the 5th CD, I would sometimes find his repetitive way of making a point a little monotonous, but other than that, it was a very enjoyable listen.

AudiobooksNow review by Joanne on 2010-05-19 19:04:12

I ENJOYED HEARING ABOUT SIDNEYS' LIFE AS A CHILD BUT THE REST OF THE BOOK WAS PONDEROUS AT BEST.AS SO MANY OF THESE BIOGRAPHIES OF HOLLYWOOD ACTORS, IT'S MAIN PURPOSE IS TO SHOW HOW WONDERFUL HE IS.HE HAD AFFAIRS AND DIVORCED HIS WIFE.THAT'S FAR FROM PERFECTION IN MY EYES.I COULDN'T FINISH THE BOOK AND THINK LESS OF HIM NOW.

AudiobooksNow review by Susan Dumolt on 2022-01-11 21:25:18

I really enjoyed this book by Sidney Poitier about his life and his work. He told it exactly as he saw it, and it was fascinating to see the world through the eyes of someone who was formed by his childhood on a very poor island before being thrust into America society.

Goodreads review by Marie on February 13, 2018

This novel, published when Poitier was 73, is a philosophical reflection of his life, his accomplishments, and what makes for a life well lived in his opinion.  It is also about race, integrity, grit and perseverance. Poitier was born on Cat Island, a tiny island in the Bahamas.  He was not aware of......more

Goodreads review by Carla on July 13, 2008

I went into this book with the highest of hopes and an open mind. My mother LOVES Potier and said she really enjoyed it and we tend to agree on most books. But part way through, I felt frustrated and a bit annoyed with him. A recommendation on the jacket says that reading this book is like having a c......more

Goodreads review by BookOfCinz on September 17, 2018

We're all somewhat courageous, and we're all considerably cowardly. We're all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections. To Sir, With Love remains one of my favorite shows ever and it is mainly because of Mr. Poitier's performance. I have had "The Me......more

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