By turns hilarious and heart-wrenching, celebratory and contemplative, My One Good Nerve is a collection of writings from that incomparable icon of the human spirit, Ruby Dee.

Married for fifty years to fellow actor Ossie Davis, Ms. Dee has led a life marked by astonishing vitality and passionate independence. Millions have admired and drawn strength over the years from her outspoken advocacy and unforgettably moving roles on stage and screen. Here is a powerful and affirming portrait of one remarkable woman's deepest memories and convictions.

In vibrant prose, poetry, and memory monologues, Dee's unmistakable voice mines the core of contemporary life. From exhilarating riffs on sisterhood and the enduring legacy of the Southern tradition to penetrating remembrances of James Baldwin, Marvin Gaye, and Tupac Shakur, My One Good Nerve invites us to see the world through fresh, unblinking eyes.