Reviewed by Sharon Hudson, Myshelf.com
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When I think of the word Memoir, I think of happy remembrances, or situations where all things work together for a positive outcome. That thought process was permanently shattered when I read The Road South. This book is a horrifying reminder that not every child who grows up to "be something" actually came from a "good" family. Within the first 33 pages I was so horror-struck and mortified that I actually wept. I wept because this wasn't fiction; this actually happened and the pain Mr. Stewart endured during childhood simply is unfathomable. I wanted to reach through the pages and give maternal comfort to Shelley and his siblings, just a hug to let him know that not everyone in the world is cruel. There are caring people, who can express love and concern to their loved ones. This is something that Shelley didn't experience his entire childhood.

The book starts out with early recollections around the age of 3, when his father, a cruel, hardened man, chased his mother with an ax. He threw the ax with such force that it propelled his mother through an open window and the resultant fall is what took her life. Four children witnessed this murder, and the only love he knew was forever taken from him. The children then were tossed about and left to fend for themselves so much so that Shelley ran away from a family at the age of 6 and ½. Can you imagine a boy wearing size 6X clothes running the streets and escaping to a life of his own? Although I must agree that leaving at that age is more preferable than eating fried rat at home. Yes you read right--fried rat.

Life didn't improve much for Shelley from this point forward. His only saving grace, as a black man living in Alabama, was the opportunity to be cared for by a sympathetic white family who took a small boy in and taught him that he was a human. As such, they encouraged him to go to school, where he excelled. His only outlet to a sad life was the constant companionship of his mother's presence, and the self-esteem of doing extremely well in the land of academia. As he progressed through school, his thoughts were constantly on the welfare of his younger siblings. He found his niche as a teenager in broadcasting. No matter where life turned on him, he managed to make a name for himself in radio, thus the writing of this memoir. His distinguished career in broadcasting has made his life an example for all those up and coming.

I would recommend this book for people who enjoy the life stories of those who have a real story to tell. Nothing was pretty about Mr. Stewart's childhood, but this book can serve as inspiration for all those who think that their life can't get any worse. Certain parts aren't easy to stomach, and others, your mind will barely comprehend. For a raw look at the life of success, this read is well worth it.