Thicker than Water: A Memoir

When I heard Kerry Washington had written her memoir, I knew I wanted to get a copy. I preordered the book as soon as it was available. I waited on bated breath for it to arrive. I have been following Kerry since her performance as Chenille in the film, Save the Last Dance. I remember wondering to myself who is this beautiful young woman that’s acting her behind off! I knew she was special back then. She oozed stardom. After numerous other roles, she landed the starring role in Scandal! As a little girl, I loved watching the late Diahann Carroll play Julia. She was not a maid. She was a nurse. She was the first African American woman to star in her own tv series. Little did I know it would take four decades before another African American woman would star in a tv series. That’s what made Scandal monumental, and Kerry was amazing as Olivia Pope. After all these years watching Kerry, I thought I knew her, but of course I didn’t. Who someone is on your tv screen or on the big screen is not who you think they are.In Thicker Than Water, Kerry reveals that she didn’t even know who she was. She takes you on a journey of her life beginning with a text from her parents telling her that they needed to talk to her about something. That something changes the trajectory of her life. Like Kerry, this book is special. It is evident that it took a lot of painstaking work to craft this book. Everything is meticulously laid out, from the chapter titles to the narrative. Kerry’s writing is lyrical and beautiful. She doesn’t just tell her life story, she paints a picture with metaphors and imagery that takes your breath away. The water theme is brilliant and captivating. I remember when she swam on Scandal. I was so impressed.I am equally impressed that Kerry and her parents are okay after the publication of this book. She reveals so much about her parents and the secrets that held them together while at the same time kept them apart. I was surprised to learn that her picture perfect family was dysfunctional. I couldn’t believe the adorable man I saw her making TikTok videos with caused her so much pain and confusion as a child, as he battled his own demons and that the metaphorical veil her mother wore kept her and Kerry from truly bonding.I related to this book on so many levels, because I am a writer and an actress and I too suffered as a child. Not exactly as Kerry, but I suffered brutal beings by my stepfather and like Kerry, I was molested as a child. Kerry covers the latter in the chapter titled Frozen. I don’t want to give any spoilers here, but this chapter is riveting and I was on the edge of my seat reading it. There are so many sections of the book that gripped me. I loved reading about her acting journey and how she reached stardom and how playing characters allowed her to find herself. It was a whirlwind experience, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it all worked out with the secret she talks about in the beginning. Her journey to marriage and motherhood is fascinating. She has gone through so much and has come out on the other side an amazing woman and role model. This book is beyond inspirational, and I’m so glad she and her parents have finally found love and peace as a family.Bravo Kerry Marisa Washington!!!

One of the memorable scenes from Scandal was the author swimming to work out emotions, frustrations, confusions. Now I know why those scenes seemed to have a shimmer of meaning beyond their moment in the plot.This is a really astonishing book most especially for its mix of ferocious honesty and loving intentions, ideals, actions, and its travels through the entire range of emotions that we, as a species, all share. With an entirely different life experience, Ms. Washington spoke for me again and again. I think this can only happen when someone goes to the core of what it is to be human, to experience, to process experience and to make choices.Since I read a LOT, I was surprised to find again and again this work breaking new ground in terms of whole hearted truth about individual experience, heart, soul.I so recommend it and if I were to critique anything, I'd say there are moments when the candor might feel a little too much, all the way to the edge, but then again, at the same time it is a therapeutic truth and there's no better healer than consciousness made of light of love.Good job!!!

This book was even better than I thought it would be. I have a similar situation to Kerry's. The book perfectly reflects my feelings at the revelation. Beautiful and well written book. A must-read.

So much of this is relatable and yet so unique to KW. One of the few books I can honestly say that I will read again.

This book was so well written. She invites you intimately into “her story”. I watched her first movie after learning about it in this book.

While I initially approached the book with excitement, I must admit that it left me feeling disappointed.Keri, delves into her early childhood experiences with detailed accounts that are difficult to believe. It is hard to fathom how someone in their 40s could recall such intricate details from their time as a 7 to 10-year-old. Additionally, I found it disconcerting when Keri claimed that her parents' decision to shield her from their marital, financial, and legal troubles as a child contributed to her feelings of disconnection and hindered her ability to be truthful with them (and herself).Furthermore, Keri's recounting of her education at prestigious schools, such as Spence, and her portrayal of herself as underprivileged due to her family's need for financial assistance came across as entitled. It was challenging to relate to her experiences, particularly when she described her interactions with numerous famous individuals and the ease with which she obtained various roles. Honestly, it left a queasy feeling in my stomach.Disappointingly, Keri did not provide much insight into her personal life beyond her early childhood. There was no mention of her relationships or even how she met her husband. In my opinion, for a memoir, these aspects felt crucially absent, causing the book to miss its mark.However, I do believe that if one has aspirations to become an actor, this book may offer some value and could be worth exploring.

I am a huge fan of Kerry Washington and the heart as well as honest in this book just makes me love her more. The audiobook is amazing to listen to as well because you get to hear read the words and you can just feel the rawness.

I thoroughly enjoying learning about her journey. It touched my heart and I related to so much. She’s both majestic and vulnerable. Bravo!

Estou no segundo dia de leitura e já amando! Não consigo parar de ler! Título lindo, capa linda e vem até com uma "dedicatória" da Kerry. E não é que ela sabe escrever mesmo, além de todo o resto? Essa mulher arrasa demais! Recomendo muito a compra, do livro físico preferencialmente.

With a true gift for prose, Kerry shared a beautifully descriptive, and radically honest story of her life. I found myself captivated by every chapter and completed the book within 24 hours.I highly recommended listening to Jay Shetty's podcast interview with Kerry after reading her book.

Kerry's found beautiful words to write about her life and struggles

I loved the book, it was a fantastic read. Some chapters were slow especially the ones about her childhood. I have always loved watching her on screen. If you are a fan of kerry washington am sure you will love this book.

Kerry Washington for me personally has always seemed like a private anomaly. One of those public figures who guards her privacy with an electric, iron, and steel fence with barbed wire on top. She needed to write this book as I felt for so many years when I was watching "Scandal" I still didn't know her as she was so secretive. I remember her own castmates didn't even know she was getting married. I'm so glad that she did decide to do this as I know for someone who guards their privacy so staunchly, but was famous, we still didn't know who the real Kerry Washington was. In this memoir she writes well and in detail about her time growing up and this distance that was between herself and her parents. She speaks about her accomplishments, but the nice thing is she tells us things that we didn't know, which was everything. I'm so glad she wrote this book, I'm so glad she was honest and I'm so glad she has finally found peace. People pleasing can only take you so far. Well done Kerry.