Walter Dean Myers was a writer of children and young adult books. I discovered his books when I was 13 or 14. The first book I read by him was Slam!. I've never been into basketball, but I did love the book and felt a strong connection to the characters. Walter Dean Myers and S.E. Hinton were the ones that really got me into reading. After reading Slam! and The Outsiders I was hooked on reading.
It has been quite a while since I've read anything by Walter Dean Myers and in January I decided to take a look at his website, just to see what new books he has and what other news there was. That was when I found out he passed away July 1st, 2014. I never even heard about his passing.
I was sad and felt like crying. Walter Dean Myers and S.E. Hinton were the first two authors that ever became my favorites and their books got me hooked on reading.
I grew up reading his books and loving them, loving the characters that felt so real. His books left impact on me and I am really sad he is gone.
But, I decided I would read one of his books and chose his memoir. It is the first time I've read it and I wasn't disappointed.
It focuses on his childhood and teenage years. I never knew much about his life before reading this, but I relate to a lot of what he felt. I felt alone as a teenager, felt the distance between my parents and myself. The wanting to belong, but be yourself as well. And like Walter, I never paid attention to race as a child. But, it came full-force as a teenager.
This is a well-written and honest memoir. However, I don't think I'd call Walter Dean Myers a bad boy. I think he was lost and just trying to find his place in the world. But, I am happy that he listened to his teacher and never stopped writing.
If you're a fan of Walter Dean Myers, I think you'll enjoy this memoir about his life. Or if you are just a fan of memoirs in general, this one won't disappoint.
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