In this memoir by the executive vice president and managing editor of CNN Worldwide, Mark Whitaker takes a look at his upbringing in a biracial family, his struggles of coping with divorced parents, and his climb to the top in spite of his father’s substance abuse.
Whitaker definitely has an interesting story to tell. Both his parents were part of the university elite. With education as a strong value in the Whitaker household, the mixed-raced boys had an advantage over other children of color growing up in the 1960’s and 1970’s. However, Whitaker should have presented more of the history of the eras he covered, because it would have shown his parent’s achievements as rather extraordinary. Whitaker’s take on it was more of “that’s how I grew up,” rather than showing the true significance. The author struggles to come to terms with his relationship with his father, and appears to be at peace towards to the end. Perhaps he was too close to the subject matter, but it could have been more exciting and moving than Whitaker portrayed it.
3 stars (out of 5)
347 pages
Published in 2011
Cold Read 