"Finding Fish” A Memoir by Antwone Quentin Fisher with Mim Eichler Rivas

Review #113

This is an amazing story of the life of Antwone Fisher (“Fish”) who is now a successful screenwriter and producer in Hollywood.

He was born in prison, lived in foster care for 16 years where, for 14 of those years, he was mentally, physically and sexually abused. At age 16, he was given temporary shelter in a boy’s reform school. He became homeless at age 17…during the golden age of the Black Power movement. At age 18, he joined the Navy and traveled around the world…growing up, finding true friendship, gaining confidence in his abilities and…started to find himself! Leaving the Navy after 11 years, he went to work as a prison guard in Georgia for a few of years (where he met well-known criminals) and later as a guard on Sony’s lot in California (where he met well-known stars).

Eventually, he finds his mother, finds his father’s family (his father was murdered 2 months before he was born), writes his life story which is turned into a movie produced and starred in by Denzil Washington, gets married and has a little girl, Indigo.

This is a very simplistic look at Antwone’s life. How he got through it and all the things that happened to him while he did, is one of the most amazing and facinating stories I have ever read! It will break your heart and it will make you jump for joy!

It is also an unflinching look at the adverse effects foster care can have on a child's life. If you don’t read another book this year, read this one or better yet, listen to it on audio.

I warn you though, it’s filled with offensive language, true to the times and the culture of the times.

Coincidently, after I finished listening to this book on Sunday, I turned the TV on and found the movie, “Antwone Fisher”, playing. I watched and it was a good movie. However, I was very disappointed to find so many inconsistencies with the book and...the story was incomplete. So, even if you have seen the movie, read the book anyway to get the REAL story. Antwone Fisher’s life is so much more interesting than the movie portrays!