My Song

A New York Times Notable Book

A brave and spellbinding memoir . . . Belafonte tells a sweeping story. . . . Surprising and revelatory. The Washington Post

A gorgeous account of the large life of a Harlem boy. Garrison Keillor, The New York Times Book Review

The Song of [Belafonte s] life has been . . . diverse, encompassing the heartbreaking ballads of poverty and loss, up-tempo pop songs of fame and wealth, and deeply felt spirituals of dedication to social justice. The world is richer for having heard them. The Boston Globe

This rich memoir chronicles a lifetime of activism alongside some of history s greatest heroes and sheds new light on moments that shaped our nation. Through it all, Harry exudes the same passion and candor I ve experienced in our friendship and conversation over the years. President Bill Clinton

Absorbing. . . . Belafonte is a man of many conflicting identities, all of which he s needed to help change the world. New York magazine

An honest, in many ways important and genuinely revelatory autobiography. . . . My Song is a more than fitting denouement for a life well lived. The Seattle Times

Engrossing. . . . My Song is rich with vivid scenes of Belafonte working as an advisor, mediator, fundraiser and implementer. San Francisco Chronicle

Even amid the most intensely charged subject matter, Belafonte traces a path . . . with the easygoing charm of a born raconteur. Uncluttered and free of fuss, his narrative unfolds effortlessly. . . . The world may think of Belafonte as an entertainer first and an activist second, but My Song makes it engagingly, compellingly clear that he wishes his legacy to be prioritized the other way around. The A. V. Club

Harry Belafonte has led an extraordinary life. . . . Some of the richest passages . . . focus on Belafonte s social engagement. USA Today

To read Harry Belafonte s new memoir, My Song, is to discover a man who has packed enough life for ten people into eighty-four years. NPR/Morning Edition

Belafonte certainly knows how to make an immediate and lasting impression. My Song follows suit with prose that s fluid yet intensely detailed. . . . [There s] a keen awareness of his greatness and place in history but it s never overbearing. After all, it s not bragging when it s true. The Austin Chronicle

The entertainer-activist par excellence of his generation. . . . Belafonte, despite his gift for pungent soundbites, is a thoughtful man whose barbs are often tempered by nuanced observations on art, politics and race. The Daily Beast

Belafonte s story is the tale of a man who has well and truly balanced stardom and serious activism. The New Republic

A story of triumph amid adversity that focuses on the intriguing personal life of one of the 20th century s most iconic actors. The Root

Bracingly opinionated autobiography from an American original, still provocative in his ninth decade . Kirkus Reviews (starred)