Robin

This well-written page-turner is the definitive biography of the genius of Robin Williams, whose life redefines the highs and lows of the American dream. -- Steve Martin In Robin, Dave Itzkoff manages to straddle the man and the myth of Robin Williams, all the while helping us see why we fell in love with both. He has written a book about the truth and pain that lies in comedy, and the price paid by a sensitive soul. -- Amy Poehler This book should be on everyones summer reading list. Its certainly on mine -- James Corden Dave Itzkoffs Robin is much like the man himself warm, funny, frenetic, with a core of darkness and empathy. It gets at that darkness, and shows how it fuelled, beautifully, the manic brain and kinetic body of the man himself. An amazing read. -- Patton Oswalt Tenderly written . . . frequently hilarious. * Sunday Times * A superb, illuminating study * Total Film * Compelling * Mail on Sunday Books of the Year 2018 * A must-read * Vogue * [A] really great book a living chronicle and secret history of 50 years of American pop culture and you should pick it up! -- Colson Whitehead, author of T<i>he Underground Railroad </i> This is the complete portrait of Robin Williams, from the boyhood inception of his genius to the complexity of his death. Williams may well be one of those people who are impossible to fully understand, but this book is as close as anyone will ever come. -- Chuck Klosterman, author of <i>But What If Were Wrong?</i> Dave Itzkoff has produced a remarkable and empathetic portrait, packed with satisfying detail, of a comic whirligig who could break your heart. He reveals Robin Williams the man with clarity and poignancy. -- Julie Salamon, author of <i>The Devils Candy</i> and <i>Wendy and the Lost Boys</i> Everyone Dave Itzkoff interviewed for his account of Robin Williamss life and career seems unsure if they fully knew who Williams was and why he did all the things he did, but Itzkoff pieces him together in his entirety. This engrossing book paints a stunningly complete picture of both the man and the comedian. A triumph, and a tragedy. -- Alan Sepinwall, coauthor of <i>TV (The Book) </i>and author of <i>The Revolution Was Televised</i> For someone who often seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve, Robin Williams was also surprisingly elusive. In his probing and compassionate biography, Dave Itzkoff does justice to both the blazing light and the dark corners in his work and life. Robin is deeply reported, finely attuned to the ebb and flow of a long and singular career, and ultimately very moving. -- Mark Harris, author of <i>Pictures at a Revolution</i> and <i>Five Came Back</i>

Dave Itzkoff is the author of Mad as Hell, Cocaines Son and Lads. He is a culture reporter at the New York Times, where he writes regularly about film, television, theatre, music and popular culture. He previously worked at Spin, Maxim and Details, and his work has appeared in GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired and other publications. He lives in New York City.