My One Good Nerve [Paperback]

Ruby Dee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 1998

Intimate reflections on loving and living from an American treasure.

"My One Good Nerve draws me back into my sweetest past . . . a work of memory and art."--Maya Angelou.

My One Good Nerve is an exuberant collection of writings in the down-home tradition by that incomparable icon of the human spirit, Ruby Dee. Married for 50 years to fellow actor Ossie Davis, Dee has led an astonishingly full life. But she has never forgotten where she comes from as an African American woman. Fans who have admired and drawn strength over the years from Dee's outspoken human rights advocacy and unforgettable characters are rewarded here with many glimpses into her memories and convictions. Based on her long-running one-woman show, this book is an inspiration and a blessing.

Ruby Dee (New Rochelle, NY) grew up in Harlem and graduated from Hunter College in New York City. Inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 1989, she was an original cast member of Broadway classics such as A Raisin in the Sun and South Pacific and appeared in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and the landmark adaptation of Alex Haley's Roots. She performs her one-woman show, My One Good Nerve, in theatres across the country.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In December the co-authors will mark their 50th wedding anniversary, an almost unheard of milestone for two stars of the performing arts this century. Even before their marriage, according to Davis, "we were in love, head over heels, and stuck with each other forever!" Rather than just telling the story of a successful marriage, however, their book (related in alternate voices) provides a panorama of the 20th-century African American experience, or, as they label it, The Struggle. Both socialists and militant battlers for African American rights, Davis and Dee have known, and worked with, such leaders as W.E.B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Martin Luther King and Malcom X. And they haven't shied away from the consequences of taking a public stand: during the flowering of McCarthyism, Dee was called a Communist sympathizer in the press. Still, with refreshing honesty, they steer clear of self-congratulation, as when Davis tells how, as a little boy, in exchange for a few pieces of peanut brittle, he acquiesced as some racist local cops mistreated him. Of course, Dee and Davis also chronicle their careers as pioneers on stage, film and television, from their involvement with New York's African American theater scene during the Depression to their work alongside stars like Sidney Poitier and Lena Horne. From Davis's youth as a "Negro boy surrounded by white hoods, burning crosses, and stories that brought the smell of burning flesh," to Dee's concern for the future of African American theater, this is a compelling read, effectively evoking the challenges and rewards that have attended the authors' roles as black leaders over the past 60 years. Photos not seen by PW. Appendix, index. Agents, Betty McCort and Susan Crawford. (Nov.) FYI: Also out this November is Ruby Dee's My One Good Nerve, a collection of verse based on her one-woman show of that title. (Wiley, $16.95 192p ISBN 0-471-31704-7)
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

With the exuberance for which she is known, Dee has written and assembled an eclectic collection of poetry, short stories, and musings on subjects from everyday life to racial politics. Much of the material is from Dee's one-woman stage show and evokes her voice and mannerisms. The collection includes ruminations about relationships and what it takes to maintain a successful marriage and to raise children, as well as observations about the state of existence of blacks in the U.S., with a particular focus on black youth. An unnamed black comedian is chastised for his use of demeaning, profane language. Dee recalls characters and incidents from her childhood and the difficult past of black people in the U.S. and expresses an abiding concern about the direction of race relations. A chapter on tributes pays homage to writers and entertainers, famous and obscure, including James Baldwin, Marvin Gaye, Toni Cade Bambara, and an unnamed photographer. Vanessa Bush

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Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (November 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471317047
• ISBN-13: 978-0471317043
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #451,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ruby Dee is not only a wonderful actress, but a very engaging writer......, November 28, 2006

By 

D. Pawl "Dani" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My One Good Nerve (Paperback)

I read this book after reading "In The Life Together," the book that Dee and her (late) husband, Ossie Davis, wrote together. Most people know Ruby Dee as a beautiful, beautiful actress in films like "A Raisin in the Sun." She is also a funny, touching and very compelling wriiter. "My One Good Nerve" is a collection of short stories, poems and reflections, ranging in subject matter from racism to love. Dee also writes tributes to late, great legends like Marvin Gaye and Diana Sand (an actress who starred with her in "A Raisin in the Sun").

This book made me laugh, cry and really think. Ruby Dee's writing style is incomparable to any I have ever read. She is, both, whimsical and insightful. Ruby isn't afraid to frankly speak about racial violence, lust and family dynamics. I really think that more people should become more familiar with her as a writer, if they haven't already. I was really surprised that there weren't other reviews of this marvelous book. It is a quick read and very engaging. Read it today......