Scan barcode
bookbratmn's review against another edition
4.0
A thoroughly enjoyable memoir! I listened to the audio book and Cranston has a great narration voice!
Interesting life. Interesting and introspective man. I like the way he described his process for preparing for a role - no wonder he is such a good actor!
Interesting life. Interesting and introspective man. I like the way he described his process for preparing for a role - no wonder he is such a good actor!
realadhdoug's review against another edition
4.25
I found this book absolutely gripping from start to finish. How much of that is because the writing is good and how much of it is because Bryan Cranston narrated it—that’s anyone’s guess. But I’d guess it’s both. Bryan is a captivating storyteller, and it turns out that’s true even with the story he’s telling is his own.
The title of the book frames the way the author structures the work—with different “roles” he’s played serving as the chapters. Some of these are actual character roles like “Hal” and “Walter,” in which he tells stories about his time on the sets of Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad, respectively. But many of them are life roles like “Brother” and “Son,” in which he tells of the shenanigans he got into with his older brother and his complicated and ultimately unresolved relationship with his father.
I typically only really enjoy memoirs if they are about something specific, unique, and noteworthy that happened in the life of the author. This is not that. Cranston’s story is about a guy he grew up in California and ultimately hustled his way into becoming a successful actor. Sure, there are obstacles he overcame and challenges he still faces, but the “plot” is substantively the same as the myriad of actors’ biographies filling the bookshelves.
That being said, it’s still worth reading merely for the pleasure of the storytelling. I haven’t laughed this hard from any other book this year. The situational humor in the tales he tells will make you laugh so hard, you feel it in the ribs. On top of that, there are serious moments that really give you insight into the human experience—including one that tells you that you really don’t want to get on Bryan’s bad side. So, if you see him out at dinner with his family, don’t f***ng interrupt them to ask for his autograph, LOL.
The title of the book frames the way the author structures the work—with different “roles” he’s played serving as the chapters. Some of these are actual character roles like “Hal” and “Walter,” in which he tells stories about his time on the sets of Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad, respectively. But many of them are life roles like “Brother” and “Son,” in which he tells of the shenanigans he got into with his older brother and his complicated and ultimately unresolved relationship with his father.
I typically only really enjoy memoirs if they are about something specific, unique, and noteworthy that happened in the life of the author. This is not that. Cranston’s story is about a guy he grew up in California and ultimately hustled his way into becoming a successful actor. Sure, there are obstacles he overcame and challenges he still faces, but the “plot” is substantively the same as the myriad of actors’ biographies filling the bookshelves.
That being said, it’s still worth reading merely for the pleasure of the storytelling. I haven’t laughed this hard from any other book this year. The situational humor in the tales he tells will make you laugh so hard, you feel it in the ribs. On top of that, there are serious moments that really give you insight into the human experience—including one that tells you that you really don’t want to get on Bryan’s bad side. So, if you see him out at dinner with his family, don’t f***ng interrupt them to ask for his autograph, LOL.
sdbibliophile87's review against another edition
1.0
I was done when he spent a whole chapter beating up his mentally unstable ex-girlfriend.
nicola_in_yeg780's review against another edition
4.0
The most interesting aspect of this book is not that Bryan Cranston's life is particularly fascinating, however, he shares a wealth of insightful knowledge and commentary about acting and filmmaking and being a celebrity.
pittsburghsara79's review against another edition
5.0
I honestly haven't read too many biographies or autobiographies, but that may have to change. Or maybe I just read the best one ever and I should quit while I'm ahead. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who receives information from SMU on future guest speakers and when she forwarded to me that Bryan Cranston would be speaking at SMU to promote his new book, I said yes before I even looked at the date or time of the event (in the middle of a work day). But having been a tremendous fan of Breaking Bad, there was no way I would miss this opportunity. I am so glad I followed my gut.
Not only was Mr. Cranston a terrific speaker, but he was so generous with his time, knowledge and experience that I have a greater appreciation for who he is as a person and not just Walter White. We received a signed copy of his book upon arrival at the event - and at a mere $25 it was maybe the best purchase of 2016 for me. Obviously I hadn't had time to read the book yet so going into it, I didn't know what to expect. I sort of imagined him reading straight from it - just a few passages here and there. But that's not what we got. This room of about 300 people were treated to his theatrical story telling ability in an intimate setting where he captivated us for the fastest hour of my life. There was a moderator present, but he was hardly needed or even noticed. Bryan knows how to hold an audience like nobody I've ever seen. What I did not realize was that while it seemed like he was just telling stories that had nothing to do with the book, they basically were parts of the book. He essentially had memorized his own words and was presenting them to us as a performance. It was marvelous. And at the end he took some questions and basically gave a master class of advice for aspiring young actors.
Since I was so impressed with the hour I got to spend listening to him speak, I couldn't wait to read the book. And to my delight, after hearing him talk, it was like he was reading his own book to me. His voice was in my head the entire time I read. The book is laid out in the many parts he's played in not just his acting career, but his whole life - as a son, a brother, a husband, etc. And each chapter is a story that you sort of don't want to end, but it doesn't take more than a sentence for the next one to hook you in and keep you going. There are words of wisdom and little nuggets of profound prose that I couldn't avoid underlining as I went along. I found myself the whole time thinking "Oh! So and so would LOVE this book!" I can't wait to share it with others, but I worry a bit that since I got to hear him talk, they won't love it as much as I do. I really laughed a lot and even in one part I was literally on the edge of my seat with suspense, but there are also sort of sad bits to work through. He must have a wonderful memory and the way it was organized wasn't completely OCD, but it very much made sense. I'm not sure if that was an editor's help or if he's even more brilliant than I had imagined.
If you like autobiographies, then I highly recommend this. If you're not sure if you would like an autobiography, then I recommend this even more. And then make sure you watch All the Way in which he gives the performance of his life as LBJ. Bryan Cranston is simply one of the most down to earth, likable humans who I don't really know at all, but now I feel like I know him very well. I wish him the very best and hope that he really is exactly as I think I know him.
Not only was Mr. Cranston a terrific speaker, but he was so generous with his time, knowledge and experience that I have a greater appreciation for who he is as a person and not just Walter White. We received a signed copy of his book upon arrival at the event - and at a mere $25 it was maybe the best purchase of 2016 for me. Obviously I hadn't had time to read the book yet so going into it, I didn't know what to expect. I sort of imagined him reading straight from it - just a few passages here and there. But that's not what we got. This room of about 300 people were treated to his theatrical story telling ability in an intimate setting where he captivated us for the fastest hour of my life. There was a moderator present, but he was hardly needed or even noticed. Bryan knows how to hold an audience like nobody I've ever seen. What I did not realize was that while it seemed like he was just telling stories that had nothing to do with the book, they basically were parts of the book. He essentially had memorized his own words and was presenting them to us as a performance. It was marvelous. And at the end he took some questions and basically gave a master class of advice for aspiring young actors.
Since I was so impressed with the hour I got to spend listening to him speak, I couldn't wait to read the book. And to my delight, after hearing him talk, it was like he was reading his own book to me. His voice was in my head the entire time I read. The book is laid out in the many parts he's played in not just his acting career, but his whole life - as a son, a brother, a husband, etc. And each chapter is a story that you sort of don't want to end, but it doesn't take more than a sentence for the next one to hook you in and keep you going. There are words of wisdom and little nuggets of profound prose that I couldn't avoid underlining as I went along. I found myself the whole time thinking "Oh! So and so would LOVE this book!" I can't wait to share it with others, but I worry a bit that since I got to hear him talk, they won't love it as much as I do. I really laughed a lot and even in one part I was literally on the edge of my seat with suspense, but there are also sort of sad bits to work through. He must have a wonderful memory and the way it was organized wasn't completely OCD, but it very much made sense. I'm not sure if that was an editor's help or if he's even more brilliant than I had imagined.
If you like autobiographies, then I highly recommend this. If you're not sure if you would like an autobiography, then I recommend this even more. And then make sure you watch All the Way in which he gives the performance of his life as LBJ. Bryan Cranston is simply one of the most down to earth, likable humans who I don't really know at all, but now I feel like I know him very well. I wish him the very best and hope that he really is exactly as I think I know him.
geeky_erin's review against another edition
4.0
Better written than many of the celebrity memoirs that I've read: an interesting, funny, insightful look into how the different roles of his life (beyond his most famous acting roles) have contributed to his art and his personal growth. Breaking Bad fans may be disappointed in how long they have to wait to get to that part of the story, but those who have been waiting to watch the series should hold off reading this if they don't want spoilers.
aschwartau's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audio boom and highly recommend it!! He is an excellent writer and narrator. Loved the structure of the hook, which was divided into super short chapters, each one about a "part" he has played, including actual acting gigs (Walter White, Hal on Malcolm in the Middle, LBJ), short-lived life experiences (cross country motorcyclist, paper boy, aspiring cop), to the larger roles he's played in life (son, husband, father, brother, etc.) I found this enthralling and absolutely loved listening to his stories, his takes on fame and creativity and hard work, his insights into acting and the Hollywood machine, and all of the behind the scenes goodies of the shows I've enjoyed watching him on. Definitely one of the best celeb memoirs out there!
crazycereal's review against another edition
5.0
I honestly didn’t give Bryan Cranston as much credit as I should have. This book puts so much in to light, shows how much of a true actor he really is.
I audio booked this memoir, wanting to hear the words voiced by the author himself. Extremely well written and emotional. Listing to how characters were created and essentially brought to life. Shows a lot of the struggle of new and working actors.
It’s perfect for someone that wants to learn for about the industry.
I audio booked this memoir, wanting to hear the words voiced by the author himself. Extremely well written and emotional. Listing to how characters were created and essentially brought to life. Shows a lot of the struggle of new and working actors.
It’s perfect for someone that wants to learn for about the industry.
pearl35's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting memoir from Bryan Cranston illustrating the thirty-year overnight success story of someone who determined early that in contrast to his would-be actor parents, the way to play compelling, dangerous and highly strung characters was to be grounded, reliable, emotionally secure and happily married. Along the way, there are vignettes about learning to study people via being a retail loss prevention officer, working in 1970s soap opera, long-time friends like John O'Hurley, being covered in bees for Malcolm in the Middle, unknowingly making an impression on Vince Gilligan playing a repulsive X-Files character, and key moments in Breaking Bad.