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A Choice of Weapons
The noted author/photographer recounts his life and the bitter struggle he has faced, since he was sixteen-years-old, against poverty and racial prejudice.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
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1436 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Parks
108 books114 followersGordon Parks was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director. He is best remembered for his photo essays for Life Magazine and as the director of the 1971 film, Shaft.
Parks is remembered for his activism, filmmaking, photography, and writings. He was the first African-American to work at Life magazine, and the first to write, direct, and score a Hollywood film. He was profiled in the 1967 documentary "Weapons of Gordon Parks" by American filmmaker Warren Forma. Parks was also a campaigner for civil rights; subject of film and print profiles, notably Half Past Autumn in 2000; and had a gallery exhibit of his photo-related, abstract oil paintings in 1981. He was also a co-founder of Essence magazine, and one of the early contributors to the "blaxploitation" genre.
Parks also performed as a jazz pianist. His first job was as a piano player in a brothel. His song "No Love," composed in another brothel, was performed over a national radio broadcast by Larry Funk and his orchestra in the early 30s. He composed Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1953) at the encouragement of black American conductor Dean Dixon and his wife, pianist Vivian and with the help of composer Henry Brant. In 1989, he composed and choreographed Martin, a ballet dedicated to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
Beginning in the 1960s, Parks branched out into literature, writing The Learning Tree (1963), several books of poetry illustrated with his own photographs, and three volumes of memoirs.In 1981, Parks turned to fiction with Shannon, a novel about Irish immigrants fighting their way up the social ladder in turbulent early 20th-century New York. Parks' writing accomplishments include novels, poetry, autobiography, and non-fiction including photographic instructional manuals and filmmaking books. Parks also wrote a poem called "The Funeral".
Parks received over 20 honorary doctorates in his lifetime. He died of cancer at the age of 93.
Parks is remembered for his activism, filmmaking, photography, and writings. He was the first African-American to work at Life magazine, and the first to write, direct, and score a Hollywood film. He was profiled in the 1967 documentary "Weapons of Gordon Parks" by American filmmaker Warren Forma. Parks was also a campaigner for civil rights; subject of film and print profiles, notably Half Past Autumn in 2000; and had a gallery exhibit of his photo-related, abstract oil paintings in 1981. He was also a co-founder of Essence magazine, and one of the early contributors to the "blaxploitation" genre.
Parks also performed as a jazz pianist. His first job was as a piano player in a brothel. His song "No Love," composed in another brothel, was performed over a national radio broadcast by Larry Funk and his orchestra in the early 30s. He composed Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1953) at the encouragement of black American conductor Dean Dixon and his wife, pianist Vivian and with the help of composer Henry Brant. In 1989, he composed and choreographed Martin, a ballet dedicated to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
Beginning in the 1960s, Parks branched out into literature, writing The Learning Tree (1963), several books of poetry illustrated with his own photographs, and three volumes of memoirs.In 1981, Parks turned to fiction with Shannon, a novel about Irish immigrants fighting their way up the social ladder in turbulent early 20th-century New York. Parks' writing accomplishments include novels, poetry, autobiography, and non-fiction including photographic instructional manuals and filmmaking books. Parks also wrote a poem called "The Funeral".
Parks received over 20 honorary doctorates in his lifetime. He died of cancer at the age of 93.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
November 9, 2013
4.5 rounded up to 5
A review of a Gordon Parks' photographic exhibit was accompanied by a photo called "Drugstore Cowboys, Turner Valley, Canada." Taken in 1945, I marveled at it. That a black man was allowed to take this photo, has to this day baffled me. Whatever the circumstances, his autobiography ends several years before this photo was taken. But I was captivated. The photo held me for for about five minutes and has never left the foggy edges of my brain. When I learned that this book was selected as a Minneapolis One Book One Read selection, I had to read it. And it did not let me down.
I started this on the evening of the first acculative snow here in the Minneapolis area. The next morning, there was palpable tension in the air as I commuted by light rail to downtown. I was cross, people were grumpy, a couple in a yelling match graced the Nicollet mall. How little things have changed, I thought. Then I realized that this was the pulse of an urban area soon to be under the siege of winter's brutal realities. And for those who largely live their lives on the streets, or from paycheck to paycheck, or in drafty houses there's already been a month of mostly below normal temperatures and it was only the first week of November and the snow from the night before wasn't melting quickly despite the sunshine.
Winter is rarely kind to the poor and it was not kind to Gordon Parks. When he was 16 his mother died, and he was sent from Missouri to live with his sister in St. Paul. After a dispute with his brother-in-law he finds himself homeless and on the streets. Winter is just settling in and thus begins the journey of a lifetime lived in awareness of poverty. For all of his young adult years, he experiences poverty and all its violence, and winter is always the hardest on him, but ultimately he fights it all with his weapon of choice - a camera.
This is a mavelous chronicle of the black experience in American from the 1920s through America's early years of World War II. Parks lived not only in Mineapolis/St. Paul but in Chicago's Southside, Harlem and Washington, D. C. where Jim Crow laws still existed. However the most discriminatory experience he encounters is in Daytona Beach, in which a professor assigned to escort him is humiliated by gas station attendants and local sheriffs.
The last episode Parks shares is his decision to chronicle the black pilots of World War II. As they deploy for Europe, he is denied the opportunity to join them.
So a book that started me thinking little had changed, ended with the realization that there has been progress. The poverty still exists, though racial segregation is no longer legal.
But there is still institutionalized injustice in this country. Al Franken, Minnesota's current senator wrote an opinion piece on the Huff Post this week mentioning that in over 30 states people can still legally lose their jobs for being gay. That's right. People can be fired for for their sexual orientation. And, John Boehner, republican Speaker of the House, may not allow legislation stopping this practice to come up for a vote in the House of Representatives. Arghh....Boehner's capitalized title of respect is currently not deserved. And, that anger I have just expressed is typical of the anger Parks constatntly dealt with in his lifetime and he lived to be 94. Read the book and you'll see how amazing it is that he not only survived, but achieved artistic greatness.
A review of a Gordon Parks' photographic exhibit was accompanied by a photo called "Drugstore Cowboys, Turner Valley, Canada." Taken in 1945, I marveled at it. That a black man was allowed to take this photo, has to this day baffled me. Whatever the circumstances, his autobiography ends several years before this photo was taken. But I was captivated. The photo held me for for about five minutes and has never left the foggy edges of my brain. When I learned that this book was selected as a Minneapolis One Book One Read selection, I had to read it. And it did not let me down.
I started this on the evening of the first acculative snow here in the Minneapolis area. The next morning, there was palpable tension in the air as I commuted by light rail to downtown. I was cross, people were grumpy, a couple in a yelling match graced the Nicollet mall. How little things have changed, I thought. Then I realized that this was the pulse of an urban area soon to be under the siege of winter's brutal realities. And for those who largely live their lives on the streets, or from paycheck to paycheck, or in drafty houses there's already been a month of mostly below normal temperatures and it was only the first week of November and the snow from the night before wasn't melting quickly despite the sunshine.
Winter is rarely kind to the poor and it was not kind to Gordon Parks. When he was 16 his mother died, and he was sent from Missouri to live with his sister in St. Paul. After a dispute with his brother-in-law he finds himself homeless and on the streets. Winter is just settling in and thus begins the journey of a lifetime lived in awareness of poverty. For all of his young adult years, he experiences poverty and all its violence, and winter is always the hardest on him, but ultimately he fights it all with his weapon of choice - a camera.
This is a mavelous chronicle of the black experience in American from the 1920s through America's early years of World War II. Parks lived not only in Mineapolis/St. Paul but in Chicago's Southside, Harlem and Washington, D. C. where Jim Crow laws still existed. However the most discriminatory experience he encounters is in Daytona Beach, in which a professor assigned to escort him is humiliated by gas station attendants and local sheriffs.
The last episode Parks shares is his decision to chronicle the black pilots of World War II. As they deploy for Europe, he is denied the opportunity to join them.
So a book that started me thinking little had changed, ended with the realization that there has been progress. The poverty still exists, though racial segregation is no longer legal.
But there is still institutionalized injustice in this country. Al Franken, Minnesota's current senator wrote an opinion piece on the Huff Post this week mentioning that in over 30 states people can still legally lose their jobs for being gay. That's right. People can be fired for for their sexual orientation. And, John Boehner, republican Speaker of the House, may not allow legislation stopping this practice to come up for a vote in the House of Representatives. Arghh....Boehner's capitalized title of respect is currently not deserved. And, that anger I have just expressed is typical of the anger Parks constatntly dealt with in his lifetime and he lived to be 94. Read the book and you'll see how amazing it is that he not only survived, but achieved artistic greatness.
July 13, 2012
This book is at once inspiring and deeply upsetting. In the forward, Parks, years after this was published, addresses the question of whether or not he is still as angry as he was in the years described in the book. His response sets the story off perfectly, because what follows is a story of determination in the face of vicious cruelty and injustice. That Parks was able to find his way is a testament to his will and what he described as his mother's teaching. He grew up in an America that provided him pathways out of poverty but those pathways were dotted with landmines. He was able to navigate his way through it all and we are fortunate to have access to his story. This book and his story is a reminder of the polarity of the human spirit.
July 21, 2017
Can a story with a happy ending still ultimately be sad? A CHOICE OF WEAPONS is Gordon Parks’ autobiography of his early life, taking him only through his employment with the Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information (OWI) during World War II. This part of Parks’ life is a gut-wrenching tale of discrimination and bigotry. That he survived this shows what a remarkable person he was. And therein lies the sadness. The tragedy is in realizing how much human potential was squandered by the hate and bigotry of this period in American history. The moral strength and intelligence needed to rise above the times needed almost superhuman capability. It’s a credit to see this in Gordon Parks but a tragedy to know that for every Gordon Parks there were thousands upon thousands who were merely human.
March 6, 2022
Starts slowly—if you’re thinking it’s mainly an autobiography of a photographer, you will wonder why he doesn’t even mention photography until page 174. It’s more a description of growing up and growing aware, and the last 100 pages are where both Parks and the reader really begin to understand everything. His experiences in DC and with the military are the most upsetting because you begin to feel the racism and injustice as vividly as he does—as if you’d grown up with him.
How could anyone publish this book without any of his photographs? See them wherever you can.
How could anyone publish this book without any of his photographs? See them wherever you can.
November 17, 2018
This was a great read. Gorden Parks is a photographer in which he was the first black photographer to work for life magazine, he is a writer,composer, artist and filmmaker. He become homeless at the age of 16 after his mothers death and so he began to fight to survive the brutal Minnesota winter, to educate himself.
He know and many other famous writers and musician that he hag out with like Richard Wright. There was a few quotes in there that I love and that is
'Think in terms of images and words. They can be mighty powerful when they are fitted together properly.
Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit. Enthusiasm is natural; it is being alive, taking the initiative, seeing the importance of what you do, giving it dignity and making what you do important to yourself and to others.
I suffered first as a child from discrimination, poverty ... So I think it was a natural follow from that that I should use my camera to speak for people who are unable to speak for themselves.
This is a great book to read because you will learn so much from him.
He know and many other famous writers and musician that he hag out with like Richard Wright. There was a few quotes in there that I love and that is
'Think in terms of images and words. They can be mighty powerful when they are fitted together properly.
Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit. Enthusiasm is natural; it is being alive, taking the initiative, seeing the importance of what you do, giving it dignity and making what you do important to yourself and to others.
I suffered first as a child from discrimination, poverty ... So I think it was a natural follow from that that I should use my camera to speak for people who are unable to speak for themselves.
This is a great book to read because you will learn so much from him.
September 12, 2013
Gordon Parks had a very interesting life--composer, photographer, director, CCC worker, brothel piano player--but his struggles as a black man in the early 20th century made the greatest impact on me. The title alludes to the fact that he chose his talent, his intelligence, and his camera as weapons against poverty and used his anger to propel his artistic goals forward. Although Parks lived in the Twin Cities as a young man, the local color was limited--I'm sure that The Lowry restaurant where he bussed tables was very close to where I live, but I don't know where. Good choice by One Minneapolis One Read.
April 25, 2014
My entire book club enjoyed this book. We almost never agree on the same book, so that tells you something about this story. It is one that many different people can appreciate and learn from. Especially since he is a man with Minnesota roots, his story is a valuable one for Minneapolis residents to read. I am grateful this story was picked as the 2013 One Read selection, which brought it to my attention.
From the forward:
"Activism implies that you tell one side to change people's minds, while the best art makes room for multiple interpretations. Activism and propaganda are part of the same coin. Activism tells you; art shows you."
p8 - "Even on this first night, I had bad feeling for this man. It was the kind of feeling I had for the whites whose indignities had pushed me to the edge of violence, whose injustices toward me had created one emotional crisis after another, all because my skin was black. My mind shifted back to those mornings when I stood before the cracked mirror in our house and wondered why God had made me black, and I remembered the dream I once had of being white, with skin so flabby and loose that I attempted to pull it into shape, to make it fit, only to awaken and find myself clutching at my underwear. But now I knew I was black and that I would always be black."
p45 - But had I handled the situation the way my mother would have wanted me to? No, she would have found some other way to defeat him and yet maintain her dignity and pride. But this man's tongue had hurt worse than a fist, and I had reacted out of an impulse fed by despair. My conscience told me that my actions were wrong, but my heart approved them. Momma used to say that strength came through prayer. I prayed these nights, but I was beginning to wonder about a God who would test me so severely. I had some north to prove my worth, and I was discovering that there was a lot more to it than just the desire for recognition or success. The naivete of youth, the frustration of being black had me trapped, and achievement seemed almost impossible. It was becoming more and more difficult to live with the indifference, the hate, and at the same time endure the poverty. But even then I knew I couldn't go on feeling condemned because of my color. I made up my mind, there in the cab of that truck, that I wouldn't allow my life to be conditioned by what others thought or did, or give in to anyone who would have me be subservient."
p 84 - "So at twenty I found myself an invalid. There was no chance of graduating with my class. I was already too far behind. In fact, I knew that I would never go back to school. For the next five months I sat in the dark of my room, rejecting time, light and reason. ... I finally opened a book one rainy afternoon. And gradually I began to read, think and hope again. One thing was clear. I couldn't escape my fate by trying to outrun it. I would have to take my time from now on, and grow in the light of my own particular experience -- and accept the slowness of things that were meant to be slow."
p220 - "I came to Washington, excited and eager, on a clear cold day in January. I had been singled out for an usual blessing. I felt a notch above normal things, bursting with a new strength that would be unleashed upon this historic place. The White House, the Capitol and all the great buildings wherein great men had helped shape the destinies of the world -- I would borrow from their tradition, feel their presence, touch their stone. I would walk under trees and on paths where Presidents had once walked. ... I was so uplifted that the plainness of the office I finally entered dumbfounded me."
p238 - Under pressure, Stryker - a strong, dedicated man - had momentarily weakened, but he had rallied quickly. And in the clarity of that moment I got a good look at myself. Not once had I considered his problems. I realized, for the first time, that my fears had been generously fed by my own insecurity, that there was far more selfishness in my heart than I could comfortably live with. I found that praise had come much easier to my ear than criticism; and, having grabbed hold of the essence of my problems, I saw that I hadn't matured so much as I had just grown older. It would take time to overcome these faults; but at least I was aware of them. The experience had rescued me from a punishment I was unwittingly inflicting upon myself."
From the forward:
"Activism implies that you tell one side to change people's minds, while the best art makes room for multiple interpretations. Activism and propaganda are part of the same coin. Activism tells you; art shows you."
p8 - "Even on this first night, I had bad feeling for this man. It was the kind of feeling I had for the whites whose indignities had pushed me to the edge of violence, whose injustices toward me had created one emotional crisis after another, all because my skin was black. My mind shifted back to those mornings when I stood before the cracked mirror in our house and wondered why God had made me black, and I remembered the dream I once had of being white, with skin so flabby and loose that I attempted to pull it into shape, to make it fit, only to awaken and find myself clutching at my underwear. But now I knew I was black and that I would always be black."
p45 - But had I handled the situation the way my mother would have wanted me to? No, she would have found some other way to defeat him and yet maintain her dignity and pride. But this man's tongue had hurt worse than a fist, and I had reacted out of an impulse fed by despair. My conscience told me that my actions were wrong, but my heart approved them. Momma used to say that strength came through prayer. I prayed these nights, but I was beginning to wonder about a God who would test me so severely. I had some north to prove my worth, and I was discovering that there was a lot more to it than just the desire for recognition or success. The naivete of youth, the frustration of being black had me trapped, and achievement seemed almost impossible. It was becoming more and more difficult to live with the indifference, the hate, and at the same time endure the poverty. But even then I knew I couldn't go on feeling condemned because of my color. I made up my mind, there in the cab of that truck, that I wouldn't allow my life to be conditioned by what others thought or did, or give in to anyone who would have me be subservient."
p 84 - "So at twenty I found myself an invalid. There was no chance of graduating with my class. I was already too far behind. In fact, I knew that I would never go back to school. For the next five months I sat in the dark of my room, rejecting time, light and reason. ... I finally opened a book one rainy afternoon. And gradually I began to read, think and hope again. One thing was clear. I couldn't escape my fate by trying to outrun it. I would have to take my time from now on, and grow in the light of my own particular experience -- and accept the slowness of things that were meant to be slow."
p220 - "I came to Washington, excited and eager, on a clear cold day in January. I had been singled out for an usual blessing. I felt a notch above normal things, bursting with a new strength that would be unleashed upon this historic place. The White House, the Capitol and all the great buildings wherein great men had helped shape the destinies of the world -- I would borrow from their tradition, feel their presence, touch their stone. I would walk under trees and on paths where Presidents had once walked. ... I was so uplifted that the plainness of the office I finally entered dumbfounded me."
p238 - Under pressure, Stryker - a strong, dedicated man - had momentarily weakened, but he had rallied quickly. And in the clarity of that moment I got a good look at myself. Not once had I considered his problems. I realized, for the first time, that my fears had been generously fed by my own insecurity, that there was far more selfishness in my heart than I could comfortably live with. I found that praise had come much easier to my ear than criticism; and, having grabbed hold of the essence of my problems, I saw that I hadn't matured so much as I had just grown older. It would take time to overcome these faults; but at least I was aware of them. The experience had rescued me from a punishment I was unwittingly inflicting upon myself."
August 29, 2013
Have you heard of Gordon Parks??
Gordon Parks is the first African American to write and direct a Hollywood film. The first African American hired by Life magazine as a professional photographer. He paved the way and fought racism and poverty with a camera and created a lasting legacy with his photography.
Gordon Parks was born in Kansas in 1912. He was poor but he didn't know it until his mother died and she arranged for him to go live with his sister in St. Paul, Minnesota when he was 16 year old. He was thrown out of his sister's house (by her husband) at the end of the week, so he ends up homeless, hungry and cold, riding the streetcars all night for shelter and warmth.
Gordon Parks falls in love and fights to get an education. He is a Renaissance Man and he writes songs, composes, plays the piano, and travels with a orchestra. He travels to Chicago, Harlem, New York, Washington D.C. and many other places while the country is in the midst of a Depression. Gordon is resourceful even when he has no idea where his next meal is coming from and he never gives up hope. He walks away from danger when he can and fights back when he needs to. And he buys a camera and teaches himself how to use it.
A Choice of Weapons is the chronicle of Parks life from age 16 (about 1928) through World War II in 1945. Parks is a good writer and storyteller. He communicates to readers what is was like to grow up black and poor in America. He shares his struggles with homelessness, unemployment and racism. He talks about how he tried to live up to his mother's values and advice on putting hard work above anger and hate, and how hard it was when people were trying to hold you down.
The only thing I missed in A Choice of Weapons was photographs. I wanted to see some of the pictures he is famous for and photos of family. Instead I had to do a search to find them on the web.
I have a personal connection to Gordon Parks. My grandparents grew up in the same Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul that Gordon Parks lived in when he moved to Minnesota. I, myself have also lived in the Frogtown neighborhood and walked the same streets, even got married at a church there. As I read the book, I could't help wondering if my grandparents and Gordon Parks ever came across each other in a street car or walking down the street. Who knows? Anything is possible. My grandparents, were born of immigrants, and lived in the same Frogtown neighborhood all of their lives and Gordon Parks, transplanted from Kansas, struggled and moved and made a name for himself. Gordon Parks succeeded and prospered against all odds.
A very important and moving Autobiography.
Gordon Parks is the first African American to write and direct a Hollywood film. The first African American hired by Life magazine as a professional photographer. He paved the way and fought racism and poverty with a camera and created a lasting legacy with his photography.
Gordon Parks was born in Kansas in 1912. He was poor but he didn't know it until his mother died and she arranged for him to go live with his sister in St. Paul, Minnesota when he was 16 year old. He was thrown out of his sister's house (by her husband) at the end of the week, so he ends up homeless, hungry and cold, riding the streetcars all night for shelter and warmth.
Gordon Parks falls in love and fights to get an education. He is a Renaissance Man and he writes songs, composes, plays the piano, and travels with a orchestra. He travels to Chicago, Harlem, New York, Washington D.C. and many other places while the country is in the midst of a Depression. Gordon is resourceful even when he has no idea where his next meal is coming from and he never gives up hope. He walks away from danger when he can and fights back when he needs to. And he buys a camera and teaches himself how to use it.
A Choice of Weapons is the chronicle of Parks life from age 16 (about 1928) through World War II in 1945. Parks is a good writer and storyteller. He communicates to readers what is was like to grow up black and poor in America. He shares his struggles with homelessness, unemployment and racism. He talks about how he tried to live up to his mother's values and advice on putting hard work above anger and hate, and how hard it was when people were trying to hold you down.
The only thing I missed in A Choice of Weapons was photographs. I wanted to see some of the pictures he is famous for and photos of family. Instead I had to do a search to find them on the web.
I have a personal connection to Gordon Parks. My grandparents grew up in the same Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul that Gordon Parks lived in when he moved to Minnesota. I, myself have also lived in the Frogtown neighborhood and walked the same streets, even got married at a church there. As I read the book, I could't help wondering if my grandparents and Gordon Parks ever came across each other in a street car or walking down the street. Who knows? Anything is possible. My grandparents, were born of immigrants, and lived in the same Frogtown neighborhood all of their lives and Gordon Parks, transplanted from Kansas, struggled and moved and made a name for himself. Gordon Parks succeeded and prospered against all odds.
A very important and moving Autobiography.
May 7, 2015
There are so many excellent in depth reviews of this book I'm not sure what I can add. On a trip to California I finished the book I took with me (Four Fish)so wandered into a used bookstore while my friends were at work and picked this up off the sale shelf.
I was familiar with Parks' more for his film work so this was a wonderful addition to my view of him. I recently saw Shaft again and the photography was much more meaningful after seeing his still work.His determination to overcome prejudices to succeed in his art was inspiring. This book is still relevant today as America (and other countries)continue to wrestle with racism, the effects and denial of it.
I was familiar with Parks' more for his film work so this was a wonderful addition to my view of him. I recently saw Shaft again and the photography was much more meaningful after seeing his still work.His determination to overcome prejudices to succeed in his art was inspiring. This book is still relevant today as America (and other countries)continue to wrestle with racism, the effects and denial of it.
May 1, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography written by Gordon Parks. I felt all of the emotions of his experiences that shaped him into the incredibly talented man he became. I truly understand how important choosing the right weapons to fight all the things we despise about this world such as poverty and discrimination. Mr. Parks weapon of choice was ultimately his camera, however after reading this novel you understand that he had many weapons in his arsenal as we all should.
August 2, 2013
This book has been chosen as the 2013 One Minneapolis One Read book. I will be teaching this book to my VOICES students as South High School as well. I highly recommend this book.
January 23, 2022
Something that makes this memoir different is that it was originally published in 1966, which left about four decades of Gordon's career before he passed. This memoir mainly focuses on his early life and very beginning stages of the career before being widely known. Parks told stories of America through his photography that was too extraordinary to ignore. Through poverty, and more racism than one could ever imagine he never took 'no' for an answer on his way to success. His work has left an indelible impact on many that is still talked about today. The greatest photojournalist.
"I didn't know what lay ahead of me, but I believed in myself. My deepest instincts told me I would not perish. Poverty and bigotry would still be around, but at least I could fight them on even terms. The significant thing was a choice of weapons with which to fight the most effectively. That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity and hard work over hatred was a fate that had accompanied me from her womb."
No kidding this man was incredible look up his work.
"I didn't know what lay ahead of me, but I believed in myself. My deepest instincts told me I would not perish. Poverty and bigotry would still be around, but at least I could fight them on even terms. The significant thing was a choice of weapons with which to fight the most effectively. That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity and hard work over hatred was a fate that had accompanied me from her womb."
No kidding this man was incredible look up his work.
December 27, 2020
An amazing autobiography, that is thoughtful and open minded in retrospect. It has granted me great insight into life as a black male in a segregated United States. And also on how having an attitude of no excuses for not achieving your dreams can take one far.
My favourite part was the retelling of how his friend Bill Hunter singlehandedly overtook the command of their conservation corp unit from a tyrannical group of thugs using his wit and charm.
Unforgettable.
My favourite part was the retelling of how his friend Bill Hunter singlehandedly overtook the command of their conservation corp unit from a tyrannical group of thugs using his wit and charm.
Unforgettable.
July 29, 2022
Overall, I enjoyed reading about Gordon Parks’ early life. He has a way of writing that feels like you’re talking to an old friend who’s telling you a compelling story. I did deduct a point because I thought it would cover more of his photography career. That doesn’t really come into play until the last 5-6 chapters (out of 24). Bearing that in mind and adjusting your expectations accordingly and you will be fine.
January 13, 2024
Amazing life story of perseverance and determination. Trying anything and everything while going through everything until your true call shows up is something I can identify with. This really spoke to me. Thank you Gordon Parks.
Read
December 24, 2025A moving autobiography from a St. Paul legend
October 10, 2025
Read this as a young man. This book changed my life.
February 27, 2022
This book was both inspiring and heartbreaking. Gordon Parks was a wonderful photographer, a talented composer and musician, and was given hope from his mother, who sent him from Kansas to Minnesota when he was a teen, so that he could have a better life. His life was difficult, and he managed to succeed by always listening to the people around him and by trying to understand their challenges. He had to fight against his instincts to fight when he saw discrimination but took up photography as his weapon of choice. It is disturbing to think about how little has changed since this book was written. If you want to see his photography, there is a documentary on HBO Max by the same name that delves more deeply into his life.
September 6, 2018
I want to say I really enjoyed the book and I did. However, most of the time I was appalled by the overt racism.
According to Wikipedia, he was born in 1912. The book ends sometime before the end of World War II. It begins with the death of his mother in Kansas when he is about fourteen. He is sent to Saint Paul to live with a sister. Since I live in Saint Paul, I recognized many of the names and places he mentions.
He soon becomes homeless and survives by his wits. When things seem to be looking up, the Great Depression hits him and his family very hard.
He is a very good musician and composer. This leads to several promising adventures that do not deliver. Stories about disappointment and survival in Chicago and Harlem are very disturbing due to the poverty, squalor, and racism.
During the 1930s, he gets a job as a waiter in a railway dining car which travels between Saint Paul and Seattle. Reading magazines he becomes enthralled with the photographs and buys a camera. He becomes obsessed with photography ends up with a successful business allowing him to support his wife and family.
He has many other adventures and opportunities which I will not discuss. But I think his first thirty some years were filled with more experiences than most people have in a lifetime. All the while dealing with discrimination.
Gordon Parks was a multi-talented man. His struggles to survive and succeed were facilitated by his choice of weapons. "That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity and hard work over hatred was a fate that accompanied me from her womb."
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_... for more about his life. Many of the stories in the book are included here.
According to Wikipedia, he was born in 1912. The book ends sometime before the end of World War II. It begins with the death of his mother in Kansas when he is about fourteen. He is sent to Saint Paul to live with a sister. Since I live in Saint Paul, I recognized many of the names and places he mentions.
He soon becomes homeless and survives by his wits. When things seem to be looking up, the Great Depression hits him and his family very hard.
He is a very good musician and composer. This leads to several promising adventures that do not deliver. Stories about disappointment and survival in Chicago and Harlem are very disturbing due to the poverty, squalor, and racism.
During the 1930s, he gets a job as a waiter in a railway dining car which travels between Saint Paul and Seattle. Reading magazines he becomes enthralled with the photographs and buys a camera. He becomes obsessed with photography ends up with a successful business allowing him to support his wife and family.
He has many other adventures and opportunities which I will not discuss. But I think his first thirty some years were filled with more experiences than most people have in a lifetime. All the while dealing with discrimination.
Gordon Parks was a multi-talented man. His struggles to survive and succeed were facilitated by his choice of weapons. "That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity and hard work over hatred was a fate that accompanied me from her womb."
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_... for more about his life. Many of the stories in the book are included here.
Read
July 15, 2020Paul Creager, the Curriculum and Media Coordinator at Gordon Parks High School, recommended that our Civic Engagement Project read a book by Parks, A Choice Of Weapons. All I really about Parks was that he directed the movie Shaft. I had thought that he also directed Superfly, another Blaxploitation film, but apparently his son, Gordon Parks Junior, directed that one.
All this is to say that I was expecting a very different book from the one I got when I began reading Choice Of Weapons. My copy of the Parks’ memoir, which was recently republished by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, came with an introduction by Wing Yung Huie, the photographer best known for his University Avenue Project. Huie compares his experiences with those of Parks, and concludes that, despite all the obstacles he has faced, that they were small compared to what Parks has overcome.
I think he’s right, at least in that Parks’ life story is pretty extraordinary. This book only covers his life through his mid-twenties, but is still riveting. Parks was born in rural Kansas, but it was his mother’s dying wish that he join his older sister in St. Paul. He arrived in the late 1920s, living with his sister only until his brother-in-law kicked him out. Parks became homeless, for the first of many times, spending his nights in pool halls and riding streetcars from St. Paul to Minneapolis and back. He attended school sporadically, and worked a number of jobs, including a stint as a late night pianist in a brothel. Parks’ life was made difficult by the virulent racism he encountered at every turn, but he also describes the many acts of kindness that allowed him to survive and grow. Eventually Parks started touring with an orchestra, but the group disbanded when they reached New York City.
Parks was left stranded and nearly penniless in depression-era New York, and survived only by joining the Roosevelt Administration’s Civilian Conservation Corps. Parks was at this point married, and the father of two children, one of whom would later become the Superfly director. Returning to St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, Parks worked as a Porter on trains running to Seattle, and discovered the photography of Walker Evans in copies of Life magazine that passengers left behind. Parks found his calling in photography, and he describes how his work as a photographer took him from St. Paul to Chicago to Washington DC.
In addition to being a photographer, Gordon Parks was also a skilled pianist and composer, a painter, a film director, and a writer. Having read A Choice Of Weapons, I can tell you that Parks is a very good author. His style is very clear and engaging, and while Parks always remains at the center of his book--it is his coming of age story--he takes care to explore his life against the backdrop of history.
A Choice of Weapons, Gordon Parks’ 1966 autobiography, is remarkable for a number of reasons. First of all, Parks wrote the book at age 42, a full five years before he became the first black director in Hollywood with the release of 1971’s Shaft. While the film occupies the most prominent space of any of Parks’ work in our pop-cultural collective memory, the live he lived and body of work he produced well before the release of Shaft remains astonishing. In A Choice of Weapons, Parks doesn’t even reach the part of his life that first brought him acclaim, as a photographer for Life magazine. Instead, he recounts his boyhood until his mid-thirties, when his photography career was just beginning to blossom.
As a narrative, Parks’ life reads as a fractured retelling of the mythical ‘American Dream’ that gets spun around the lives of people who found success after the hardships of the Great Depression and World War 2. He is an obstinate but gifted narrator who works to achieve his aims, no matter the cost. Much of the time, the obstacles that are thrown at him are the same that plague America today- racism, poverty and the manifestations of these structural issues. As Parks put it in his conclusion: “My mother had freed me from the curse of inferiority long before she died by not allowing me to take refuge in the excuse that I had been born black.” Today, that sentiment reads as somewhat naive, but given the experiences that Parks had with racism and the lengths he went to combat it as an individual, his ideas reflect those of someone willing to ‘rise above’ the situation he’s been placed in.
The book reads as somewhat of a travel memoir, as Parks travels from an idyllic Kansas boyhood to adolescence in the Twin Cities, to Chicago, New York, Washington D.C. and finally a US air force base after Pearl Harbor. In each location, he encounters a different style of racism- the undecuated, gruff brutality of Kansas, the cool discrimination of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the outright segregation of D.C. and the deep South.
For me, the treatment that Parks writes about at the hands of racist whites, particularly in Minnesota, haunts the enjoyment that I got out of reading his book. His anecdotes are all too familiar, even though they occurred over 70 years ago. Landmarks and familiar spots in the Twin Cities- the Orpheum, Lake Como, literally the corner of Dale and Rondo- that are entrenched as places of familiarity and memory to me are the sites of discrimination and hatred for Parks. His writing rings true today as well, for it’s clear that while Minneapolis is a ‘miracle’ city for middle-class whites, it is able to do so at the expense of the poor and marginalized racial groups who face the same almost passive oppression today. I picked up A Choice of Weapons knowing that it would elaborate on Parks’ experiences of bigotry, what’s sobering is how little seems to have changed in the half-century since the book was published.
The Choice of Weapons in an autobiography by Gordon Parks, a legendary US photojournalist. Parks begins the book in his childhood during the depression era. He grew up very impoverished and faced immense discrimination and racial violence. Parks moved to Minneapolis in his late youth and in the book depicted a much more racist and challenging city. The title is symbolic in that as Parks moves through life he chose to avoid letting hate and anger from the racism, bigotry, and difficulty of life in the US as an individual of color drive him in his actions. Holding true to ideals of dignity and hard work Parks found "weapons" in which he could rise out of his economic situation and at the same time shed light on segregation and economic hardship in the US. He shares a powerful story that highlights the historical experiences of African American's in the US and shows how difficult it can be to gain access to certain privileges that allow for upward mobility.
In doing service work I believe it is important to be educated and aware of historical, social, and political perspectives and issues. Being aware of privilege and how it is at play is a very important caveat when thinking about this type of service. Not having this knowledge will not allow one to approach a service that truly addresses the underlining issues of disenfranchisement. The book specifically depicts the historical situation individuals of color experienced in the Twin Cities and prevalence of racism.
As discussed above I feel historical understanding of the oppressive social and political structures present in the US is a very important caveat for any service member. It is also I very inspiring story showing how access to certain privileges, even basic resources (in the book Parks gains access to a camera and some initial photography work against mush adversity), the comparison in our service of coarse is digital literacy and access to the digital community.
All this is to say that I was expecting a very different book from the one I got when I began reading Choice Of Weapons. My copy of the Parks’ memoir, which was recently republished by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, came with an introduction by Wing Yung Huie, the photographer best known for his University Avenue Project. Huie compares his experiences with those of Parks, and concludes that, despite all the obstacles he has faced, that they were small compared to what Parks has overcome.
I think he’s right, at least in that Parks’ life story is pretty extraordinary. This book only covers his life through his mid-twenties, but is still riveting. Parks was born in rural Kansas, but it was his mother’s dying wish that he join his older sister in St. Paul. He arrived in the late 1920s, living with his sister only until his brother-in-law kicked him out. Parks became homeless, for the first of many times, spending his nights in pool halls and riding streetcars from St. Paul to Minneapolis and back. He attended school sporadically, and worked a number of jobs, including a stint as a late night pianist in a brothel. Parks’ life was made difficult by the virulent racism he encountered at every turn, but he also describes the many acts of kindness that allowed him to survive and grow. Eventually Parks started touring with an orchestra, but the group disbanded when they reached New York City.
Parks was left stranded and nearly penniless in depression-era New York, and survived only by joining the Roosevelt Administration’s Civilian Conservation Corps. Parks was at this point married, and the father of two children, one of whom would later become the Superfly director. Returning to St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, Parks worked as a Porter on trains running to Seattle, and discovered the photography of Walker Evans in copies of Life magazine that passengers left behind. Parks found his calling in photography, and he describes how his work as a photographer took him from St. Paul to Chicago to Washington DC.
In addition to being a photographer, Gordon Parks was also a skilled pianist and composer, a painter, a film director, and a writer. Having read A Choice Of Weapons, I can tell you that Parks is a very good author. His style is very clear and engaging, and while Parks always remains at the center of his book--it is his coming of age story--he takes care to explore his life against the backdrop of history.
A Choice of Weapons, Gordon Parks’ 1966 autobiography, is remarkable for a number of reasons. First of all, Parks wrote the book at age 42, a full five years before he became the first black director in Hollywood with the release of 1971’s Shaft. While the film occupies the most prominent space of any of Parks’ work in our pop-cultural collective memory, the live he lived and body of work he produced well before the release of Shaft remains astonishing. In A Choice of Weapons, Parks doesn’t even reach the part of his life that first brought him acclaim, as a photographer for Life magazine. Instead, he recounts his boyhood until his mid-thirties, when his photography career was just beginning to blossom.
As a narrative, Parks’ life reads as a fractured retelling of the mythical ‘American Dream’ that gets spun around the lives of people who found success after the hardships of the Great Depression and World War 2. He is an obstinate but gifted narrator who works to achieve his aims, no matter the cost. Much of the time, the obstacles that are thrown at him are the same that plague America today- racism, poverty and the manifestations of these structural issues. As Parks put it in his conclusion: “My mother had freed me from the curse of inferiority long before she died by not allowing me to take refuge in the excuse that I had been born black.” Today, that sentiment reads as somewhat naive, but given the experiences that Parks had with racism and the lengths he went to combat it as an individual, his ideas reflect those of someone willing to ‘rise above’ the situation he’s been placed in.
The book reads as somewhat of a travel memoir, as Parks travels from an idyllic Kansas boyhood to adolescence in the Twin Cities, to Chicago, New York, Washington D.C. and finally a US air force base after Pearl Harbor. In each location, he encounters a different style of racism- the undecuated, gruff brutality of Kansas, the cool discrimination of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the outright segregation of D.C. and the deep South.
For me, the treatment that Parks writes about at the hands of racist whites, particularly in Minnesota, haunts the enjoyment that I got out of reading his book. His anecdotes are all too familiar, even though they occurred over 70 years ago. Landmarks and familiar spots in the Twin Cities- the Orpheum, Lake Como, literally the corner of Dale and Rondo- that are entrenched as places of familiarity and memory to me are the sites of discrimination and hatred for Parks. His writing rings true today as well, for it’s clear that while Minneapolis is a ‘miracle’ city for middle-class whites, it is able to do so at the expense of the poor and marginalized racial groups who face the same almost passive oppression today. I picked up A Choice of Weapons knowing that it would elaborate on Parks’ experiences of bigotry, what’s sobering is how little seems to have changed in the half-century since the book was published.
The Choice of Weapons in an autobiography by Gordon Parks, a legendary US photojournalist. Parks begins the book in his childhood during the depression era. He grew up very impoverished and faced immense discrimination and racial violence. Parks moved to Minneapolis in his late youth and in the book depicted a much more racist and challenging city. The title is symbolic in that as Parks moves through life he chose to avoid letting hate and anger from the racism, bigotry, and difficulty of life in the US as an individual of color drive him in his actions. Holding true to ideals of dignity and hard work Parks found "weapons" in which he could rise out of his economic situation and at the same time shed light on segregation and economic hardship in the US. He shares a powerful story that highlights the historical experiences of African American's in the US and shows how difficult it can be to gain access to certain privileges that allow for upward mobility.
In doing service work I believe it is important to be educated and aware of historical, social, and political perspectives and issues. Being aware of privilege and how it is at play is a very important caveat when thinking about this type of service. Not having this knowledge will not allow one to approach a service that truly addresses the underlining issues of disenfranchisement. The book specifically depicts the historical situation individuals of color experienced in the Twin Cities and prevalence of racism.
As discussed above I feel historical understanding of the oppressive social and political structures present in the US is a very important caveat for any service member. It is also I very inspiring story showing how access to certain privileges, even basic resources (in the book Parks gains access to a camera and some initial photography work against mush adversity), the comparison in our service of coarse is digital literacy and access to the digital community.
March 4, 2025
This book was my introduction to the great photographer, writer, film-maker and all-around creative genius Gordon Parks; I was 11 years old, and was deeply impressed. Next only to my very first childhood hero and role model, the legendary photographer and correspondent Robert Capa, to whom I had been introduced as a very small boy via a Life magazine piece commemorating the 20th anniversary of his death, Gordon Parks had a greater influence on the way I approached photography (both in terms of my own efforts and my appreciation of others' work), technically and artistically, than just about anyone else.
As I have noted in at least one other book review on GR, during the 1981-1982 school year, when I was in the 5th grade, I made it a special project to read every single book in the biography section of the Wylie Middle School library by the end of the year. I almost made it; somewhat bizarrely, since it was a nearly all-white school in the early 1980s, the last three books in the biography section were three different books about Malcolm X; two relatively short biographies and the much longer autobiography. I finished all but the latter, and therefore had to wait until the beginning of the following school year to read 'The Autobiography Of Malcolm X'. I only remember a small handful of the biographies, autobiographies & memoirs which I read that year, but this is most definitely one of them.
I eventually read Mr. Parks' novel, 'The Learning Tree' (which I did not particularly enjoy) during my teen-age years, and several years later, when I was nearly thirty years old, I read his 'Voices In The Mirror: An Autobiography', which was absolutely extraordinary and which I recommend highly. This present book, which was (if I am not mistaken) the first volume of autobiography he wrote, is well worth reading on its own merits, perhaps particularly for young people. There are now also several collections of his photography, none of which I yet own, but several of which I hope to eventually obtain. Gordon Parks was not only one of the greatest photographers in the history of the medium, but also a true 20th century "renaissance man", and as far as I can tell, virtually everything he tried his hand at has great artistic merit. He has been an inspiration for me since I first read this book more than four decades ago, and will continue in that role for as long as I draw breath...
As I have noted in at least one other book review on GR, during the 1981-1982 school year, when I was in the 5th grade, I made it a special project to read every single book in the biography section of the Wylie Middle School library by the end of the year. I almost made it; somewhat bizarrely, since it was a nearly all-white school in the early 1980s, the last three books in the biography section were three different books about Malcolm X; two relatively short biographies and the much longer autobiography. I finished all but the latter, and therefore had to wait until the beginning of the following school year to read 'The Autobiography Of Malcolm X'. I only remember a small handful of the biographies, autobiographies & memoirs which I read that year, but this is most definitely one of them.
I eventually read Mr. Parks' novel, 'The Learning Tree' (which I did not particularly enjoy) during my teen-age years, and several years later, when I was nearly thirty years old, I read his 'Voices In The Mirror: An Autobiography', which was absolutely extraordinary and which I recommend highly. This present book, which was (if I am not mistaken) the first volume of autobiography he wrote, is well worth reading on its own merits, perhaps particularly for young people. There are now also several collections of his photography, none of which I yet own, but several of which I hope to eventually obtain. Gordon Parks was not only one of the greatest photographers in the history of the medium, but also a true 20th century "renaissance man", and as far as I can tell, virtually everything he tried his hand at has great artistic merit. He has been an inspiration for me since I first read this book more than four decades ago, and will continue in that role for as long as I draw breath...
February 4, 2024
Gordon Parks was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, the youngest in a family of 15. He was 16 when his mother died and among her last words were the request that he move north to St. Paul, Minn., to live with his sister and her husband. He did so, but the arrangement didn't last long. Money was tight, his brother-in-law was authoritarian, and Parks was soon living on the streets.
He often slept on the trolley as it circulated through the night between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Over the years, he hustled to get any jobs a young black man could get--waiter, cleaner, working the dining car on the railroad, playing with an orchestra. He lived from 1912 to 2006, so the Great Depression as well as the color of his skin worked against him. For a time, he played with a touring orchestra that dissolved as soon as they reached New York City, leaving him in a strange city where he knew no one. A job with the Civilian Conservation Corps gave him the first stability the he, his wife and baby enjoyed.
Through all of this, he read and studied photography at every opportunity through magazines, books and museums. In this memoir, he readily acknowledges the lucky breaks and the kind people who helped him along the way, but there is little doubt that his dogged pursuit of his art was critical to his success.
He moved wherever the opportunities were; it can't have been easy being Mrs. Gordon Parks. He is probably best known for his body of work documenting the poverty of the South Side of Chicago. His "weapon" of choice against racism, poverty and other social ills was his camera. He became the first black photographer at Life magazine and, being a writer and composer as well as a photographer, he went on to write, direct and score the movie Shaft.
He credits much of his success to his mother, who espoused hard work and dignity and refused to allow him to use the obvious, blatant discrimination he encountered as an excuse for failing to achieve his goals. Time magazine called this "a lean, well-written memoir." I would add highly engaging.
He often slept on the trolley as it circulated through the night between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Over the years, he hustled to get any jobs a young black man could get--waiter, cleaner, working the dining car on the railroad, playing with an orchestra. He lived from 1912 to 2006, so the Great Depression as well as the color of his skin worked against him. For a time, he played with a touring orchestra that dissolved as soon as they reached New York City, leaving him in a strange city where he knew no one. A job with the Civilian Conservation Corps gave him the first stability the he, his wife and baby enjoyed.
Through all of this, he read and studied photography at every opportunity through magazines, books and museums. In this memoir, he readily acknowledges the lucky breaks and the kind people who helped him along the way, but there is little doubt that his dogged pursuit of his art was critical to his success.
He moved wherever the opportunities were; it can't have been easy being Mrs. Gordon Parks. He is probably best known for his body of work documenting the poverty of the South Side of Chicago. His "weapon" of choice against racism, poverty and other social ills was his camera. He became the first black photographer at Life magazine and, being a writer and composer as well as a photographer, he went on to write, direct and score the movie Shaft.
He credits much of his success to his mother, who espoused hard work and dignity and refused to allow him to use the obvious, blatant discrimination he encountered as an excuse for failing to achieve his goals. Time magazine called this "a lean, well-written memoir." I would add highly engaging.
June 3, 2022
I enjoyed watching the play about the life of Gordon Parks at History Theatre and learning more about his history. I liked the way the book was written. Gordon was thoughtful, empathetic, and realistic in his retelling. Enough time had passed that he gave himself and others grace that he may have lacked in the moment. I thought Gordon was humble in his writing. It was fun to hear the story about the mind reader, when, with his back turned, was asked who in the room would be most famous, selected Gordon Parks, as the boy in the back of the room in a white uniform to be more widely acclaimed than any (which is certainly true). He knows how to stitch a story together. I'd like to be able to say he had a charmed life, but it was too hard to say that. He had some lucky breaks. He had a lot of perseverance. He had a lot of good luck. And in the end he made some good choices, especially his choice of weapons - the camera over the knife or gun. "I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty."
"The significant thing was a choice of weapons with which to fight them most effectively. That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity, and hard work over hatred was a fate that had accompanied me from her womb. "
"A friendly word from a stranger, and a cigarette, had lifted me temporarily from the darkness." -- a great reminder for what a friendly word can do for someone.
"The significant thing was a choice of weapons with which to fight them most effectively. That I would accept those of a mother who placed love, dignity, and hard work over hatred was a fate that had accompanied me from her womb. "
"A friendly word from a stranger, and a cigarette, had lifted me temporarily from the darkness." -- a great reminder for what a friendly word can do for someone.
April 7, 2021
Wow. Gordon Parks had an incredible and this book offers just a small snapshot, focusing mostly on his childhood through is early twenties or so.
Through his writing, which is wonderful, you get a sense of what it took to get him started on his journey. You also come to realize that, while he wasn't a perfect person, he was a person of his character. This is something we should all strive for, and in Mr Parks we find an excellent inspiration. He worked hard, used his brain (and occasionally his fists), and kept himself open to new opportunities, which with a little luck, managed to present themselves.
I knew of Gordon Parks as a photographer. He was so, so much more. That's something this book really helped me see - that we're all so much more than any particular title. It makes me think that everyone should write a brief memoir about their lives because all of us are so much more than what we appear to be on the surface.
So, should you read this book? Absolutely, yes. I highly recommend it to anyone, and I'll be picking up more of his writing in the future.
Through his writing, which is wonderful, you get a sense of what it took to get him started on his journey. You also come to realize that, while he wasn't a perfect person, he was a person of his character. This is something we should all strive for, and in Mr Parks we find an excellent inspiration. He worked hard, used his brain (and occasionally his fists), and kept himself open to new opportunities, which with a little luck, managed to present themselves.
I knew of Gordon Parks as a photographer. He was so, so much more. That's something this book really helped me see - that we're all so much more than any particular title. It makes me think that everyone should write a brief memoir about their lives because all of us are so much more than what we appear to be on the surface.
So, should you read this book? Absolutely, yes. I highly recommend it to anyone, and I'll be picking up more of his writing in the future.
March 17, 2018
Gordon Parks' memoir is at times excruciating reading. It covers his formative years, beginning with the death of his mother when he was 14 and he was sent from Kansas to St. Paul to live with a sister; this arrangement didn't last long and forced him to survive by his wits and various talents. It ends with the 1940s, when he discovered his love of photography and against all odds built his incredible career. He describes himself as a restless and impatient person, understandably angry at the incredible racism that confronted him in St. Paul, Chicago, New York, and worst of all, Washington, D.C. There is precious little positive in this account until one reaches the last pages, but Parks does credit numerous people who helped or pushed him along the way to gain control over his choices, resulting in his amazing contributions.
August 25, 2019
I had known about Gordon Parks through his vivid imagery from the 1950s, but prior to this book, I knew very little about this man. I was immediately drawn to this book from his first chapter and the clear and crisp writing of his prose narrative. I knew he was an excellent photographer, but I wasn't aware of his tremendous writing skills.
As I delved further and further into the story, I was completely amazed at the challenges that he faced and how he had overcome each and every one of them. While there is a lot more to the complexities of Gordon Parks life - most of his celebrity status occurred after WWII, where this volume leaves off. Nonetheless, it is an important work if you wish to understand how he was able to make creative works of brilliance.
I highly recommend this. Gordon Parks story IS the story of America!
As I delved further and further into the story, I was completely amazed at the challenges that he faced and how he had overcome each and every one of them. While there is a lot more to the complexities of Gordon Parks life - most of his celebrity status occurred after WWII, where this volume leaves off. Nonetheless, it is an important work if you wish to understand how he was able to make creative works of brilliance.
I highly recommend this. Gordon Parks story IS the story of America!
January 24, 2024
this man went through horrible difficult times in his life, yet by following the words of his mom was able to carve out a successful career as a photographer. A hard read which made me appreciate once again how easy y life has been in part because of the color of my skin! Much of the memoir takes place in St. Paul, MN so I could easily envision the sites. I will be investigating some of his photographs as a result. I gave this book a 4 simply because of its hard hitting topics. I'm still debating if it deserve a 5 simply because of its story. It did inspire a film and had 3 nominations for Documentary awards. The writing is not chaotic, but follows the timeline of his life up to the 1950's.
January 16, 2023
A wonderful edition of Parks' memoir, covering Parks' childhood and young adult years. This volume should be looked at as a memoir, part 1, ending with Parks' involvement in World War II as a photojournalist documenting Black members of the Air Force. The book's last page comes well before Parks became a staff photographer for Vogue, Glamour, and, most famously, Life magazines -- and certainly before he became a Hollywood director. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful chronicle of Parks' awakening to the racial discrimination and violence within American society, a critical theme that instructed and directed Parks' later professional and personal life.
September 15, 2020
Gordon Parks’ memoir is an articulate, powerful indictment of the America of 70+ years ago that systematically tried to grind the Black portion of the population into subservience. Parks had no intention of being ground down and documented his search for the “weapon” that would make a difference. He is quite candid about his false starts and often ill-advised impulsiveness, but his determination does not waver. Parks found an effective weapon in photography, yet all these decades later so little has changed.
March 12, 2022
The first volume of a well written and honest memoir of an interesting time and life. This is about the part of his life when he leaves Kansas for Minnesota, the poverty, the racism, the grief of losing his mother and ends with the end of his time in the OWI. The next volume will cover his time at Life magazine etc. I plan on reading all of the volumes of his memoirs, I really like Parks and admire his work as a photographer, tremendously. My reviews have many stars because I do not read books I do not enjoy
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