Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter

I was lamenting the reoccurring late-70s/early-80s style online when someone made a reference to To Sir, With Love. Having meant to watch the classic for years, I did and was bowled over by Poitier and his talent. I had see him in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner years before, during my Hepburn period and had very little recollection of him... so I picked it up again to see why.

The reason, I determined after watching that, A Patch of Blue, and pretty much everything else my library would let me get my hands on, was because my memory was faulty. He was stunningly talented. The nuances, as he plays a young widower, and outshines veteran Hepburn and positively shames Tracy. The way you can see him think, in A Patch of Blue and that show more perfectly- timed finale in To Sir are breathtaking. Do yourself a favor and watch them all.

So, when I noticed the biography, I had to check it out. I found his stories/opinions every bit as thoughtful, precise, and full of value as the films mentioned above. At least try one or the other. show less

This is not a book I would ever have read had it not been shoved into my hands by a friend. It's also not a book that ever would have been published had it not been written by someone famous for something else - in this case, acting. It's a hodgepodge of autobiography and personal philosophy. The memoir sections were very interesting, from his childhood in the Bahamas to his accidental acting career in New York City. I wish he'd touched more on his experiences, but it's clear his focus here was on philosophy, framed as letters to his great-granddaughter. Alas, much of this was fairly dull, and often strayed into "pontificating Grandpa" territory. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit boring.

3.5 - His voice is so welcoming and some of the chapters really resonated with me. I find much of his story inspiring.

5 Stars only because there weren't any more.