by Bob Odenkirk
First published 2022
Bob Odenkirk opens his memoir by admitting his career makes no sense. He will try to explain it anyway. The story begins in Chicago's grimy comedy clubs, where a chance encounter with Second City's Del Close changed everything. Odenkirk landed at SNL as a writer, then created the "Motivational Speaker" sketch for Chris Farley. He refined his craft on The Ben Stiller Show and perfected it with Mr. Show With Bob and David, inspiring a generation of comedy writers. Hollywood development crushed his hopes repeatedly. Then Breaking Bad happened. Nobody was more surprised than Odenkirk himself. This dramatic turn led to collaborations with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig. Finally, he became a global action star in Nobody, though he still cannot fully explain why. Odenkirk writes with the same voice he developed through years of comedy, mixing humor with honest reflection on reinventing yourself when everything seems lost.
Genres: drama, autobiography, memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, reinvention
Setting: Chicago
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
284 pages · Hardcover · Random House