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bookwormjimmy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
My first experience with Rent was the film version that came out in 2005, and have been a fan of the soundtrack ever since. I recently watched Tick Tick Boom that focused on Jonathan Larson's life before he had written Rent. So it was a pleasant surprise when I happened to find this book in a local Little Free Liibrary. Perhaps it was the right time to read it.
Written in 2006, the book covers Rapp's life up until the filming of the movie adaptation of the film. Having read this book in 2024, there are parts of his life that he has now opened up about that aren't covered in Without You, yet as a reader its's something that we know has impacted his life at this point. It's that awareness that allows for a delicate reading of his text.
Rapp is brutally honest about his life in this memoir that focuses on getting the role as Mark in Rent, the impact of Jonathan Larson's death, the decline in health and eventual death of his mother, and the highs & lows of his past relationships. He's very open about not only the emotional trauma that he went through, but also his own personal failings as a son and partner. I appreciated how raw he was in sharing his story, and appreciate how far he has come in his life and career today.
If you're looking for a touching memoir about love, loss, and the musical Rent, then this would be a great read.
Written in 2006, the book covers Rapp's life up until the filming of the movie adaptation of the film. Having read this book in 2024, there are parts of his life that he has now opened up about that aren't covered in Without You, yet as a reader its's something that we know has impacted his life at this point. It's that awareness that allows for a delicate reading of his text.
Rapp is brutally honest about his life in this memoir that focuses on getting the role as Mark in Rent, the impact of Jonathan Larson's death, the decline in health and eventual death of his mother, and the highs & lows of his past relationships. He's very open about not only the emotional trauma that he went through, but also his own personal failings as a son and partner. I appreciated how raw he was in sharing his story, and appreciate how far he has come in his life and career today.
If you're looking for a touching memoir about love, loss, and the musical Rent, then this would be a great read.
ande13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
bridgetcisneros's review against another edition
4.25
it took me a while to get into the book at first but once i did i could not put it down. i’ve always loved the musical rent and now have a deeper appreciation for anthony rapp. he is extremely honest and vulnerable in his book, and i would definitely recommend it for anyone who loves rent
jpb2594's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
moodyjulia's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved the parts about Rent in this book, and that's about it. It was nicely written, but I just couldn't make myself care about the rest of it. That said, I felt like I learned a lot about him in the process of reading this. All in all, not a bad read!
waitingforthesecondstar's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I always feel weird rating memoirs, but this was very fun to read as a fan of Rapp and the show "Rent." His reading the audiobook was also a treat!
call0way's review against another edition
5.0
A perennial re-read for me — this book memoir is full of nostalgia for my teenage years when I first read it. One of my favorite memoirs.
tracyramone's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/3.75 - Had a hard time putting this down today. Now I gotta go watch Rent.......again.
tlctbr's review against another edition
3.0
Who wouldn't like this book? I mean, seriously, it's by Anthony Rapp!! I had Rent in my head for weeks. Good thing Stephanie and I are going to see it soon, or I might get severe withdrawal symptoms!!