What do you think?
Rate this book
The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood
In the spirit of Piri Thomas’s Down These Mean Streets and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, writer and activist Kevin Powell’s memoir—“illuminating…an education for us all” (USA TODAY)—vividly recounts the horrific poverty of his youth and his struggles to overcome a legacy of anger, violence, and self-hatred.When Kevin Powell was three, he discovered the volatile nature of his a place of pain, poverty, violence, fire, rats, roaches, and a fear that would haunt him for years; but also moments of joy, transcendence, and belonging. By the time he graduated from high school, something his single mother and his grandparents did not do, Powell had survived abuse, abandonment by his father, debilitating low self-esteem, a police beating, and years of constant relocation—from school to school, neighborhood to neighborhood. He was left feeling isolated, wondering if his life had any value, and doubting that he would survive to see old age. In this unflinchingly honest autobiography, Kevin Powell reflects on his tumultuous, turbulent passage from child to man. He revisits the path that led him to become a successful writer, public speaker, activist, and cast member on the influential first season of MTV’s The Real World. He also recalls the terrible lows he endured of depression, thoughts of suicide, alcoholism, bankruptcy, doomed relationships, failed political campaigns, and the soul-shattering murder of Tupac Shakur. Time and again, Powell harks back to lessons his mother taught him as a little never stop learning, never stop telling the truth, always strive to be a better man, do what is right. Written with urgency and insight by one of the most gifted voices of our times, The Education of Kevin Powell is a powerful chronicle of healing and growth, survival and redemption. Ultimately, Kevin Powell’s journey is our journey, too.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2015
27 people are currently reading
637 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Powell
48 books72 followersKevin Powell is an American writer, activist, and television personality whose work spans journalism, literature, politics, and grassroots social change. With a career defined by outspoken advocacy for justice and deep engagement with Black culture and history, Powell has published 14 books, including The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood and When We Free the World. He was a senior writer for Vibe magazine during its formative years and played a key role in shaping its editorial voice, especially in profiling hip-hop culture and icons like Tupac Shakur.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Powell was raised in poverty by a single mother and became the first in his family to graduate high school. He went on to study at Rutgers University through the Educational Opportunity Fund, focusing on political science, English, and philosophy. His academic and personal awakening to Black literature and politics led him to become an activist and organizer for causes such as anti-apartheid movements, voter registration drives, and Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign.
Powell's public profile rose nationally as an original cast member of MTV’s The Real World: New York in 1992. He used his time on the show to engage viewers in conversations about race, identity, and masculinity. That same year, he joined Vibe magazine and became one of its most prominent voices, covering major figures in Black music and culture. His interviews with Tupac Shakur remain among the most defining pieces written on the late rapper.
Beyond journalism, Powell has contributed to The New York Times, Esquire, The Washington Post, Essence, TIME, and more. His writing connects contemporary social issues with historical and cultural narratives, particularly around race, gender, and identity. His essays and reflections often draw from personal experiences, including past struggles with violence and transformation through therapy, education, and activism.
Powell’s commitment to social justice extends into community organizing and political engagement. He ran twice as a Democratic candidate for Congress in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 and 2010, centering his campaigns on transparency, equity, and grassroots empowerment. He has worked internationally, lecturing and leading workshops, and served as the U.S. ambassador for the Dylan Thomas Centennial.
In addition to curating historical and literary anthologies, Powell continues to publish poetry, most recently Grocery Shopping with My Mother, which was also released as a spoken word album and received a 2024 GRAMMY nomination. His archive is held by Cornell University, reflecting his influence as a public intellectual and chronicler of Black life.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Powell has remained dedicated to redefining manhood, uplifting marginalized voices, and challenging systems of oppression through the written word and public service.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Powell was raised in poverty by a single mother and became the first in his family to graduate high school. He went on to study at Rutgers University through the Educational Opportunity Fund, focusing on political science, English, and philosophy. His academic and personal awakening to Black literature and politics led him to become an activist and organizer for causes such as anti-apartheid movements, voter registration drives, and Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign.
Powell's public profile rose nationally as an original cast member of MTV’s The Real World: New York in 1992. He used his time on the show to engage viewers in conversations about race, identity, and masculinity. That same year, he joined Vibe magazine and became one of its most prominent voices, covering major figures in Black music and culture. His interviews with Tupac Shakur remain among the most defining pieces written on the late rapper.
Beyond journalism, Powell has contributed to The New York Times, Esquire, The Washington Post, Essence, TIME, and more. His writing connects contemporary social issues with historical and cultural narratives, particularly around race, gender, and identity. His essays and reflections often draw from personal experiences, including past struggles with violence and transformation through therapy, education, and activism.
Powell’s commitment to social justice extends into community organizing and political engagement. He ran twice as a Democratic candidate for Congress in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 and 2010, centering his campaigns on transparency, equity, and grassroots empowerment. He has worked internationally, lecturing and leading workshops, and served as the U.S. ambassador for the Dylan Thomas Centennial.
In addition to curating historical and literary anthologies, Powell continues to publish poetry, most recently Grocery Shopping with My Mother, which was also released as a spoken word album and received a 2024 GRAMMY nomination. His archive is held by Cornell University, reflecting his influence as a public intellectual and chronicler of Black life.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Powell has remained dedicated to redefining manhood, uplifting marginalized voices, and challenging systems of oppression through the written word and public service.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 8, 2016
If the name Kevin Powell rings a bell it’s usually because of one of the three following reasons: they know him as the black guy from the original cast of MTV’s the Real World; they read the infamous Tupac Rikers Island interview that VIBE published in 1995; or they know him as a failed politician who ran for congress in Brooklyn twice, decidedly losing both times.
I knew of him from the Tupac story and other music-based writing. (He’s done countless amounts of VIBE and Rolling Stones profiles for acts like Naughty by Nature's Treach to Snoop Dogg.) I was not aware of how interesting his life story was. Actually, I’m not sure interesting is the correct word here. A better word would be erratic.
In a lot of ways, Powell’s story is a common tale that successful black Gen Xers tell. Powell grew up in a poor single-parent household, survived the crack era and, because of endurance, talent and some good luck, was able to become successful at a young age.
About half of The Education of Kevin Powell, Powell's memoir, is about those early struggles: about not having enough food; about trying to survive in dangerous neighborhoods in Jersey City and Harlem; about his sometimes strained relationship with his mother, who is a hard woman.
Powell made a readable book, but not necessarily a well-written one. And the weaknesses, which are mostly the writing and spotty storytelling, are really palpable in the first half of the book: There is the dialogue, which comes off as cartoonish and not very convincing or well executed. There's the fact that Powell tends to use the literary device of reputation a little too much and for too long. And a lot of times it seems like he's just chronicling life events, which is problematic because similar narratives have been told in ways that were more compelling and contained much more wisdom.
When we get to Powell’s adult life is when I became much more rapt. And it’s not just the Real World stuff-- which is brief and muted -- or the Tupac saga. But it’s how honest he is when talking about what a train wreck he became after finding success. Powell comes off as being an extremely self-aware cat, and his growth, especially when dealing and talking about women or how he interacted with colleagues, was refreshing to read about. Because a mix of poor decisions and bad luck, Powell had a long stretch where he was radioactive, considered a dangerous has-been, and was hanging on barely by doing little gigs here and there.
His career struggles is how, ultimately, I became drawn to this book: it skirts the typical memoir template of person struggles, becomes successful, goes through some adversary, overcomes said adversary and then becomes successful again. No. By the end of this book it’s pretty clear that Powell's life is still erratic, and he is still very much a work in progress. The book concludes with Powell locating his fathers' side of the family, but the story still hasn’t ended.
I knew of him from the Tupac story and other music-based writing. (He’s done countless amounts of VIBE and Rolling Stones profiles for acts like Naughty by Nature's Treach to Snoop Dogg.) I was not aware of how interesting his life story was. Actually, I’m not sure interesting is the correct word here. A better word would be erratic.
In a lot of ways, Powell’s story is a common tale that successful black Gen Xers tell. Powell grew up in a poor single-parent household, survived the crack era and, because of endurance, talent and some good luck, was able to become successful at a young age.
About half of The Education of Kevin Powell, Powell's memoir, is about those early struggles: about not having enough food; about trying to survive in dangerous neighborhoods in Jersey City and Harlem; about his sometimes strained relationship with his mother, who is a hard woman.
Powell made a readable book, but not necessarily a well-written one. And the weaknesses, which are mostly the writing and spotty storytelling, are really palpable in the first half of the book: There is the dialogue, which comes off as cartoonish and not very convincing or well executed. There's the fact that Powell tends to use the literary device of reputation a little too much and for too long. And a lot of times it seems like he's just chronicling life events, which is problematic because similar narratives have been told in ways that were more compelling and contained much more wisdom.
When we get to Powell’s adult life is when I became much more rapt. And it’s not just the Real World stuff-- which is brief and muted -- or the Tupac saga. But it’s how honest he is when talking about what a train wreck he became after finding success. Powell comes off as being an extremely self-aware cat, and his growth, especially when dealing and talking about women or how he interacted with colleagues, was refreshing to read about. Because a mix of poor decisions and bad luck, Powell had a long stretch where he was radioactive, considered a dangerous has-been, and was hanging on barely by doing little gigs here and there.
His career struggles is how, ultimately, I became drawn to this book: it skirts the typical memoir template of person struggles, becomes successful, goes through some adversary, overcomes said adversary and then becomes successful again. No. By the end of this book it’s pretty clear that Powell's life is still erratic, and he is still very much a work in progress. The book concludes with Powell locating his fathers' side of the family, but the story still hasn’t ended.
February 7, 2017
Kevin Powell’s self-dictated docu-novel is rich, colorful, and informative all at the same time. He connects the joys and sorrows of his own life, like growing up without a consistent father and being seen as different, than other blacks, with true conviction. Readers will get lost in his insightful and graphic storytelling mixed with just enough tidbits of his memory to make the story stick, like Aunt Birdie who inspired him to not accept the environment of his surrounds.
Kevin Powell’s life is descriptively told in a captivating way that urges the reader to perceive hip-hop and the black community in a different light. In this attempt Powell adds yet another complex story connected the greater story of African-Americans in America; nay, to African descendants all over the world. Kevin Powell, is not the only Kevin Powell for there are others with similar stories like his, all wanting to be heard. I do not know when, or why Kevin Powell sought after documenting his life’s triumphs and defeats for the consumption of the world; but he has done it, and the world should be all the more thankful for it. His biopics on some of the most popular black icons of his generation can come off as crass at times, but I believe Kevin Powell assumed this to be necessary.
There is a change coming in the world. This feeling is felt all over the world. There is unrest and things are uneasy. The Education of Kevin Powell is not a guide for black life, but a story of black life that has been written to encourage interpretation of all kind. For only then can true communication about race and gender issues in America be openly discussed in a way that is both beneficial and critical to all of man-kind.
Jerrel Stills
AAMBC Reviewer
Kevin Powell’s life is descriptively told in a captivating way that urges the reader to perceive hip-hop and the black community in a different light. In this attempt Powell adds yet another complex story connected the greater story of African-Americans in America; nay, to African descendants all over the world. Kevin Powell, is not the only Kevin Powell for there are others with similar stories like his, all wanting to be heard. I do not know when, or why Kevin Powell sought after documenting his life’s triumphs and defeats for the consumption of the world; but he has done it, and the world should be all the more thankful for it. His biopics on some of the most popular black icons of his generation can come off as crass at times, but I believe Kevin Powell assumed this to be necessary.
There is a change coming in the world. This feeling is felt all over the world. There is unrest and things are uneasy. The Education of Kevin Powell is not a guide for black life, but a story of black life that has been written to encourage interpretation of all kind. For only then can true communication about race and gender issues in America be openly discussed in a way that is both beneficial and critical to all of man-kind.
Jerrel Stills
AAMBC Reviewer
January 5, 2016
A fitting title
This memoir exceeded my expectations for its honest account and Powell's willingness to keep learning, growing, and discovering more about himself and the world around him. Admittedly, I was turned off by his abusive past and approached the book as a skeptic - unsure if there was much to be said that could change my initial impression. How wrong I was to feel that way. It's precisely that past and Powell's refusal to gloss over or excuse such behavior that made learning about his life so interesting. We never hear him blame others or even his experiences for causing his temper but it's knowledge of his living in extreme poverty, violent childhood and feelings of abandonment that humanize him in a way that I wasn't prepared to do. Highly recommend this book.
This memoir exceeded my expectations for its honest account and Powell's willingness to keep learning, growing, and discovering more about himself and the world around him. Admittedly, I was turned off by his abusive past and approached the book as a skeptic - unsure if there was much to be said that could change my initial impression. How wrong I was to feel that way. It's precisely that past and Powell's refusal to gloss over or excuse such behavior that made learning about his life so interesting. We never hear him blame others or even his experiences for causing his temper but it's knowledge of his living in extreme poverty, violent childhood and feelings of abandonment that humanize him in a way that I wasn't prepared to do. Highly recommend this book.
November 2, 2015
I find myself deeply humbled after reading this book. It dawns on me,how little I truly know of other people's lives,cultures,beliefs,etc-and how having judgments purely based on my reality misses the very point of being alive.
Thank you for writing this book.
I am shaken to the core-in a real good way.
And so it is.
Thank you for writing this book.
I am shaken to the core-in a real good way.
And so it is.
October 22, 2016
wasn't familiar with him before, but I guess some know him from The Real World cast, and some from features he wrote on Tupac and others for music magazines. Tough upbringing in Jersey City with a violent single Mom in a violent neighborhood and grinding poverty. Education looms as his way out, but his own violent tendencies short-circuit that to an extent [e.g., kicked out of Rutgers]. Financial and interpersonal misadventures follow.
Story jumps around a lot, as it's organized more thematically [my awakening about male/female relations and the horrors of domestic violence, e.g., as opposed to "age 21 to 25"] than chronologically. Comes off as someone making a persistent effort to get his act together, but at the same time highly prone to blame everybody else for setbacks. To take a simple concrete example, throughout the story he's forever failing to pay rent on time, squandering any money he comes by, stealing stuff, etc., but then his bankruptcy is all the fault of financial advisor who let him down.
Story jumps around a lot, as it's organized more thematically [my awakening about male/female relations and the horrors of domestic violence, e.g., as opposed to "age 21 to 25"] than chronologically. Comes off as someone making a persistent effort to get his act together, but at the same time highly prone to blame everybody else for setbacks. To take a simple concrete example, throughout the story he's forever failing to pay rent on time, squandering any money he comes by, stealing stuff, etc., but then his bankruptcy is all the fault of financial advisor who let him down.
December 8, 2015
When I first saw this book I said the following.... "COOL!!!!! Kevin off The Real World!!!! This memoir however is more than that! Kevin Powell frightened child, intellectual, fighter of human rights... certainly more than the "angry young black man" MTV stereotypically potrayed him . Of course I was always on Kevin's side Juli Oliver was a phony with that fabricated Southern accent. What a life this man has led!
December 17, 2017
Amazing
This book has challenged me to write my story. long overdue. A must read for all men regardless of race.
This book has challenged me to write my story. long overdue. A must read for all men regardless of race.
June 14, 2022
I came across this book and had no idea who Kevin Powell was/ is. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent memoir. He tells a powerful story of an impoverished childhood that alternated between home expectations and school and between academic excellence and violence. As he grew, and particularly when he went to Rutgers University, his exposure to Black history and culture gave him a powerful sense of community… and anger. He developed leadership skills, but still did not deal with the anger issues at his core, particularly in his interactions with women. Powell grew in his professional skills, and finally had to confront his misogyny, which he did with the support of a therapist and some strong and mentoring women.
It’s clear from Powell’s professional life that many will read his memoir because of his work, and be looking for information about those experiences. As someone who doesn’t know him, some of that section felt like a lot of name-dropping, but I suspect that if I was reading from a different angle, I would be looking for these connections.
Powell takes the reader on a wonderful slow walk through his childhood and his aggression toward women and learning how to undo that (and become a strong feminist who actively fights against it). He spends a good deal of time on his professional connections. But then toward the end of the book, I felt that things sped up: his alcohol use and depression are frequently named but not addressed in depth, his violence toward men is named but not acknowledged as a problem, his issues with money exist but are the result of external forces (never quite his responsibility). And to be sure, Powell can decide what he wants to share! But he also appears regularly to claim that the credit that accrues to him for becoming a feminist should somehow accrue him generalized credit for all areas in his life, even if he has not demonstrated personal responsibility elsewhere. He is good at community responsibility, but does not seem to understand personal responsibility, and has not (to all appearances in this book) yet done the work on his violent tendencies with men or his financial irresponsibility. Yes, many hard things happened, but I would not want someone representing me in Congress who hadn’t been paying their taxes, or who might settle a dispute with an opponent with fists. He doesn’t seem to recognize the problem here.
Because Powell wraps up the story so quickly, I am left feeling like he wrote this memoir because either he is broke, he wants to justify his most recent public actions, or is trying to pitch himself for a new job.
But still and overall, an excellent memoir that makes great connections between the boy Powell was and the man he became. He makes no excuses, but shows his growth over time and names the people and events that changed him. That made for an excellent story.
It’s clear from Powell’s professional life that many will read his memoir because of his work, and be looking for information about those experiences. As someone who doesn’t know him, some of that section felt like a lot of name-dropping, but I suspect that if I was reading from a different angle, I would be looking for these connections.
Powell takes the reader on a wonderful slow walk through his childhood and his aggression toward women and learning how to undo that (and become a strong feminist who actively fights against it). He spends a good deal of time on his professional connections. But then toward the end of the book, I felt that things sped up: his alcohol use and depression are frequently named but not addressed in depth, his violence toward men is named but not acknowledged as a problem, his issues with money exist but are the result of external forces (never quite his responsibility). And to be sure, Powell can decide what he wants to share! But he also appears regularly to claim that the credit that accrues to him for becoming a feminist should somehow accrue him generalized credit for all areas in his life, even if he has not demonstrated personal responsibility elsewhere. He is good at community responsibility, but does not seem to understand personal responsibility, and has not (to all appearances in this book) yet done the work on his violent tendencies with men or his financial irresponsibility. Yes, many hard things happened, but I would not want someone representing me in Congress who hadn’t been paying their taxes, or who might settle a dispute with an opponent with fists. He doesn’t seem to recognize the problem here.
Because Powell wraps up the story so quickly, I am left feeling like he wrote this memoir because either he is broke, he wants to justify his most recent public actions, or is trying to pitch himself for a new job.
But still and overall, an excellent memoir that makes great connections between the boy Powell was and the man he became. He makes no excuses, but shows his growth over time and names the people and events that changed him. That made for an excellent story.
March 18, 2023
My curiosity about this novel came from Powell’s interview with bell hooks at The New School (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoXNz...). Powell used his strength of storytelling to illustrate how a black [cis hetero] boy came into manhood, navigating different environments, some of which are innate and others consequential. Through lessons learned from growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood, adolescent police encounters, blackness at a PWI (predominately white institution), living in New York City, and emerging as a writer, Powell shared his truth about becoming a conscious and cultured man. A deeper reflection of how these instances made him feel and the why behind his decision-making was a missing element for me in this book. The novel’s tone is more conversational than it is reflective. Although I do not see myself rereading this book anytime soon, I would recommend this relatable novel to young adults, especially young black writers, and black boys.
*Note: I listened to this as an audiobook, if that affects your reading at all.
*Note: I listened to this as an audiobook, if that affects your reading at all.
May 22, 2023
I was offered this book for free and never heard of Kevin Powell, but though it the best option of the freebies. Powell is a very good writer and I enjoyed so much of his story. In particular I thought it insiteful how his childhood education was largely from TV's white families and seeing fathers hanging around got him to question his mother about his own father. I felt that he fast forwarded too much over the last 20 years of his life which clearly were the years when he finally developed some self esteem and grew into manhood. He mentioned that he had lots of therapy, but never went beyond that and that part of ones life has always been the most interesting to me since my own journey to self love was the key to everything
June 21, 2023
Wow, what a memoir. Kevin Powell did not hold back on anything. This book hooked me right from the beginning. I really enjoy reading the coming of age stories of those born in the late 60s and 70s-those who experienced the 80s and 90s as a teen and an adult (my baby and childhood years). Every person's story is interesting and Kevin's is full of interesting people that many of us have heard of and of those that I'd like to learn more about. I appreciate the author's willingness to share the lowest actions of his life and to share again when they trip him up. A lot of sadness in this book and a lof of adventure and hope and growth. Wish the author all the best and continued success in life and in writing.
August 28, 2019
This is my first experience in autobiographical literature in the late 20th century to early 21st. I haven’t read much about the black culture from that era, but I started reading this book because I felt like crap on vacation and my boyfriend had it with him. This book really made me reevaluate myself and what that means. It is making me evaluate white privilege and how I have taken advantage of that, but also how I can use it to help others out. A great, fascinating read about something I knew nothing about.
February 12, 2018
I went into this book expecting strong commentary on race dynamics in America. I felt Powell's account was just a bit narrow. He told his story, which is honorable, but I think failed to explain how his perspectives alligned or didn't allign with the norms of society and the perspective of other young black men. The writing was not as passionate as I had anticipated.
December 20, 2021
Powerful
The voice of a man who speaks not only of himself but of all who share similar life experiences but never write or talk about them. Surely this book will provide education for all its readers. As the pieces of this writer’s life comes together we are faced with the question, now what? How do we become our best selves and build a better community for our children, for each other?
The voice of a man who speaks not only of himself but of all who share similar life experiences but never write or talk about them. Surely this book will provide education for all its readers. As the pieces of this writer’s life comes together we are faced with the question, now what? How do we become our best selves and build a better community for our children, for each other?
February 4, 2025
Unfortunately, Kevin Powell remains uneducated and as conceded as ever. Even after everything he has witnessed, experienced, and confessed, Kevin Powell still sees himself as the greatest victim and disingenuously overcompensates because of it (allegedly). How he is still the hero of his story is beyond me.
Pray for Kevin Powell. Shalom 🙏✝️❤️
Pray for Kevin Powell. Shalom 🙏✝️❤️
Read
April 29, 2024I remembered Kevin from the original The Real World reality series finding him to be my favorite of the 7 others, with Heather & Norman being a close second & third of the cast.
Anyways, IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT WHO THIS GUY IS :GET THE BOOK!
Anyways, IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT WHO THIS GUY IS :GET THE BOOK!
December 28, 2016
He is right about many things, especially how important it is for young people, especially Americans, to study history.
May 15, 2017
One of the best memoirs I have ever read. I could not put this book down.
September 6, 2018
A compelling autobiography of an African American author.
September 12, 2018
Another Great read. After I read it, I had to reach out to Kevin. He wrote me back. Encouraged me. It was good. Another must read
November 8, 2019
Great book for relating thing about life
July 2, 2020
“Release yourself from the prison of hatred. Forgive.”
December 22, 2020
A captivating memoir, that has lots of gaps. And, he still has tons of work to do with his life.
February 6, 2017
Go read this book. Now.
August 23, 2016
Kevin Powell wrote a truly honest and open memoir. I struggled with the book from the beginning because I wanted the older mature Powell to provide wise and sage commentary to accompany the misdirected and frustrated youthful Powell’s journey through life. If you ever read a memoir or two you will find this is usually the case. The wiser version of the writer reflects on the mistakes of his youth and provides insight to the reader on how to live a better life by avoiding the writer’s mistakes. Powell avoids this by writing directly to the experience without any judgement. This forces the reader to sit and watch a Powell that struggled through his educational process, made bad career choices and dealt with violent relationships. I wanted to shout at the young man to get his life together and get his head out of the sand. Then I read the final sections of the book and realized the author had me looking in the mirror. I realized as an African American male growing up in lower middle class life we are plagued by a long series of bad choices despite our supportive loving parents and educational opportunities. We often mistreat our women and take no account for our own actions. I learned a lot from Mr. Powell most important points are: greater love and respect for women (these are our mothers, sisters and daughters not objects of misogynistic sexual needs or the recipients of our violent low self-esteem) and an enduring love and respect for my own imperfections.
Finally, I absolutely loved the conscience hip-hop era references and his experience growing up with me in the same generation. We now found ourselves raising kids that don’t have the Civil Rights of the 60’s, Black Power protest of the 70’s or the Hip-Hop cultural explosion of the 80’s so I worry about my son now and hope he reads books like these because “A tree without deep roots cannot stand when the storm blows” and our roots are rarely nourished these days.
Finally, I absolutely loved the conscience hip-hop era references and his experience growing up with me in the same generation. We now found ourselves raising kids that don’t have the Civil Rights of the 60’s, Black Power protest of the 70’s or the Hip-Hop cultural explosion of the 80’s so I worry about my son now and hope he reads books like these because “A tree without deep roots cannot stand when the storm blows” and our roots are rarely nourished these days.
January 31, 2016
I had never heard of Kevin Powell but came across an article or post about the book and saw it was easily available at my library. Great!
It's the story of Kevin Powell from his childhood in poverty, the struggles he faces growing up and into adulthood. Navigating the world, the troubles he got into, trying to find his place.
Honestly, I didn't get it. I had read memoirs like 'The Other Wes Moore' (which is what I thought of while reading this) or 'The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace' which I enjoyed a lot. This is more like Moore's book since it's told in the first person and in some ways the stories are similar. However, I couldn't get behind Powell's story in the sense that I wanted what would happen next.
Powell himself is a good writer and while reading the text I felt like he did an excellent job in putting the reader in his shoes and describing his time growing up, his family, his discovery of books and reading, etc. But I couldn't help but wonder what exactly this was leading to and what the reader was supposed to be getting out of it. Memoirs can be difficult to go through but unlike the other books I mentioned Powell doesn't seem to have that much of an arc. He does go through one, but 'Other' neatly draws its storylines and we know how 'Short' will end. Here it's just a memoir of some guy but I didn't feel compelled by his story.
However, as I wrote he is a good writer, so I thought this should get another star. Maybe it just isn't for me but it would speak to someone else.
I thought it would be a good follow-up to Michelle Alexander's 'The New Jim Crow' (even if the two books don't cover the exact same material). Instead this was a big letdown. Going back to the library! I'd recommend a borrow unless you really like or are familiar with him.
It's the story of Kevin Powell from his childhood in poverty, the struggles he faces growing up and into adulthood. Navigating the world, the troubles he got into, trying to find his place.
Honestly, I didn't get it. I had read memoirs like 'The Other Wes Moore' (which is what I thought of while reading this) or 'The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace' which I enjoyed a lot. This is more like Moore's book since it's told in the first person and in some ways the stories are similar. However, I couldn't get behind Powell's story in the sense that I wanted what would happen next.
Powell himself is a good writer and while reading the text I felt like he did an excellent job in putting the reader in his shoes and describing his time growing up, his family, his discovery of books and reading, etc. But I couldn't help but wonder what exactly this was leading to and what the reader was supposed to be getting out of it. Memoirs can be difficult to go through but unlike the other books I mentioned Powell doesn't seem to have that much of an arc. He does go through one, but 'Other' neatly draws its storylines and we know how 'Short' will end. Here it's just a memoir of some guy but I didn't feel compelled by his story.
However, as I wrote he is a good writer, so I thought this should get another star. Maybe it just isn't for me but it would speak to someone else.
I thought it would be a good follow-up to Michelle Alexander's 'The New Jim Crow' (even if the two books don't cover the exact same material). Instead this was a big letdown. Going back to the library! I'd recommend a borrow unless you really like or are familiar with him.
December 11, 2016
The whole book is well written. Kevin Powell does understand how to construct thoughtful, well- structured sentences and paragraphs. And he has lived a life that offers a broad range of experiences with many high points and many low points. My dilemma is that I was disappointed in the second half of the book based on listening to Kevin Powell's interview on Death, Sex, and Money. I took from the interview that the author would explore how he learned to control his anger and his abuse of women. I don't think that happened. At least it doesn't go far enough into the challenges he faced and the strategies he used to transform himself from being reactive to proactive. As a father of three young men, I was looking forward to this book as a guide to other young men coming to understand women. Not so, in my opinion. But I am willing to bet that if Kevin Powell chooses to write the book that gets to the nitty gritty of change and transformation, it will be good!
October 12, 2015
This book is a memoir written by Kevin Powell who you may remember from the first season of the Real World. Although he does touch on that period in his life it's a very small portion of the book, which covers his entire life starting in childhood. He grew up the son of a single mother who was often abusive in her discipline. He also grew up in poverty something that lasted into his adulthood. Despite the challenges of his childhood he was the first person in his family to attend college, but he struggled with extreme anger that colored his life and was something he had to learn to deal with in order to move forward. If you like these sorts of memoirs this is a decent one.
Read
August 11, 2016Kevin Powell went through a lot in a really short period of time. The book is well written and really personal - he doesn't attempt to hide his, or anyone else's for that matter, shortcomings. You get the good and the bad about everything. Definitely an interesting story and I'm happy for how he pushed through his issues and eventually found some resolution. For those who do audiobooks - I listened to this as an audiobook, and I really didn't like his voice as the narrator; it was quite annoying to me. Lol. Doesn't detract from the content of the book at all! :-)
September 21, 2016
I first read Kevin Powell's vivid work in Utne Reader and when I saw this book on display at the library I knew I would be checking it out because his voice is powerful and honest and unafraid of its own self. It is a feat to undertake the vulnerability necessary to write a memoir of true depth, and it's refreshing to see someone own their mistakes and come out the other side healed and whole. With many nods to the music and art scenes of the 80s and 90s, you can almost hear the soundtrack of the book as you read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews