Viola Davis is a globally acclaimed actress with many awards and accolades under her belt. At the time of her memoir’s publication, she was the recipient of an Emmy, an Oscar, and two Tony awards, the only African American to have achieved this Triple Crown of Acting. Her family is from South Carolina, where she was born; however, she was raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where she attended school and university. Her childhood was marked by poverty, and growing up Black and poor has a tremendous impact on her in various ways. In the book, she details how she managed to overcome the challenges of her circumstances and eventually find success and fame.

From a very young age, Viola displays a certain scrappiness and resilience of character. The very first chapter sees her constantly running to escape bullies, but upon her mother’s encouragement, eight-year-old Viola eventually stands her ground and defends herself. She also possesses a natural intelligence and a talent for theater in particular, something that is hinted at when she and her sisters win the local skit contest and reinforced by her consistently excellent academic performance throughout school and college. This is particularly notable considering that even attending and staying focused in school proved challenging at times: the lack of sufficient food and rest meant that she was constantly tired in school, and having no electricity or running water meant that she often had to attend school unwashed, earning the judgment and censure of her peers and teachers.