A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITOR’S CHOICE A SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR A VULTURE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR “A generous, appreciative biography of Robin Williams by a New York Times culture reporter. The author, who had access to Williams and members of the comedian’s family, is an unabashed fan but doesn’t shy away from the abundant messiness in his … comedian’s family, is an unabashed fan but doesn’t shy away from the abundant messiness in his subject’s personal life.”–The New York Times Book Review
From New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff, the definitive biography of Robin Williams – a compelling portrait of one of America’s most beloved and misunderstood entertainers.
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations – all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed.
But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’s comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt, which he drew upon in his comedy and in celebrated films like Dead Poets Society; Good Morning, Vietnam; The Fisher King; Aladdin; and Mrs. Doubtfire, where he showcased his limitless gift for improvisation to bring to life a wide range of characters. And in Good Will Hunting he gave an intense and controlled performance that revealed the true range of his talent.
Itzkoff also shows how Williams struggled mightily with addiction and depression – topics he discussed openly while performing and during interviews – and with a debilitating condition at the end of his life that affected him in ways his fans never knew. Drawing on more than a hundred original interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as extensive archival research, Robin is a fresh and original look at a man whose work touched so many lives.
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Reading Robin, the novel encompassing the entirety of Robin Williams’ life, was a peek behind the curtain, a small glimpse into the possible workings of his genius mind. But I came away from the book being reminded that we can never truly know what goes on inside another human, the struggles they face or the fears they hide. What I most enjoyed about this book were the stories his close friends and family shared and the behind the scenes shenanigans that took place during his movies. I found myself laughing out loud, crying quiet tears, and reading into the wee hours of the night.
An entertaining and engrossing biographical account of the life of Robin Williams. All of his milestones are covered and there are some fantastic interviews and bits about everyone’s favorite movies, TV shows, and comedy routines. There is also a somber thread that runs through the entire book, partly because of the known addiction issues Robin faced, but mostly because Robin intensely needed validation and adulation for his work, something that is hard to maintain at high levels for as long as his career was.
The book does a thorough job of chronicling the ups and downs of his career and lists many, many projects that I had not seen or was even aware of, many of which were ruthlessly panned by critics. His son Zak explains, “Dad’s happiness was correlated very much to how he was doing, career-wise… When there were films that would be less successful, he took it very personally. He took it as a personal attack.” With Robin’s well-chronicled depression and anxiety, it almost seemed that being in the film industry was a recipe for disaster for him personally. Who can take the litany of critical attacks over years between the career highs that would save his career? It must have been very difficult.
Ultimately, this book reminded me why I loved Robin Williams so much. The wonderful films are all here: Good Morning Vietnam, The Fisher King, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting, and so much more. Robin had enough high points to sustain an army of entertainers. He was a singular comedian and actor. Great book about a great man.
A detailed look at the life of one of America’s most beloved entertainers. Behind the crazy, hyper facade was a gentle guy that craved acceptance and was deeply wounded by critics arrows. A must read for even the most casual fan.
what a wonderful sad life was had by this wonderful, sad man. its a long book, but every minute spent reading it brings something new to your life. Great lessons on how to be a friend & family member. Lots of pictures and memories by people whose lives he touched. I really enjoyed reading it.
A well researched biography with lots of heart.
I learned a lot about Robin. Too much of the same…didn’t hold my interest.
I loved this book. It took me longer to read than it normally takes me because I kept stopping to think about him. Robin Williams was not perfect, but he was a gentle soul who gave the world immeasurable laughter. This book made me mourn him all over again. The world is emptier and sadder without him.
A great background biography with a known tragic ending.
The book tells the story of Robin Williams in depth. I highly recommend it.
This is perhaps one of the most complete biographies I have read. Most of us probably know the basic story, but the career of this guy is stunning. Read it! Karan Quincy
It finally explains what really happened to Robin Williams. Forget the tabloids, this book has the facts and details what he went through before taking his life.
Much too long and hard to stay focused. Learned a lot about his life.
loved the book; just made me love him more and sad he left us so soon; a tragic end for a one in a lifetime genius
Very well written with an empathetic, compassionate yet honest and in depth view of Robin, his family and friends.
tedious
It was nice to hear the real story
I had SHZBOT plates on the minivan and am from SF – so, huge fan.
I am fascinated by learning about the lives of legends. I loved Robin Williams. I grew up watching Mork and Mindy. I wanted to remember his achievements but also learn about the man behind the fame. I wanted to understand his humanity and honor his journey and final decision with more information than tabloids provide. I am glad I listened to this book on audio. The reader did a good job with Robin’s voice. I now have a deeper appreciation for Robin because of this book. I thank Robin for sharing his humor with us. May he rest in peace.
Too bad that the life of a great man was written with such a heavy hand! I couldn’t wade through it, much as I love Robin Williams.
I enjoyed re-living the great memories of Robin Wiliiams’ life. I laughed out loud at some parts and cried at others. It helped me to understand who he was a little bit more.