The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood

The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood

In the spirit of Piri Thomasâ€™s Down These Mean Streets and Maya Angelouâ€™s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, writer and activist Kevin Powellâ€™s memoirâ€”â€œilluminatingâ€¦an education for us allâ€ (USA TODAY)â€”vividly recounts the horrific poverty of his youth and his struggles to overcome a legacy of anger, violence, and self-hatred.

When Kevin Powell was three, he discovered the volatile nature of his world: a place of pain, poverty, violence, fire, rats, roaches, and a fear that would haunt him for years; but also moments of joy, transcendence, and belonging. By the time he graduated from high school, something his single mother and his grandparents did not do, Powell had survived abuse, abandonment by his father, debilitating low self-esteem, a police beating, and years of constant relocationâ€”from school to school, neighborhood to neighborhood. He was left feeling isolated, wondering if his life had any value, and doubting that he would survive to see old age.

In this unflinchingly honest autobiography, Kevin Powell reflects on his tumultuous, turbulent passage from child to man. He revisits the path that led him to become a successful writer, public speaker, activist, and cast member on the influential first season of MTVâ€™s The Real World. He also recalls the terrible lows he endured of depression, thoughts of suicide, alcoholism, bankruptcy, doomed relationships, failed political campaigns, and the soul-shattering murder of Tupac Shakur.

Time and again, Powell harks back to lessons his mother taught him as a little boy: never stop learning, never stop telling the truth, always strive to be a better man, do what is right. Written with urgency and insight by one of the most gifted voices of our times, The Education of Kevin Powell is a powerful chronicle of healing and growth, survival and redemption. Ultimately, Kevin Powellâ€™s journey is our journey, too.

Country	USA
Author	Kevin Powell
Binding	Paperback
Brand	Atria Books
EAN	9781501118579
Edition	Reprint
Feature	Atria Books
Genre	BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY
ISBN	1501118579
Label	Atria Books
Manufacturer	Atria Books
NumberOfItems	1
NumberOfPages	304
PublicationDate	2016-06-07
Publisher	Atria Books
ReleaseDate	2016-06-07
Studio	Atria Books

The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood

You might also like...