Beginning with the immigration of his parents from the South, the author describes the atmosphere of Detroit in the 1920’s and the illegal activity of his father during this period. Music becomes a matter of class difference as his aunt, an up-and-coming opera singer, redirects his singing talent from the streets – where Motown Records recruited its future stars – to the concert stage.
Racism is approached in sobriety, until conflicts within his own family over colour leads to his escape into military service
Historical events that took place between 1960 and 1998. within the American and German societies are woven into the story line, as the story moves from Frankfurt and back to Detroit, to events that came „close to home“. The major part of his autobiography is told in the background of the social changes taking place during the student revolution and conflicts for immigrants in Germany. Here begins the story of his efforts to make a career as a singer-actor and the discriminations that he and his wife encountered as a bi-national couple.
He finds work in the City Planning Department of Frankfurt before finally giving up his music aspirations. While still maintaining his job, he obtains a masters degree in sociology and begins working as a sociologist in Frankfurt’s Department of Multi-cultural Affairs. Here he develops a critical view of the German immigration politics while working in the interest of new immigrants. Upon retirement the author makes a final trip home searching for lost identities and memories of his past, only to return to his German home to witness the end of another life, that of his son’s.
Its a fasinating story, that renders sociological insight in racsim without becoming academic and remains touchingly private.

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Kurzbeschreibung

Das Buch zeigt, dass Rassismus keine Grenzen hat – weder national noch institutionell. Der Schaden, den Rassismus in seiner täglichen Subtilität anrichtet, wird vom Autor in der Reflektion auf sein eigenes Leben, ohne Zorn, aber in markanter Weise dargestellt.

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