Up Home

One Girl's Journey

De: Ruth J. Simmons

Narrado por: Ruth J. Simmons

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Simmons’s evocative account of her remarkable trajectory from Jim Crow Texas, where she was the youngest of twelve children in a sharecropping family, to the presidencies of Smith College and Brown University shines with tenderness and dignity.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

“A riveting work of literature, destined to take its place in the canon of great African American autobiographies.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, Bloomberg, BET

I was born at a crossroads: a crossroads in history, a crossroads in culture, and a geographical crossroad in North Houston County in East Texas.

Born in 1945, Ruth J. Simmons grew up the twelfth child of sharecroppers. Her first home had no running water, no electricity, no books to read. Yet despite this—or, in her words, because of it—Simmons would become the first Black president of an Ivy League university. The former president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M, Texas’s oldest HBCU, Simmons has inspired generations of students as she herself made history.

In Up Home, Simmons takes us back to Grapeland to show how the people who love us when we are young shape who we become. We meet her caring, tireless mother who managed to feed her large family with an often empty pantry; her father, who refused to let racial and economic injustice crush his youngest daughter’s dreams; the doting brothers and sisters; and the attentive teachers who welcomed Ruth into the classroom, guiding her to a future she could hardly imagine as a child.

From the farmland of East Texas to Houston’s Fifth Ward to New Orleans at the dawn of the civil rights movement, Simmons depicts an era long gone but whose legacies of inequality we still live with today. Written in clear and timeless prose, Up Home is both an origin story set in the segregated South and the uplifting chronicle of a girl whose intellect, grace, and curiosity guide her as she creates a place for herself in the world.

©2023 Ruth Simmons (P)2023 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Honest, intimate and deeply affecting, [Up Home] recalls Anne Moody’s classic memoir, Coming of Age in Mississippi, not just in the obvious biographical parallels but also in terms of its potential impact. This is a book you’ll want to pass on to all the young people in your life, no matter their background, just so they can have a little of Simmons’s wise voice in their heads. I’d urge every educator to assign Up Home to high school students or incoming college freshmen. It’s that good.”—Pamela Paul, The New York Times

“[An] inspiring story . . . a love letter to every person who helped Simmons out of poverty.”—The Washington Post

“The tale of an individual making her way over nearly insurmountable obstacles with the help of determined teachers and mentors. . . Extraordinary.”—The New York Times Book Review

Beautiful Voice and Soul

Dr Simmons reads her own prose with elegance and verve.
Her history is full of love and striving. As a college administrator, I am hoping for part two!!

authenticity, amazing life story, appreciated Ruth sharing her story!

appreciated Ruth's reading of her life story. many thanks!!! With an education and love she was able to achieve her dreams.

Positive and negative experiences travel together.

Volumes of thoughtful knowledge is condense in this timely, relatively small book. I recommend this book to all who seek direction in their own lives,
and who influence the direction and the lives of others. J. Ncutt.

A must read

A remarkable story about succeeding despite the odds. Nice that it was read by the author.

Inspiring

I was really inspired by how Ruth’s curiosity piqued with great mentors led to her continued success in life. Even more, her desire to be like others eventually led to her finding herself which is something I wouldn’t have originally thought..but it makes sense- the impact of others molds our identity .

Overall, Ruth’s story is that of not letting one’s self be defined by stereotypes but how they want to be defined. And, it really does take a village, no one person is self-made.

Eloquently truthful

Such a beautiful account of Dr. Ruth’s childhood experiences and how they helped shape and propel her into the brilliant trailblazer she is today. Such an honor!

Must read

The best of what our country can become. An inspiring story of human potential and achievement.

Inspiration for a young woman

Ruth J. Simmons is an inspiration for all women. She had experienced and accomplished great things during her life.

Inspiring

An inspiring and interesting story. I rarely say this but the author was definitely the right person to narrate her own story. I just wish the details of her adult life hadn’t been skimmed over. She may need to write a sequel !

East Texas: A Breeding Ground for Remarkable Ppl

I hold a deep appreciation for "Up Home" on a profoundly personal level. If my grandfather, O'Neal Hunt, the first Black judge in Anderson County, were to have penned an autobiographical novel, I'd like to believe it would have shared remarkable similarities with Dr. Ruth J. Simmons's work.


Dr. Simmons's command of the English language is striking, a quality I've had the privilege of witnessing during in-person encounters on a couple of occasions. Her story provides insight into the why and how of her language mastery. Education emerges as her superpower, serving as her passport to a life filled with remarkable achievements. She stands as a true testament to the idea that with education, one can achieve anything they set their mind to.


I typically approach literature with skepticism when it appears to cast any form of disparagement on parents. However, Dr. Simmons fearlessly speaks her truth, allowing me to understand her perspective. Her father, a formidable figure from East Texas, adhered to traditional ways and was often misunderstood and far from being a favorite. Her mother, perceived as a woman of few words, especially in matters concerning her husband, was often thought to lack respect. Once again, Ruth J. Simmons's account of her mother's passing resonated deeply with me, as my own mother succumbed to the same condition on a nearly identical calendar date (albeit in a different year). Much like Ruth J. Simmons, I've come to comprehend my mother's inner strength and struggles as I've grown older.


In conclusion, I must admit that I initially had no intentions of reading this novel. However, thanks to the encouragement of my wife, I can proudly say that I'm immensely grateful that I did. I've maintained, and will continue to do so, that East Texas has a unique knack for nurturing exceptional individuals.


Carlos Wallace

Veteran. Author. Philanthropist. Youth Advocate