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Introducing Halle Berry Book Review

Sondra Shepard

Introducing Halle Berry by Christopher John Farley is a syrupy sweet sort of book.  There are a lot of discrepancies in the book even by Halle herself.  One minute she is talking about not wanting to be in the limelight; and the next minute she is trying to promote herself all over the world.  Quotes from many of her high school classmates suggest she did not have it as hard as Halle suggested.  For example, Halle has said that because she was black she encountered all sorts of racism; especially when she ran for prom queen.   One of her classmates said if that was the case, then she would never have been put on the ballot in the first place.

Halle states that the majority of her problems; especially dealing with the opposite sex stem from the fact that her father abandoned her, her sister, and her mother; and yet, in the very next breath she says she wishes her father would contact her so they can make amends.  According to the biography, he has tried to contact her several times; and she shrugs it off.  She appears to be a person who wants to have her cake and eat it also.

Overall, the book was well-written; with the exceptions of the discrepancies between herself, her loved ones, co-workers, and the author.  I feel that a biography should be based on fact, and when the person whom the biography is written about keeps changing her story from chapter to chapter, it does cause one to wonder which is fact and which is fiction? There were a few high points in the book; whereby Halle was portrayed as a misunderstood, unloved, biracial child, and you really felt sorry for her and wanted to reach out and embrace her and make her a part of your own family. 

The Nubian Circle Book Club rating for Introducing Halle Berry is 3 out of 5 stars.  We welcome your comments and thoughts about this book review.  Please e-mail us at this address: NubianCircleClub@aol.com. 


3/8/2003