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Viola Davis

Finding me: a memoir.

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Finding Me: The Grammy-Winning Memoir Paperback – 26 April 2022

• Print length 416 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Coronet
• Publication date 26 April 2022
• Dimensions 23.3 x 2.7 x 15.2 cm
• ISBN-10 1399704001
• ISBN-13 978-1399704007
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Coronet; 1st edition (26 April 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1399704001
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1399704007
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 23.3 x 2.7 x 15.2 cm
• 376 in Individual Directors
• 516 in Biographies of Opera Performers
• 1,646 in Biographies of Actors & Entertainers

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Viola davis.

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Finding Me: The Grammy-winning memoir Hardcover – 26 April 2022

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A mind-blowing and emotionally honest tale of survival against all odds.' BERNARDINE EVARISTO 'A breathtaking memoir...I was so moved by this book.' Oprah 'It is startlingly honest and, at times, a jaw-dropping read, charting her rise from poverty and abuse to becoming the first African-American to win the triple crown of an Oscar, Emmy and Tony for acting.' BBC News THE DEEPLY PERSONAL, BRUTALLY HONEST ACCOUNT OF VIOLA'S INSPIRING LIFE In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose and my strength, but also to finding my voice in a world that didn't always see me. As I wrote Finding Me , my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. They are bogarted, reinvented to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone who is searching for a way to understand and overcome a complicated past, let go of shame, and find acceptance. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be...you. Finding Me is a deep reflection on my past and a promise for my future. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.

• Print length 304 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Coronet Books
• Publication date 26 April 2022
• Dimensions 16 x 3.8 x 23.8 cm
• ISBN-10 1399703994
• ISBN-13 978-1399703994
• See all details

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About the author.

Viola Davis is an internationally acclaimed actress and producer, known for her exceptional performances in television shows such as How to Get Away with Murder and movies such as Fences and The Help . She is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, and in 2021 she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom . In both 2012 and 2017, TIME magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Davis is also the founder and CEO of JuVee Productions, an artist-driven production company that develops and produces in- dependent film, theatre, television, and digital content.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Coronet Books (26 April 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1399703994
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1399703994
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16 x 3.8 x 23.8 cm
• 590 in Individual Directors
• 2,709 in Actors & Entertainers Biographies
• 2,841 in Women's Biographies

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Viola davis.

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Oprah's New Book Club Pick: Finding Me by Viola Davis

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Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Paperback – Large Print, April 26 2022

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OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A HARPERS BAZAAR BEST BOOK OF 2022 • A PARADE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK • A MARIE CLAIRE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK

“It’s clear from the first page that Davis is going to serve a more intimate, unpolished account than is typical of the average (often ghost-written) celebrity memoir; Finding Me reads like Davis is sitting you down for a one-on-one conversation about her life, warts and all.”— USA Today

“[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success….Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.”— Los Angeles Times

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.

This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.

As I wrote Finding Me , my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.

Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.

• Print length 368 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Harper Large Print
• Publication date April 26 2022
• Dimensions 15.24 x 2.54 x 22.86 cm
• ISBN-10 0063211092
• ISBN-13 978-0063211094
• See all details

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“Reading her memoir, Finding Me . . . you understand where her ability comes from: Only someone who has already been dragged into the depths of emotion readily knows how to get back there.”  — New York Times Magazine

"An unvarnished chronicle of hard-won, well-earned success." — Kirkus Reviews

“It’s clear from the first page that Davis is going to serve a more intimate, unpolished account than is typical of the average (often ghost-written) celebrity memoir; Finding Me reads like Davis is sitting you down for a one-on-one conversation about her life, warts and all.” — USA Today

"Davis gives readers hope, encouraging us to look back and embrace childhood dreams or failures, let go of shame, and move forward to become the best version of ourselves." — Booklist

"Davis’s grit and determination are moving, and her unflinching reckoning with the “racism and misogyny” she faced in Hollywood makes her story of overcoming all the more effective. Fans will be utterly enthralled." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Davis’s grit and determination are moving, and her unflinching reckoning with the “racism and misogyny” she faced in Hollywood makes her story of overcoming all the more effective. Fans will be utterly enthralled." — Time magazine

“[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success. . . . Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.” — Los Angeles Times

“Brimming with love, heartbreak, and hard-won wisdom." — Bustle

“This book is a testament to resilience, hard work, and the power of owning your truth." — Real Simple

"Raw in its anger, shocking in its frankness, often downright vulgar—and wonderfully alive with Davis’ passion poured into every page." — Associated Press

About the Author

VIOLA DAVIS  is an internationally acclaimed actress and producer, known for her exceptional performances in television shows like 'How to Get Away with Murder' and movies like 'Fences' and 'The Help.' She is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, and in 2021 she won a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'. In both 2012 and 2017,  Time  magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Davis is also the founder and CEO of JuVee Productions, an artist driven production company that develops and produces independent film, theater, television, and digital content.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Large Print; Large type / Large print edition (April 26 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063211092
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063211094
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 kg
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 2.54 x 22.86 cm
• #786 in Black & African American Biographies
• #4,039 in Gender Studies (Books)
• #4,056 in Self-Esteem (Books)

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Meet Viola Davis' Sisters! All About Dianne, Deloris, Anita and Danielle

Viola Davis has four sisters and one brother

Nicole Briese is a contributing writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Us Weekly, Brides and MTV News.

Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Viola Davis and her siblings had a tough childhood, but they’re writing their own happy endings.

Born on Aug. 11, 1965, Viola is the fifth of six children born to Mae Alice Davis and Dan Davis.

The couple, who wed as teenagers, welcomed their first child and only son, John Henry Davis, when Mae was just 15 years old. He was followed by Viola’s sisters Dianne Davis Wright, Deloris Davis Grant and Anita Davis. The pair’s youngest daughter, Danielle Eugina Davis, was born 12 years after Viola on April 21, 1977.

Though the Davis children experienced what Viola called “happy memories” of growing up on Sunday TODAY in 2019, their childhood was also filled with what she called “the darkness.”

The siblings’ early years were marred by extreme poverty and sexual abuse. They were also witness to violence, with Dan physically abusing Mae. (Dan died from pancreatic cancer in 2006, though Viola told PEOPLE he made peace with Mae before his death .)

The sisters turned to each other for strength. Viola wrote in her memoir: “We all needed one another. None of us could fight individually.”

And together, they persevered. “Me, my sister Deloris, my sister Dianne, a lot of my family members have broken generational curses because we dared to dream big,” the actress told Ancestry in 2023. “We dared to just dig in deep in the dirt and filth and trauma of our childhood and want better for our lives.”

Keep reading to find out more about Viola Davis' sisters Dianne, Deloris, Anita and Danielle and their relationships with each other.

They were born in South Carolina but raised in Rhode Island

Viola Davis Instagram

Viola opened up about her origins to Ancestry in 2023. “I came from Singleton Plantation in St. Matthews, S.C.,” she said. “I was born in my grandmother’s sharecropper’s house.”

Though the family moved to Central Falls, R.I. when Viola was an infant, the family struggled financially. According to The Providence Journal , Mae worked as a maid while Dan was a horse groomer. “We lived in condemned buildings — apartments infested with rats,” Viola told Sunday TODAY in 2019.

They also struggled to fit into the Central Falls community they grew up in. As Deloris explained to Ancestry in 2023, “Viola and I and my sisters, we all struggled, because we were growing up in a community where there were no African Americans.”

Anita stood up to Viola’s bullies

Anita had Viola’s back when it came to neighborhood bullies. The How to Get Away with Murder actress recounted her reliance on her big sister for protection in her 2022 memoir, Finding Me . “If the situation was especially sticky, as backup I would call upon my big sister Anita,” she wrote. “She instilled fear in every boy, girl, woman, man and dog in Central Falls, Rhode Island.”

According to the Oscar winner, Anita even “grew her nails to be a better fighter.”

Viola shared Anita’s secret for “terrifying” her sister’s tormentors in a 2016 interview with Stephen Colbert , explaining, “She had this whole method where she would growl and drool." She added, “It really was very effective. I recommend it. ... Just drool with a little brick in your hand.”

Deloris encouraged Viola to act

Christopher Polk/Getty

Viola revealed in a 2023 interview with Ancestry that she almost gave up on her dreams of becoming an actor at one point. According to the producer, she decided to pursue a career as a teacher in an effort to earn a more steady income. “I took a bunch of English courses and I was more depressed than I’d ever been in my life,” she said.

Her trajectory was altered by her older sister, who encouraged her to follow her heart and do what she loved. “It only changed when my sister Deloris said, ‘Viola, you said you always wanted to be an actor,’ ” the actress recalled. “I said, ‘How am I gonna be an actor?’ She was like, ‘I don’t know! I just know that you loved it. So, do it!' ”

Viola added: “As soon as I did that, the depression lifted.”

Deloris explained the rationale behind her guidance, saying, “Viola was never happy unless she was acting. What other advice would I have given her?”

Dianne went to Howard

Dianne made a commitment to learning after being held back in the first grade. “At that moment, I became serious about education,” she said while accepting a TRIO Family Achievement Award from the Council for Opportunity in Education in September 2018.

The former U.S. Department of Agriculture employee, who worked as a civil servant for the unit’s civil rights division for 40 years before her retirement, said that she shared her newfound love of knowledge with her siblings. “Everything I learned at school, I brought it home for my sisters,” she said, joking, “I was the only one who could be the teacher or the principal.”

She spent two years at Rhode Island College before transferring to Howard University.

Danielle has a large family

Viola’s younger sister, Danielle, is the most private of her siblings.

While not much is known about her, Viola revealed in a 2015 speech that Danielle is the mother of at least six children.

Davis also wished her baby sister a happy birthday on social media in 2023, writing, “I remember it like it was yesterday. You burst all of our hearts, lives wide open. Danielle.....YOU are the love of your life.....YOU are your gift! Love you my Nelly! Have the very best day.”

The sisters received an award for their educational pursuits

On Sept. 15, 2018, Dianne, Deloris, Anita, Viola and their mother Mae received the Council for Opportunity in Education’s first TRIO Family Award. This distinction honors the success of families who have participated in federal programs aimed at supporting achievement in higher education, such as Upward Bound and Student Support Services .

Maureen Hoyler, president and CEO of the Council, gave a statement about the decision, saying, “The success of the Davis sisters is a prime example of why federal support for education is an investment that strengthens families and communities. When one sibling enrolls in a program like Upward Bound and goes onto college, frequently younger brothers and sisters, and even parents, follow.”

Deloris teaches drama

Frederick M. Brown/Getty

Viola isn’t the only one with ties to acting in the Davis family. Her older sister Deloris, who won a skit contest with Viola as a child, grew up to become a drama and advanced English teacher.

According to The Providence Journal , Deloris received her Ph.D. in education from Rhode Island College before returning to Central Falls High School as an educator. “I like returning here every day,” she told the outlet. “I know the families. I get a sense of kinship with the community.”

She added: “I see myself in these children.”

Deloris previously opened up about the impact her little sister had on her classes in a 2012 interview with The Rhode Show . “She is the biggest inspiration for our students,” the teacher said. “Especially the students I have in my drama class, because they’re up on the stage where Viola Davis stood, where Viola Davis acted.”

As of 2022, Deloris had been with the school for 25 years.

Anita has multiple sclerosis

According to Diverse magazine , Anita returned to Rhode Island Community College several decades after being unenrolled.

She faced a unique set of challenges as a student: In addition to being the oldest person in her classes, she also has multiple sclerosis.

Viola bonded with Dianne and Deloris over a shared medical diagnosis

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

Viola told PEOPLE in 2019 that a 2016 prediagnosis of diabetes brought her closer to Dianne and Deloris, both of whom have Type 2 diabetes. “It hit home for me,” she said. “My two sisters have Type 2 Diabetes, my great aunt had Type 2 Diabetes. (She) lost both of her legs and was in a wheelchair for decades, up until she finally succumbed to the disease. As did my grandmother on my father’s side.”

According to the performer, her family’s experiences with the disease inspired her to narrate the 2019 documentary A Touch of Sugar , which confronts America’s diabetes crisis. “[Diabetes] has affected [my sisters] in different ways, in terms of the symptoms they’ve had,” Viola said. “But the thing that’s even more important is that they’re managing it. They have tackled it. They’re not just watching it and sitting by.”

Deloris has traveled to more than 80 countries

While accepting her TRIO Family Achievement Award in September 2018, Deloris revealed that she is a world traveler.

“I wanted to be an archaeologist almost all of my life ... because I wanted to travel,” she said. 

According to the teacher, her time working with TRIO’s federally funded Upward Bound program, which helps to prepare participants for college entry, furthered her desire to see the world, as it exposed her to people of many different backgrounds and cultures. “When I was in Upward Bound, I met so many people from around the world, Cambodia, Laos, China, from South America and I loved hearing their stories,” she said.

As a result, Deloris began to visit their lands. She shared: “Those stories inspired me to travel to probably more than 80 countries — at least I stopped counting after 80.”

Related Articles

The Five Books That Help Viola Davis Through

The actor and author of Oprah’s Book Club pick “Finding Me” takes refuge in works that encourage her to face life with honesty.

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

Viola Davis has spent years building a dazzling career, at first distancing herself from a past of poverty and trauma, and ultimately reconciling with that past. The actor's artistic achievements as the first African American to earn the Triple Crown of acting, with an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony to her name, were exciting at first, but she eventually realized that the past still haunted her. She decided to stop running and interrogate her history in order to understand her present and embrace her own story.

Here are five books that inspired her along her journey. What they share is the importance of looking within, as Brené Brown says - identifying your feelings, and returning to core values through the discovery of one's true, authentic self.

Atlas of the Heart , by Brené Brown

Brené Brown’s groundbreaking latest book builds on her 20-plus years of pioneering research to explore and expand the vocabulary of feelings. Brown says emotions are multilayered and consist of biology, biography, behavior and backstory. Through revelation of these emotions, it is necessary to make meaningful human connection grounded in your values.

The Color Purple , by Alice Walker

It’s been nearly 40 years since Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel was published. Oprah called it one of the “national anthems for women’s empowerment.” In it, Celie is separated from her sister Nettie, and suffers at the hands of her husband in rural Georgia. The women in The Color Purple, among them Sofia and Shug Avery, struggle against misogyny and racism; through their friendships and support, the women are resilient and triumphant. In this American classic, Walker drew women who were complicated, tragic, fierce, and inspiring.

Braving the Wilderness , by Brené Brown

Brown emphasizes the key practices of "true belonging," She says we can reconnect with who we really are by standing alone and strong amid an increasingly distracting, perfectionist world. A key factor? Embracing nature.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces , by Joseph Campbell

Inspiring many, including filmmaker George Lucas, The Hero with a Thousand Faces was first published in 1949. In it, Joseph Campbell introduces the "monomyth," which focuses on the idea that every myth follows the same structure. He refers to the archetypal hero, who appears in most mythology, foundational stories, and religions. Through separation, the person leaves their familiar condition to embark on the hero’s journey. During initiation, the hero discovers new experiences and ordeals, and must locate their inner strength in order to get through. In returning, the hero is transformed and serves others through impartation of knowledge and sometimes sacrifice. Individually, we have to take a spiritual journey, leave behind what is comfortable, and challenge ourselves to discover our true potential.

The Power of Now , by Eckhart Tolle

Tolle teaches what most therapists are embracing, and that is to be fully present in the now. He writes that giving undue weight to the past can paralyze and hinder your path forward. The same applies for living in the future and not acknowledging your current situation. In recognizing and then quieting our thoughts and fears, and not letting our egos derail us, we can find the path to true fulfillment.

Wadzanai is a Books Editor at Oprah Daily where she edits and writes about authors and books. She has written for various publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, Essence Magazine among others. She is also a short story writer centering her work on women, Africa and the Diaspora. 

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