Will Smith announces new memoir: ‘My first book ever!’
The book is set to be released on November 9
Will Smith is ready to tell his incredible life story his way.
The Bad Boys actor took to social media to share his excitement about his new memoir and revealed the title and cover of his first book entitled, WILL. The book is set to be released on November 9 with Penguin Random House.
“My FIRST BOOK EVER!! WTH?!?! Pre-order in my bio or willsmith.com. Thank U @markmanson for rockin’ with me!! #WillTheBook,” Smith said in the caption. He called the book “a labor of love” in the video, adding, “I’ve been working on it for the past two years and it is finally ready.”
WILL explores the actor’s “transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken,” according to the memoir’s website.
Co-written by Mark Manson, the co-author of the best-selling book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, the book is the product of Smith’s “profound journey” to “self-knowledge” and touches on his family being at the height of the entertainment industry but feeling “more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn’t signed up for.”
In 2018, Smith teased and partnership with Manson on Instagram and shared his hopes of creating “transcendent art” through the project. “I’m writing a book! I’ve got years and years of stuff I’ve been wanting to say and I’m finally gonna write a book. I’m writing it for y’all,” he said in the video.
In the comments, Smith’s longtime friend DJ Jazzy Jeff remarked “I can’t wait,” while his son Jaden said, “This book is a life-changer.”
Visual artist Brandon Odums, also known as “B Mike,” a native of New Orleans, was commissioned by Smith to create the artwork “to communicate visually the evolution of a person, from childhood through adulthood, and at major stages of their life in between,” according to a press release.
“Someone cool asked me to create the cover art for their first memoir. This was such an incredible and surreal opportunity, working with the legend @willsmith,” Odoms said.
“Y’all gotta see how @bmike2c made the art for my book— there’s levels to it!! 5 layers, each repping a different stage of my life…Beautiful! Pre-order the book, link in bio. Big thanx @brianbowensmith for the original pic. #WillTheBook,” Smith posted, along with photos and video unveiling a 12-foot painting of the cover.
“I was looking for someone to create something iconic for the cover of my book. I didn’t want to just do a picture,” Smith said his youth book club event.
Celebrities praised Odums’ work such as comedian and Insecure actress Amanda Seales who commented, “Kinda major! ???.” Fellow New Orleans native, Producer Mannie Fresh said, “U the man BRO KEEP DOING GOOD.”
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