Customer Reviews
Concise & moving - By: J. C. S. Newton, 10 Jan 2008 
A thoroughly enjoyable account of the life of Justice Thomas. I found it fascinating to read of the prejudice he faced & the support he got as he progressed. I liked his honest discussion of the contrast between his thoughtsin the past & his thoughts now, particularly with respect to his past political views & his opinions of his grandfather's method of raising children.
Thomas comes across as a thoroughly likeable character of a non-partisan nature. Reading this book gives an idea of how rare these qualities can bein Washington among those who deal with racially-charged political issues. Towards the end of the book we are treated to a tense trip through the controversy that surrounded attempts to kill off his nomination to the Supreme Court using almost any means possible. Even though I knew the outcome of the nomination battle it was possible at times while reading to forget this, so involved did I becomein the tension of the situation.
Allin all an inspiring memoir: short, to the point, & not full of dull political anecdotes.
Excellent and Honest Memoir - By: Kendra, 01 Jan 2008 I went out of my way to purchase this book the other day-- I usually buy everything from Amazon but didn't want to wait this time.
I was not disappointed. Thomas' memoir is very good. Born into poverty, he's raised by his grandfather who taught him to take responsibility for himself & his future & to always be honest with himself & others. He succeeds at a time when few black people do despite facing many obstacles. However, with the support his grandfather had given him, he was able to succeed. It is interesting to note that while his grandfather was very moral & strict, he was also not very demonstrative & didn't offer praise freely. He didn't show pride when Thomas was accepted into Harvard or Yale & was disappointed that Thomas did not stayin Georgia to practice law. He missed his grandson's wedding & graduation. However, he still taught Thomas life lessons, & he was a wonderful & strong role model.
I know the negative reviews here are from those who didn't read the book but just like to bring Politically Conservative authors' ratings down a notch. It's a nasty tactic, & completely unfair. But, it's typical, unfortunately. And, Clarence Thomas goes into thisin his book. The liberals don't come out with intellectual debate, they begin a smear campaign. It's a shame, but that's been the M.O. of the Democratic Party for years. Justice Thomas pulls no punches here. He names names, too, which I completely appreciated. I didn't have much respect for Joe Biden before, but I have much less respect for him now. When I was growing upin Ohio, Howard Metzenbaum was well-liked. He sure pulled the wool over everyone's eyes because he's actually not a nice person at all.
Towards the end of the book, Clarence Thomas finally talks about Anita Hill. What I read there was a real eye-opener. And, if you had any questions at all about her behavior you should buy this book. Clarence Thomas is able to substantiate his defense regarding her accusations by naming very many credible witnesses who found Anita's testimony & previous actionsin the past unbelievable. Anita had no such credibility & was not able to prove her allegations.
The life lesson Thomas wants to share with all of us is this: We are responsible for ourselves. We are responsible for our futures. We are NOT victims & we can create our own destiny. Martin Luther King's dream included a day when all people would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. That's what Justice Thomas has tried to do & that's how he's tried to live. This is a wonderful book & one I would recommend to people of all ages. This is a timely story-- very motivating & a perfect example of the American Dream.
A wonderful account - By: Samuel Clemens, 03 Dec 2007 A great autobiography of a true & honest American, who's life story will inspire you. A book every young person should read. It is the true story of a man who started with very little, then after a lot hard work & perseverance, has become one of the wisest & most honorable persons to serve on our Supreme Court. History may show him to be one of the greatest Supreme Court Justices to ever servein this land.
For a good book of philosophy, I recommend Understanding: Train of Thought.
