booksummaryandreview.com

Will by Will Smith Book Summary

Will by Will Smith with Mark Manson. This book was published in 2021 by Penguin Press, which is an imprint of Penguin Random House. The hardcover copy of this book comes in at 432 pages; however, I read an e-copy of this book that I accessed through my library. This book is more or less a memoir—you could almost consider it an autobiography—because in this book, the actor, musician, and all-around global superstar Will Smith looks at the entirety of his life up to this point. 

But the reason why I’m hesitant to say that it is, in fact, an autobiography is that there are certain aspects of his life that he really goes into within the book and other ones he doesn’t, and that is what I would expect from an actual autobiography. So, let’s just say this book falls somewhere in between a memoir and an autobiography.

Within the book, he is definitely very focused on discussing all of the life lessons that he took away from all of the different phases of his life that are discussed. Starting off, he talks about his early life growing up in Philadelphia, of course, and he talks a lot about his family—more specifically, the three family members who he believes had the greatest impact on him growing up. He says later on in the book that he thinks these three people—his mother, his father, and his grandmother—all brought very different things to the table, but they all definitely shaped who he would later become. His mother, for instance, taught him the value of education. His father taught him the value of discipline. His grandmother brought love and religion into the mix. Looking back on this now as an adult, he can see how those different elements really shaped who he became as a man.

Of those three family relationships, the one that’s discussed the most in this book is definitely Will’s relationship with his father because Will had a very complex relationship with him. His father had some alcohol problems, could turn violent—especially when alcohol was involved—was very rigid, very demanding, and had very high expectations of his children. But on the other hand, he taught Will invaluable life lessons, instilled discipline in him, gave him a code to live by, and always had his son’s back. Will definitely had a lot of mixed feelings about his father growing up, and then, as his father was dying, he discusses all of that in this book. It was very difficult for him to reconcile that his father was simultaneously one of the best men he’s ever known and also could be one of the worst based on his actions.

I found reading about that relationship particularly interesting—not just because I wanted to learn more about Will Smith’s early life or what shaped him as a man, but because it’s a really good example of just how complicated parent and child relationships can be. People are multi-dimensional, and our relationships with them can be multi-dimensional, especially between a parent and a child because there’s so much added pressure on both sides. It was really interesting to see him be so honest about that and show how complex those types of relationships can be.

After he discusses his upbringing, he spends a lot of time talking about how he got involved in the music industry, and that makes sense because that’s where his career in entertainment got started. During this section, he gives this fascinating mini history lesson about how rap and hip-hop got started, how it originated in New York City, and then spread across the country in the pre-internet days. Him discussing his experiences being part of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince during this iconic moment for rap and hip-hop in the late ’80s was incredible to read about—that was probably my favorite part of this book if you couldn’t already tell.

It was also interesting reading about all the different things you would expect in a Will Smith memoir or autobiography—how The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air came about, moments during filming that were especially tough, how he went from that show into becoming a more serious actor, and then a bona fide movie star. Apparently, that was an objective he set for himself—a goal he wanted to achieve—and in this book, he talks about how he achieved it.

As he’s discussing his career, he also talks about what was going on in his romantic life at the time. He is a serial monogamist, and he likes having a woman in his life. He talks about girlfriends he had as a younger man, relationships he thought would go the distance but didn’t, his first marriage happening very quickly, having his first child, that relationship dissolving, meeting Jada Pinkett, knowing she was “the one,” how they got together, got married, and had two children.

Even though he is candid throughout this book, I noticed there are some things he chose not to talk about. I wondered if he’d address the Scientology accusations or the 2020 news item where we found out Jada had a relationship with someone else while they were separated. He doesn’t talk about the Scientology stuff at all, and he only briefly mentions that he and Jada were separated—mainly focusing on what he did during that time to figure out what went wrong and how he could better himself.

I found that tone appropriate for the book’s overall purpose. He talks about life events, pauses in the middle of stories or at the end, and shares the lessons he took from those experiences—whether that’s seizing opportunities, working hard, pushing yourself, holding back from saying hurtful things you can’t take back, or, tied to his separation from Jada, learning to relax and just be.

I was glad he included that last one. Will Smith is very ambitious, with huge amounts of energy, and sometimes seemed confused about people who don’t want that kind of life. He would sometimes interpret the dissolution of friendships as others not being ready for success, without acknowledging they might simply want different things—and that’s fine. Not everyone can (or should) live with Will Smith levels of energy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked that he talked about the high highs and the low lows, gave himself credit where due, and wasn’t afraid to admit when he messed up. It shows that even people who seem to have everything figured out are still learning. This book is full of his humor, personality, and down-to-earth Philadelphia roots, which I think has a lot to do with co-writer Mark Manson.

Mark’s influence is undetectable—he channels Will’s voice well without overshadowing it. Fans will likely be satisfied. No, it doesn’t include every detail of his life, but it feels like spending time with Will Smith. For me, as a lifelong fan, that was a dream.

If you’re a Will Smith fan, you might want to pick this up—or gift it to one—especially around the holiday season. It’s reflective, focused on learning from mistakes, and perfect for thinking about changes for the new year. Just make sure you have time to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, his movies, and listen to his music while reading, because you’ll want to dive right in after hearing the behind-the-scenes stories.

Also read: Think Again By Adam Grant Book Summary

Also read: The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran

Also read: The Journey Home By Radhanath Swami

Also read: Breaking The Habit Of Being Yourself By Joe Dispenza Book Summary

Also read: Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Book Summary