Take My Word For It by LeVar Burton

Read this if you… want to read the incredible life story of LeVar Burton told in a beautiful and uplifting way.

Why does this beguile? LeVar Burton is one of those people that has influenced your life whether or not you realize it. In Take My Word For It, he dives into his life beyond the screen. I was fascinated by his experience with mental health and epigenetics, particularly as he uncovered deep unresolved trauma while playing the famed Kunta Kinte in Roots. Burton happily discusses education and why both Reading Rainbow and Star Trek were such important roles in his life. While his life is not a roller coaster of drama and public-facing shenanigans, Burton’s story is incredibly fascinating and entertaining.

What it's about: LeVar Burton traces a life built on storytelling, from coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement to Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek, and everything the cameras didn’t show. Compassionate, vulnerable, and anchored in family, ancestors, and a lifelong commitment to liberation.