Voices in the Mirror (1st Edition) [Hardcover]

Gordon Parks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1990

Alone after his mother’s death, homeless in a Minnesota winter, young Gordon struggled to stay in school, working at menial jobs and riding streetcars all night to escape the cold. Refusing to succumb to despair, he instead transformed his anger at poverty and racism into a creative force and went on to break down one barrier after another. He was the first black photographer at Vogue and Life, and the first black screenwriter and director in Hollywood, at the helm of such projects as the award-winning Shaft. And his novel, The Learning Tree, has sold more than a quarter of a million copies.

Spanning the major events of five decades, Voices in the Mirror takes readers from Minnesota and Washington, D.C., to the glamour of Paris and the ghettos of Rio and Harlem. His intimate portrayals of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini; of the Muslim and African American icons Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad and Muhammad Ali; of the young militants of the civil rights and black power movements; and of the tragic experiences of the less famous, like the Brazilian youngster Flavio, combine to form an unforgettable story.

Gordon Parks’s life is a metaphor for the courageous vision and extraordinary resilience of the African American community, while also serving as a testament to the spirit and generosity that are its hallmarks.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Poor, jobless and hungry in Harlem in the early 1930s, Parks went on to achieve distinction as a photographer, film director, writer, poet, composer and painter. Born in a small Kansas town in 1912, he became the first black photographer at Life and Vogue, and later, Hollywood's first black director and screenwriter. His exhilarating, inspirational autobiography provides a searing view of what it's like to be black in America. Careening from the "hate-drenched city" of Washington, D.C., in the 1940s, to New York, "that jungle of uncertainty," to postwar Paris, Rio and Birmingham, Ala., Parks sets down his impressions of civil rights and black power strugges, his encounter with Third World poverty and meetings with Eisenhower, Churchill, Malcolm X, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ingrid Bergman, to name a few. He is guarded and defensive in discussing his three marriages, but succeeds in drawing the reader into the peaks and anguish of his "complex, transitory, bittersweet existence." Photos.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Photographer, film editor, writer, composer Parks tells his own story with frankness, humor, and without pretension. He describes his early days in Fort Scott, Kansas when the loving family was poor and suffered from racial slurs, to a move to Minnesota after his mother's death, to demeaning jobs in Chicago brothels and flophouses. After learning to use his first camera, he stifled his fury at the racism he suffered and turned that rage into a creative force that broke racial barriers as he photographed for Vogue and Life magazines and directed the award-winning film Shaft. His discussions that range from the greats of the world to the unknown, young militants of the civil rights movement strengthen this powerful autobiography. The story underscores a belief in dignity and the difference one man can create. This is a must for every library that serves young adults. --Mike Printz, Topeka West High School, KS
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 351 pages
• Publisher: Nan A. Talese / Doubleday; 1st edition (October 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385266987
• ISBN-13: 978-0385266987
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,875,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars AN ADVENTURE, February 18, 2001

By 

Joel Peck (Boston, Ma. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voices in the Mirror (1st Edition) (Hardcover)

Never before have I read a book with such honesty flowing off the pages. As Gordon Parks talks about his life from a young boy to a man you can feel everything he is going through. He doen't hide his feelings and lets you know how he felt at certain times in his life. When he talks about the hate he saw growing up and how he felt about white men, you can sence what it must have been like for him to challenge the odds and become one of the most powerful photographers of his time. Another thing that real made this book powerful was when he talked about his time as a Photo journalist for Time, having to tell people everything through the voice of a journalist and not an activist. He also makes the clear point that pictures speak louder than words. He remarks many times that he used his camera when others like red jackson used a gun. The camera is a powerful weapon in the right hands. If you have ever seen an of Gordon Parks's work or seen his movies, you will enjoy this book. It is a personal glimps in to the life of the man behind the camera.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Picturesque Testament, November 16, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Voices in the Mirror: An Autobiography (Harlem Moon Classics) (Paperback)

I enjoy reading about a person's life and IN VOICES IN THE MIRROR, the autobiography of Gordon Parks, I found his story interesting, edifying and at times inspirational. Mr. Parks was born into a life where the world made differences in people based on the color of their skin and not their character. However, instead of using their biases as a crutch to not succeed, he worked hard to make his dreams come to fruition.

Mr. Park's life spans many decades, wars and social climates in America. At age 15, he was homeless and living a depressing existence. He worked menial jobs to survive. He persevered and went from working on the railroad to being the first African-American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines. His life's adventures took him all over the world to cover some of the most politically disturbed countries, America's civil right's struggles, as well as Third World areas where poverty was rampant, all which were captured for posterity with his camera. He also composed a musical concerto, wrote books and penned poetry. His first novel, The Learning Tree was made into a motion picture, where he was the director and executive producer, which was an unknown anomaly during this period of time. Let's not forget he was the director of Shaft. His stories and pictures touched the hearts of many Americans, and during his life he received many accolades for what he enjoyed doing. So from the dirt roads of Kansas, Mr. Parks graduated from the school of hard knocks but lived a life that is and was so illustrious, fulfilling and awe-inspiring.

This autobiography presents itself as an honest rendition of Mr. Park's life. He tells his story eloquently and allows readers to feel the emotions he was experiencing in each particular time of his life. He tells readers how powerful a picture can be and the pictures interspersed throughout are a testament to this truth. Readers get a glimpse into his marriages, children and even grandchildren and he shows us he is fallible as well. I truly enjoyed every aspect of this autobiography from the private conversations with Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali; to showing the people in his hometown he indeed was successful, because his life is a history lesson. He made great strides for African-Americans, and no matter how angry and depressed with the situations he faced, he continued to move forward. When the final door shuts on his life, his legacy will always remain.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Admirer, August 8, 2006

By 

Saundra N. Harris (Overland Park, Ks United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Voices in the Mirror: An Autobiography (Harlem Moon Classics) (Paperback)

I'm surprised that this book has not gained more notarity. I am an admirer of Gordon Parks. His story is one of inspiration and challenge. An imperfect man who maximized his potential. Gordon Parks is an American Icon. Author, composer, photographer, and mentor his life is simply amazing. From being proclaimed dead at birth to succeeding at everything he touched; his life embodies hope and aspiration.