I'm Down

A Memoir

By: Mishna Wolff

Narrated by: Mishna Wolff

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Mishna Wolff grew up in a poor black neighborhood with her single father, a white man who truly believed he was black. "He strutted around with a short perm, a Cosby-esque sweater, gold chains and a Kangol - telling jokes like Redd Fox, and giving advice like Jesse Jackson. You couldn't tell my father he was white. Believe me, I tried," writes Wolff. And so from early childhood on, her father began his crusade to make his white daughter "down".

Unfortunately, Mishna didn't quite fit in with the neighborhood kids: she couldn't dance, she couldn't sing, she couldn't double dutch, and she was the worst player on her all-black basketball team. She was shy, uncool, and painfully white. And yet when she was suddenly sent to a rich white school, she found she was too "black" to fit in with her white classmates.

I'm Down is a hip, hysterical, and at the same time beautiful memoir that will have you howling with laughter, recommending it to friends and questioning what it means to be black and white in America.

©2009 Mishna Wolff (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

" Down certainly has serious thoughts on its mind...but the tone manages to be light and triumphant because of the hilarious child-goggles Wolff wears while spinning her tales." ( Entertainment Weekly)

great listen...

i found the character development was slow but overall, the book was very honest and humorous. The author has a great way of being candid throughout the book. She narrated it as well which I found refreshing...each character's personality and depiction was exactly as she wanted it.

I want a sequel!

This was so hilarious and full of life that I miss this whole family now. I want to go hang out with her Dad and watch how a family like hers operates. I laughed out loud in the car many times and would get home and tell my husband the shenanigans like I had hung out with her all day. She had a wonderful perspective on her crazy life, she made it through with humor and pure bravery. I am hoping to see her next book soon!

I Really Am Down With This Book!

No words, but I'll try. I laughed, cried, and was simply amazed at the story telling ability of Mishna Wolff. I was reminded of my childhood in so many ways. I never wanted the book to end, and even looked for a sequel, but no luck. Mishna managed to turn what could have been a dreary story of growing up in a racially confused home into a wonderfully bright memoir. Her white dad, who is believes on some level he is black, is such an interesting character. I forgot the name of the woman he married, but she was so well drawn out, that I feel like I know her. Mishna, herself, is quite a strong personality and manages in some miraculous way to get her needs met. I was also raised in a mixed family, so I could relate in so many ways. I can't recommend this book enough!!

Hilarious and Touching

SO funny. Mishna Wolff has an awesome ability to bring the listener along while visiting memories far in her past to experience them together from a place of simultaneous childhood wonder and adult empathy. What a gift.

At times funny / at times sad

Would you consider the audio edition of I'm Down to be better than the print version?

Not having read the print version, I can't say.

What other book might you compare I'm Down to and why?

Maybe the Glass Castle?

Which scene was your favorite?

The book is composed of lots of short scenes. Any scene with her father in it was tense and interesting.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book was moving. It is funny at times and at times gut wrenching. Some of the one liners are very amusing.

Any additional comments?

The power of this book is it's honesty.

Good

It was a very odd buyt great book and the ending was a mike drop it was awesome

Memoir was Okay

The reader's flow was mismatched. you couldn't speed the audio without having issues. The story felt like it was jumping at times and it was difficult to decipher the main character's age.

Excellent memoir

Mishna grew up in an all white family, as she is. For some reason, her dad was convinced he was black, and chose to raise his family the same way. While Mishna's little sister was able to adjust, the rest of the family wasn't.
A very humorous glimpse inside a family who chose to be different and how each person handled those differences.
A very nicely done memoir.

A great good, a good audiobook

I found the book kept my attention and was rewarding. I found some small challenges to what I would enjoy in a book (spoiler alert) there was some fighting that I did not think added to my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, very satisfied.

Narration well done

I normally don't do audible but loved this book just for something light hearted and couldn't help but laugh throughout. Good dry humor about her adolescense.