Cover Image: Act Like You Got Some Sense

Act Like You Got Some Sense

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Member Reviews

Jamie Foxx is obviously super entertaining. This book and his take on parenting is no different. If you want to read about another parents hilarious screw ups and triumphs, then this book is definitely for you. He tells hilarious stories, but also gets deep into what it means to be a parent, or in his case being raised by grandparents. Jamie is inspiring and you can get a lot of hope from reading his parenting tales and fails.

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I first came across Jamie Foxx’s work in Any Given Sunday. (In my late teens, I went through a football movie/TV phase.) He stole many of the scenes he was in, easily holding his own opposite Al Pacino and others. Since then, I’ve seen quite a few of his movies. I did not, however, really know anything about him. So, when I had the chance to review his new memoir, I jumped at the chance. It’s an interesting, honest, often funny memoir and examination of his experiences and the choices he’s made in life. I really enjoyed it.

Act Like You Got Some Sense took me a bit by surprise. I’d expected something interesting and engaging, but hadn’t expected it to be as funny as it is. I ended up listening to it in two sitting, over the course of a single day — sure, it’s not very long, but it’s noteworthy that Foxx is pretty efficient in his storytelling, while never making the book feel rushed or thrown-together. He digs quite deep at times, and provides plenty of stories and anecdotes from his career and experiences as a father (and son). I had expected to find the Hollywood/career stories more interesting than the content on his family (it’s why I was interested in reading the book in the first place), but I found myself liking all of the topics equally — Foxx’s wit shines throughout, and I don’t think more than a few minutes went by without me laughing out loud.

It’s not all laughs, though: One thing that comes across quite clearly is that Foxx is not interested in dodging responsibility for his mistakes — he frequently notes when he was a terrible father (especially when he was younger and just starting his rise through the Hollywood ranks), and talks about the ways in which his behaviour affected his kids, and how he wishes he could have made some different choices. These chapters and sections offer some genuine discussion of what it means to be a father, and the ways in which parents’ choices can have lasting impacts on their kids. He also sometimes uses these experiences to talk about more general approaches to treating others.

If you’re interested in Foxx’s work, Hollywood in general, and engaging life stories, then I would definitely recommend you give Act Like You Got Some Sense a try. Foxx’s performance for the audiobook is superb, too, as one should probably expect.

Definitely recommended.

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I typically enjoy memoirs written by comedians. Trevor Noah and Tina Fey wrote great ones. But this one just didn’t hit. Neither terribly insightful nor funny.

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Jamie Foxx shares his stories of family and fatherhood in this book. His sense of humor shines throughout the book and had me laughing! His stories are relatable, but told with his Jamie Foxx flair. He also shares nuggets of wisdom and tips that he has picked up throughout his fatherhood journey. If you enjoy his humor, you will definitely enjoy this one.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy!

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In his lighthearted memoir Jamie Fox gives us an inside look into his life as a father to his daughters Corrine and Annalise. He also takes us inside his upbringing as a young boy in Texas, raised by his strict grandparents.

I love Jamie’s carefree narrative. His comedic flare is on full display in every story he shares. I had a few laugh-out-loud moments which is extremely rare for me. Even though his delivery was comical, I able to still get a good sense of how he was raised, and how he raised his two daughters. This book is a fun, easy read that removes Jamie the celebrity, and gives us Jamie the dad and son.

I give this one 4/5⭐️s. Although it’s entertaining, I don’t think it’s a “must read”. If you’re a Jamie Foxx fan you will enjoy it. It’s also good for anyone looking for a quick, easygoing read.

As for the parenting advice, luckily my children are grown. Therefore, I don’t need it😂.

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In this memoir, Jamie Foxx touches on many topics from his past, including his childhood, his unique family structure and his rise to fame. All of these stories are framed around his role as a father to his two daughters. Foxx ties each part of this memoir to how his experiences and relationships have prepared him for parenthood.

This book is as much a memoir as it is a book about his successes and failures as a father. I don't want to say it's a book that gives advice on parenting, although it may seem like it is at first glance. The message is more was like "this is how I do it and it works for me" type of reflection on parenting.

As with everything that Jamie Foxx produces, he had me LAUGHING OUT LOUD. His life story is kind of crazy and his family is a big part of why I found this book so intriguing. He talks a lot about his grandmother, who raised him, and about the evolution of his relationships with his biological mother and father. I am in awe of his ability to push aside his past anger and resentment and to seize any opportunity he has had to build relationships with them.

I love that Foxx is honest about his shortcomings as a father. As much as he had every intention of being the best father he could be, his early days of fatherhood were during the most formative years of his entertainment career and he didn't always make the best choices. I appreciated that he continues to want to strive to be better for his daughters and to learn from his mistakes.

If you're looking for a quick, hilarious and entertaining nonfiction read, pick this one up!

⚠️: abandonment, child abuse, substance abuse, addiction, incarcerated loved one

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If you didn't know who the author was, you would never guess he was a comedian. Jamie foxx is one of my favorite storytellers but that skill did not translate to the written word. I'm not a parent; I wanted this book to laugh more than learn but it did not deliver on that score

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I was able to read the book in a day, it was a easy and interesting read. Some stories I wanted to know more. But it’s known that the author is a good story teller. Learning more about his grandmother whom he has spoken fondly about even when he spoke of her firmness. His grandmother standing up in church declaring what she did was a standout moment in the book. How it stuck with him stood out as well.

His disappointment in how his parents wasn’t able to be there for him was apparent, Life as a parent in what clearly is different approach just based on his daughters age difference and his southern upbringing.

There were a couple of emotional moments that made the stories and author seem relatable,

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Liked reading about authors background and then all through his years of making it in Hollywood. Very interesting. His love for his daughters and family are very evident. Good read!!

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

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