First published 2008
Diahann Carroll opens her story as the first Black woman to headline her own television series. She takes readers through her rise in entertainment, from early struggles to starring in NBC's Julia. Carroll describes her path to stardom with unflinching honesty about the obstacles she faced breaking television's racial barriers. She reveals private moments from her marriages and relationships, including her union with singer Vic Damone and her passionate affair with Sidney Poitier. The memoir captures both her professional triumphs and personal vulnerabilities. Carroll writes about navigating Hollywood as a pioneering performer while managing complex romantic entanglements. Her story moves between backstage drama and intimate confessions, showing how she maintained her dignity and style throughout decades in show business. The book delivers Carroll's perspective on fame, love, and survival in an industry that wasn't ready for her talent.
Genres: african-american, autobiography, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: pioneers, survival
Period: 20th-Century
288 pages · Hardcover · Amistad