My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir [Reprint ed.] 006056556X, 9780060565565

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Citation preview

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

PRAISE FOR

My Grandfather's Son "Justice Thomas describes his intellectual journey, and his struggle to keep body and soul together on meager government pay, in some of the book's most absorbing and self-critical chapters." -William Grimes, The New York Times "The book of the year for Americans tired of politics as usual."

-The Denver Post "Candid.... A fascinating glimpse into a tortured, complex, and often perplexing personality"

-The Washington Post Book World

"Very rewarding reading .... While there is anger in the boo~­ justifiable anger, one might argue-· there is also tenderness, vulnerability, brutal honesty, and overflowing gratitude .... There is also unswerving intellectual integrity"

-Mona Charen

"The conservative book of the year.... Candid, moving, and well written, it chronicles the life of a truly remarkable man who may well be the single greatest living American office-holder."

-The American Spectator · ''Absorbing."

--The Economist

''Thomas speaks candidly about the mistakes he made that fueled his determination to overcome all odds to be appointed to the nation's highest court."

-The Oklahoman

''An original addition to those great black autobiographies of the past .... A lesson on how to live in freedom-a lesson that begins with a description of poverty on a par with Richard Wright's portrait of poverty in Black Boy . ... Thomas is now an archetype that will inspire ot~ers. I can think of no greater achievement." -Shelby Steele, National Review

"My Grandfather's Son is a fascinating and irresistible read." -The New York Sun ''A transcendent work.... My Grandfather's Son is a coming of age in the fullest sense .... A meditation of time and perspective and the shifts in outlook both can bring.... A memoir of raw honesty"

-The Oregonian -Jack and Suzy Welch, BusinessWeek

"Engrossing."

"Riveting.... A classic work of American political biography ... ,'

No matter what you think you know about Clarence Thomas, you don't know the half or tenth of it unless and until you have read this book."

-Hugh Hewitt, Townhall.com

"Thomas is refreshingly candid about the depths of his suffering, and one comes away with a deep sadness about our broken politics and the ferocious disincentives for anyone to seek high government appointment."

-Newsday

MY GRANDFATHE~S SON

MY GRANDFATHE~S

SON A Memoir

CLARENCE THOMAS

HARPER

NEW

YORK•

LONDON•

e

TORONTO•

PERENNIAL

SYDNEY•

NEW

DELHI•

AUCKLAND

HARPER % PERENNIAL

The author gratefully acknowledges Senator Jack Danforth for permission tc;:> reprint his letter. And Juan Williams, author and journalist, for permission to reprint part of his op-ed column. "The Greatest Love of All." Words by Linda Creed. Music by Michael Masser. Copright © 1977 EMI Gold Horizon Music Corp. and EMI Golden Torch Music Corp. Print rights administered by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ~ - Copyright rt;: 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright 'c' 2007 by Clarence Thomas. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers, IO East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. MY. GRANDFATHERS SON.

HarperCollins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please write: Special Markets Department, HarperCollins Pub-· lishers, IO East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. FIRST HARPER PERENNIAL EDITION PCBLISHID 2008.

Designed by Joseph Rutt Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data is available upon request. ISBN 978-0-06-056556-5 08 09

IO II

12

ID ' RRD I

I0

9 8 7 6 5 4 3

2

I

To my mother, Leola Williams, who gave me life; my grandparents Myers and Christine Anderson, who taught me how to live; and my brother, Myers Lee Thomas, whom I loved

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