With Ossie and Ruby : In This Life Together, by Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee

ABRIDGED AUDIO BOOK 6 HOURS ON 5 CDs READ BY THE AUTHORS

What a unique idea -- to have a dual autobiography written and read by 2 very talented people who take turns in relating their personal histories. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee tell their stories from childhood to the present time, telling the tales which inform us of their struggles to overcome the difficulties that black actors and actresses encountered in the racial unrest of the 20th Century.

Throughout their saga you can sense the love they feel for each other. After 50 years of being together, they have also planned how they intend to remain together after their demise. Their solution is alluded to in the subtitle, "In this Life Together." The points of interest they cover include their career triumphs, their experiences with racism, and their work with civil rights giants like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. They give intelligent and sensitive insight to the experiences they encountered on their rise to fame, success and respect in American theater.

Hearing the story of their lives told by each of them is much more rewarding than if they had been told by someone else. With their rich, melodic, dramatic voices making the book enjoyable as well as informative, both Ossie and Ruby do an exceptional job of writing and narrating their story.

I was thoroughly pleased to learn so much, and I recommend this audio book fully. Ossie and Ruby are able to look at their lives and recount their troubles with humor. Even Ossie's name was a mistake and emerged out of a humorous situation his mother faced.
Perhaps the highlight of the book is the letter that Ossie and Ruby write to each other and share with the listener, explaining how and why they've managed to stay married for over 50 years. The words they use express what love truly is, and you can feel their love in each word they speak.

John Mormon
5/21/06