Voices and Silences

I've owned this book for some time and finally picked it up and read it. I have always admired Mr. Jones' voice and acting skills. Here is an African-American that radiates culture, dignity, and has no time for "racism or racialism." He talks about the value of family, healing abandonment, the loss of his voice for most all of his teen years, and his discovery of the theatre. Woven through all of this is a portrait of a man of integrity, who knows what he believes and is willing to Stand on that. We need more of these men these days.

The voice is unmistakable - deep, resonant, compelling, and so are the words of James Earl Jones in the reflective memoir he has penned with Penelope Niven One of the most accomplished actors of our day, he has written an autobiography that is as intriguing as his performances. Jones's 60 year history begins in rural Mississippi, moves to a farm in Michigan, continues as he struggles to find a place on the stage, and culminates in the theaters of the world. He tells the story of his life on the professional level, including insights into his marvelous performances in "The Great White Hope," "Othello," and "Fences." He also relates his experiences on a personal level offering comments on his origins in a family of sharecroppers, a mother who abandoned him, his marriages, and his multiracial heritage. This is also a book about voices. There are the stories he heard his grandparents tell, the sounds of life on hardscrabble land in the south. And, most surprisingly, the voice that enthralls audiences today once stuttered and then fell silent for eight years. Jones was mute from the age of six to 14. Of this experience, he wrote, "Because of my muteness, I approached language in a different way from most actors. I came to language standing on my head, turning words inside out in search of meaning, making a mess of it sometimes, but seeing truth from a very different viewpoint. In those years I spent in virtual silence, I grew a passion for expression." Express himself he does. Whether written or spoken, the words of James Earl Jones add to the richness of our lives and language. - Gail Cooke

This book gives wonderful background of the man who appears in many of the greatest movies and shows ever created. It shows how he overcame personal issues to succeed in his profession. I believe that this book is a good read for anyone wanting to see perserverance in action. Jones shows that anyone can do anything if they want it bad enough.

Not only do I know James Earl Jones as an actor (rather than darth vader) I respect him as a very unique individual, who touched some parts in my life. I was having difficulty in school: I stammered in school and was very shy. There were things in my life that I held back for a long time. Like James. I hope that his name will carry on both on stage and off. I definitely recommend this book to those who want to know the person and get to understand him that way. I know I do!

Mr. Jones and I are both part Irish, have a childhood history of stammering, went into acting which helped the speech problem and we may have other things in common. I very much enjoyed this book and I recommend it to others. Why only a "9"? In the middle of the book he states that he is a member of the NRA and just drops the subject. He must know full well that it doesn't jive with his life or his beliefs. But he just dropped it. A great idea for a second book: pick up this subject in the wake of the Murrah building blast and then look at the comparisons between the OJ trial and one of his signature roles, Othello