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Life Beyond Measure

Letters to My Great-Granddaughter

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Sidney Poitier was one of the most revered actors in the history of Hollywood. He overcame enormous obstacles in extraordinary times and is a role model for many Americans because of his convictions, bravery, and grace. Poitier reflects on his amazing life in Life Beyond Measure, offering inspirational advice and personal stories in the form of extended letters to his great-granddaughter.

Writing for all who admire his example and who search for wisdom only a man of great experience can offer, this American icon shares his thoughts on love, faith, courage, and the future.

Poitier draws upon the perspective and wisdom gained from his memories as a poor boy in the Bahamas, his experience of racism coming to the United States, falling in love and raising a family, breaking the race barrier in theater and film during the civil rights era, achieving stardom and success in Hollywood, and being a diplomat and humanitarian. He reflects on the deepest questions and the significant passages of his life, the virtues that helped him through tough times, and the sense of purpose and history that strengthened him.

He emphasizes the importance of the role of faith in a technological age, as well as our responsibility to the earth and future generations. Throughout, Poitier shares stories about the people of courage he has met along the way and the meaning of life in the face of immense obstacles.

Life Beyond Measure will inspire listeners to live the fullest life with integrity.

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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine esteemed actor, writer, director, and humanitarian Sidney Poitier shopping at The Gap and Old Navy! This is but one of many funny, heartwarming, and deeply inspirational adventures to be found in Poitier's latest work, dedicated to his great- granddaughter in the hope of letting her know exactly who her great-grandfather was, what he believed, and what made him tick. His letters to her are compelling, as is his narration. Sidney Poitier has a voice as melodious as a Caribbean breeze. There is no mistaking the dynamics and energy he asserts as he moves effortlessly from letter to letter. Like his acting, his narration is unfailingly professional, warm, and highly interesting, and makes for a triumphant audio presentation from beginning to end. M.R.E. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from July 28, 2008
      Celebrated writer/director/actor Poitier returns with a third memoir (following 1980's This Life
      and 2000's The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
      ) detailing his remarkable story and offering his own take on some of life's most ponderous questions. Written as a set of letters to his great granddaughter, Life Beyond Measure
      is bursting at the seams with inspirational stories aimed to advise and motivate us all. His writing is deep, his views are that of a wise man who has seen the world from every angle. Poitier's classical, firm and rolling voice is entirely engaging, and listeners will find themselves yearning for more. A HarperOne hardcover.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from July 15, 2008
      Upon seeing for the first time his newly born great-granddaughter, Ayele, Poitier (This Life) was inspired to leave a portrait of himself so that she would have a better understanding of her famous great-grandfather. What follows is an intensely felt recounting of significant events in his life, cast in a series of 21 letters. Although meant as both inspiration and a guide for Ayele to make good choices in her life, Poitier's assessment of his experiences serves as a moral guide to all who strive for a life well lived. His self-examination is candid and unforgiving, even when he discusses his former addictionsto alcohol, cigarettes, and gamblingand explains how he overcame each. He is careful not to preach as he examines his own principles of faith, which have guided him through his movie career, racial prejudice, domestic difficulties, political activism, and bout with cancer. His hope is to share with Ayele useful guidelines in living in a world fraught with prejudice, temptation, dangers, and an uncertain future. With a clear focus on the practical difficulties of trying to live well, amply illustrated with his private experience, Poitier remains high-minded, even philosophical, minimizing discussion of his celebrity or movie career, focusing rather on experiences taken from his family life as a boy in the Bahamas and later as an actor. Poitier's performance conveys wisdom with a sincerity that draws the listener into the author's heart and soul. Highly recommended. [Poitier was the first African American to win the Academy Award for best actor for Lilies of the Field in 1963; HarperAudio also has a version of Life Beyond Measure: 9 CDs. abridged. 10½ hrs. 2008. ISBN Bernard Morris, Modesto, CA

      Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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