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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD A gripping revelatory NPR memoir of hardwon success struggles with addiction and a lifelong mission to give backfrom the late iconic actor beloved for his roles in The Wire Boardwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country

Williamss cool rasp leaps off every page his story told in the direct yet impassioned language that defined his greatest charactersVulture

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR The New York Times NPR The Root

When Michael K Williams died on September 6 2021 he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmynominated roles in HBOs The Night Of and Lovecraft Country Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen Beyond the nominations and acclaim Williams played characters who connected whose humanity couldnt be denied whose stories were too often left out of the main narrative

At the time of his death Williams had nearly finished a memoir that tells the story of his past while looking to the future a book that merges his life and his lifes work Mike as his friends knew him was so much more than an actor In Scenes from My Life he traces his life in whole from his childhood in East Flatbush and his early years as a dancer to his battles withaddiction and the bar fight that left his face with his distinguishing scar He was a committed Brooklyn resident and activist who dedicated his life to working with social justice organizationsand his community especially in helping atrisk youth find their voice and carve out their future Williams worked to keep the spotlight on those he fought for and with whom he believed in with his whole heart

Imbued with poignance and raw honesty Scenes from My Life is the story of a performer who gave his all to everything he didin his own voice in his own words as only he could