There was a point three months into writing it when I felt the kind of self-loathing that I haven’t felt since middle school. What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing it? So I thought maybe my experiences might make somebody smile or feel a little more connected, and I had a chance to put it together and write it during the pandemic. We’re in a society that just doesn’t encourage that kind of thing. There was never a book that said, “This is how you navigate the entertainment industry as a young man of color.” And I’ve met a lot of people who were told they’re crazy for having multiple passions. Later I thought, maybe I do have a story to tell: I’d love to write a book for the 20-year-old version of me.

I don’t like the optics of that and, more importantly, I don’t have a story to tell. I’ll set you up with meetings.” I said, “Dan, what am I going to write a book about?” He said, “There aren’t many actors who have been in politics.” I said, “The governor is literally Arnold Schwarzenegger.” And the reason I took the sabbatical was not to write a book. Heart of gold but also a lion.Īnd he said, “You need to write a book. I describe him in the book as like every character from the TV show “Entourage” in one person. The first idea, which I rejected, came the day I left the White House. When did you first get the idea to write this book? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books.That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125.See what’s new in October: Among this month’s new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric.

Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more.Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start.

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