What Have We Here?: Portraits of a Life

Actor Williams, now in his late eighties, charms in his telling of a life well lived, narrating the audiobook himself. Born in 1937 Harlem, along with twin sister Loretta “Lady” Williams, he grew up surrounded by loving, hardworking parents and extended family. He was seven when he first appeared on Broadway. He was also gifted in the art of painting, earning a scholarship to attend the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design to train as a painter until he was pulled away by acting. Williams’s stardom rose with his Emmy-nominated portrayal of NFL running back Gale Sayers in 1971’s Brian’s Song and his role alongside Diana Ross in the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Beginning in 1980, an extensive fan base came to adore Williams as swashbuckling Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars universe. Williams’s memoir aptly captures mid-20th-century Harlem arts and culture as well as the evolution and impact of Black entertainers. He talks candidly about his three marriages and overflows with devotion to his two children. Although his cadence has slowed, this smooth and sultry narration will keep listeners rapt, especially as he slips into character to deliver lines from his most memorable films.