by Kevin Hart
First published 2017
Kevin Hart opens his memoir in North Philadelphia, where he was born as an unwanted accident to parents who struggled with their own demons. His father battled drug addiction and spent time in jail. His brother dealt crack and committed petty crimes. His mother ruled with overwhelming strictness, beating him with belts, frying pans, and his own toys. The odds were stacked against the young Hart from the beginning. Yet he transformed these harsh circumstances into fuel for his rise to become the world's biggest comedian. Hart now sells out football stadiums on tour and stars in films that have earned over $3.5 billion collectively, supported by a social media following exceeding 100 million. He attributes his success not just to hard work and talent, but to his distinctive perspective on adversity. Hart views life as a series of chapters that each person writes for themselves, believing that how you interpret each chapter determines what comes next.
Genres: autobiography, contemporary, biography-memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, self-made-man
Setting: North Philadelphia
Period: 21st-century
378 pages · Hardcover · 37 Ink
Content warnings: abuse, addiction, drug-use