An American Story - by Debra J Dickerson (Paperback)

About the Book

The daughter of sharecroppers who fled the South, Dickerson, a widely admired African-American journalist, offers a powerfully compelling, unsparing memoir--a meditation on self, on family, and on society. A "New York Times" Notable Book.

Book Synopsis

A profoundly courageous and insightful memoir, An American Story documents the events that have shaped journalist Debra Dickerson's conscience.

The daughter of former sharecroppers, Dickerson never imagined she would emerge from her squalid St. Louis neighborhood to become an acclaimed journalist with a Harvard Law degree. A constant reader and a straight-A student, nevertheless Dickerson's lack of confidence kept her from accepting the many colleges offers she received. Instead she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, quickly rising through the ranks. In spite of her success, she recognized within herself deep-seated conflict at being a working class black woman living in a white man's world. Her path to self-acceptance is at the heart of this refreshing narrative.

Review Quotes

"Breathtaking... It is a startling thing to hear an American speak as frankly and un-selfservingly about race."
--The New York Times Book Review

"[Dickerson's] willingness to bare herself on these pages is more of a patriotic act than all her years in military service."
--Newsday

"Debra J. Dickerson... analyzes [her life] with the ferociousness of her intellect and the humility of her heart."
--Ms.

About the Author

Debra J. Dickerson lives in Washington, D.C.