Will: The Sunday Times Bestselling Autobiography Hardcover – 9 November 2021
by Will Smith (Author), Mark Manson (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 20,698 ratings
See all formats and editions
Kindle
$14.99
Read with Our Free App
Audible Logo Audiobook
$48.62
In your library
Hardcover
$18.54
1 Used from $10.25
11 New from $18.54
Paperback
$10.99
5 Used from $5.60
10 New from $10.99
The 'Event' Autobiography of the Year - a brave, inspiring and wildly entertaining memoir full of self-help lessons for readers, from one of the world's most charismatic and much-loved actors
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story.
Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life- not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way- they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.
This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,
Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.
Read less
Print length
432 pages
Publication date
9 November 2021
If you read one book this year, make it this one -- Jay Shetty Published On: 2021-11-09
A wild ride ― New York Times Published On: 2021-11-09
Bracingly honest, vivid and compelling [...] how an average talent became the biggest movie star in the world ― The Times
Brilliant ― Telegraph
About the Author
Will Smith (Author)
Will Smith is an actor, producer and musician, two-time Academy Award nominee, Grammy Award and NAACP award winner who has enjoyed a diverse career encompassing films, television and multi-platinum records.
Starting as a rapper in 1985, Smith is best known for his acting roles in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", I AM LEGEND, the BAD BOYS and MEN IN BLACK film series, HITCH and most recently, ALADDIN. His vast filmography also includes transformative portrayals of true-life icons in ALI and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, both which garnered him Academy Award nominations, as well as his role in CONCUSSION. Smith recently produced and starred in 2020's biggest box office hit, BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, in addition to producing and appearing in HBO Max's emotional and most watched, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" 30th Anniversary Reunion special.
Next up, Smith will produce and star as Richard Williams, infamous father of American icons Venus and Serena Williams, in Warner Brothers' KING RICHARD, which will release on November 19th. This summer, Smith begins production on Apple's upcoming scripted action thriller EMANCIPATION, directed by Antoine Fuqua, and produced by his Westbrook Studios.
In 2019, Smith launched his media company, Westbrook Inc. alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Miguel Melendez and Kosaku Yada, which focuses on empowering artists to tell stories that connect with a global audience. Westbrook houses Westbrook Studios, Westbrook Media, the digital content studio, social media management, and creative brand incubator, and direct to consumer business, Good Goods. Westbrook Studios is home to the Emmy nominated Facebook Watch series, "Red Table Talk" and is rapidly expanding its footprint in entertainment, serving as the studio home to all new premium TV and motion picture projects. Smith will serve as a producer through Westbrook on his upcoming projects including KING RICHARD, EMANCIPATION, and PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES. Westbrook Media most recently produced KING RICHARD and EMANCIPATION. Additionally, they produced the 30th anniversary reunion special of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and the Snap series "Will From Home." In response to the stay-at-home order "Will From Home" featured appearances by Smith's family, celebrity friends and everyday people who were also isolating indoors. The media company also recently announced Peacock's unprecedented two season order of "Bel-Air," a dramatic reimagining of the Fresh Prince series. He and his wife also founded the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation to benefit inner-city community development, youth educational projects and under-privileged children and their families.
Instagram- @WillSmith
Mark Manson (Author)
Mark Manson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything is F*cked- A Book About Hope and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, the mega-bestseller that reached #1 in fourteen different countries. Mark's books have been translated into more than 50 languages and have sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
Mark runs one of the largest personal growth websites in the world, MarkManson.net, a blog with more than two million monthly readers and half a million subscribers. His writing is often described as 'self-help for people who hate self-help' -- a no-BS brand of life advice and cultural commentary that has struck a chord with people around the globe. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, Forbes, Vice, CNN, and Vox, among many others. He currently lives in New York City.
Publisher : CENTURY - TRADE (9 November 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 432 pages
Customer Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 stars 20,698 ratings
Top reviews
Top reviews from Australia
joanne hattersley
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it - one of the best memoirs I’ve read.
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 8 December 2021
Verified Purchase
Will
Authored by Will Smith and Mark Manson.
The simplest way I can describe this book is inspiring. We all know Will Smith, whether it be through Fresh Prince, Men in Black or the plethora of work that he has done through the years. Will is a global force, well recognised and most people would say ‘a funny man’. Who is the man behind that mask? Reading this book makes you understand that it is just that…. A mask. But why? A man who seemingly has everything? Why pretend to be someone you’re not?
Reading this book answered every question & then some. Without giving (or trying to give) too much away, Will was a fearful child. There were tense moments at home which compounded his fearfulness. He was a child that liked to give, liked to make sure everyone was happy. There was a need to be approved, for people to like him. If they liked him, then he must be ok…..right? Even as a young child, he was grafting a persona, one that he hoped everyone would love. Love the persona he created…..love him. Right?
This memoir is transformative and triumphant, in that Will Smith felt life was perfect. Rapper, film star, family man, success, top of his game. So what changed him? A comment from a member of his family made him see that his family felt like performers in the “Will Smith show” and not the family they should be.
Will delicately details his journey. It’s a profound journey and one that clearly demonstrates you can have it all, but still feel like you have nothing. It’s a discovery for Will and one that he has written beautifully. There are some memoir writers that will tell you how wonderful life is and how great they are. That’s not Will. Will is as straight as they come. He will tell you the times he got mixed up with the wrong sort. He will tell you how he mastered his feelings. He will tell you how he realised what was important to him and why.
The book is a crazy life story of a kid from West Philadelphia who come good. It’s the story of a child whose mum wanted him to go to college but he wanted more. It’s the story of a born performer who steps out on the world stage to give the world what they want. It’s the story of a man who wants to be one better than the one before – if the top actor earns $10m, Will wants $11m. The book shows you how Ill is always striving to reach heights.
What this book also shows, is that the energy you put into your performing life, must also be given into family. Wills honesty in his words show you clearly when he messes up. What’s refreshing to see in a memoir, is someone saying “I wish I could this back”. Will has learned through life. He’s learned what really matters. It’s beautiful to read his words on working with his children. How much he enjoyed the quality time he had. I particularly loved reading how he promotes creativity: art supplies everywhere, music studio, areas to record his wife Jada`s show Red Table Talk.
Will Smith once said: “Once you've learned how your mind works, the layout, all experiences, emotions, every circumstance, whether positive or negative, will propel you forward, to greater growth and greater experience. "
This book clearly shows his growth, his mistakes, his remedies, his successes and his loves. Mr Smith has learned how his mind works and is a better man for his life lessons.
Read less
One person found this helpful
===
Rohan Iyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Read
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 19 December 2022
Verified Purchase
A must read. Could not book this book down, what a fascinating, tragic, but overall triumphant life, Will is an inspiration.
Helpful
Report abuse
Fernanda
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 13 November 2022
Verified Purchase
I do recommend
Helpful
Report abuse
Shannon
5.0 out of 5 stars Happy
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 7 September 2022
Verified Purchase
Happy
Helpful
Report abuse
Gillian Downie
4.0 out of 5 stars will a journey
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 12 February 2022
Verified Purchase
An outstanding look at wills life his voice is strong and good to see him searching for life.
Well done
Helpful
Report abuse
Kieran
5.0 out of 5 stars engaging and entertaining
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 22 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I'm only a couple of chapters into it, and I've already laughed, winced, wiped a tear away and laughed again. This is a powerful telling of a story I'd only every seen veil of. The Fresh Prince, alien fighting, happyness [sic] pursuing, man in black exposes himself in what is proving to be a special and intimate way. I'm looking forward to the rest of the book.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
SuperCam
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 24 January 2022
Verified Purchase
Exactly what I expected from Will Smith. An honest admission to all his flaws and what he did to overcome them. You will definitely learn something from this book
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
@janakingsford
5.0 out of 5 stars BEST BOOK EVER
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 12 November 2021
Verified Purchase
Listened to the entire 16 hour audiobook across one side of Australia to another. It releases on this alchemistic day. Just like the alchemist is Will’s favourite book. This is now mine. It’s a journey of your own Breakthroughs. Through twists and tales of his own.
2 people found this helpful
===
Top reviews from other countries
Shelley Soden
2.0 out of 5 stars Honesty but……
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 16 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I liked the book, however now I don’t like Will. I appreciate that he was so honest in the book, and he has taken an emotional journey; I just don’t care for where he landed. When for the first time he turns down an autograph for a Downs syndrome kid……that was it for me. If Will hasn’t figured out how to pick your spots, pick your moments & act graciously (not all or nothing like the autograph scenario) - then his journey failed him. I also don’t care for his arrogance. Yes he couches it with “I’m not being arrogant, it’s real fact” kind of thing, but that jus makes it sound worse. There are ways to validate, protect and realize yourself, with grace and not at the expense of others.
Right after I finished the book I saw on ET that he did some scary stunt in public and I thought - “there he goes again, vying for attention”. I find it childish, sorry. I thought he was a better person. I guess his journey to becoming a great person —— will continue…..and then he performed another “attention getting” incident at the Oscars when he slapped Chris Rock.
What a childish person that craves attention like a small child, he really needs to grow up.
105 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Wynne Phillips
1.0 out of 5 stars Great book …but changes your thoughts on Will
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 3 January 2022
Verified Purchase
Just finishing reading this book….which is extremely well written and flows well. I’d highly recommend everyone to buy it, as it provides a real insight into Will…it’s honest, even though you may wish you hadn’t read it if you’re a real fan….
The positives ? As I said well written, honest, frank and provides a deep understanding of Wills journey and what makes him tick….
The negatives ? The first 30/40% of the book is Will finding his way and you warm to the person, as you have to the person on screen…. However, once Will gets real success starting from the Fresh Prince period…he becomes narcissistic, up himself, completely self centred, obsessed about fame and his personal fortune, unlikeable, rude and deluded. If I had a £1 for every time he mentions that he’s the undisputed greatest actor in the world….I’d be wealthy too…. He’s not in the least humble, gracious or grounded. The way he describes his period with Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela….suggests he very much sees himself as being in the same category…. His description of deliberately interrupting a private conversation involving Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis to ask them “what he needs to do to ensure that he’s the greatest actor in the world” beggars belief….
As I said earlier, I’d very much recommend reading the book…even if it proves not to be what you thought it would be….
Read less
47 people found this helpful
==
EW215
5.0 out of 5 stars A New Understanding of Will - And Maybe Yourself
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 9 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I am a big fan of biographical works and of both Mark Manson and Will Smith; and yet, this book leaves me feeling bittersweet. Will Smith has spent decades in our most beloved cultural works: Fresh Prince, Hitch, I Am Legend, Bad Boys, and Big Willie style to name a few. In many ways the thing we loved most about him wasn't his incredible catalog of work, but the "effortless" charisma that allowed him to take over the world. This book cuts directly against that image.
This book amounts to look behind the curtain of what made this icon who he is, warts and all. While it is incredibly insightful and well written - those of us who liked having him up on a pedestal for being superhuman will realize that he is imperfect like us all.
What you get in this book is life experiences from Will wrapped around singular ideas like "fear", "Power" and "Hope" and he uses those themes and stories to teach us lessons about life. This book left me with a new understanding of Will and myself - in my opinion, that's all a great biographical works should do.
675 people found this helpful
===
Julie
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, Will !!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I've given 5 stars and if I could give more, I would! I love Will; his music, his sheer brilliance as a movie star and his lovely presence wherever he goes. His book gives a fantastic insight of him being ...him. I couldn't put his book down for more than 5 minutes before picking it up again. Swiss Cottage time; I was there during my college days but sadly missed seeing him. His book is a great read which brought me into his life (virtually) and what a lovely feeling that is.
32 people found this helpful
==
Matthew J. McGaughey
1.0 out of 5 stars Shameless Bragging Taken to a New Level
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 23 November 2021
Verified Purchase
I've always been a fan of Will Smith's work, and I just assumed that he must be the decent guy he usually portrays. There's certainly no denying his impressive achievements in reaching the pinnacle of music, television, and film, a feat few have duplicated. The first part of this book was gripping, and the author comes across as honest and humble.
The remainder of the book quickly degenerates into what can only be described as a monumental bragathon. We are repeatedly bludgeoned with tedious descriptions of how he is the most successful actor in the world and the greatest movie star of all time. Even if there is some truth to these assertions, I found them distasteful and even a little embarrassing. And as for the drivel about his ayahuasca trips, well.. words fail me. If you are already convinced that Will Smith is on the same level as Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela, you will love this book. If not, you may get a case of indigestion. Boo.
522 people found this helpful
Report abuse
====
Will
by Will Smith, Mark Manson (Goodreads Author)
4.29 · Rating details · 53,446 ratings · 7,814 reviews
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller!
“It's the best memoir I've ever read.” —Oprah Winfrey
“Will Smith isn't holding back in his bravely inspiring new memoir . . . An ultimately heartwarming read, Will provides a humane glimpse of the man behind the actor, producer and musician, as he bares all his insecurities and trauma.” —USA Today
Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
Will Smith’s transformation from a West Philadelphia kid to one of the biggest rap stars of his era, and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, is an epic tale—but it’s only half the story.
Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.
This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one person mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself. (less)
====
flag1435 likes · Like · 55 comments · see review
Regina
Feb 06, 2022Regina rated it liked it
Near the end of Will Smith’s 2021 autobiography, Will, he shares how in recent years he’s taken ayahuasca (the South American psychedelic) several times, and during one such experience a female presence he named “Mother” simply repeated to him, “Stop talking” over and over again.
After listening to him narrate the 16-hour audiobook, more relatable words were never spoken.
I’m fairly neutral on Smith, aka The Fresh Prince aka Willard aka Big Willy. Essentially I don’t mind if he’s in a movie I’m watching, but I probably didn’t start watching it just because he’s in it. I love great audiobooks though, so snagging this on my library app was a no-brainer after seeing its very high ratings.
I did get jiggy wit all the music interspersed throughout the stories, and I loved hearing about his childhood in Philadelphia and the early days of his success with Jazzy Jeff in the exploding hip hop scene. Even the origin story of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” fascinated me. But once he became THE BIGGEST MOVIE STAR OF ALL TIME, he lost me.
Isn’t that weird? Typically when you read a Hollywood tome you’re in it for the juicy celebrity bits and have to wade through the blah blah blah rags to get to the rah rah rah riches. The issue here is that Smith’s ego so overtakes the narrative that it’s hard to see him as the sympathetic character he wants to be. Readers/listeners are repeatedly told how awesome he his, including during a game of Monopoly with his wife and kids that he breaks down play-by-painful-play. The result is that my neutrality on the guy tipped toward the negative. It’s not often I end up liking a subject less at the end of an autobiography, and I certainly didn’t expect that to happen here.
I do keep referring to this as an autobiography rather than a memoir, because it’s a pretty exhaustive look at his entire life. Though maybe it’s a biography, since he has a credited co-author, Mark Manson. I didn’t love Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F#ck, so perhaps that’s part of it.
I don’t regret listening to Will, but I sure was glad when it was over.
Now I’ll take Mother’s sage advice and stop talking.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/ (less)
flag449 likes · Like · see review
Monica **can't read fast enough**
Nov 13, 2021Monica **can't read fast enough** rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: audio-books, review-copy, my-favorites, autobiography-biography-memoir
I was able to binge listen to the Will Smith memoir and I enjoyed every minute! I pre-ordered the physical book but I also got access to the audio book from Penguin Random House Audio and I am so glad! If you can, I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one. Will narrating it himself makes it wonderful but the addition of music and other audio clips makes this one of the most entertaining audio books that I have experienced. Will reading his own story plays directly into his strengths as a storyteller and entertainer that added emotion and impact to his anecdotes.
Is Will Smith a bit self aggrandizing and sometimes comes off a bit boastful? Yes, but witnessing a Black man recognizing and being proud of the amazing things that he has been able to do just does not bother me at all. Smith is self assured and a little boastful in that he knows that many of the things he accomplished were groundbreaking, but he always acknowledges that he in no way got to where is alone or even solely on his own merits. His personal growth and challenges have been interesting to hear from his perspective. I'll have a bit of an audio book hangover now that it's done. I will at some point either listen to it again or read the physical book because there are several things that I wanted to tab and didn't.
***I received an ALC from the publisher.***
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monica Is Reading*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
(less)
flag342 likes · Like · 32 comments · see review
Swrp
Dec 08, 2021Swrp rated it it was amazing
[Circle Of Life, "The Lion King" (c) Walt Disney Pictures.)
"YOU and NOW are a unique occurrence, of which you are the most reliable measure of all the possibilities."
***
> Memoir is a literary genre, and it is a recollection and narration of the writer`s personal life and memories. Hence, the contents and statements made are nonfiction and considered to be truthful.
> A personal thought - A critic, a reviewer or even a reader can comment or criticize the format or the way in which the memories have been conveyed or presented, but they should never question the life of the person or their life events.
> When someone picks up to read a book like Will, it is, usually, very clear that this book is a memoir/autobiography. A memoir will always be about self. Even if the book is written by an austere and selfless monk from the Himalayas, the contents will still be about self, and thus they would sound to be selfish, self-centred and egotistical. So, what should we call a person who after reading a memoir like Will calls the writer a boastful person, a bragger and an as*h**e!?
> A memoir is not a self-help book.
***
“I was raised to believe that I am inherently equipped to handle any problems that may arise in my life, racism included.”
And it dawned on me, If I don’t want to be with me, why the f**k would anybody else wanna be with me?
Overall, Will is an honest and engaging memoir. So real and raw. And then, the memoir is a wee bit of everything - inspiring, frustrating, uplifting, heartbreaking, fun, heartwarming, eye-opening, interesting, entertaining, hopeful, emotional, and much much more! There is something everyone can get out of this book.
It would have been more fun to have an understanding and liking of rap music, as much of the content in this part of Smith`s life was just going over the head - no understanding of hip-hop or the artists! However, the writing is very engaging, so being a fan of rap music is not a prerequisite to reading this book.
It was heartening to see Will Smith mentioning books as being of big help and guidance in his life. He mentions reading a ton of books, including the following:
-Paulo Coelho`s The Alchemist;
-Joseph Campbell`s The Hero with a Thousand Faces;
-Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart.;
-The Autobiography of Malcolm X;
-Bhagavad Gītā As It Is;
-The Road Less Traveled;
-Don Quixote;
-The Untethered Soul;
-Teachings of the Buddha;
-The Odyssey;
-Moby-Dick;
-How to Win Friends and Influence People;
-The 5 Love Languages;
-As a Man Thinketh;
-Oneness;
-Zen in the Art of Archery;
-Plato’s Republic;
-The Way of the Superior Man;
-Iron John;
-Aspire;
-I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings;
-The Power Path;
-Man’s Search for Meaning;
-Chödrön’s How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind.
Books on death:
-On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross;
-The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche;
-Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom;
-The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.
*From the notes:
“There is no wall. There are only bricks. Your job is to lay this brick perfectly. Then move on to the next brick. Then lay that brick perfectly. Then the next one. Don’t be worrying about no wall. Your only concern is one brick.”
==========
“Because if two people are in charge, everybody dies! So, if you`re in charge, let me know because I will defer to your leadership!”
==========
Internal power and confidence are born of insight and proficiency. When you understand something, or you’re good at something, you feel strong, and it makes you feel like you have something to offer.
==========
Hope sustains life. Hope is the elixir of survival during our darkest times.
==========
“Jus’ remember, Lover Boy,” she said, “be nice to everybody you pass on your way up, coz you just might have to pass them again on your way down.”
==========
Living is the journey from not knowing to knowing. From not understanding to understanding. From confusion to clarity.
==========
By universal design you are born into a perplexing situation, bewildered, and you have one job as a human: figure this shit out.
==========
The whole point of venturing into uncertainty is to bring light to the darkness of our ignorance.
==========
Life is like school, with one key difference—in school you get the lesson, and then you take the test. But in life, you get the test, and it’s your job to take the lesson.
==========
The universe only teaches through experience.
==========
It’s better to die than to walk around scared.
==========
Heartbreak should be considered a disease—it induces a debilitating state akin to mental illness.
==========
Nothing and no one is immune to the entropy of the universe.
==========
It’s respectable to lose to the universe. It’s a tragedy to lose to yourself.
==========
The universe is not logical, it’s magical.
==========
The capacity to adjust and improvise is arguably the single most critical human ability.
==========
It’s amazing how skewed your vision can become when you see the present through the lens of your past.
==========
What someone desires is a portal into the essential truth of their personality. If you want to understand why someone did something, you need only answer the question, What did he want?
==========
When you know what you want, it clarifies what you don’t want. And even painful decisions, though not easy, become simple.
==========
The problem is, all of your dreams are on the other side of pain and difficulty.
==========
But the heart and soul of our union was then, and is still today, intense, luminescent conversation.
==========
Purpose and desire can seem similar, but they are very different, sometimes even opposing forces.
==========
As Viktor Frankl wrote, “In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.”
==========
There is an energy that’s at work while you’re asleep—the energy that fires the sun, that moves the ocean, that beats your heart.
==========
Act when the universe is open, and rest when she’s closed.
==========
To love and to be loved is the highest human reward and ecstasy.
==========
Allowing the best within you to serve and unleash the best within others is the most intense of human pleasures.
==========
I’ve realized that for some reason, God placed the most beautiful things in life on the other side of our worst terrors.
==========
It really is true that your whole life flashes before your eyes when you think you’re going to die.
==========
Loving, giving, helping, serving, protecting, nourishing, empowering, and forgiving are the secrets of “the Smile.”
In the end, it will not matter one single bit how well they loved you—you will only gain “the Smile” based on how well you loved them.
==========
Not very sure why, but this memoir kept reminding me of Circle of Life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GibiN...
🎶🎵From the day we arrive on the planet
And, blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life.🎶🎵 (less)
flag205 likes · Like · 28 comments · see review
Fraser Simons
Nov 21, 2021Fraser Simons rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Shelves: memoir, black-culture, nonfiction
It’s Will. He delivers a good performance. What he is narrating is a very specific story that is geared toward a self-help rhetoric; unfortunately a fairly redundant one. You cannot make yourself happy by making money, you have to nurture yourself. So, the real reason to consume this is for the performance and the entertainment value while navigating to that point.
He goes into his fear of being a coward, but doesn’t really link it to gender roles or anything much beyond the fact that his dad was just like that. He tells you that his father was physically abusive and at one point, even while getting side tracked running to get some smokes, his dad told him that every single thing he does a mission. You either succeed, or you’re dead. Yes, his dad was in the army. And yes, Will’s success coming from a trauma response makes a heck of a lot of sense. Though, we also learn other key people literally in one room mostly was the reason he made it, an orchestration of Quincy Jones.
And then… with these things established, he simply launches into his career and highlights and his macro level trajectory to massive success. The vulnerability never really comes back. And I’m not very convinced it was ever really present.
To be honest, this book is calculating. There is a performative vulnerability at key sections fostering trust between the reader and Will. And, to be clear, that’s a fine way to construct this kind of a story. But, he often displays a lack of critical self awareness and skates over accountability in favour of easy contrition. I promise you that if you take all the possessions of your partner, pour lighter fluid on them, and then light them all when she arrives home to witness this act, you are not a well person. And frankly, saying she didn’t deserve that and moving on, and you were both young yada yada, is one thing. But he tries to isolate that event.
Except… between the lines or in passing—presumably he thinks some of these things aren’t a big deal?—there is even more concerning behaviour. All of which mostly just made me think that he was a person that confronted his trauma far too late for those around him.
Ultimately, he navigates to an almost comical ending for me. He ends up going on the spiritual awakening journey and doing pseudo-mystical, drug induced trips, hires a life coach therapist because he doesn’t know who he is (as if that’s a singular experience at mid life). He also comes to the realization that memory isn’t a video, but a personal rendering that is not accurate. Or that, and I am not kidding here, other peoples’ feelings actually matter and should be considered. If you’re 20 maybe some of these epiphanies will be profound to you, but his own journey ultimately conforms to an archetypical journey, which only adds to the sterility and artificial aspects within the structure of the book. That’s why it was comical to me. Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad he’s doing some work on himself and is in a good place now, at 50 years old, but make no mistake, this is, and feels like, a performance that is most likely simply another tick off the bucket list—rather than a wholehearted reckoning and self-examination of an individual. (less)
flag155 likes · Like · 11 comments · see review
Elyse Walters
Dec 14, 2021Elyse Walters rated it really liked it
Shelves: audiobook
Will Smith portrayed ‘himself’ as a funny - animated - immodest - all-consuming ‘Will-Wonderful’, guy.
His stories were at times fascinating:
…..A basketball figure-skater-little nine-year-old Will image cracked me up!! 🏀⛸…..
……stories about his father, mother, brother, kids on the playground— ‘growing years’ were ‘each’ fascinating: real, brutal, thought-provoking….and ‘understanding’.
His self-preservation strategies were heartrending.
…….Will’s cowboy boot wearing phase as a kid was endearing.👢
……Learning about the depths of Will’s imagination [silliness encouraged by his mama combined with his mothers emphasis on Will’s seriousness for education] - was impelling…..
But….
my goodness Will’s overly *me, me, me*…..*Will, Will, Will* ….was ‘on-the-edge’….hair-raising….straight-shooting….swaggering-egotistical-down right cocky-boastful…self-admiring…self-importance - semi-flaunting …..exhausting at times too.
The intensity of Will’s ‘narrative-persuasive voice’ was two-fold/and two-fold:
…..”annoying & lovable ….
And
…..lovable & annoying”.
Will’s exaggerated tone was - at times - excessive and overpowering….
….especially his ‘coup de grace’ resistance to play Muhamed Ali……
hyperbolized ….
embellished monumental elaborate grandiloquence declaration.
Note: Will Smith gave an unforgettable performance—his portrayal of the boxer Muhammad Ali received widespread commercial success.
Will Smith has been called the most powerful actor in Hollywood more than once…
Clearly Will Smith is a dedicated actor in comedy, and drama. His onscreen popularity persona is likable….
He’s also a professional rapper…
Talented and successful…
….but
Will’s ‘need’ to please -‘to be’ loved … to overly entertain us … in ‘this’ memoir is a combination of sweet and sour.
3.6-3.8 rating …. (less)
====
Brandice
Dec 05, 2021Brandice rated it it was amazing
LOVED IT — If you told me back in January that Will Smith’s memoir would end up being one of my favorite reads of this year, I would’ve been skeptical.
I mean I like Will, I’ve been a fan most of my life — I owned the Big Willie Style cd in elementary school, watched Fresh Prince reruns growing up, liked Men in Black, laughed a lot at Hitch, and loved Seven Pounds … you get the idea. I just didn’t expect to be so blown away by his story, parts of which resonated deeply with me, despite having different lives.
I listened to the audiobook of Will, which Will narrates. He does a great job and is a true performer, bringing different voices and music clips at fitting moments. You can hear his authentic emotion throughout the book. There are lots of funny moments but also many heartfelt and serious ones.
I learned a lot I didn’t know too — Jada grew up in Baltimore and was close friends with Tupac. Will is a big reader and loved The Alchemist, which is still my personal, forever favorite book!
While most of our lives are much different than Will’s, there’s a takeaway for everyone in his story. An excellent surprise of a book. (less)
flag117 likes · Like · 18 comments · see review
Mediaman
Nov 15, 2021Mediaman rated it it was ok
Shelves: tv, non-fiction, movies, movie-business, autobiography, sitcoms, hollywood, tv-history, memoir
Biggest ego in Hollywood turns in a surprisingly inept memoir that is filled with his verbal vomit (he admits that from childhood he can't shut up). There are a few good stories, but for the most part it is him bragging non-stop about his fame and riches. It's almost shocking how many dozens or hundreds of times he repeats how famous he is. He should be embarrassed.
Some fans are going to praise him for spilling his guts on his internal struggles of self-acceptance, his sex life with his wife Jada (who comes across as crazy in this book) or his dealing with an abusive father (who he really slams though Will owes his entire career to his dad allowing him to skip college). But Smith avoids a number of major subjects as well as giving almost no details about how is movies were made. While he's rambling on about growing up in Philly (not that exciting) or being a father to kids that are rather odd, he manages to prove that he still has a big wall up about who he really is.
This guy must be the most insecure human on the planet based on how often he strokes his ego. Some may call it a "humble brag" but this has more self-praising statements than any memoir I've ever read (and I've read over 750). Probably more than all the others I've read together. The fake humility that he tries to use to make us feel sorry for him come across as another acting job.
It's also offensive to see his regular use of the N-word. Totally inappropriate in this era and leads to the question--why is he allowed to get away with it? If it's simply because of his color then he's being racist to go along with some of his sexist comments. He doesn't say much about the women he must have bedded but he seems to subtly demean the women he committed himself to.
It needed a strong co-writer and good editor to channel all the hyper tangents Smith goes off on. A third (or more) is wasted energy. The book even has factual errors in it, funny for a guy who claims to be a perfectionist. Add the quasi-spiritual turn he makes near the end (where again he brags) and the whole thing becomes an eye-rolling mess. He goes to South America for a regular routine of mind-altering substances, yet with a straight face says he doesn't do drugs. There nothing to admire about the guy in this autobiography other than his audacity to think he's so great--if he read his own book he'd discover how truly imperfect he is. (less)
flag108 likes · Like · 28 comments · see review
Nima Morgan
Dec 09, 2021Nima Morgan rated it liked it
So, I am confused ...is he the "biggest", most famous, richest movie star in the US or the World or the universe?
Found this book to be interesting and yet exhausting...just wonder if it would have been slightly more enjoyable if he stopped mentioning how wonderful and famous he is. (less)
flag101 likes · Like · 12 comments · see review
Artemy
Oct 04, 2021Artemy added it
Shelves: book-books, memoirs
I have been working on a translation of this book for the past two months, so I really don't feel like I can give it a fair rating one way or another. I will say it's an impressively written and constructed memoir, even if you're not too interested in Will Smith as a person. He covers topics like the early years of hip-hop, DJ-ing and MC-ing, music production, TV, Hollywood movies and the inner workings thereof — Will Smith had his hand in all of those and his perspective on most things is unique and often quite fascinating. He also delves deep into psychology and psyche, philosophy, his childhood and upbringing in West Philadelphia, and his relationships with parents, family and friends, including many other famous ones. Will Smith fans should definitely check it out, but even if you aren't one of them, the man lived a fascinating life and he tells his story well. Plus, if you're at all interested in any of the topics I mentioned, you'll find heaps of cool insider information here. I enjoyed working on this book very much, and can't wait to see it out in print soon! (less)
Olive Fellows (abookolive)
Nov 12, 2021Olive Fellows (abookolive) rated it really liked it
Shelves: memoir, pop-culture
Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.
abookolive
Will is the memoir/autobiography (or something in between) of actor, musician, and all-around global superstar Will Smith. It’s highly focused on the lessons he learned from all the periods of his life he discusses, zooming in on particular times in his life and leaning away from certain touchy subjects (like scientology and his separation). The book is full of Smith’s effervescence and co-writer Mark Manson (author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life) helped to make this a fun, rewarding read. It’s the perfect book for Will Smith fans (like myself), especially leading into New Year’s Resolution season! (less)
flag74 likes · Like · comment · see review
May 13, 2022Booked and Busy rated it it was amazing
This was honestly life changing and perspective altering. This book and it’s many lessons is something I will revisit time and time again.
flag73 likes · Like · comment · see review
No comments:
Post a Comment