"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 ...
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"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 tman 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 unbringing 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 sacrifices and committment, 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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Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah to cart. $0.99, good condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperSanFrancisco.
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Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah to cart. $0.99, fair condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperSanFrancisco.
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Fair. Used book-May contain writing notes highlighting bends or folds. Text is readable book is clean and pages and cover mostly intact. May show normal wear and tear. Item may be missing CD. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah to cart. $1.48, good condition, Sold by Your Online Bookstore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Houston, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperSanFrancisco.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperOne.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperOne.
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Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography to cart. $1.99, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperOne.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography to cart. $1.99, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperOne.
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperSanFrancisco.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Measure of a Man: a Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah to cart. $3.24, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by HarperSanFrancisco.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
I liked the story of his upbringing,his trials and tribulations,his life in general. I found the book to be enlightening and warm hearted. I have always been a big fan of his and have enjoyed his talent as an actor. I like his honesty throughtout the book,he does not sugar coat anything,he tells it the way it happened. It was a good read.
kreed
May 11, 2007
Just OK
This book was interesting - at first. I enjoyed reading about where Sidney Poitier came from and how he grew up and began his career. Then the book got a little boring to me. It was like reading a lecture and I lost interest. I skipped over the last quarter of the book. I recommend it but would not give it a 5 star rating. I think the book was hyped up more than it deserved. To me it was a 3 star.
happy
Apr 3, 2007
more than a pretty face
How this dignified, intelligent, talented, handsome man helped create himself surprised me in some ways. Not the part about how his parents and childhood independence grew a healthy, honest sense of self worth. More, how that foundation allowed him to acknowledge his shortcomings and use them as stepping stones upward. What makes him tick is the best part of his story for me because it's a worthy yardstick for anyone to use as a self-measure.
