Robin

What I like about this book is the depth and loads of information. If you're a fan of Robin Williams you'll appreciate this book.The author wrote a candid and respectful biography about a comic icon and complicated man.What makes the book so good is the subject. Robin Williams was a brilliant, energetic, and endearing comedian. He was also human like the rest of us and he had his shortcomings. What came across even more in the book was his humility, insecurities and integrity.Some of the information like how he got along with his comic friends, his connection to John Belushi, and his choices in films he acted in was insightful. Mr. Williams made artistic choices using his own criteria.The lifestyle and his childhood were of interest also.I thought that the chapters that covered after his death were enlightening. The medical information was new to me.That's the sad part of Robin Williams's death. What he was experiencing mentally and physically cast new light on his demise.The happy part was how he treated people in general. He comes across as kind as he was funny.Great book!

I received the book on time and in the condition it was described. described

It's always nice to finish a biography with greater respect for the subject. That doesn't always happen, but it did for me after "Robin." I was a fan of many Robin Williams movies prior to coming to "Robin" but had always felt he was somewhat manic in interviews and not always funny. But as multiple people point out in Dave Itzkoff's "Robin," the actor was a genius with a photographic memory. Fellow actors and comedians repeatedly mention that Robin Williams was the best improv actor/comedian of his generation. Aside from some of the flash in the pan internet celebrities and reality show celebrities of our era, most celebrities become famous through a combination of singular talent and relentless hard work. This was certainly the case with Robin Williams. He was a great high school student, though torn by his father's pressures to find a practical career. Then he discovered acting in college, and went on to do improv and later to attend Juliard, where he met Christopher Reeve, a lifelong friend. The rest, in a sense, is history. Williams landed the role of Mork in "Mork and Mindy," a "Happy Days" spin-off. Then he went on to movies and acted in comedies and crowd-pleasers along with dramas like "Awakenings" and "The Fisher King." Williams proved his acting chops but remained a stand-up comedian throughout. He would often make surprise appearances at various nightclubs to perform. The actor was not without his vices. He dated multiple women, some at the same time, and was sued by a former girlfriend who claimed he gave her a venereal disease. He ended up being married three times. He also struggled with drugs and alcohol. When someone has a genius mind like Williams', it is probably tough to shut it off. That isn't to excuse his bad behavior but maybe to explain it. People were ultimately shocked why the actor would take his own life. He was a vibrant person who loved people. But he'd been suffering from a disease--maybe Parkinson's, maybe a form of Alzheimer's--that was robbing him of his mobility, his wit, everything that made Robin...Robin. I found Itzkoff's account of Williams' death to be both moving and tasteful. While reading, I was saddened all over again by the actor's passing. Overall, Itzkoff handles Williams' life expertly. "Robin" seems well organized. We learn about Williams' upbringing without extensive asides about his family lineage. Itzkoff covers the actor's schooling, his TV background, and the major films while bypassing lesser films that don't need to be covered in depth. Readers get a good sense of Williams' wives and children and of his friends, many of them fellow actors and comedians, and how much they loved and appreciated him. Perhaps a best, and lifelong, friend was Billy Crystal, who was clearly enriched by his friendship with Williams and shaken by the actor's death. Itzkoff relies less on written sources, which are probably more appropriate for the bio of a nineteenth-century general (and it seems Williams didn't do a lot of writing), and focuses on the many interviews he conducts. From these accounts, he artfully pieces together a vision of Williams' life. The writing is always strong, always respectful without being worshipful. I came away from "Robin" with a renewed respect for Robin Williams, a sense of nostalgia for his early work, and a desire to go back and re-watch the many great movies he made.

It was kinda hard to get started but once I got into it the story took off. It was very entertaining I learned a lot of things about Robin that were misrepresented in the press. Such a sad ending for him

Started a little slow, but once it tool off, I couldn't put it down. Fantastic book, very well done.

Arrived on time & in great condition

Author obviously took his time to turn out a quality biography on a complex, contradictory and often conflicted comedian. Jonathan Winters used to carry a quote in his wallet (Emerson?) “Comedy is the Mistress of Tragedy”. Seems to apply here. Just like Thomas Jefferson; the public persona of Robin Williams didn’t match the real human being. Both will probably always be enigmatic but this biography paints as clear a picture as we’ll likely ever see.

well written takes you through the ups and down of this comedic genious

tutto ok

It was a great read. Discovering what motivated Robin’s life choices was a journey into the behaviour of so many people around us. I was not disappointed!

Ottima biografia sulla vita privata e professionale di Robin Williams. Sicuramente la migliore! Io ho acquistato l'originale in lingua inglese, ma esiste anche in italiano......se amate Robin non potete perdervi questo libro! Ottimo!

Read and enjoyed it

Ottima biografia sul leggendario comico. Consigliata.