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by Charles Azulay (Author), Richard Dionne (Editor)
What does it mean to follow your dreams in the face of adversity? Can we still hope to find ourselves after enduring abuse, and abandonment? Is it possible to let go of the past in order to move forward?
In this unashamedly candid memoir, author and actor Charles Azulay relays the tumultuous and ultimately triumphant tale of his life. Growing up as a mixed-race child born of Black and white parents, abandoned to the foster care system in the 1970s, Azulay experienced abuse and neglect. Though he is ultimately adopted by a white family with whom his lot improves, he continues to struggle with his sense of identity as he's raised by parents who don't fully understand the importance of his black culture. His inevitable behavioral issues lead to constant conflict with his adoptive parents and force him out on his own and homeless at sixteen.
Through extreme perseverance, Azulay manages to finish school and find a deep love of theatre as he does. Passionately driven, he embarks on what will ultimately prove to be an extremely successful career in theatre, performing internationally in some of the most famous musicals in the world. Along the way, he continues to struggle with his past, his mental health, addiction, relationships and, later on, his sexuality. As he moves through his life, he gains new perspectives that allow him to reconcile with his traumatic past.
Azulay's is a story of impossible hope-of strength in the face of extreme hardship and the rewards that come with it. If you've ever struggled to find yourself-especially in the face of trauma-you are sure to find solace in Azulay's bracing, victorious life story.
