Will

Might put this closer to 3.5 stars.

Even though I'm a fan of Will Smith, I was not expecting this audiobook it to be good, because celebrity memoirs often aren't. But I enjoy them for the same reason I like reading/listening to memoirs by anyone with a different background than me; they have a vastly different lived experience.

I can certainly say that of Will Smith, who repeatedly refers to himself as the “undisputed greatest movie star of all time,” and will then go on to list TV and musical accolades. Now, this would seem egotistical - and for sure, it is - but it's essential to his personality (i.e., relentless drive to be the best), character arc (actually becoming the best, though that's subjective), and eventually to his self-actualization (or, at least, his continued journey towards it). He tells the story of having it all - unbridled success, a “perfect” nuclear family, hundreds of millions of dollars - and how none of that's the answer. He had rocky relationships. He lost sight of what matters. He suffered. And slowly, he comes around to realize that all the things he strove for his entire career have nothing to do with happiness.

Okay, sure. It's a cliched message. But it's a good story, and Will Smith is a good story-teller. Also, the production value of this audiobook is bar none. The musical interlay is excellent. It's.a fun listen; in fact, this is one of few times that I would unequivocally recommend the audiobook over the print book.