A Hand to Guide Me

An extremely tight and unmarked copy-" In his debut as an author, Denzel Washington shares his personal story of the mentors who helped guide his life. Washington pens the introduction for the stories of more than 70 of America's leading personalities in theatre, sports, business, and politics as they tell their life-changing stories of mentorship. Contributors include Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Antwone Fisher, Bonnie Raitt, Cal Ripken, Alex Rodriguez, Dick Vitale, Whoopie Goldberg and more. A portion of the book's proceeds benefit 4.5 million children in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. From Publishers Weekly: We all get where we're going with a push from someone who cares, says acclaimed actor Washington. A national spokesperson for Boys and Girls Clubs of America, he tells how he found his own mentor in the Mount Vernon, N.Y., Boys Club and celebrates the organization's 100th anniversary with this collection of 70 celebrities' accounts of how as youngsters they were guided by a caring adult. Among the contributors are actors, athletes, authors, artists, and former presidents. Retired basketball coach John Wooden remembers his hardworking father, a farmer, who made time every night to read poetry and Scripture to his children. Gloria Steinem describes how she saw a commitment to women's rights in the novels of Louisa May Alcott. Whoopi Goldberg credits her mother with teaching her empathy the day she abandoned her best friend to hang out with the popular kids. Bill Clinton was influenced by a great-uncle, an undereducated man who taught him to value people's differences and refrain from making judgments. Washington has produced an anthology that will inspire successful men and women to help and empower the next generation." B&w photos.