My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir
by Clarence Thomas
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.98 You Save: $11.97 (75%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.45 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir
Book Review: Growing up on the edge
Summary: 4 Stars
Clarence Thomas had every reason in the world to fail. Born poor to a single mom, never meeting his father until the age of nine, ill-educated, living on the streets of Savannah, Georgia -- the bad side of town. Growing up black in the south in the 50's and 60's, there was no reason to predict that Clarence Thomas would ever succeed.
His mother's parents intervened in his life, stepping in to raise him and his brother. They brought him from a world of dirt-poor beginnings into a world of lower-middle class luxuries (indoor plumbing, kitchen appliances, food to eat). His grandfather clarified the connection between what he provided for the children, and what was required of them. Good grades, good work habits, and good manners were REQUIRED.
The book highlights some of the breaks Thomas caught as a youth and a young man. A good education in a Catholic school, the opportunity to go to seminary and then to Holy Cross and then to Yale, managing to make it through alcoholism, and some of the personal connections he made.
I was very interested to read his criticisms of large government and the welfare state (pp. 72-73), and his candid assessment of the desegregation/busing movement (p.143). He does a dynamite job on Natural Law (p.221).
If you are looking for a good, solid rags-to-riches inspirational story, this book can provide that. If you are looking for some humor and some politics, the book has that, too.
There was a down side: Too much Anita Hill. Honestly. People who like Justice Thomas consider her a fraud. People who dislike Justice Thomas believe every word. Way too much of this book dealt with her accusations and his confirmation hearings. When the memoir was written (in 2007), Thomas had been on the court for 17 years -- the book would have been much more interesting if it had talked a little about those almost 2 decades.
Book Review: Lamentations I:12
Summary: 1 Stars
My Grandfather's Son could be renamed the Book of Lamentations. Justice Thomas laments about alleged slights, slurs, and hurts that he faced most of his life- "to suffer old hurts, endure old pain, and revisit old doubts. At times, I was surprised by how fresh my feelings still were." He writes as if he is the only person who was ever teased as a child. The first forty plus pages reflect a childhood of insults. The situations don't get better as his life evolves.
Many years before the confirmation hearing, people are disrespecting Thomas. One would think that he was born with a scarlet letter on his forehead. It's incredulous that a man nearly 60 years old, who triumphed during a contentious confirmation hearing to be appointed to a life-time job, and correctly predicted that he would outlive some of his most ardent critics, would present himself as the quintessential victim.
Thomas is so absorbed with his victimization that the book dishonors his grandfather. He isn't presented as a sympathetic or nurturing person. Rather, he is simply among many people who were mean to Thomas. Perhaps, this meanness contributed to his anger. He can't get a handle on his anger. It seems that neither God nor Dick, the quadriplegic colleague during Thomas's stint in the Office of Missouri's Attorney General, can influence Thomas to tame it, although he credits both with helping him to get rid of his anger.
Anger is the pervasive tenor of the book. It's uncanny because Justice Thomas lavishly quotes scriptures and makes religious allegories. Although the Zeus-like god has blessed Thomas to vanquish his enemies, which Thomas sees as a manifestation of his righteousness, he doesn't count his blessings. He sits in a barren wasteland that is populated by apparitions of hate and anger that he created.
Book Review: One of the Finest Autobiographies Ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
My Grandfather's Son is more than a memoir. It is one of the finest autobiographies ever penned. Moreover, how ironic it is that a man we associate with dispassionate objective reasoning could produce one of the most emotionally moving books imaginable. I was deeply moved by his narrative throughout. I once knew a man like the author's grandfather, Myers, and he too cast a shadow far greater than his physical size. Thomas's tale is infinitely believable as he failed to fully appreciate the one he called "Daddy" until after he passed. The lessons granddad taught are ones which should be internalized by children today and I'd recommend reading aloud to them passages from the early chapters as a means for inspiration. Myers was a master of the art of self-sufficiency and gave Clarence the mental fortitude to persevere in the face of incredible odds. Thomas's life is far more compelling than Barack Obama's and his last three chapters--"Approaching the Bench," "Invitation to a Lynching," and "Going to Meet the Man"--flow as if they were embedded in a movie. The sham of his last Senate confirmation, as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, was horrifying both in retrospect and while it occurred. The leftist activist groups and their Congressional minions tried to subject him to a "high-tech lynching" but he stood up to their menace. In my opinion, Clarence Thomas is a hero of the highest order and may be remembered as one of the finest justices in history. As of right now, My Grandfather's Son is the best book I've read in 2008.Book Review: The Life of Clarence Thomas
Summary: 4 Stars
My grandfather's son is about how Clarence Thomas, after overcoming many difficulties, ended up becoming very successful in life. Clarence had a rough childhood growing up. When he was young,his father abandoned him forcing him to live with his granparents with his younger brother Myers. Clarence's grandfather always had expected him to receive excellent grades and help with chores on the farm they worked on. When Clarence was in his teens he attended Saint John Vianney high school as the second african american in his class. Despite racial remarks and long working hours, Clarence still managed to find time to do homework and study Latin. TT- In the book, I liked how Clarence didn't let jokes about race and his speech let him down. After high school, Clarence attended Yale Law School and the College of the Holy Cross. There came a time when Clarence even thought about quitting school, but he never gave up because his granfather always said " If you go, you have to stay. You can't quit."31 What i disliked in the book is how Clarence was forced to repeat the tenth grade in order to attend at his high school. "It may have been a blessing in disguise," Clarence stated later on in life. When he was about to be nominated for the Senate, he said,"I don't care what they do. God never got me into anything that He didn't get me out of."
Book Review: Fascinating Autobiography
Summary: 4 Stars
I rarely read autobiographies, especially of recent or current figures under the assumption history has not had time to judge the value of the person. I made an exception for Clarence Thomas and I am quite glad I did. The story of his life is fascinating and educational. His upbringing in the segregation of Savannah to his time in college and law school to the early parts of his career in Missouri are fascinating. Justic Thomas' insight into his views of the world and how they were formed add to the book and provide a rare insight into a person who sits on our highest court.
His later career, and the expression of opinions and views different from prevailing wisdom is especially interesting at this time when prevailing wisdom may threaten those with dissenting views. In some cases he may be right and in some he may be wrong, but the courage with which he approaches and maintains his views in this book and in his actions as head of the EEOC, as a judge and as a justice have built my respect for him. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who disagree with some of Justice Thomas' decisions.