ARC Book Review: Arsenio - A Memoir

I love reading memoirs as they give so much insight, often changing perspectives of what we think we know about someone. The memoirs give us a behind-the-scenes play-by-play of a person’s life. With each word read, you may gain inspiration, you may laugh, you may cry, or even have empathy for the said story.

Growing up, I used to watch the Arsenio Hall Show. Coming to America was and still is one of my favorite movies. Who doesn’t love Harlem Nights, seeing him as the Big Crybaby? Reading these pages of Arsenio’s memoir, I learned so much. I love that social media wasn’t as it seemed; so many connections, friendships, and lifelong memories were created without being documented. As Arsenio tells his story, he tells stories of legends we never knew were connected with, Sammy Davis Jr., Richard Pryor, Patti LaBelle, Magic Johnson, Eddie Murphy, and so many more.

Arsenio shows his loyalty to friends, his resilience, and belief in his personal goals to be, in his words, Johnny Carson. He wasn’t afraid to have the hard conversations with guests on his show yet showed the moments of vulnerability to change. What I appreciated most was the trust he had in his team. He even had the boldness to stand up to the machine of the industry to walk away, sticking to his guns on his personal convictions. Arsenio told the story with truth and his comedic wit we have seen for so many years. I was cracking up throughout the entire book.

I enjoyed this book so much. I didn’t think I would be so inspired reading this book. From chapter to chapter, reading Arsenio’s story gave me the strength and wisdom to be certain of my personal goals. In doing so, I became a true friend, loyal, and be sure of what I do and who I am.

Definitely a great book to add to your library.