I Am Not Sidney Poitier

Percival Everett's 'I Am Not Sidney Poitier' is a brilliantly satirical novel following the absurd and profound life of its protagonist, Not Sidney Poitier. Orphaned at age eleven, Not Sidney inherits not only a peculiar name and an uncanny resemblance to the legendary actor Sidney Poitier but also a substantial fortune in Turner Corporation shares. Raised under the unconventional guardianship of media mogul Ted Turner, Not Sidney navigates a world that struggles to reconcile his Black identity with his immense wealth. His experiences are a comedic and incisive exploration of race, class, and identity in America, as he repeatedly finds himself in situations mirroring classic Sidney Poitier film plots. Everett uses Not Sidney's journey to expose the performative nature of identity and the societal prejudices that persist, even in the face of privilege. It's a sharp, witty, and thought-provoking examination of what it means to be seen, or unseen, in a world obsessed with categorization.