Book Review: A Life in Parts, by Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston's autobiography, A Life in Parts, is just the kind of book I like to read these days: easy, straightforward, short, engaging...and by Walter friggin White!

Like his acting, the book is funny, direct, effective, and at times deeply emotional. It is not grandiose. It does not overreach. Cranston does not attempt to portray his craft as "magic" or more important than it is. Instead, he talks about his craft just as a really intelligent brick layer would talk about his. He clearly loves acting and has dedicated his life to it, but it's his work, he does it for pay and at the end of the day he doesn't let it define him. I think this is an effect caused by the fact that he achieved "fame" so late in his career. He spent his 20s, 30s, and 40s, hacking out a living doing bit parts and whatever TV roles came his way until Malcolm in the Middle and then ultimately Breaking Bad in his 50s. And he's got the humility to prove it.

Highlights of the book:

• Obviously a real treat for any Breaking Bad fans out there, as he talks a lot about what it was like to be on set, how that job affected his life, what the other actors were like, etc. But the book is not overwhelmed by Breaking Bad tales, and I applaud Cranston for it. 
• Cranston detailing his bizarre and dysfunctional Southern California 60s/70s childhood and then the seminal experiences in his late-teens and 20s that led him to the ultimate, and permanent revelation that he wanted to be an actor. It's inspirational for anyone who has ever struggled with their career direction.
• His tales about working on Seinfeld, an highlight and important stepping stone in his career
• In general, his stories about the various acting jobs he had to take over the years, some failed, most successful, in his slow but steady rise to widespread success
• As trite as it sounds, this book really does almost feel like you're sitting down in Cranston's living room with him, or at a bar having a beer; the "voice" and the writing are that clear and direct. 

Whether or not it's true (you never know with actors), Bryan Cranston comes off as a regular guy who managed -- through discipline, hard-work, clean-living, perseverance, and a little luck -- to make a success of himself in his chosen field. A worthwhile read.