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.