What I Know For Sure

by Tavis Smiley

From the man who catapulted the Covenant with Black America to number one on the New York Times bestseller list comes a searing memoir of poverty, ambition, pain and atonment. Tavis Smiley grew up in a family of thirteen in rural Indian, where money was scarce and the sight of other black faces even scarcer. Always an outsider because of his race, economic background, and Pentecostal religious beliefs, he was sustained by his family’s love. But one day his world was shattered when his father brutally beat him, sending him to the hospital and then into foster care for a period of time. In What I Know for Sure, Smiley recounts how he overcame his painful history and became one of America’s most popular media figures.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Tavis Smiley is an American talk show host and author. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of Los Angeles.
Smiley became a radio commentator in 1991 and, starting in 1996, he hosted the talk show BET Talk (later renamed BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley) on Black Entertainment Television (BET). After Smiley sold an exclusive interview of Sara Jane Olson to ABC News in 2001, BET declined to renew his contract that year. Smiley then began hosting The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) (2002–04) and hosted Tavis Smiley on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on weekdays and The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio International (PRI) from 2004 until 2017.
Smiley had an employment dispute with PBS in December 2017 which resulted in his suing PBS for wrongful termination. Smiley is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. headquartered in Los Angeles. Since June 2021 he has served as Chief Visionary Officer for his radio station, KBLA Talk 1580.

Reviews

[Nandi Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book; It showed me that one, you can be born in real humble circumstances or encounter some real hard experiences and move on to something better if you wish, it really doesn't matter in this country Smiley was born illegitimately in Gulfport, Miss in 1964; I believe he met his real father a couple of times, but his mother met and married the man he considers his father, Gaynell Smiley around 1965,1966. They moved to Indiana due to him being in the Air Force, and was raised rather strictly in a Pentocostal church; One incident of the book that seems to overshadow this book that when Smiley and his sister were younger, somehow, they were accused in church by the pastor for some offense. Their father took it personally and beat the tar off of them; They both ended up being removed from the home. Sadly, his sister never got over what has happened, while Tavis did although it strained relations with his family for a while. In spite of it, he finished high school, went to college, and boldly, got an internship working for the late Tom Bradley, mayor of Los Angeles, California; eventually, he went on to BET and one of the best commentary shows on there before being taken off the air and fired around 2000 by BET President Robert Johnson. (to plenty controversy and furor I might add). On that note, between him and Bev Smith before him, they had some of the best shows on BET IMHO. It hasn't deterred him from moving on into an alliance with Tom Joyner and into his own company; he also does The State of the Union conferences each year and is considered to be one of the best out there. Of course, since then, some has bashed him when he didn't take a stand to support Barack Obama for Presidency, which some has also said caused him to leave TJMS which he has denied.

[Keith Madsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written biography, which for me means that I got caught up in Tavis Smiley's story, and found myself rooting for him as he faced his challenges. A well-written biography enriches one's own experience, almost as if it allows you the chance to live another life, seeing the world from another perspective.

My lone area of uneasiness with the book was that Smiley does at times seem rather arrogant, but then again he generally admits to that, and I view that self-recognition as a strength. His ability to use faith and a positive attitude in facing challenges was an encouragement to me to do the same.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book. Smiley became enormously successful in spite of the isolating and limiting influences of poverty, his mother's Pentecostal church, and being in a tiny minority in rural Indiana. His story is the introspective and brutally honest account of how he overcame his inauspicious circumstances with a combination of intellegence, talent, chutzpah-level self confidence, and connections. His personal growth seems to parallel his financial success. An immensely talented but very flawed individual (aren't we all?) who was shaped primarily by his loving but very flawed parents.

[Fatma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love watching Tavis Smiley Show and always wondered about his ending quote "Keep the faith". This book helped me understand his faith a little bit better and did he have a hard childhood or what!

Always interesting to see people's lives through their narration.

[Valerie Wardlaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really enjoyable! It's encouraging for anyone who has gone through difficult times and how you can persevere!

[Linda Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised to learned of his challenges in his first three decades on this earth

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETTER THAN ANY SELF-HELP BOOK OUT THERE--BUY THIS BOOK!

I'm a big fan of Tavis Smiley's TV program. I love his combination of intelligence, courage and kindness when he interviews guests. So when I saw this book, I bought it. Wow! What a read. This book is the story of Tavis' life, so far, as told by Tavis. A mid-life memoir? I'm a couple chapters short of finishing it, but the book is so inspirational that I HAD to get up and write this review before I could do anything else. Seeing that well dressed, debonair, beautiful man on TV, I would never guess what his background was. (Except for the church part--that shows.) This book is like sitting down and having a chat with Tavis in your living room. He is absolutely frank about his successes and failures, triumphs and humiliations. He moved my soul. Hearing about his depression when his career was stalled, and how it got un-stalled had me jumping up and down. I'm working on my own writing career and reading about what Tavis went through gave me hope. Tavis' story is a testimonial to what a socially conscious, God-centered life can be. Tavis' spirit roars like a freight train. I urge you to read this if you're facing challenges. It is an inspiration. Now to get back to work on my own life! I'm going to read his other books ASAP. Go, Tavis!

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I saw Tavis Smiley on ABC THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOLOUS. I was stunned and in awe when Tavis Smiley actually had the courage to call President Obama on his blatant hypocrisy as Commander In Chief, paying lip-service to the non-violence of Dr. Martin Luther King while routinely ordering up drone strikes that kill innocent women and children in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Much to my surprise, on reading this book I learned that Tavis Smiley is not a product of the inner city projects who grew up listening to Public Enemy, but a son of rural Indiana who went to a nearly all-white high school and who listened to John Cougar Mellencamp!

Tavis Smiley has a lot of progressive, left-wing ideas, and I'm sure a lot of his attitudes would make white conservatives uncomfortable. But it was amazing to see how his childhood played out, how open and friendly he was with whites, and how often he turned to them for help. Tavis Smiley is an incredibly positive role model, open and honest about his successes and his failures alike. His success story is an incredibly moving affirmation of what is truly good about America, regardless of party lines.

Now if only we could get that weak-willed hypocrite Obama out of the White House, and have a real black President like Tavis SmileY!

[Marissa Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tavis Smiley offers a unique perspective on parenting. This book is, in part, a tribute to his mother, a pretty crummy parent by most people's standards. When Smiley was beaten regularly by a bully in grade school, his mother made sure to beat him harder--with a belt--every time he let it happen. She also stood by while his step-dad beat him for an hour with an electrical cord (an experience that landed Smiley in the hospital and placed him in the care of foster parents). Instead of appreciating the fact that she had a high-achieving son, Smiley's mother undercut his chances for success by grounding him from speech team competitions, meeting with the high-school principal to cancel Smiley's term as junior class president, and refusing to sign the necessary paperwork for him to enroll in college. For all the ways she tried to limit Smiley, he credits his mother with making him self-reliant and ambitious.

[Adra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tavis Smiley has presented us with a journey of his life on up to now. I was truly impressed with the following words stated by Mr. Talley, "My dismal made me realize that being an entrepreneur can serve a journalist as well as a businessman-and the key to entreprenuership was self-motivation, intelligent planning, and autonomy. These words serve as pure encouragement for the entreprenuer on the "Hot Pursuit" of success.


Adra Young
Author of: The Everyday Living of Children & Teens Monologues Comment

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a regular viewer of Tavis Smiley's show on PBS, I was compelled in reading this book as a means to understand more about his life, experiences, and views. While Smiley has talked about his life throughout his show, in this book, we get a fully fleshed out narrative detailing his life and how its shaped his life and his goals as a television personality.

In this memoir, we hear about his humble childhood in a predominantly White farm town in Indiana, his sometimes difficult relationship with his parents, his academic successes, and views on several issues.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an admirer of Tavis Smiley and his tenacity to uplift and improve the lives of African Americans. This book is autobiographical and was so revealing. I learned alot about his childhood and how he overcame alot of things. I developed an even stronger appreciation for him and what he has accomplished.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part was interesting but lagged with the details especially of the political variety. I wanted to get a glimpse of the man who wrote a book about the final year of Martin Luther King Jr. Writing about his faith and background in the Pentecostal tradition was very inspiring since I also have the same Pentecostal upbringing.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A memoir of Tavis Smiley's growing up and going past his youth of poverty and strict religious rules imposed by his well-meaning but destructive parents. Smiley is ambitious and persevering, and while his tale is interesting, it's not all that compelling, maybe because of the very simple literary style.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know Tavis Smiley grew up in Kokomo, Indiana in a double-wide trailer with 12 other family members?

If you like Tavis Smiley, you will be inspired by his life story. Read it, it's at the Harold Washington library!

[Jennifer Vu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very inspiring novel. Combining strict religion, tough parents, and a motivated child brings you a tale of struggling to success. I may or may not have shed a tear from being touched. I would say again, it was truly an inspirational novel.

[Janice Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book very gripping and moving. It was a good example of what it means to overcome emotional voids in the relationships of those closest to us, yet find resolve and motivation to seek and achieve our dreams. Tavis Smiley is a great example of what it means to never give up on yourself.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

very lite

[Lady T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tavis Smiley's life story is truly amazing. They way that he brought himself up is a true testimony of determination.

[Thinkthendoit69 · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good read. very insightful. if true, confirms what I thought of the man..."hustler at heart...lol"

[sleeps9hours · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poorly written (as told to some author, not Tavis's writing), but a compelling enough story that it doesn’t matter. Definitely worth a read for any Tavis lovers (and aren’t we all?).

[Susan J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had heard alot about Tavis Smiley and wanted to learn more about his life and thoughts on life...this is a book that will provide insights to the man behind the radio and TV host and commentator.

[M.D. Rhett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly inspirational memoir that touched my soul! God Bless you Mr. Smiley!

[Hanalei]

Loved it!!!

[Global Donnica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a candid book...He eloquently writes of his past... his successes..and pain... his uncanny dedication to his beliefs...talents and desires....


Love ya Tavis!!!!

[Linda Yeatts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more from this book, but I can say it was a faithful accounting of Mr. Smiley's life from his perspective. I appreciated Smiley's tenacity and audacity at going after his dreams and goals. I appreciated his glimpse into important interviews over time.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know at what point this book started to annoy me. There were parts that I found fascinating and I started off thinking that Tavis Smiley was charming. That soon gave way as he mentioned MANY times that he had a gift with words, that he was a gifted orator, that he was verbally gifted, etc. I get it- you are a great speaker and very eloquent, let's move on.

While I admire many things that Smiley has accomplished, I feel like his approach to this book wasn't balanced. I was quickly turned off by the fact that Smiley frequently sings his own praises but dismisses his mistakes as someone else's fault. While he freely admits that he was padding his hours while working for Mayor Allison, he focuses on the man who caught him, saying that this employee had it out for him. I feel there were many stories depicting someone who falsely accused Smiley of something, someone who had a falling out with Smiley, someone who was unfair to Smiley; rarely did I hear him say that he had done something wrong. It just makes me wonder if all these issues were really just bad luck or if Smiley is difficult to work with and a bit arrogant.

Overall, the tone of this book distracted me from what Smiley had to say. I appreciate that Smiley has accomplished a lot in his lifetime and done some amazing things but I didn't feel connected to the author like I wanted to be while I read this.

[Winnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was required reading for school about Tavis Smiley's childhood. Parts of it was quite relatable at the time, but given how much time has passed I cannot remember it much. We did meet the author and he elaborated on some of the finer details which was a unique experience.

[Iv]

I just started reading it a and can not comment on it yet.

[Ingrid Shanklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overcomer's story! I could understand him better after reading this.