White (principal tuba player, Santa Fe Symphony) writes a memoir of survival, redemption, success, failure, belief in oneself, and belief in the power of music. As a child in Baltimore, White was often homeless and was later raised by his grandparents while his mother struggled with addiction. He found a love of music that eventually took him to the Baltimore School of Arts, where he studied tuba as one of the school’s few Black students. White writes about persevering even when plagued by failures and unexpected illness; more generally, he discusses how the arts are among the first industries to suffer when the economy declines and being laid off in 2011 when the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra shuttered during the recession. However, White says he never lost hope once he’d discovered his true passion and found his “home” in the people and places he committed to. The epilogue brings the book to a magnificent close as White discusses how educators can recognize children who may be struggling at home and help them succeed.

VERDICT A necessary addition to memoir collections. White’s inspiring story tells the power of pursuing one’s dreams, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.