Will | Will Smith&MarkManson | Book Review
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| Will by Will Smith Book Cover |
I'm not a hardcore fan of Will Smith. I'm an Indian and I have seen a lot of his movies in Hindi dubbed and later in English and I really like his acting, his sense of humor, and comic timing. But I never bother myself to find out who Will Smith really is. And I really don't know that he is the one among them who started hip-hop and rap culture. So this is all the huge info I got through this book for the very first time. So I can say that it's a very unbiased review of this book.
What is this book all about?
It is all about the mistakes and the learnings which the author Will Smith has in his life and how it affects and prepares him mentally and physically to become what he becomes throughout his life journey. It is about good parenting and teaching which a kid learns through his parents and his immediate family and it can be the make and breakpoint of a child's life for the rest of his journey. It is about giving your relationship time and letting it go if it's the only option and it's about knowing when and what is enough. And taking responsibility for your own happiness and trying not to be a people pleaser all the time.
I read the first chapter and it is all clear to me that it has a lot of lessons and if I can learn anything through this read it is going to be really effective for me in the long run. In the childhood of a kid, it is really important to have good parenting and overall a good environment because it is the foundation of a child. It brings in a child's mind perspective, discipline, and most importantly a viewpoint about himself and the world around him.
The author hadn't had the appropriate environment to some extent and in some, he had the best of it. Whenever his parents took it up to them to teach their kids something pivotal which could help them throughout their life journey, they always set a great example of parenthood. But the environment of the authors' house was not at all a portrait of a happy family. There were always disputes, flights, and at worst domestic violence. Will had savored both the sour and bitter taste of life in his childhood.
But whenever he learned something pivotal from his dad and mom it was inspirational, moving, and raw. And the best thing is whatever he learned through his life after reading this memoir, you are all going to have all those learnings and you are going to have all that fun. Throughout his life, he learned from his parents, grandma, friends, mentors, co-actors, and associates. After giving this memoir a read you would know what exactly happens when you stop paying attention to the very thing that makes you famous, and how big and bizarre consequences and repercussions you could have of your negligence.
The best thing about teaching is no one can teach you everything, no matter how godlike and perfect they are. So the best learning which is going to work for you is a blend of things you learned from others and things you learned through your experience. Sometimes we just neglect this clear and small error and in the long run, it can ruin us. It's all about what you learn so far in your life because eventually, you are going to blend that with your new learnings, and believe me, it is going to work for you.
If I took the first chapter seriously, I might be able to finish the book a lot longer. But I hadn't. I was just seeing it as a big non-fiction book with 477 pages. Let alone the nonfiction I never read this big book in any genre. So I was all tense about it. And if you read my previous reviews, you would know I failed to complete my GoodReads reading challenge and you would know the reason as well. It's still 28/50. So the first chapter 'the wall' is about consistency, determination, hard work, and mostly your viewpoint towards your goal.
So Will's dad put him and his younger brother on a task to build a new wall in front of his store. He could easily hire some contractor to do the work and in some days it would all be done, but Will's dad was up to teach something pivotal to both of his sons.
Will and his younger brother were all on their own. After school every day they had to come to the store to dig the footing and make a mix of cement and other ingredients to lay the bricks, one by one to complete the humongous wall. They were young kids with zero experience and a giant Wall to build. When months passed and they were not able to complete their most torturous task, both the brothers got frustrated. And that time their dad put seeds of his wisdom in their mind.
“Stop thinking about the damn wall!” he said. “There is no wall. There are only bricks. Your job is to lay this brick perfectly. Then move on to the next brick. Then lay that brick perfectly. Then the next one. Don’t be worrying about no wall. Your only concern is one brick.” I started to see that the difference between a task that feels impossible and a task that feels doable is merely a matter of perspective. Are you paying attention to the wall? Or are you paying attention to the brick?
Review
The first thing which I want to clear for all of you is that stop seeing this book as pessimistic. You are never going to have anything from this book or life if you keep on forming negative points about tiny problems and missing the whole big picture which is really great and inspiring. A lot of reviews which I read were saying that Will Smith is all boastful and aggrandizing in his book and he keeps talking about his riches, money, success, and stardom.
I think that it is a bit right but it's not like it's all about that, it was just a tiny part of a big picture. He always acknowledges that in no way he gets to where he is, alone or even solely on his own merits. I think the author was just trying to inspire others to have that kind of success and riches, what one should need to do. It is not like that he was lucky enough to have this all and now he is bragging about it.
He wasn't lucky at all. He really worked hard to have what he has today. Even if he talked more than once about his stardom and riches, I think it is all fair, he has every right to do that. Because it's a fact that He is a successful superstar and a billionaire. And success and riches are the pivotal fuel in anyone's life to keep you going towards a goal like becoming a 'Big Willie'. Even this all if you're seeing the negative point only then I guess this book isn't for you.
In a nutshell
Will is an honest and engaging memoir. So real and raw. And it is a bit of everything; inspiring, uplifting, heartbreaking, fun, adventurous, heartwarming, eye-opening, interesting, hopeful, emotional, and a lot more to add. There is something everyone can have out of this book. I really have deep respect for Will Smith after reading this book.
Recommendation
No matter if you know Will Smith or not; if you like rapping or not, if you like acting or not, or if you're a fan or not. It doesn't matter what race or passion you follow or what gender you are. This book is for everyone. If you're not picking this book because some people made this all about boastful and aggrandizing Will Smith then you are missing a lot of learnings, adventures, and fun that comes with this memoir. Though it's not for young adults as it has some involvement of drugs, mafia, and sex. Nevertheless, if you're 16+ you can give it a read. It's going to be very helpful for you. So readers grab your copy now and thank me later.
Happy Reading 💖
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