Will

Will
By Will Smith, Mark Manson
Penguin Press, 2021. Memoir

One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully in this memoir about his life.  Covering not just the details of his life, but major life lessons learned along the way, this book is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, and a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. 

This book is an incredibly honest look at the author's life, describing both success and loss, triumphs and mistakes.  The story of his career taking off is a thrill, to be sure, but the book is given additional depth by his honest recounting of his difficult childhood and frank admission of missteps and their impact on those around him.  I was also not expecting the level of insight and transcendence he seems to have experienced later in life.  Interspersed audio clips of music bring the narrative to life and illustrate key points in Smith's journey.  Add to all of this the dazzling color of his personality, especially as delivered through his audiobook narration, and you get one of the best memoirs published in recent memory.

BHG

 

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In this book Billy Crystal tells about his life starting in childhood, his rise to fame, important people in his life, and recent events of the last decade that will have a lasting impact on him. These are all interspersed with humorous bits about aging and being a baby boomer in this modern age. I listened to the audiobook which I enjoyed immensely, Billy's inflection and presentation add to the story immeasurably.

Bossypants
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