Will
Author: Will Smith, Mark Manson
Publication Date: November 2021
Genre: nonfiction, biography
Method: audiobook via TPL
Going into this memoir, I knew next to nothing about Will Smith other than he was born and raised in west Philadelphia, but doesn’t everybody know that? Let me tell you what – I haven’t been able to shut up about Willard Carol Smith II for the entire two weeks I consumed this audiobook. If you are in my social circle, I’ve told you at minimum, two Will Smith facts that you most definitely didn’t want or need to know.
I knew this book was going to be special when I found myself crying in chapter 2 when Will recounts his experiences from their 2 month family road trip from Philly to LA. This would be one of many sections of this book that had me in tears. I didn’t know Will Smith was gonna make me cry, but damn.
Will recounts, “This trip expanded and detonated my imagination. Every person we came across seemed like a new fascinating character; every destination a dreamland; and I felt like life was just waiting for me to make up the story. The American landscape was so diverse and beautiful – there were mountains and prairies and valleys and white-water rivers and regular deserts and painted deserts and green forest and petrified forests and corn into infinity and sequoias or redwoods – whichever ones we saw – touching the sky..” then “These were the best eight weeks of my childhood – everybody was happy. We were the perfect family.”
I loved learning about Will’s childhood in Philly with his dad’s unorthodox and militant parenting style, his emergence into the world of hip hop with long time friend, Jazzy Jeff, then his transition into sitcom television. I will say, the sparkle did dull for me when Will openly starts to seek fame and his journey to becoming the biggest movie star of all time. His ego explodes, in a very unflattering and indigestible way. I was cringing the entire time listening to the chapter devoted to Jada’s 40th birthday. But in the end, I don’t feel like I can fault the author for expressing his story in his own way. It’s HIS memoir after all, I’m not here to police.
Anyone who reads the physical copy has done themselves a disservice. When Will starts to sing “Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down,” I don’t think I’ve ever smiled more while reading a book, than in that moment. Because for me, I only really know Will Smith is as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. When considering his filmography of 30+ movies, I think I’ve only seen 2, maybe 3 at most. And I’ve definitely never listened to his hip hop albums.
This was an absolute joy of an experience. The audiobook is not simple a book read by the author – it’s an incredible performance by a world class performer.