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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.
What’s the last book you purchased? Why did you select it? Paperback, hardback or ebook?
The last book I purchased was December 6, by Martin Cruz Smith. I am always interested in what we're NOT taught in our history classes, and seeing Japan, as they and the U.S. were about to go to war, was quite interesting and enthralling. MCS is able to educate us while entertaining us. It's a va...
-George_M
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/23/2025)
I finished the nonfiction book, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sara Wynn-Williams. My goodness, the immorality of some (well, most) of the people in that company, yikes! I'm now reading In the Time of Five Pumpkins by Alexander McCall Smith. I find this s...
-Lisa_B3
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/09/2025)
I am slowly working my way through The Fraud by Zadie Smith. I am not loving it but need to finish it for a book club.
-Jane_H
2025 National Book Awards Finalists Announced
Here's the list! Which ones have you read? Which are on your radar? Fiction : Rabih Alameddine, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) Megha Majumdar, A Guardian and a Thief Karen Russell, The Antidote Ethan Rutherford, North Sun: Or, the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther Bryan Wa...
-kim.kovacs
BookBrowsers ask Graham Watson
Yes, I found much that surprised me, even as familiar as I was with the history of the Brontës. I decided the most objective way - the way that would produce the clearest view of the past - was to rely solely on first hand sources. That meant looking through archives at manuscripts and papers, ex...
-Graham_W
Kirkus finalists announced!
FICTION https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-3077-0015-5 The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth) https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780063318779 The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (Mariner Books) https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593730089 Isola by Allegra Goodman (Dial Pres...
-kim.kovacs
Which of the characters did you like best? How about least? Why did you choose those two?
Lady Milton was by far my favorite. She seemed to channel every aristocratic, opinionated older gentlelady I love from BBC historical dramas. I picture the late Maggie Smith, playing her role..if only that were possible. My least favorite was Ben as he was too fluid in his transformation from wou...
-Sandi_A
What's your favorite book series?
In no particular order :slight_smile: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / illennuim Trilogy by Stieg Larson Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich Pillars of the Earth Knightsbridge series by Ken Follett Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penney Starbridge...
-Vivian_H
If you could meet one author in person, living or dead, who would it be and why did you choose them?
But that's the point. Over the years I've met most of the authors I wanted to meet: Greg Iles, Abraham Verghese, S A Cosby, Cebo Campbell, Anne Rice, Amor Towles, Hanif Abduraquib, Dan Rather, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, Lauren Bacall, Percival Everett, Levar Burton, Cokie Roberts, Stephen Har...
-Anne_Glasgow
What are you reading this week? (6/5/2025)
Reading "No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggles of Boston's Black Workers in the Civil War Era" and hopefully starting "Babel" next week. I have put it off for too long. On a personal note, it is my 49th birthday on Sunday and I am taking the kids to the Smithsonian National Zoo. I look forw...
-Anthony_Conty
BookBrowsers Ask Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu
I am glad you enjoyed finding the 'Easter eggs' in the novel, I definitely had a lot of fun hiding them throughout the story. I would not call Sojourner Truth a 'little-known historical figure', but I think what is not well known is that she had a very intriguing life before she became Sojourner ...
-Siphiwe_N
What are you reading this week? (5/8/2025)
I am reading South to America by Imani Perry. This was a bit of a slow start, but I am all in. If you enjoyed Clint Smith's How the Word is Passed, this is a more indepth trip through the southern states. It is told in the form of a memoir and reveals the Black Southern lifestyle during and after...
-Barbara_B1
What are you reading this week? (04/10/2025)
I'm about 3/4 done with Jennifer E. Smith's Fun for the Whole Family, her second adult novel. The premise strains believability (four siblings, one of whom is an Oscar-nominated actress, one who's a professional athlete, and one is a National Book Award–winning novelist), but the sibling dynamics...
-Norah_Piehl
How did Perkins navigate the discrimination she faced as a woman? What instances in the book struck you the most about this struggle? What scenes most effectively demonstrate her resilience?
Perkins seemed to tap into her grandmother's advice when times were difficult. She shrugged off and carried on; however, she had to develop this attitude. I recall that she often held back for the purposes of observing the men, figuring out the "pecking order". She then would pounce accordingly a...
-NanK
Did you learn anything new or surprising about the time period in which the book is set?
Prior to reading this book I had minimal knowledge of New York politics. Had a little more knowledge about FDR and The New Deal. I found this so informative. I could appreciate the poverty and that she witnessed as a young "social worker" in the city. The city was "rough"…Tamany Hall, Al Smith, t...
-Joan_G
What book or books are you reading this week? (01/09/2025)
I'm very curious about How to Read a Book , @Bridget_Smith . You'll have to let us know what you think about it when you're done.
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week (1/2/2025)?
@kim.kovacs I am reading James by Percival Everett (Booker Prize book) Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (YA romantasy) The Spiritual Journey of Jimmy Carter, In His Own Words
-Brenda_Wychock
What are you reading this week? (12-26-2024)
Just raced through the Ashe Cayne series of mystery/thriller/procedurals by Ian K Smith. I'm slowly working my way through The Serviceberry. Will soon finish the audio of Dixon Descending by Karen Outen. Finishing up the year with an arc of Money, Lies, and God by Katherine Stewart. It's horrifyi...
-Anne_Glasgow
What are some books you loved reading in 2024?
Here is a summary of my five-star books for 2024. I would say my favorite book of the year is probably JAMES by Percival Everett. SKY FULL OF ELEPHANTS by Cebo Campbell was most unexpected and very thought provoking. THE SHADOW DOCKET by Steve Vladeck and THE SING SING FILES by Dan Slepian were t...
-Anne_Glasgow
"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
This information about Will was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Will Smith is an actor, producer, and musician, and an Academy Award, Grammy, and NAACP award winner, who has enjoyed a diverse career encompassing films, television shows, and multiplatinum albums. He holds many box office records, including the most consecutive $100 million–grossing movies (eight). He and his wife founded the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation to improve lives by providing invaluable resources to accelerate the growth of initiatives that focus on deepening individual and collective empowerment in the areas of arts and education, social empowerment, health and wellness, and sustainability.
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