Good book, very interesting!

I enjoyed this book and love when famous people read their own book (I had the Audible version as well). Bryan is a very down to earth person and found myself feeling glad that he got the success he worked so hard for.

Bryan Cranston used to be one of the "that guys". You know, a working actor that you recognise but don't necessarily know the name of.

"You know, the Dad from Malcolm In The Middle."

"Oh, that guy."

And then Breaking Bad exploded all over television, making Cranston into a celebrity.

I think the main reason I listened to this book was because I was curious to see how he would interpret that journey. An actor who could have easily been a bit player for the rest of his life, fighting it out in auditions, a perfectly acceptable career... but who instead ended up in a position where he was rejecting scripts through a very methodical method.

Cranston comes across as one of those actors who genuinely cares about the craft and also manages to live a relatively normal, healthy life. Considering his turbulent upbringing, I think that's a pretty great achievement.

I really enjoyed Cranston’s book, he led a very full and interesting life even before getting into acting full time. He is truly an actor and has passion for everything he does, it is a very interesting read I definitely recommend!

Listened to the audiobook, which he narrates.

What a great storyteller. He had quite the interesting life growing up and traveled the country by motorcycle with his brother when he was in his early 20s.

He married his current wife, Robin, the day before I was born!

Loved him in Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad. Both roles exemplify the range of his acting. He describes specific scenes and episodes of each. If you have yet to watch Breaking Bad or are in the midst of it, wait to read/listen to this until afterwards because there are spoilers.

His role as Hal in Malcolm in the Middle had him singing, humming, or whistling a lot. He ended up getting music royalties for the bits of humming or whistling if they were his own made up melodies.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading Cranston's memoir. He appears to be a well-grounded person who cares deeply about his family and his work.

What a fantastic ride. I enjoyed every part of it. So inspiring. Read the audiobook.

I really enjoyed this book! It's full of authentic wisdom and reflects the power of integrity, hard work, and luck. Mr. Cranston is a brilliant actor and is amazing in everything I've watched. He is also very social justice-minded, and I respect his advocacy for underrepresented populations.

I highly recommend this book!

V

Quotes:

“The best teacher is experience. Find the educational in every situation.”

“But the only way to get lucky is to be prepared for luck to find you."

“Console the failure, but nurture the hunger.”

“At that precise moment I conjured a credo that would guide me for the rest of my life: I will pursue something that I love - and hopefully become good at it, instead of pursuing something that I'm good at - but don't love.”

“​It’s okay to be afraid. Being afraid can sometimes mean that you’re actually doing something worthwhile.”

“If people don’t enhance your life, you have to get rid of them.”

“The greatest thing about youth is that you're not yet battle-weary, so you'll try anything.”

“In real life, as it is in fiction, character is both formed and revealed when we are tested. When we are forced to make decisions under pressure, that test can either make us stronger or it can highlight our weaknesses and crack us into pieces.”

“Love art in yourself, not yourself in art.”

“That’s a nice quality in a person: making someone else feel valued—even if that someone is currently on the bottom rung. I made a mental note.”