Extraordinary, ordinary people: a memoir of family
Description
This is the story of Condoleezza Rice that has never been told, not that of an ultra-accomplished world leader, but of a little girl—and a young woman—trying to find her place in a sometimes hostile world, of two exceptional parents, and an extended family and community that made all the difference.
Condoleezza Rice has excelled as a diplomat, political scientist, and concert pianist. Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of communism in Europe and the decline of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman—and the first black woman ever—to serve as Secretary of State.
But until she was 25 she never learned to swim, because when she was a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor decided he'd rather shut down the city's pools than give black citizens access.
Throughout the 1950's, Birmingham's black middle class largely succeeded in insulating their children from the most corrosive effects of racism, providing multiple support systems to ensure the next generation would live better than the last. But by 1963, Birmingham had become an environment where blacks were expected to keep their head down and do what they were told—or face violent consequences. That spring two bombs exploded in Rice’s neighborhood amid a series of chilling Klu Klux Klan attacks. Months later, four young girls lost their lives in a particularly vicious bombing.
So how was Rice able to achieve what she ultimately did?
Her father, John, a minister and educator, instilled a love of sports and politics. Her mother, a teacher, developed Condoleezza’s passion for piano and exposed her to the fine arts. From both, Rice learned the value of faith in the face of hardship and the importance of giving back to the community. Her parents’ fierce unwillingness to set limits propelled her to the venerable halls of Stanford University, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the university’s second-in-command. An expert in Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, she played a leading role in U.S. policy as the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union disintegrated. Less than a decade later, at the apex of the hotly contested 2000 presidential election, she received the exciting news—just shortly before her father’s death—that she would go on to the White House as the first female National Security Advisor.
As comfortable describing lighthearted family moments as she is recalling the poignancy of her mother’s cancer battle and the heady challenge of going toe-to-toe with Soviet leaders, Rice holds nothing back in this remarkably candid telling.
Subjects
African American families -- Alabama -- Birmingham
African Americans
African Americans -- Alabama -- Birmingham -- Biography
African American women
African American women -- Biography
Audiobooks
Biography & Autobiography
Birmingham (Ala.) -- Biography
Birmingham (Ala.) -- Race relations -- History -- 20th century
Childhood and youth
Family
History
Nonfiction
Politics
Race relations
Rice, Condoleezza
Rice, Condoleezza, -- 1954- -- Childhood and youth
Rice, Condoleezza, -- 1954- -- Family
Stateswomen
Stateswomen -- United States -- Biography
Women's Studies
Women cabinet officers
Women cabinet officers -- United States -- Biography
More Details
9780307750631
9780307719607
Reviews from GoodReads
Staff View
Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | b790e328-b373-f82a-181f-3fbfe49de92c |
---|---|
Grouping Title | extraordinary ordinary people a memoir of family |
Grouping Author | condoleezza rice |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2025-03-13 22:22:04PM |
Last Indexed | 2025-03-13 22:28:14PM |
Solr Fields
This is the story of Condoleezza Rice that has never been told, not that of an ultra-accomplished world leader, but of a little girl—and a young woman—trying to find her place in a sometimes hostile world, of two exceptional parents, and an extended family and community that made all the difference.
Condoleezza Rice has excelled as a diplomat, political scientist, and concert pianist. Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of communism in Europe and the decline of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman—and the first black woman ever—to serve as Secretary of State.
But until she was 25 she never learned to swim, because when she was a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor decided he'd rather shut down the city's pools than give black citizens access.
Throughout the 1950's, Birmingham's black middle class largely succeeded in insulating their children from the most corrosive effects of racism, providing multiple support systems to ensure the next generation would live better than the last. But by 1963, Birmingham had become an environment where blacks were expected to keep their head down and do what they were told—or face violent consequences. That spring two bombs exploded in Rice’s neighborhood amid a series of chilling Klu Klux Klan attacks. Months later, four young girls lost their lives in a particularly vicious bombing.
So how was Rice able to achieve what she ultimately did?
Her father, John, a minister and educator, instilled a love of sports and politics. Her mother, a teacher, developed Condoleezza’s passion for piano and exposed her to the fine arts. From both, Rice learned the value of faith in the face of hardship and the importance of giving back to the community. Her parents’ fierce unwillingness to set limits propelled her to the venerable halls of Stanford University, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the university’s second-in-command. An expert in Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, she played a leading role in U.S. policy as the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union disintegrated. Less than a decade later, at the apex of the hotly contested 2000 presidential election, she received the exciting news—just shortly before her father’s death—that she would go on to the White House as the first female National Security Advisor.
As comfortable describing lighthearted family moments as she is recalling the poignancy of her mother’s cancer battle and the heady challenge of going toe-to-toe with Soviet leaders, Rice holds nothing back in this remarkably candid telling.
Books
eBook
CD Audiobook
eBook
9780307719607
9780307750631
ADULT BOOK ON CD
Crown Publishers
Random House, Inc
African American women -- Biography
African Americans -- Alabama -- Birmingham -- Biography
Audiobooks
Birmingham (Ala.) -- Biography
Birmingham (Ala.) -- Race relations -- History -- 20th century
Rice, Condoleezza, -- 1954- -- Childhood and youth
Rice, Condoleezza, -- 1954- -- Family
Stateswomen -- United States -- Biography
Women cabinet officers -- United States -- Biography
Extraordinary, ordinary people : a memoir of family / Condoleezza Rice
African American women
African Americans
Biography & Autobiography
Childhood and youth
Family
History
Nonfiction
Politics
Race relations
Rice, Condoleezza
Stateswomen
Women cabinet officers
Women's Studies
Solr Details Tables
item_details
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overdrive:75144533-edbc-4e27-bae6-2296d806af4a | 8 | Online OverDrive Collection | Online OverDrive | eBook | eBook | 0 | false | true | OverDrive | Available Online | |||
overdrive:75144533-edbc-4e27-bae6-2296d806af4a | 14 | Online OverDrive Collection | Online OverDrive | eBook | eBook | 0 | false | true | OverDrive | Available Online | |||
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ils:.b20110224 | .i45003142 | Stony Creek/Willoughby Wallace Adult Non-Fiction | 92 RICE | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | stan | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i52155225 | Hamden/Miller Adult Biography | B/RICE | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | hmab | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i69197635 | Lyme Adult Nonfiction | 92 RICE | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | lyan | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i38689510 | Bill (LPL) Nonfiction | 327.73 Ric | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | lban | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i39171905 | New London Adult Non Fiction | B RICE | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nlan | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i38508461 | Guilford Adult Biography | BIOG RICE, CONDOLEEZZA | 1 | false | false | Missing | guab | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i38496331 | Orange/Case Adult Biography | Biography RICE [Condoleezza] Rice | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | orab | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i38504030 | Wallingford Adult Biographies | B RICE RI | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | waab | |||||
ils:.b20110224 | .i47905153 | Old Saybrook/Acton Adult Non-Fiction | B RICE | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | osan |
record_details
Bib Id | Format | Format Category | Edition | Language | Publisher | Publication Date | Physical Description | Abridged |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b20326944 | CD Audiobook | Audio Books | English | Random House, Inc | [2010] | 7 sound discs (9 hr.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in. | ||
overdrive:75144533-edbc-4e27-bae6-2296d806af4a | eBook | eBook | English | Crown | 2010 | |||
ils:.b20110224 | Book | Books | 1st ed | English | Crown Publishers | [2010] | viii, 342 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates (some color) : illustrations ; 25 cm |
scoping_details_ma
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ils:.b20110224 | .i52155225 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | false | 9999 | |||
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ils:.b20110224 | .i38689510 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | false | 9999 | |||
ils:.b20110224 | .i39171905 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | false | 9999 | |||
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ils:.b20110224 | .i38504030 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | false | 9999 | |||
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