Actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton examines his childhood, his decades-long estrangement from his father, and the television roles that defined his five-decade career in his new book, Take My Word for It: A Memoir. Published on November 10, 2026, by Random House, the 352-page volume—written with Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts—offers readers a candid look behind the scenes of the performer best known for Roots, Reading Rainbow, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, according to Yahoo Entertainment and Google Books.

While generations of television viewers knew Burton as a steady, reassuring presence on public broadcasting and syndicated science fiction, his memoir addresses private family struggles he rarely discussed on camera. The book's release coincides with a nationwide promotional tour launching in New York City, marking a major milestone as the 69-year-old entertainer reflects on his personal history and shifting priorities later in life.

A Childhood Shaped by Absence and Maternal Strength

At the center of Take My Word for It is the fractured relationship between Burton and his father, Lee. According to PEOPLE, Burton was born in West Germany while his father was serving in the U.S.

Army, and the family relocated between Germany and California during his early years. PEOPLE characterizes his parents' marriage as tumultuous and laced with violence, noting that Lee did not return with the family during their second move back to the United States.

Burton's parents separated when he was 11 years old, initiating a prolonged period of estrangement, as noted by Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr. during Burton's appearance on the PBS series. Media outlets have framed the exact length of this separation slightly differently; according to Parade, Burton had no contact with his father until Roots aired about a decade later, while a secondary report from SSBCrack News describes the gap more broadly as spanning many years, attributing the recollection to an AARP interview.

Speaking to AARP regarding that period, Burton stated, "Once he and my mom split up, I didn't have any contact with him at all until Roots came out a decade later."

In the wake of his father's absence during his upbringing in 1960s Sacramento, strong women stepped in to raise him. Chief among them was his mother, Erma, a high school English teacher and the first member of her family to graduate from college. In the memoir, Burton credits her directly for his lifelong passion for books and learning, writing, "I am who I am because of my mother. Full stop." The book also honors the memory of his late sister, Valencia, and highlights the grounding influence of his wife, Stephanie, and his daughter, Michaela, whom he describes as key guideposts in his life.

The complexities of his paternal relationship persisted into Burton's adulthood.

Reflecting on his father's passing in comments shared with AARP and cited by The Lagos Review, Burton noted, "My father passed recently. We had a pretty complex relationship." He added that when the news of his father's death arrived, "I felt complete."

From Kunta Kinte to the Final Frontier

Beyond his family dynamics, Burton uses the memoir to trace the three landmark television roles that established him as a cultural figure across multiple generations. According to a November release roundup by The Hartford Courant, the book examines both the joys and the challenges of navigating the entertainment industry over several decades.

His breakthrough arrived at age 19, when he left college to portray the enslaved youth Kunta Kinte in the landmark 1977 television miniseries Roots. According to a book summary from the Arlington Public Library, playing Kunta Kinte profoundly affected Burton's understanding of his Black identity.

In the book, Burton recalls that the role prompted him to begin "extending my arms to my Blackness in a way I had not before."

Following his dramatic debut, Burton became the host of the public television series Reading Rainbow, a position he held for 23 years. The program gave him a national platform to champion children's literacy and the freedom to read. From 1987 to 1994, he simultaneously reached science fiction audiences worldwide as blind chief engineer Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, a part he later reprised in Star Trek: Picard. Looking back on the thematic arc of his screen work, Burton told AARP, "I have been able to portray the Black experience in America, from our enslavement to space flight."

Critical Reception and What Readers Can Expect

Early literary assessments of Take My Word for It have highlighted the actor's willingness to address sensitive personal topics, including mental illness, alongside his professional achievements and advocacy for liberation and equity.

Time described the release as a "compassionate, vulnerable memoir," while Kirkus Reviews called the book "a disarmingly candid memoir of a lifelong project of personal growth." In his interview with PEOPLE, Burton also addressed his gradual transition away from screen acting, noting that his craft remained available to help him through a major shift in how he wanted to spend his life.

While coverage regarding the book's rollout has varied slightly—with PEOPLE noting the book is now available, CBS News featuring Burton discussing the new release, and Google Books listing November 10, 2026, as the official publication date—fans have immediate opportunities to engage with the author in person.

According to a second report from Yahoo Entertainment, Burton is kicking off a nationwide book tour on Tuesday, November 10, at The Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York City's Foundation Building. Doors for the launch event open at 6:30 p.m.

ET ahead of a 7 p.m. ET start. Tickets distributed through the Strand Bookstore website are priced at $25.22 for general admission, including taxes and fees, or $54.26 for admission bundled with a copy of the hardcover book.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did LeVar Burton's mother influence his career and love of reading?

Burton's mother, Erma, was a high school English teacher and the first person in her family to graduate from college. Raising him in 1960s Sacramento after separating from his father, she instilled an early appreciation for literature that directly informed his 23-year tenure hosting Reading Rainbow and his ongoing work as a literacy activist.

When did LeVar Burton reconnect with his estranged father?

After his parents separated when he was 11, Burton had no contact with his father, Lee, for approximately a decade. The two did not reconnect until after the 1977 broadcast of the miniseries Roots, in which a 19-year-old Burton starred as Kunta Kinte.

What major topics does Burton cover in Take My Word for It?

In addition to his parents' separation and his upbringing during the Civil Rights Movement, the 352-page memoir covers his iconic roles in Roots, Reading Rainbow, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also discusses mental health, the loss of his sister Valencia, the support of his wife Stephanie and daughter Michaela, and his transition away from full-time acting.

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