The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis
Writing Style: Choppy. Passionate.
Pacing: Fast.
Personal Highlights: Something like Jenifer Lewis’s love life, there are “lots of moving parts” to this story. One minute I was cheering her first week in a city where few make it (particularly that fast), and the next minute I wasn’t sure what to feel. High-kicking her way onto Broadway, back-bending, nice big singing voice, vocal, no breaks in her career, and many recognizing her and she knowing everybody...something I found as humorous as fascinating. Remembering that many names was simply amazing. After a while however, it became clear she was struggling with an animus that seemed more like a duel between her and her other self. Like which one was going to win?
My favorite parts was learning about Jenifer's walk of fame and the characters she's played; what I respected in the same light as I saw Meryl Streep...and Bette Midler for that matter. All are my favorites. I also enjoyed the choppy writing. It’s like she was speaking directly to readers. In many spots I laughed out loud, one spot was getting through that ‘Delegate’ chapter, though too, I was warmed by the way she laid out what Barack Obama becoming President meant to her. Most enlightening however, was reading about the bipolar condition, and to a lesser but just as impactful extent, was picking up on things like difference between on stage performing and on screen acting. I, too, thought it would be reversed. Her relationship with Charmaine and some of the observations pointed out were touching too. But that Webster graduation commencement address, now that speech really honed and pulled this story together. Them nuggets of advice ‘are’ timeless, and that speech as a whole, over the top on point. Certainly ‘a congratulations’ on her honorary degree is next in order. From here on out, it is Dr. Lewis!
Engaging. Highly recommended.
Comments
Post a Comment