Transparent [Hardcover]

Don Lemon (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 11, 2011

In this unique memoir, Primetime CNN anchor Don Lemon takes readers behind the scenes of journalism, detailing his own struggle to become one of the most prominent African American men in television news—and inside some of the biggest stories of our times.

Never one to stop at the surface of the story, Lemon digs deep, exposing his own history with wealth and lack, with family secrets and painful revelations--and explains how those painful early experiences shaped his ambitions and gave him the tools of empathy and fearlessness that he brings to his work. Then Lemon turns the same searing honesty on the news industry itself, taking the reader behind the scenes of September 11, 2001, the DC Snipers, the epidemic of AIDS in Africa, Hurricane Katrina, the election of Barack Obama, and the death of Michael Jackson among other events.

With his clear and compelling storytelling and the rich detail of an Emmy-winning journalist, Lemon reveals his own painful journey from a little boy who dreamed of broadcasting in segregated Baton Rouge in the early 70s, to his current perch at CNN in a fascinating and compelling look at the world of television news and his own experiences reporting in it.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Primetime Don Lemon is a multiple Emmy-award winning journalist and one of CNN's most well-known news anchors. He is an avid user of social media, was one of the first journalists to actively 'vlog' as a means of communicating with viewers and has been frequently invited to speak on the changing face of media. In addition to his role with CNN, he volunteers extensively and teaches journalism at Brooklyn College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Farrah Gray Fndtn Pr (May 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982702787
• ISBN-13: 978-0982702789
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 58 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One Journey You Won't Forget May 21, 2011

By PooleProof

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book because I wanted to know more about someone I first came to "know" as a viewer when he worked at KTVI Channel 2 in St. Louis, and later met at an event I was involved in. I already knew he was great at his job, as his reporting and anchoring always had both grit and polish, something I appreciated. But what always intrigued me is that there seemed to be more to the man than met the eye, something that made him approachable and distant at the same time. It's a mystique we in the world outside of the box we place television journalists in revel, and where we don't know them well we fill that box with all kinds of ideas, projections and possibilities that eventually turns each of the people we welcome into our living rooms into nothing more than an image; not a flesh-and-blood human being.

With "Transparent", Lemon proves he is a full-on human being, lumps and all. Laying out a story that begins in youth and takes us along through adulthood via personal experiences, career progressions and internal thoughts and decisions, Lemon puts flesh on the bones of his backstory and infuses this very personal biography with sense of honesty that higlights his very human need to know what we all want to know: that we matter.

There are lessons here focused on a variety of subjects, from race, to politics, to individual self-worth. And the lessons are powerful and relatable on a number of levels. Pay attention and you'll understand that Don Lemon the journalist was made possible because Don Lemon the man lived the life he lived.... Spend some time learning about where he grew up, how he grew up and what he learned about truth and secrets early-on, and you'll never again look at someone like Lemon, who on the surface appears to have it all, and assume that their life, as it appears to be, was reached via a crystal stair. Like all of us, he's been loved, known uncertainty, been damaged, and grown resilient in the course of a life filled with moments of joy and a history pain.

Early attention about the book focused on but one element of his journey, and an easy one, at that: his sexuality. Perhaps many will purchase the book because they're expecting a revelation that's raw and elemental, feeding into America's obsession with who is having sex with whom. If they do purchase it for that reason, they'll be disappointed. Lemon addresses the topic but doesn't linger on it, and with good reason: it's just part of his story. It's an important part, mind you, but so are the other parts throughout the book that don't have anything to do with sexuality. And that's the point: Lemon's revelations about his life are not limited to the obvious. Everything he writes about is a virtual peeling back of the layers that make him who he is, and helps the reader understand why so much of his history wouldn't be apparent if he'd decided not to be transparent about it.

I appreciate the way he's gone about sharing his journey so far. I'm inspired by the drive he's always shown in pursuing his career and achieving what many told him was impossible. I'm encouraged to know that he has faced his demons and freed himself of of the burdens of social expectation by refusing to give anyone else a stick with which to hit him over the head. And I am thankful he chose to write this biography, for while it may be his story, it's also one we all--to one degree or another--share.

"Transparent" is just that, especially given that the person writing it is still alive and very much in the public eye. Lemon knew the risks the book requires he take, but he wrote it anyway. In interviews he's been routinely asked about those risks, in fact. But having read "Transparent", I don't see the risks being focused on what so many of us may think they will be. No, the real risk in writing the book lies in whether folks will accept its call to live in truth, whatever that truth may be, despite how people think or feel about it. Let's face it, we Americans are the great pretenders and have perfected a role-playing culture of social convention and mores that embraces virtually anything and everything but truth.

I for one, am a proponent of more transparency for everyone, especially given how Lemon has thoughtfully and obviously proven what's possible when we choose truth over secrets, and life over lies. Read more ›

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Transformative honesty May 17, 2011

By Tom Markus

Format:Hardcover

After reading the early release of Don's book, all I can say is WOW! So refreshing to see an openly gay African-American role model with impecable integrity. There is no way you can read this book without being affected. Don is not just an anchor on CNN but an incredibly hard working journalist and man of tremendous depth and love.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Wishing more in-depth narrative of identity discovery June 20, 2011

By Steve Gio

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Don Lemon is one of my top favorite CNN anchors after Anderson Cooper.
I applauded him for coming out and judging from the overwhelmingly positive responses on Facebook too numerous to count, he did a great service to closeted gay men and women in professional careers.

It was thus with eagerness that I purchased his new autobiog. "Transparent." While I did not expect a 'tell all' gay gossip rag (and Mr. Lemon acknowledges that indeed those who expected such would be disappointed) I did expect more in-depth recounting of what it was like as a young African American man to realize early on that he was gay. In fact, other then mentioning his affirmative parents and recounting some positive aspects of childhood, he completely avoids talking about sexual orientation other than 'naming it' early on. The rest of this disappointing book is a recount of the rise of his career.

As one who works with struggling gay teens and young 20-somethings, I had, erroneously it turns out, anticipated that Mr. Lemon's book would be a resource that I might use to help young men and women who need a positive role model, such as I continue to believe Mr. Lemon is. My issue with this book is that it did not address the gay identity struggles he dealt with. Nor does he mention his sexual orientation whatsoever in any future chapter. To wit:

* what struggles did he experience in attempts at relationships or how his gay identity revealed itself over his early years and into his college and early professional life? He mentions he is gay and other than one encounter with a teen older than he was, that was it. There is no mention of his personal life today: does he have a partner? If so, how did he and his partner (IF he has one) come to establish a meaningful relationship?...

Because of my own social work profession as described above, while I continue to admire Mr. Lemon, I'm not sure what his purpose was in announcing he was gay, (bravo for that) and then publishing a book which omitted any reference to who he is, other than his early years. I found myself skimming through the last quarter of the book as I had lost interest. Read more ›

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don Lemon is truly a inspiring role model!! May 18, 2011

By Brandon Skyler

Format:Hardcover

So, one of my closest friends purchased this book before I did and I happened to have snagged it for a moment to read it. A couple of parts got me teary eyed; teary eyed at the fact such an inspirational, driven, moving man can be such a role model to not only himself but the millions he revealed his life secret too.

After hearing & reading about the Don Lemon story, I have decided to come out myself. I wanna thank you Mr. Lemon, you have truly inspired me to reveal my own true colors.

Love,
Boy J

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An emotional journey May 23, 2011

By yoda

Format:Hardcover

I was very intrigued to this book because of some commonalities Don and I share. I am an Asian lesbian who strives to succeed in academic and research fields. Of course, each of us has our own unique life journey. He grew up in the south and I grew up in Japan. He is an African-American gay man and I am an Asian gay woman.

The vivid descriptions of his memories evoke my version of lonesomeness and even create hilarious moments to make me giggle uncontrollably. Yet more importantly, there is something that resonates with me so deeply: feelings of uncertainty, guilt, shame, agony, non-classifiable, and the least expected. The negativity of race and sexuality he has gone through somehow resonates with me. How might I fit into society? Where do I walk alone as a minority gay individual? Is there any my place for me?

He also brings out an issue of stereotypical views which we all have in some degree. As an African or an Asian descendent, we are expected to represent certain characteristics regardless of diverse individuals in the minorities. The typicality surely exists and often brings us emotional conflicts, fitting or unfitting. Through his extraordinary life stories he courageously presents transparent himself. It is an true inspiration to many colored gay men and women. I feel blessed to have an emotional journey which brings me back to an internal conversation about my sense of truthfulness.