Dying of Politeness: A Memoir

Academy Award–winning actress Davis presents a candid, comedic look at her career and transformation from mild-mannered girl to movie-star badass. Topics range from her childhood fear of poinsettia poisoning to her mastery of mannequin impersonation. With such a broad range of content, it is no surprise that Davis also addresses her adult ADD diagnosis and why acting has been the perfect fit for a brain like hers. While Davis provides plenty of insight into her famous roles and romances, she also discusses her more recent passion of addressing the gender-representation disparity in mainstream media. And who better to lead this crusade than the first woman to say “suck my dick” on the big screen? Though Davis keeps the narrative mostly lighthearted, listeners should be aware of the memoir’s sensitive subjects, including loss of a parent, sexual assault, and abuse. It is only fitting that Davis narrates, as no one else could do justice to such personal and provocative details.