A Life in Parts

October 10, 2016
Though known today for Breaking Bad, Cranston played a number of roles before becoming an actor. Paperboy, biker, grocery store security guard—each chapter explores a different facet of Cranston’s personal history, as though Cranston were teaching another actor how to play him onstage. Deeply personal from the outset, Cranston walks readers through his early aimless years, his moment of Zen inspiration to be an actor, and the obsessive hard work on the soap opera Loving, during which he was also dealing with the fallout from an abusive relationship. Cranston discusses his later success on Malcolm in the Middle; Breaking Bad fans, of course, will fly straight to Cranston’s chapters on script changes made behind the scenes and the reasoning behind Walt’s underwear choices. But the way in which Cranston’s simple, staccato prose invites readers to empathize with every “character” he’s played elevates this autobiography to more than just a look behind the scenes—it’s a look behind a life.

January 30, 2017
Cranston recalls the highs and the lows of his life, from his early aimless years and his moment of Zen inspiration to be an actor to his acting success on Breaking Bad. Listeners are likely to be fascinated by his growing up in a family of actors and his early career as a police officer. Both his words and tone convey a fitting amount of humbleness and sincerity that are likely to endear listeners all the more. Cranston sprinkles more sobering moments throughout the memoir, including losses, mistakes, and epiphanies, which gives the production depth. As the narrator, it’s perfect Cranston, drawing upon his acting skills to determine the right amount of emotional energy in any given passage. Listeners can all but hear the tears starting to trickle when he talks about the loss of loved ones, and he leaves no doubt about how much joy his wife and daughter bring him. A Simon & Schuster hardcover.