My Grandfather's Son is more than a memoir. It is one of the finest autobiographies ever penned. Moreover, how ironic it is that a man we associate with dispassionate objective reasoning could produce one of the most emotionally moving books imaginable. I was deeply moved by his narrative throughout. I once knew a man like the author's grandfather, Myers, and he too cast a shadow far greater than his physical size. Thomas's tale is infinitely believable as he failed to fully appreciate the one he called "Daddy" until after he passed. The lessons granddad taught are ones which should be internalized by children today and I'd recommend reading aloud to them passages from the early chapters as a means for inspiration. Myers was a master of the art of self-sufficiency and gave Clarence the mental fortitude to persevere in the face of incredible odds. Thomas's life is far more compelling than Barack Obama's and his last three chapters--"Approaching the Bench," "Invitation to a Lynching," and "Going to Meet the Man"--flow as if they were embedded in a movie. The sham of his last Senate confirmation, as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, was horrifying both in retrospect and while it occurred. The leftist activist groups and their Congressional minions tried to subject him to a "high-tech lynching" but he stood up to their menace. In my opinion, Clarence Thomas is a hero of the highest order and may be remembered as one of the finest justices in history. As of right now, My Grandfather's Son is the best book I've read in 2008.

Folks who like and dislike the justice should read this book with an open mind. They might gain a new appreciation for their own circumstances. It was most informative and enlightening.

My Grandfather's Son could be renamed the Book of Lamentations. Justice Thomas laments about alleged slights, slurs, and hurts that he faced most of his life- "to suffer old hurts, endure old pain, and revisit old doubts. At times, I was surprised by how fresh my feelings still were." He writes as if he is the only person who was ever teased as a child. The first forty plus pages reflect a childhood of insults. The situations don't get better as his life evolves.

Many years before the confirmation hearing, people are disrespecting Thomas. One would think that he was born with a scarlet letter on his forehead. It's incredulous that a man nearly 60 years old, who triumphed during a contentious confirmation hearing to be appointed to a life-time job, and correctly predicted that he would outlive some of his most ardent critics, would present himself as the quintessential victim.

Thomas is so absorbed with his victimization that the book dishonors his grandfather. He isn't presented as a sympathetic or nurturing person. Rather, he is simply among many people who were mean to Thomas. Perhaps, this meanness contributed to his anger. He can't get a handle on his anger. It seems that neither God nor Dick, the quadriplegic colleague during Thomas's stint in the Office of Missouri's Attorney General, can influence Thomas to tame it, although he credits both with helping him to get rid of his anger.

Anger is the pervasive tenor of the book. It's uncanny because Justice Thomas lavishly quotes scriptures and makes religious allegories. Although the Zeus-like god has blessed Thomas to vanquish his enemies, which Thomas sees as a manifestation of his righteousness, he doesn't count his blessings. He sits in a barren wasteland that is populated by apparitions of hate and anger that he created.

Clarence Thomas is a man who has succeeded because of his intellect, astonishing work ethic, persistence, drive, and faith. In his memoir, My Grandfather's Son, he details the life that these qualities created. The fact that he seems to not be bitter is testament to his personal faith and integrity. I picked up the book knowing very little about Thomas' life before the infamous confirmation hearings. Everything that happened before than is vastly more interesting. The section on his youth and upbringing by his grandparents made me cringe at times, simply because his grandfather seemed so driven to push his "sons". However, what is truly remarkable is how Thomas looks back at this strict upbringing and does not whine about how his grandparents raised him, or on the things he missed out. Rather he looks back and realizes the positives, accepts the negatives, and acknowledges the fact that all of these things helped make him the person he is. This memoir is not flashy diary revelations, and narcissistic prose, but rather an honest and heartfelt look back on the highs and lows of an interesting (and historic) life.
Many of the detractors of this memoir attack it because of Thomas' personal views. That speaks poorly of them. In the often dry world of autobiography, this text reads quickly, and easily. Thomas does not try to vaunt his considerable intelligence by writing over his audience's heads, nor does he wash over his own failings. Honesty and readability in a memoir. It is refreshing and interesting.
Read this text to learn about an important American life. Check the politics at the door.

On page 270 of the book Clarence Thomas replies to the hypocritical charges by Senators Kennedy, Biden, Heflin, Metzenbaum et al. Thomas' anguished open authentic declaration ranks with the pathos of Chief Seattle as his proud people were being herded into a reservation and the bold honesty of Vanzetti in his declaration to the judge who had sentenced him and his friend, Sacco, to be executed.

This book speaks to those whom others have unjustly tried to humiliate; to those who were compelled to grow up with absent fathers; to those who have stared into the abyss of nihilism and found Faith; to those whose mothers suffer and suffered and labored to bring up their children without those who had fathered them; to those who became the real fathers of children when their physical fathers abandoned them.

Daddy in this memoir is a portrait of a noble, just man of the greatest dignity and sacrificial love.

As for myself this "Memoir" will be passed on to my children.
Justice Thomas, thank you for your honesty, candor and authenticity in this memoir of a "hero not a victim."

Although I don't often read autobiographies, a dear friend gave me her copy of "My Grandfather's Son" and suggested that I would enjoy it. Though I am old enough to remember the general facts of Clarence Thomas's appointment to the bench, I never really had an interest in the politics or the man embroiled in them. However, his story is both interesting and educational.

Clarence Thomas has a clear recollection of his tumultuous life from living in a shack near a swamp through college activism to political intrigues. He not only narrates the details of his own life; he realizes that his life is a whole. He illustrates the connections between incidents in his life with an understanding light. Though racism was a formative part of his life, he demonstrates the strength that comes from meeting the challenge. As politics continues to be more dominated by whining, I am thankful for the story of a man facing the challenge of integrity, failing, and learning to be a better man by incorporating the difficult lessons taught by life and by a loving grandfather.

Reprinted with permission from http://naturalfamilylife.blogspot.com

An incredible story of regardless the present situation - keep your focus. Real goals are not going to be easy, rely on the facts, not your emotions or the misconstrued opinions of others. Rear your children with discipline and honor.

I loved this book because it tells of a life that fought the good fight and didn't give up... and then won the battle. From the time he was a child all the way to the supreme court, his hardships and difficult trials he faced and how he over came them time and time again. Clarence Thomas story is one of the greatest in American history and you will not be disappointed in this book.. Loved it!

This book really gave me a glimpse into what Justice Thomas felt like growing up with segregation and then fighting throughout his life for equality. He is extremely sincere and honest about his shortcomings in life so the reader really feels as though they got to know him. I didn't understand the rage and resentment that he felt against discrimination because I didn't grow up in that environment. I think this book is a must-read for everyone, especially white people (like me) that don't understand why some people are voting for Barack Obama just because he's part African. I've always believed that should be the least important of aspect of the decision. Thomas' solution to inequality is for all people to be given the same opportunities, not favoring any race, white or black, and that really got the liberals angry with him (and they're still angry at him today) for not accepting their handouts.

Thomas recounts in vivid detail all the injustices and hardship suffered by his grandparents, parents and himself over the last century and how all of that attracted him to Republican conservativism, which embraced the ideals of racial equality, eradicating poverty and affirmative action - ideals which helped Thomas reach the heights of success.

He seems keenly aware of the fact that he did not possess the legal expertise or the intellectual depth to sit on the highest court in the land. But after spending time with the other underqualified and highly over-rated justices on the court such as Scalia and Rehnquist, Thomas came to realize that he had nothing to feel bad about. The one regret he has is the advent of C-SPAN, which provides an unwelcome measure of public exposure to the court. He worries that the blind reverence and assumption of supreme intelligence which the public held for the judges for over 200 years has come to an end. Instead, the public now has C-SPAN to show them that the court is really nothing more than a collection of political suck-ups with giant egos who do strange things with soda cans and who will approve the torture and dismemberment of their own mothers and children at Guantanamo Bay if it will get them appointed to the court.

Although he still harbors a great deal of anger over his historic and divisive confirmation hearings, he hopes to find the infamous coke can, which he dreams of selling one day for a certain fortune at e-bay.

Thomas recounts in vivid detail all the injustices and hardship suffered by his grandparents, parents and himself over the last century and how all of that attracted him to Republican conservativism, which embraced the ideals of racial equality, eradicating poverty and affirmative action - ideals which helped Thomas reach the heights of success. Huh?

He seems keenly aware of the fact that he did not possess the legal expertise or the intellectual depth to sit on the highest court in the land. But after spending time with the other underqualified and highly over-rated justices on the court such as Scalia and Rehnquist, Thomas came to realize that he had nothing to feel bad about. The one regret he has is the advent of C-SPAN, which provides an unwelcome measure of public exposure to the court. He worries that the blind reverence and assumption of supreme intelligence which the public held for the judges for over 200 years has come to an end. Instead, the public now has C-SPAN to show them that the court is really nothing more than a collection of simple-mided political suck-ups with giant egos who do strange things with soda cans and who will approve the torture and dismemberment of their own mothers and children at Guantanamo Bay if it will get them appointed to the court.

Although he still harbors a great deal of anger over his historic and divisive confirmation hearings, he hopes to find the infamous coke can, which he dreams of selling one day for a certain fortune at e-bay.

As a general rule I take what I read in a memoir with a grain of salt. It is only natural for people to put their best forward when writing about themselves for public consumption. In this case however I found myself accepting Thomas' words at face value. Whether it was his writing style or the way he spoke so openly about his human failings I did not question the honesty of his accounts or the sincerity of his emotions.

His life growing up in poverty was a compelling story. His angry youth was unsettling, but understandable and the struggles of his adult life make him all the more admirable. I always had difficulty reconciling the quiet humble man of the senate hearings with the accusations leveled against him, and though his views reflected my own conservative values I knew that the reality was that only he and Anita Hill knew the truth. After reading this book I no longer have any doubt that Clarence Thomas, with all of his human failings, is an honorable man and was an outstanding choice for The Supreme Court of The United States of America.

Readers looking for a defense of Mr. Thomas's legal theories or time on the bench will have to look elsewhere. The book is the simple, straightforward story of a man's rise from shocking poverty to one of the most prestigious positions in the United States, and those he views shaped him throughout his life. In that sense, it is a useful companion piece to Mr. Thomas's personal friend Thomas Sowell's own autobiography, which the reviewer recommends even more highly.

Where to begin with all the good things that I'd like to say about this book?

1. The prose is very clear, concise, easy-to-read and unpretentious. The entire book comes in at under 300 pages and there are no wasted words. (For a VERY LONG and VERY BLOATED autobiography of a politician, see Bill Clinton's "My Life.")

2. He fills in the missing gaps from Anita Hill's account of what happened. (It was fairly easy to surmise from her writing style in "Speaking Truth To Power" that Anita Hill was/ is a drama queen.) The type of antics that Thomas described (without going too far into detail) were not at all unexpected based on the personality type that I perceived from Hill's writing. The snippets are neither bitter nor abusive. Only discussed in a matter of fact way.

3. There is some interesting discussion of the dynamics of a government bureaucracy and how it starts off to solve some problem but eventually "hardens" into something completely different. There is no long, philosophical discussion of *why* this situation materializes (as you might find by reading the works of Hayek or Milton Friedman), but just observations that it does happen.

4. The thinking is very clear and straightforward. Thomas is not a mindless ideologue, but rather someone who has thought out his positions based on actual *life experience.*

5. He made observations that racism is not a uniquely Southern phenomenon (for example, noting that the first time that he was called a "nigger" happened when he moved up North and not in the South--where the blacks and whites there came to some sort of modus vivendi).

Bad points (only one):

1. The book had no index. That might have been nice when going back over fine points after finishing the book.

All in all, this book was well worth the purchase price of a new hardcover book.

I bought this book out of boredom. I had nothing else, at the time, to read. I thought that I knew enough of this gentleman from newspapers and media. Was I ever wrong! This is book will enlighten one as to who the real Clarence Thomas is and the grandfather who became a role model for him. His portrayals of various members of Congress are indeed enlightening!
I no longer have the book. I had lent it out so many times that it finally never found its way back to me.

Clarence Thomas is a brilliant man, much like my husband. Both experienced similar experiences, but drew different conclusions from their experiences.

This book is very personable and well-written. However, the inside print design could have been better laid out.

As an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Clarence Thomas sits in a position of tremendous influence, one that ultimately issues binding opinions on the very meaning of the oldest working Constitution in the world. Many people assume that reaching such heights requires the head start afforded by wealth and powerful connections. Justice Thomas' remarkable story of his origin and rise demonstrates that such is not necessarily the case. Sometimes those who come from the most humble backgrounds can through hard work and perseverance achieve what might normally be imagined impossible.

Thomas opens his narrative with a statement that will be familiar to far too many of our fellow citizens: "I was nine years old when I first met my father." We're introduced to the rest of his family in turn, including his brother and mother. Apparently unable to handle two young boys and a job that did not pay well on her own--her ex-husband and the father of her children did nothing to help--she sent young Clarence and his brother Myers to live with her parents, whom Thomas calls Aunt Tina (Christine being his grandmother's given name) and Daddy.

The move ultimately proved a good one for Thomas; under the supervision of his strict grandfather, he learned discipline and how to work hard, starting to help with the family business when in the fourth grade. Descriptions of his early interactions with the world beyond his family and in the educational system remind us that the color of one's skin had real meaning at one time in this country whose founding document declared that "all men are created equal"--particularly in the deep South.

Readers are taken on a tour through Thomas' past, able to see how the family of even meager means was able to put him on good footing by teaching him important principles that would serve him well and by proving equal to the task of getting him educated. Thomas' commentary give us insights into his thinking at various stages of his life, how he came to see the larger world around him and how he progressed from good student to angry black man, and from there to finding a productive outlet for his talent.

This narrative leads through Thomas' life course, taking us ultimately to the Senate confirmation hearings for his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. The episode is tremendously stressful for him and his family; we're able to see that irrespective of whatever principles one might have or how one has tried to apply them, getting to the top requires endurance--and sometimes endurance of ugly and miserable things. Achievement is never easy but achievement on one's own terms, where others cannot take the credit, is something even more.

Clarence Thomas has a remarkable story and has told it well in My Grandfather's Son.

If anyone you know tells you they can't make it in America buy this book for them and tell them to read it.

Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas' life story is interesting for two reasons: because it doesn't have a word of self-aggrandizement in it, and because it so clearly contrasts the fallacies of the victim culture with the rewards of a constant effort at self-improvement. The author is very candid about his personal shortcomings, some of which, especially in his youth, are glaring and obvious. To me, the major contribution of this book is to provide incontrovertible evidence that America still is one of the best places on the planet to grow up in as what is termed a `disadvantaged child'. Justice Thomas is living proof of this fact. At the same time, his autobiography contains an implicit warning against moving down the road that Europe has been on for the past sixty years: that of a culture government dependency, personal irresponsability, and rampant nepotism in all aspects of society. A thought-provoking book.

My Grandfather's Son

I read Clarence Thomas's autobiographical My Grandfather's Son some months after the first flush of publicity. The book is well worth reading, which is not to say that it won me over to Thomas's political views, or made me an admirer of his tenure in government. The early chapters provide a moving account of growing up impoverished in rural Georgia, subject to the pathological Jim Crow laws and customs of the time, which is as authentic as any other that has appeared in print. The book does establish that Thomas is a complex human being, a unique individual, as are we all. That is important. Nothing is more infuriating than being critiqued for something you are not, rather than for a life and a set of principles that one is proud of, even if others sharply disagree.

Thomas is absolutely correct that he has a right to be his own self, not to conform to any expected orthodoxy based on his race, his sex, or any other irrelevant characteristic. In this, he is merely living up to Jesse B. Semple's defiant statement to his employer ("my boss is a white man") who asks him "What does The Negro want now?" Simple responds, many times over, "I am not The Negro. I am this Negro. I represent my own self." (Taken from Langston Hughes's, Coffee Break. Thomas's rejection of a brand of so-called liberalism based on cheap stereotypes is a breath of fresh air. But his critique is missing a good deal of history, and his own account makes clear that, to those he adopted as his closest political allies, he was merely a convenient pawn, thrust into jobs he might indeed not have been well qualified to fill.

Thomas knew that most of the inner circle in the Reagan administration were uninterested in offering anything to advance civil rights. "By the end of my first year at the Department of Education, I took a dim view of the prospects for blacks in America. I no longer thought that the Reagan administration could do anything that would be of any help to them... Those of us who had chosen to work for President Reagan found it hard to shake the nagging feeling that this aides didn't trust us... Too many political appointees appeared to me to be too preoccupied with celebrating their own ideological credentials to pay attention to the needs of blacks. We hadn't voted for him, so why should they bother with us?" Ronald Reagan's plaintive phone call asking Thomas why African Americans considered him racist, and his protest that he personally had never been racist in his life, were no doubt sincere. But Reagan's administration, and his party, highlighted in Thomas's own words, provided the plain answer to the president's question.

Thomas relates that he was shocked by Coretta Scott King's dismissal of Ronald Reagan, "Well, he IS a Republican." What did the Republican Party mean in 1980 for African Americans? As early as 1960, the limited-federal-government wing of the northern and western Republican Party had been finding common ground with the states' rights Dixiecrats still embedded in the Democratic Party. Between 1964 and 1980, the Republican Party had made an open bid to all racists dissatisfied with Democratic sponsorship of civil rights laws and federal intervention to change parties. Thomas may not have noticed that, because by his own description, it occured during a time when he was less than interested in electoral politics. But it was bitter history to most African Americans who observed it.

Yes, there were Republicans who were instrumental in passing civil rights legislation. Considering the size of the southern Democratic bloc in congress, passage would have been impossible without those Republican votes. But, those Republicans were increasingly marginalized in their own party. There is no doubt that the Democratic Party took black votes for granted, had a very limited vision of what to offer black voters, and took their cue from an aging civil rights leadership, which could not fully recognize the changing needs of both "black" and "white" citizens in a nation transformed by their own earlier victories. When Thomas finds the liberal assumptions he encountered to be demeaning and patronizing, it is a point worth listening to. I know many African Americans who have never voted Republican, never been nominated to the Supreme Court, never even asked their opinion by the local mayor, who share many of the same concerns.

But reading between the lines, it is quite obvious that Thomas was himself being cynically used. I'm not talking about Senator Danforth of Missouri, who knew Thomas personally, hired him, stuck by him through thick and thin, sincerely believed in his abilities and sense of principle. I'm not even talking about Ronald Reagan, who appointed him to a position in the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. I may be talking about George Herbert Walker Bush, a more cynical if more capable politician than Ronald Reagan -- but I can't tell from the slim public record. I am talking about the Republican Party establishment generally, those who ran the government for Reagan and Bush, many of whom came back for George W. Bush's disastrous Saturnalia.

It is obvious from Thomas's own account that his nomination to the United States Court of Appeals, and to the Supreme Court, were a cynical manipulation based on his race and his political loyalty, having nothing to do with his experience or ability. By his own standards, frequently and eloquently presented in his own book, he should have been insulted. When Thomas was first nominated to the Court of Appeals, it seems that everyone in Washington knew, except for Thomas himself, that the Bush administration was grooming him for nomination to the Supreme Court. He had never held a federal judicial position before, but for some reason he was the prime candidate the Bushies wanted to push, and they didn't even tell him about it. He found out when Senator Joseph Biden happened to mention it!

Thomas becomes almost petulant in complaining about the questions asked in formal confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I was asked... I did not know..." If there was good cause to vote against confirmation, that was probably the appropriate reason to do so. He didn't know his material. The entire Anita Hill episode, whether her testimony was true, warped, a series of simple misunderstandings, or plain lies, certainly didn't rate the attention it got.

This reader does not find it credible that Thomas simply had no opinions about Roe v. Wade until after he was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. I had an opinion about Roe v. Wade from the day the court's 7-2 decision was announced. I have never been to law school, never been a lawyer, certainly never served as a judge. I read about it in the New York Post. After reading the article, my opinion was, first trimester, the state has no authority to intervene, leave it up to the mother, third trimester, this is close to a fully formed baby that could survive outside the womb, the state may intervene to protect this new life as a distinct person, in between, honestly recognize that it is a grey zone, allow the state to regulate, but not absolutely prohibit. Very thoughtful and well balanced.

Many years later, I read the actual words of the court's opinion. I found it a well-reasoned, admirably conservative opinion, which rested on enduring constitutional principles, applied appropriately to a specific question. There are some matters The State has no business intervening in: the first trimester of pregnancy is one of them. Further, The State has no business compelling a pregnant woman to risk her own life, if her life is in danger, in order to deliver a baby. (Neither does The State have any business requiring a woman to have an abortion, no matter how socially compelling the argument that she should.) Why should I believe that while I, an unremarkable, well-informed, average citizen, have a firm opinion on Roe v. Wade, a federal appellate judge nominated to the Supreme Court had just never thought about it? Like Thomas, I have never had an abortion, and for the some reason. We're both male. Neither of us is ever going to be pregnant.

Thomas's subsequent written opinions show how poorly he understands the United States Constitution. His formal written analysis is that "a state may permit abortion, but it is not required to do so." That betrays a profound ignorance of The Federalist Papers, and poses the framework of constitutional law exactly backwards. All powers not expressly granted to the federal government, nor prohibited to the states, were reserved "to the states and to the people." The constitution does not "permit" the states to do anything. It may restrict the powers of state government, either because there is a pre-emptive federal authority, or because certain rights are reserved to "the people." The question is not whether a state must permit abortion, but whether and at what point in pregnancy a state may regulate or may prohibit the procedure.

Thomas's confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court was an unconstitutional travesty, which should have resulted in all participants, those who groomed and advanced him, and those who bitterly opposed him, being impeached and removed from office for violating their oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States of America. They were ALL engaged in an unforgivable tug of war to "sway" the Supreme Court, and thereby to "sway" the fundamental law of the land, rather than allowing it to BE the fundamental law of the land, the unchanging bedrock upon which all other law must rest. It is true, as Justice Scalia has written, that the constitution means what it says, not what we think it ought to mean. If it has any enduring meaning at all, then there is little that should be changed by judicial nomination. Thomas's opponents were blinded by their own ideology to very good reasons to vote down his nomination. Thomas's advocates perpetrated a worse crime: they knew exactly what they were doing.

Clarence Thomas has made an interesting contribution to understanding America's continuing fixation with race, and the debate about how we put behind us, once and for all, the legacy that most of us wish had never happened. This reader comes away from My Grandfather's Son with the sense that Thomas has not come close to The Truth, but has deflated some hot air balloons that are getting us nowhere, contributed a few misunderstandings of his own, and opened some doors to find better ground for progress and reconciliation than either his friends or his harshest critics have been willing to lead us into.

My Grandfather's son was a very inspirational book and well written by the author. It gave me insight into our justice and his backgroud and how anyone can rise in the USA from the depths of poverty. Justice Thomas is very candid and revealing about his life, and it enables one to grasp the workings of his mind and feelings in his heart. I am very satified with the book and grateful for the chance to read it. I have suggested it to my friends as well. Virginia Bronga

In the best autobiography I have ever read, Clarence Thomas gives an account of his life from growing up in the Deep South with segregation and being raised by his hard-working and stern grandfather (which makes for the title of the book), to his appointment at the EEOC and his nomination for the Supreme Court.

Thomas gives a touching account of a life characterized by the battles faced by anyone with a desire to make something of them self. His feelings and insight into his experiences not only give the reader a first-hand experience of his struggles to achieve (despite discrimination), giving readers from all backgrounds- black or white, male or female, liberal or conservative- invaluable wisdom.

Just what America needs to know. All are created equal and any person can succeed if you want. Be educated, don't lie to yourself and above all don't blame others for what your life, you made it by what you did and the effort you put into what you have. If you depend on others then except what they give you, thats all you are going to receive, you have no person to blame but yourself. Become educated and you will never have to depend on others, you have made yourself the equal of others. Want to be a succees read this book.

I never and I mean never purchase autobiographies. I bought this after watching an interview Clarence Thomas gave and didn't regret the purchase. The book was interesting and well written - absolutely unbelievable story.

Clarence Thomas, although disadvantaged from the moment he was born, was nurtured by his grandfather's strength of character and work ethic.

Overcoming poverty and prejudice that would overwhelm the average man, he faced his obstacles (both personal and professional) with a bold commitment to always do the best he could.

This is a story of a true American hero. His grandfather would be proud.

Wow! An excellent book, and now we can all see where the mysterious neo-conservative black Supreme came from.

As a lefty who loathes His Honor's politics and view of the law, I was taken by the writing and the story, but the real take away for me is that this is one angry, messed-up man, filled with bile and loathing for all things not in line with his viewpoint. Irony abounds. I expect that writing this book was LIKE therapy for Judge Thomas, but really he should be IN therapy, not sitting on the Supreme Court, inflicting his vile, angry, contemptuous view of America on the rest of us, via the law.

Left, right, center - a great book. I'm left, and am left with a great personal respect for Judge Thomas, while maintaining little to no respect for his view of the law.

A truly dreadful book, in my opinion. Thomas writes a self-serving, whiney tale that draws a constant stream of drivel to his plight of being Black. His life would have to be hellish to endure all the perceived slights, insults and bigotry that apparently happen to him 24/7/365. Given how far he has come, it is very hard to imagine the kind of difficulties he describes, were a handicap The book was boring, tedious and ultimately insulting. He seemingly turns to God, but it felt like a sham to me. His writing is horrible and his tale, long-winded and I am more convinced than ever that Anita Hill was badly used.

My Grandfather's Son, has been out for several months now. I passed on my purchasing it many times, this was a mistake. Judge Thomas' autobiography is an easy, but interesting read.

In the telling of his story, Judge Thomas, is candid about his excessive drinking, his difficult, if loving relationship he had with the grandfather who raised him, his strict upbringing, his almost constant lack of money, and the pain of his divorce. His personal experiences with racism and his views on racial issues in general are weaved nicely into his personal story.

Not surpringsly, Judge Thomas doesn't have anything favorable to say about Anita Hill. However, to his credit, he mentions that she passed a polygraph. He also admits that is lack of judicial experience (just 15 months) was a legitmate argument to oppose his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Where this autobiography breaks down, is at the end. He compares the Senate judiciary committee to a modern-day lynching. Yes, the process was extremely political, but to call it a "lynching" is beyond excessive. Doing so cheapens the meaning of the word. Comparing senators -- the same senators who write laws that a Supreme court justice may later rule on -- to a lynch mob should itself have disqualified him for appointment to the Supreme court.

Still, while Judge Thomas overplayed the "lynch" metaphor, his book is a worthy read. My Grandfather's Son is not your everyday I'm-so-great autobiogrpahy. Don't keep passing this one up.

Even if you don't agree with his politics, you can't help but to admire this man for his fight and determination. His book does a great job of making his story to the top very personable as the reader share very intimate thoughts and decisions from the beginning til now. This book is filled with life lession he learned that was taught by his father, Aunt Tina, brother, and a host of other family and friends along the way. Interesting from the beginnin go the end, this book was hard to put down and I recommend it to those who are skeptcal of Thomas's views.

What an excellent autobiography. It provides great insite into the mind, life and thoughts of such a great man. For a man of such great stature and of such quiet reverence, this was a treat to hear about Clarence Thomas' life and trials. Very inspirational, very much worth reading!

I saw Justice Thomas speak at the 92nd Street Y in New York in October of 2007, and the last thing he came across as was angry. Yet many reviewers refer to him as such. He really isn't angry.
Only in America could he have come from where he did to accomplish what he has accomplished. My signed copy of this book will always have a prominent place on the shelf.

Before reading My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir by Clarence Thomas, I must admit I was pretty limited in what I knew about the man who sits on the Supreme Court bench. I remember the Anita Hill controversy during his confirmation hearings, but that was about it. What I know see is that Thomas overcame a very hard childhood and plenty of discrimination to rise to the highest court in the land. Keeping in mind that there's always more than one side to a story, this is an inspirational look at what someone can become even when the odds are against them.

His story starts out as a young child in the Deep South, dirt poor and without the benefit of a two-parent family. Thomas and his brother are shipped off to live and be raised by his grandparents, which was a turning point in his life. His grandfather was a hard-working man with little education but an iron rule. That discipline is what Thomas needed to push himself to be more than what his surroundings would dictate. Rather than go to the normal black colleges available at the time, he applied to and was admitted to Holy Cross and Yale Law School. You'd think that was a major achievement to be proud of, but he found it was more a detriment in that it was viewed as a "gift" of affirmative action. During this time, he was also married, expecting their first child, and was swimming in debt. He's very open about how the pressure and stress led to the breakup of his marriage, his rocky relationship in his later years with his grandfather, and his guilt over not being there for his son (much like his father wasn't there for him growing up). The Anita Hill situation haunted him throughout his career, where she's portrayed as an aggressive troublemaker who didn't fit in well with her coworkers, but who was promoted based on requests from colleagues who wanted "a sister" to do well. But through it all, he was able to continue to stay true to his views and get to where he never thought he could be...

Along with his story, you also learn about his attitude and philosophy about racial tensions in America. He's not totally popular with his views, in that he doesn't toe the standard line about minorities needing handouts and assistance. But it's nice to see someone who had every opportunity to become a radical liberal remain consistent with his upbringing. You may not agree with his political views or leanings, but you'd be hard pressed not to be inspired by his life story. Well worth reading.

Coming from a brainy man, this memoir got me stirred up in ways I was not expecting to be. The intelligence and common sense of Mr. Thomas grandfather is something blacks in America need to learn and emulate if there is hope for them to rise out of the clutch they find themselves trapped following the lead of many black leaders today. I was amazed to know how "Daddy" chose in those times to raise Clarence into the Catholic faith where he was probably getting unaltered Christian teaching. This act was probably one of the main reasons our Justice is able today to truly trascend his race and interpret the Constitution for ALL Americans. How relevant right now!

"My Grandfather's Son" manages two stories in one book. The first half documents Thomas' life during the pains of segregation and discrimination in deep, rural Georgia. Raised in Pin Point and Savannah, Thomas recalls of his child life and teenage years growing up under the strict work ethic of his strong, proud, and patriotic grandfather Myers Anderson, the most memorable and piercing character in Clarence's story. Thomas' attendance at Conception Seminary, Holy Cross, and finally Yale Law School provide the lead-in to his controversial nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991. Until then, "My Grandfather's Son" is a classically American "rags-to-riches" story of a black man's perseverance through financial and social conflicts, years as a college radical, and life as a husband and father. For all the many difficulties and bumps along the road, Thomas defies the obstacles in front of him to reach national prominence and admiration.

The second half of the book reviews the ugly spectacle of Thomas' Senate confirmation to the Court and its most repelling headliners, Pat Leahy and Joe Biden. In the words of Clarence's dear mother Leola, "I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" As was the case of the nomination of Robert Bork, the godless Left beat their drums with loathing indignation at a potential justice for daring to protect the Constitution from dangerous revisionism. The outcry from the NAACP and leftists in the U.S. Senate during Thomas' nomination reveals one thing: the punishing attitudes of those who believe blacks must be forced to feed from the public dole for the rest of their lives. A black man who rejects PC trash and the cage of his liberal oppressors needed to be stopped at all cost. Fortunately for the United States, Clarence Thomas was confirmed to sit at the high Court (And, of course, like the hearings of Sam Alito, the Thomas hearings show the Democrats' fanatic obsession with upholding abortion-on-demand).

Thomas leaves the reader to decide whether his personal testimony of the Anita Hill controversy is accurate or not. He discusses extensively how Hill remade her professional image into a moral and religious woman, contrary to the image of the coarse and Reagan-loathing lawyer she previously donned.

"My Grandfather's Son" is a work of extraordinary patience. As volatile and difficult Thomas' life was, he tells his story unapologetically and honestly. From his life with "Daddy", Yale Law School, and his crucifixion from the far Left senator Biden and his ilk, to his confirmation to the Supreme Court, Thomas displays the incomparable resiliency and courage of a man unafraid of standing for principle, integrity, and morality. The book is an inspiring story and truthful political commentary. It is a testament to the great Republic and its gift of liberty.

Thomas lays it all out in this book. Very straight forward & open about his life, his career & all the mistakes he made along the way.

I like biographies. Especially those of political figures. Of all that I have read, this is at the top of my list. I really like J.C. Watts (What Color is a Conservative), and Barbara Bush:a Memoir. This one tops those by a long shot, although, I recommend those as well.

Reading Thomas's own story is touching and moving. Yet it reveals a lot about the problems with race and government. I found his life story very intriguing and wonderfully written. I don't want to say much about content for those who haven't read it, but this is a MUST READ!! I plan on passing this book around to several of my family members who read. This was really an eye opening book for me in a lot of ways. I believe it will be to anyone who reads it with an open mind. Don't let this book pass you by!!!!!!!!!!

This book gave me an insight to Justice Thomas's personal thoughts, his political orientation (past and current) and his journey as a black man. You may be surprised how his views have changed / matured especially about racial issues, civil rights law and the plight of the so-called African-American peoples.

This is a rare insight to a powerful decision-maker on the USA Supreme Court.

This book is extremely well written. It reads very smoothly and crisply. It is easy to skim.

I did not expect to like this book, because I am a liberal and he's a conservative, but I do like it. It's a great piece of history. Thomas's life is fascinating and inspiring. He is refreshingly open about his drinking problems.

Curiously, though, he seems to have little or no insight into other people or his effect on them. Instead, other people seem like mere shadowy props in an isolating world where only he exists. I can see where he could easily offend others without being aware why, since he seems so completely inside himself.

This is a good overview of Justice Thomas' life (so far!). In very few countries could a person rise from utmost poverty to the Supreme Court. I would have liked a bit more detail on his personal side, especially wrt his divorce from his wife Kathy. Why did he feel unfulfilled in this relationship? He seemed to bail on it w/o much effort although it is hard to tell from this book. Perhaps this is part of his reticence to expose too much of his personal life but he did write the book. His grandparents were smarter than many and did an excellent job raising him.

From the crushing poverty of his upbringing in the Jim Crow South, to the nightmarish process of his nomination to the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas narrates his life story in a refreshingly candid delivery. The book is imbued with readability, and Justice Thomas does have a compelling story to tell. This will sound cliché, but I simply couldn't put the book down. Every night I kept reading well into the wee hours of the morning, seemingly unable to find a stopping place in which to insert my bookmark.

In the last three chapters of the book, Justice Thomas talks in bitter terms about the viciousness he endured in the hands of liberals during the process of his nomination to the Supreme Court. I watched the whole saga on C-Span fresh out of graduate school, and I somewhat disagree with Justice Thomas about what was really transpiring during those days. He saw himself as Tom Robinson, the character in "To Kill a Mockingbird", and that he was being high-tech lynched by a racist mob of white senators incensed by an "uppity black man who deigned to think for himself". As a black man myself, I hope that Justice Thomas has disabused himself of that notion. What was really going on was that Judge Thomas had then joined, perhaps unwittingly, the raging war of ideologies between neo-cons and liberals. Willingly or not, he was by virtue of his own publicly declared views a foot soldier in the conservative movement. The liberals weren't deceived by the idea that his nomination was on account of his legal bona fides. Reagan, and then Bush were packing the court with justices far right of center, and liberals were hell bent on stopping the trend. They had confirmed his nomination to the court of appeals without brouhaha, but the finality of supreme court opinions made the stakes much higher. Preserving Roe vs Wade, it seemed to me, was a far more pressing issue to these people than taking a black man to the "gallows" for speaking his mind. Be it as it may, this is really an excellent read. I recommend My Grandfather's Son without a trace of reservation.

From the crushing poverty of his upbringing in the Jim Crow South, to the nightmarish process of his nomination to the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas narrates his life story in refreshingly candid delivery. The book is imbued with readability, and Justice Thomas does have a compelling story to tell. This will sound cliché, but I simply couldn't put the book down. Every night I kept reading well into the wee hours of the morning, seemingly unable to find a stopping place in which to insert my bookmark.

In the last three chapters of the book, Justice Thomas talks in bitter terms about the viciousness he endured in the hands of liberals during the process of his nomination to the Supreme Court. I watched the whole thing on C-Span fresh out of college, and I somewhat disagree with Justice Thomas about what was really transpiring during those days. He saw himself as Tom Robinson, the character in "To Kill a Mockingbird", and that he was being high-tech lynched by a racist mob of white senators incensed by an "uppity black man who deigned to think for himself". As a black man myself, I hope that Justice Thomas has disabused himself of that notion. What was really going on was that Judge Thomas had then joined, perhaps unwittingly, the raging war of ideologies between neo-cons and liberals. Fair or not, he was by virtue of his own publicly declared views a foot soldier in the conservative movement. The liberals weren't deceived by his nomination being on account of his legal bona fides, notwithstanding the fact that Judge Thomas was qualified for the job. Reagan, and then Bush were packing the court with right minded justices, and liberals were hell bent on stopping it. I respectfully submit that it was more about ideology and far less about race. Be it as it may, this is really a good read. I highly recommend My Grandfather's Son without a trace of reservation.

I absolutely loved this book, and I know you will, too!
I didn't know much about Justice Thomas, but after reading his story - I respect him immensely. This book was a true page-turner, and the style and quality of his writing and his attention to detail is phenomenal.
Whether or not you agree with his political views, I think you'll find
this book interesting enough to give it a chance. Just read the first page and you won't be able to put it down. It is by FAR the best
autobiography I have EVER read!

This book is especially inspirational to folks like me who were thoroughly programmed according to the left's lifeview, but over time came to notice the wolf hiding in the sheep's clothing. The political left has imprinted its memes so deeply and widely, that in many segments of society (such as public education K-postgruaduate, and most of our entertainment industry and "news" media) having a conservative lifeview makes one not only obviously wrong but evil. This book is a roadmap through this house of mirrors by a brilliant and courageous man.

I literally could not put this book down.
I picked it up a nd 50 pages later my wife called me for dinner. I picked it up again and did not put it down till I finished it at 3:30 in the morning.
You may not agree with his politics, or his ideals, but you will understand exactly where he comes from and why he does not give many interviews.
This is a "warts and all" autobiography. He does not pull any punches especially about his own human frailties, from the breakup of his first marriage to the excessive drinking he engaged in.
If you read this you will come away with a clear understanding of this man and while you may not have affection for him, you will have an appreciation for his candor.

I have never enjoyed reading a book so much as Clarence Thomas' "My Grandfather's Son". Very well written and really recommend for the top reading list. Especially for young people to help better understand the difficulties minorities have to overcome in achieving their personal goals in this country and how prejudices still exist. I very much admire Justice Thomas and what he has overcome to achieve his goals in life and the outstanding job he is doing for this country in serving on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Clarence Thomas' book is an amazing story of how a boy born into poverty and prejudice, with an absentee father and a mother who could not care for him, rose to the level of Supreme Court Justice. The author presents an honest portrayal--warts and all--of himself and his family members. His grandfather was an amazing man (with great one-liners) who kept Thomas on the straight and narrow.
Frankly, I couldn't put the book down. And I'm one who often gets bored and fails to finish a book.
Read this book and be amazed at the opportunities that only a country like America can provide.

His is an amazing and inspirational story. What a life of suffering and strength. He is surprisingly humble and he has endured much in his service to the country. This should be on highschool and college reading lists because in this memoir we find a truly American tale. He is the type of hero that our youths must study.It is a beautiful story of the perseverence and faith that is fundamental to the goodness of our country.

I was completely riveted by Justice Thomas' story. Poignant without self pity, this is a story that could only happen in America, including both the good things (poor boy from Pinpoint goes on be a Supreme Court Justice), as well as the bad (the establishment fears the damage a self made Black man could do and sets out to destroy him). In the end, Justice Thomas comes through it all and shows that hard work, perseverance, and faith carry their own rewards.

This book will be required reading for all of my kids, period.

I cannot say enough. Judge Thomas has a inspiring story of overcoming obstacles (both external and within) to become probably the best 'thinking' conservative judge on the supreme court today. This book also gives you a compelling and different view than we have been told in the mainstream media in regards to the Anita Hill controversy. A definite thumbs up!

This book might have an unintended consequence of feeding stereo-typing. Justice Thomas endured what we might think is SOP for poor black men with the difference that he worked his way out of them. The book is a very honest treatment of his life, especially the confirmation hearings. For example, he logs that Anita Hill did in fact pass a lie detector test. He treats Ms. Hill a lot nicer than I would have treated her if I had lived through her accusations. What a great story. What many of us consider typical (and the research seems to reinforce)Justice Thomas survives. His abandonment by his biological father and his own stereo-typical mistakes are all chronicled. He admits his mistakes, learns from them, and moves on a giant of a man. I would like to spend a little time in the presence of this new hero of mine. I strongly recommend the book. I am not offering it for resale and I will share it with other people I care about before I set it on my own book shelf. The book has a nice flow, is an easy read, and is of the type that you always are looking to get back to it.