Turning White: A Memoir of Change

by Lee Thomas

In his thought-provoking memoir, Turning White , Emmy Award-winning TV broadcaster Lee Thomas shares the physical and mental battle he is waging with vitiligo a skin disorder that is literally turning him white. At age 25, Thomas had a dream job in a dream city as a feature/entertainment reporter for the ABC networks flagship TV station in New York. Then he discovered a few white spots on his scalp, the small beginnings of a disease that has spread to half his face -- a fact he covers with makeup when on camera. As someone in the very public eye, vitiligo has transformed not only Thomas' color, but his life. "Even people who have known me for years avoid eye contact when they see my face without makeup for the first time," he writes. Recently, Thomas turned the spotlight on himself during a special report for WJBK FOX 2 Detroit, where he is currently an entertainment reporter. In Turning White , Thomas shares his journey to help people understand vitiligo, and to help others cope with the psychological war that comes from this life-changing disease.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, African American, Autobiography

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

LEE THOMAS is the Bram Stoker Award and the Lambda Literary Award-winning author of STAINED , ASH STREET , THE DUST OF WONDERLAND , and THE GERMAN . Recent and forthcoming titles include LIKE LIGHT FOR FLIES , and BUTCHER’S ROAD . Forthcoming titles include DOWN ON YOUR KNEES (Oct 2016), and DISTORTION (May 2017).

ADDITIONAL TITLES:
TORN
IN THE CLOSET, UNDER THE BED
FOCUS
THE BLACK SUN SET
CRISIS
PARISH DAMNED

Reviews

[Wilhelmina Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars, not because of the quality of the writing but because of the courage of the writer. Lee Thomas, a TV newscaster in Detroit, tells his story of living with vitiligo with honesty and openness. I was impressed that he put full color photographs of himself without makeup into the book - that factor alone increased my rating by one star. I am an African American woman with vitiligo. Like Thomas, I only wear makeup when my skin would be a distraction from what I am doing, which translates to maybe once a year. His story rang very true for me, although I was uncertain as to why his doctors could not relate his Crohn's Disease to his vitiligo - they are both autoimmune and any illness that affects your immune system can lead to vitiligo. I'm sure that this book will help many people, especially young people, who have this condition and are trying not to let it limit their lives. I applaud Lee Thomas for stepping forward and sharing his story and his pictures with others.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Lee Thomas is a TV broadcaster with Vitiligo. He is very upfront on what it is like to be a black man going white and having the world watch. He talks briefly about personal relationships but does enough to show you how dating with Vitiligo is not easy.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library b/c the title and cover looked interesting. Not particularly well-written, but I finished it anyway b/c I wanted to see what life lessons he would draw. A bit fluffy, it probably would have made a better essay than book.

[J.R. Randle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This revealing memoir will inspire you to overcome all obstacles thrown in your path. This book should be read by all.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was wonderful. He explained his experiences with heartfelt restraint considering that the medical topic is extremely difficult to bear at times.
I also found myself suffering with vitaligo on portions of my hands, wrist, elbows suddenly at the age of 37. The bewilderment, shame, rage and supreme angst is truly unfathomable.

[Danique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a literary masterpiece but it is a vulnerable and courageous book. All books about this topic are worth it, especially if it can help against bigotry and ignorance.

[Elia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little memoir tells a good story about an intriguing and public illness. As is obvious from the cover the author's skin is turning white, and because of his career in TV it's particularly concerning. The book is less then 150 pages, which is good, because it's definately the story and not the writing that's holding the reader's attention. The book suffers from a lack of detail, in part because Thomas is leaving out names and identifying characteristics of some people, but also some bits are just dry or too quickly passed over. Still though, interesting and short are a good combination

[schmoozie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good, but not as good as I expected. It's a fast read and inspiring in some ways, though. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with Vitilgo. I have it, although I'm white so as long as I stay out of the sun, the contrast between normal and de-pigmented skin is not obvious. But it's still a pain in the neck, for sure. I can't imagine what it would be like to be Black and a television celebrity! I like the message that you should go out and live your life and the problem is the people who can't handle your appearance (like the drunk at the party), not you, so go for it!

[Valarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though Lee Thomas's story is very compelling, this memoir wasn't. It was a quick and easy read, to the point where it was also certainly a quick and easy write. Between the poor organization, omitted words, and typos, this seemed less like a book than a series of blog entries without any planning. I really admire Thomas for his courage to publish a memoir complete with photographs, but there should have been a competent editor in the mix as well.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lee Thomas is an well-known news anchor for Fox 2 News in Detroit. This is his story about his battle with Vitiligo, a disease in which the skin slowly loses it pigmentation. It affects all races but is much more noticeable in African-Americans. He does a great job of explaining how the disease not only affects his skin but his self-esteem and his daily life. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in learning more about Vitiligo and how to interact with someone who looks "different."

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it is brief, Turning White provides rare insight on what it is like to have severe vitiligo, and the author shows courage in revealing his disfigurement to the public. The main drawback is that the book is very brief, without enough details on Thomas's feelings as his illness intensifies, and with little information on the reaction of those closest to him.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting perspective of a man with vitiligo (a pigment disorder.) The author is a local reporter, which peaked my interest. A short read. It's not mind-blowing writing, but it is informative and brave.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit lighter than I expected (no pun intended. OK, intended), but an interesting,quick read on what it's like when the body you live in begins to turn against you. Illustrated with a series of photos showing the progression of the author's vitiligo. It honestly made me re-think Michael Jackson.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from his story, but when i compare it against Micheal J. Fox, Christopher Reeve and the dude who cut off his own arm in " between a rock and a hard place" i found the fact that he has to wear a little make up at work - not that of a bad thing.

[Topmar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vitiligo. Most of us know it as the "Michael Jackson disease." This is an incredible memoir. Lee Thomas is my new hero.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Autobiography of Thomas, a black news anchorman who suffers from the skin condition that cause skin to lose its pigmentation, thereby changing him from a black man to a white man. Interesting.

[Katherine Roman]

Great

[WanderLizt Travel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love learning about Lee and his feelings about vitiligo. Lee is such a powerful leader and I'm so happy he is reaching out to others with vitiligo as well. ♡