Publisher's Description
Superstar comedian and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include: the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have the funniest, most heartfelt, and most inspirational memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself since Old Yeller.
Candid, wickedly funny, and unforgettable, I Can’t Make This Up is more than a memoir. It is a training manual designed to teach you a positive, drama-free outlook on life and code of conduct that will serve you, serve others, and serve your biggest, boldest dreams.
The Gassy Squirrel's Thoughts
Book Review
Read it because it’s funny as hell.
If you’ve watched Kevin Hart’s stand-up routines, you’re familiar with some of the crazy stories of growing up poor with a father with no filter and a mother who kept an iron grip on her baby boy to ensure he didn’t become a hoodlum. In this memoir, he takes a deeper dive (bravely getting pretty darn personal at times) and adds in more hilarious fiascos, such as his quiet shame of not growing hair (down there) until he was nearly 18 years old, and the interesting things he did to encourage pubic productivity.
As with many other comedians, it took years of hard work while living hand-to-mouth as well as immense strength to ignore the naysayers in order to reach the kind of international success that Hart has achieved. As the stories unfold, he throws in some wisdom he’s picked up through some of the unlikeliest experiences, but they’re still life lessons to which anyone can relate.
The nuggets of wisdom are not new (e.g., staying true to yourself, being persistent) but the scenarios upon which he bases them offer quite an original perspective on tried and true life advice. So pick up some wisdom as you laugh yourself silly by reading this one.
Audiobook Review
Highly recommended!
Anyone who’s seen Kevin Hart’s stand-up acts or films knows this is one funny dude, and to hear him “read” about life growing up as a Hart will have you in stitches. This is the most “un-read” narration I’ve ever heard. He rarely sounds like he’s reading, and on occasion I suspect he leaves the book’s script to talk directly to his listeners. He knows when to be loud and obnoxious, and when to sober up and talk quietly, and he absolutely knows how to rock an audiobook narration as well as any of his stand-up shows.
Big thumbs up.
Book Review
Read it because it’s funny as hell.
If you’ve watched Kevin Hart’s stand-up routines, you’re familiar with some of the crazy stories of growing up poor with a father with no filter and a mother who kept an iron grip on her baby boy to ensure he didn’t become a hoodlum. In this memoir, he takes a deeper dive (bravely getting pretty darn personal at times) and adds in more hilarious fiascos, such as his quiet shame of not growing hair (down there) until he was nearly 18 years old, and the interesting things he did to encourage pubic productivity.
As with many other comedians, it took years of hard work while living hand-to-mouth as well as immense strength to ignore the naysayers to reach the kind of international success that Hart has achieved. As the stories unfold, he throws in some wisdom he’s picked up through some of the unlikeliest experiences, but they’re still life lessons to which anyone can relate.
The nuggets of wisdom are not new (e.g., staying true to yourself, being persistent) but the scenarios upon which he bases them offer quite an original perspective on tried and true life advice. So pick up some wisdom as you laugh yourself silly by reading this one.
Audiobook Review
Highly recommended!
Anyone who’s seen Kevin Hart’s stand-up acts or films knows this is one funny dude, and to hear him “read” about life growing up as a Hart will have you in stitches. This is the most “un-read” narration I’ve ever heard. He rarely sounds like he’s reading, and on occasion I suspect he leaves the book’s script to talk directly to his listeners. He knows when to be loud and obnoxious, and when to sober up and talk quietly, and he absolutely knows how to rock an audiobook narration as well as any of his stand-up shows.
Big thumbs up.
Some of My Favorite Quotes
(Okay, I know there are a lot, but he’s got so many good ones!)
- On Life Perspective
You can choose to cry about the bullshit that happens to you or you can choose to laugh about it. I choose laughter.
You can’t control the events that happen to you, but you can control your interpretation of them. So why not choose the story that serves life the best?
- On Childhood Stress
I didn’t get pubic hair until I was almost 18 years old. True story. Being the last person to grow pubic hair in my class was probably the biggest stress I dealt with in my childhood.
- On Women's Special Talent
I don’t know how women have that talent to just know when you’re a guy with nothing going on. You could have the nicest shirt and pants on, but something about your life stench – you got a life stench that just doesn’t smell right. “Mm. That guy don’t smell successful at all. Uh uh. Girl, don’t go over there. He wearin’ that unsuccessful cologne. What you wearin’ – Not Doin’ Good in Life?”
- On Doubters and Believing in Yourself
Don’t invite them into the conversation. You already know what you want to dedicate yourself to, so you don’t need to ask for their approval. There’s no need to seek external approval when you already have internal approval.
- On Commitment
The unsuccessful get halfway to the finish line, then they turn around. The successful get halfway, then they keep going. Both run the same distance, but only one makes it to the finish line. To win a race, having talent, speed, and endurance help, but those things are nothing without commitment.
- On Independence
Waiting for other people to make your dreams come true is like waiting for a bus on a corner where there’s no bus stop. Sometimes the bus driver may feel bad for you and stop anyway, but usually he’ll speed right past and leave you standing there like an idiot.
- On Handling Adversity
When life hands you shit sandwiches, just keep your mouth shut. Nobody wants to eat shit…Well, except those people in those weird pornos where they do that stuff with poop…
- On Moving Forward
Success is not an excuse to stop. It’s a reason to move the goal post farther out and accelerate. There’s no destination, just a journey.
If you want to get far in life, then never get too comfortable. Don’t stop. Don’t rest. Don’t be satisfied.
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