Publisher, Blackstone Audiobooks (February 2006)

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"With a pithiness that wards away the preachy, Smith succeeds in conveying the pain, the joy and the effort that characterize a life on the stage and in the world." —Publishers Weekly

From “the most exciting individual in American theater” (Newsweek), here is Anna Deavere Smith’s inspiring yet brass-tacks advice to all aspiring artists.

“I have agreed to mentor you for a period of five years. Somebody you know (have I got it right that it was your grandmother?) made the highest bid on me as an item at a charity fundraiser. My deal was that I would mentor whomever ‘won’ me at the auction in some way for the next five years.”

In the manner of Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, Anna Deavere Smith advises her young artist on everything from how to stay healthy to tips for building a diverse network of friends and professional alliances. Inspiring and deeply moving, this book has life-changing potential.

About the Author: ANNA DEAVERE SMITH has had a high-profile career as actor, teacher, and playwright. She has won two Obies, two Tony nominations, a MacArthur "genius" fellowship, and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. She is currently director of the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue and is a professor at New York University.