August Wilson

A Life

By: Patti Hartigan

Narrated by: Dion Graham

The first authoritative biography of August Wilson, the most important and successful American playwright of the late 20th century, by a theater critic who knew him.

August Wilson wrote a series of ten plays celebrating African American life in the 20th century, one play for each decade. No other American playwright has completed such an ambitious oeuvre. Two of the plays became successful films, Fences, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis; and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Fences and The Piano Lesson won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Fences won the Tony Award for Best Play, and years after Wilson’s death in 2005, Jitney earned a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Through his brilliant use of vernacular speech, Wilson developed unforgettable characters who epitomized the trials and triumphs of the African American experience. He said that he didn’t research his plays but wrote from “the blood’s memory,” a sense of racial history that he believed African Americans shared. Author and theater critic Patti Hartigan traced his ancestry back to slavery, and his plays echo with uncanny similarities to the history of his ancestors. She interviewed Wilson many times before his death and traces his life from his childhood in Pittsburgh (where nine of the plays take place) to Broadway. She also interviewed scores of friends, theater colleagues and family members, and conducted extensive research to tell the story of a writer who left an indelible imprint on American theater and opened the door for future playwrights of color.

Critic reviews

"This biography of playwright and poet August Wilson contains both narrative and brief passages from some of his plays. Thus, the narrator has to be both storyteller and actor. Dion Graham excels at both. His rich voice carries the biography along nicely, but it is when he recites lines from plays such as FENCES and quotations from figures in Wilson’s past that Graham really shines. He alters his voice and delivery to reflect each person directly quoted. It’s like listening to a full-cast production. The audiobook is an enlightening look at Wilson’s life and the forces and people that shaped his plays. Listeners who have seen MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM might well be inspired to view it again with a deeper understanding."

Truly inspiring...

Very informative, loaded with insight and nuances that make you appreciate this amazing Artist even more! August Wilson was truly a blessing, and with out him, many of us might have never found our song...

An icon

Amazingly researched , amazing narration, such ambitious and creative life. August Wilson’s plays will live on and it’s great finding out the gnome about the genius behind them .

Fabulous

I couldn’t recommend this more. It’s a great story. It’s a great read. The narrator is fantastic and the subject is complex fascinating, and deeply moving. The only thing that could’ve been better was if it was an autobiography and we were privy to more inner thoughts.

Written by a White writer and it shows

Well read but too much of same stories. Obviously written by White privileged person. Even code switching did not work. Wonder about truth of Black community. Too bad since Mr. Wilson was so very talented to bring his community to all.