“I want to tell my story not because it’s unique but because it is not”.
“A moving, unflinching memoir of hard-won success, struggles with addiction, and a lifelong mission to give back from the late iconic actor beloved for his roles in The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Lovecraft Country. When Michael K. Williams died on September 6, 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen. Beyond the nominations and acclaim, Williams played characters who connected, whose humanity couldn’t be denied, whose stories were too often left out of the main narrative.”
This memoir should not have affected me as much as it did. I had only seen Michael K. Williams in a few things (I’ve never really watched The Wire), we have very different upbringings, and I knew little to nothing about his death when I heard about it in 2021. However Williams’ story is told in a way that is brutally honest and hard-hitting. He of course has experience in this style of narrative because even before his death he was sharing his experience with others in hopes that it would help them. I cannot think of many memoirs that were near completion when the subject passed away, and if there are any I definitely haven’t read them. Although you know how the author’s “story” ends, it doesn’t stop you for rooting for him to “make it”. While this memoir is heartbreaking, it’s also filled with hope and love and definitely worth the tears.