About the Book
On My Own Terms by Adilah Barnes
In the mid-1980’s an acting class of Adilah Barnes’ at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco gave her a white textured book with a dried flower-cover, as an inspirational reminder, that they wanted her to consider writing an acting book to reach more actors globally. The thought was far from Barnes’ mind at the time.
Fast forward to 2008 and the upcoming release of her book, ON MY OWN TERMS One Actor’s Journey. This extraordinary book takes the reader on an unforgettable ride with Barnes from age sixteen when she took her first acting class in Project Upward Bound at California State University, Chico. There she played The Queen in A.A. Milne’s play, The Ugly Duckling, and has gone on to play powerful roles in film, television and stage.
In a deeply personal account of her own life and career, Barnes shares her battles, triumphs, frustrations, and joys, both silent and overt. Aside from focusing on Barnes’ multifaceted career, ON MY OWN TERMS brings to life the historical backdrop including the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, Black Power Movement, assassinations of public figures and the unrest of the 1960s during her coming of age.