Radical Love: Learning to Accept Yourself and Others
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- Create Date：2022-07-04 08:53:06
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Zachary Levi
- ISBN：0785236759
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Summary
I'm not an expert， therapist， pastor， teacher， or monk。 I am merely a person going through my own mental and emotional health journey， hoping that I can pass on some of the wisdom and tools that I'd been blessed enough to learn along the way。 And I truly believe that if we can help heal the hearts and minds of everyone on earth， we will solve every other problem known to man in the process。 -- Zachary Levi
Radical Love is the debut memoir from Zachary Levi （Shazam！， American Underdog， The Marvelous Mrs。 Maisel， Chuck）， which shares his emotional journey through a lifetime of crippling anxiety and depression to find joy， gratitude， and ultimate purpose。 Facing the scars of childhood trauma and the voices in his head that told him he would never be enough， Zac recounts the raw yet honest behind-the-scenes story of his family life， career successes， and the personal disappointments that led him to rock bottom and landed him in a therapy center， where he learned to address the underlying issues that preceded his downward spiral。
Radical Love combines witty， touching， and powerful commentary with relatable illustrations to help you on your own path toward mental wellness。 With vulnerability and humor， Zac relates the valuable lessons and insights he’s learned so that you can rise from the ashes of trauma and pursue a meaningful life of gratitude。
Radical Love is the debut memoir from Zachary Levi （Shazam！， American Underdog， The Marvelous Mrs。 Maisel， Chuck）， which shares his emotional journey through a lifetime of crippling anxiety and depression to find joy， gratitude， and ultimate purpose。 Facing the scars of childhood trauma and the voices in his head that told him he would never be enough， Zac recounts the raw yet honest behind-the-scenes story of his family life， career successes， and the personal disappointments that led him to rock bottom and landed him in a therapy center， where he learned to address the underlying issues that preceded his downward spiral。
Radical Love combines witty， touching， and powerful commentary with relatable illustrations to help you on your own path toward mental wellness。 With vulnerability and humor， Zac relates the valuable lessons and insights he’s learned so that you can rise from the ashes of trauma and pursue a meaningful life of gratitude。
Reviews
Shammah
，
3。5 stars。 There is a lot of profanity！！ I would not recommend this book without a strong language warning。 If it had been a clean read， I would have given it 5 stars。 And if you are going to read this book I highly recommend that you listen to the audio version。 Zachery Levi’s performance is wonderful。 It was interesting to learn more about his upbringing and challenges with mental illness。 There are some great nuggets of wisdom that readers can takeaway from this book， which is always a plus。 3。5 stars。 There is a lot of profanity！！ I would not recommend this book without a strong language warning。 If it had been a clean read， I would have given it 5 stars。 And if you are going to read this book I highly recommend that you listen to the audio version。 Zachery Levi’s performance is wonderful。 It was interesting to learn more about his upbringing and challenges with mental illness。 There are some great nuggets of wisdom that readers can takeaway from this book， which is always a plus。 So overall， I liked this book， but really wish it wasn’t so abrasive with the language。 。。。more
Electra
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I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would。 Zachary Levi is a great storyteller and the stories that he chooses to share are great。 I'm not sure all of the psychological parts of the book are incredibly accurate so much as his understanding of those principles。 Still， the message and his authenticity speaks volumes。 I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would。 Zachary Levi is a great storyteller and the stories that he chooses to share are great。 I'm not sure all of the psychological parts of the book are incredibly accurate so much as his understanding of those principles。 Still， the message and his authenticity speaks volumes。 。。。more
Sierra Fenwick
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I've been in love with Zachary Levi since the good old Chuck days， but not being celeb obsessed I didnt know much about him。 This book and his perspective taught me a lot。 Love ya Zach！❤❤❤ I've been in love with Zachary Levi since the good old Chuck days， but not being celeb obsessed I didnt know much about him。 This book and his perspective taught me a lot。 Love ya Zach！❤❤❤ 。。。more
Emily
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This book is probably the most on-the-nose， validating， encouraging book I’ve ever read。 I’m not in the movie business at all， so that should tell you something。 It’s clear to see that pain， suffering， and mental illness is truly universal， regardless of how a person identifies or what they’ve done in their life。 I learned a great deal about my own mental struggles while reading， and had to stop reading a few times to sit with my feelings and process what I’ve just read。 I have different traumas This book is probably the most on-the-nose， validating， encouraging book I’ve ever read。 I’m not in the movie business at all， so that should tell you something。 It’s clear to see that pain， suffering， and mental illness is truly universal， regardless of how a person identifies or what they’ve done in their life。 I learned a great deal about my own mental struggles while reading， and had to stop reading a few times to sit with my feelings and process what I’ve just read。 I have different traumas than what is described in the book， but the end result is much the same for me。 I’m thankful I read this book and would recommend it to anyone looking to better understand the importance of mental health and healing themselves from past trauma。 。。。more
Heidi
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Heads up， language warning for this one （it makes sense once you have some personal context of the author， but it’s fairly continual through the whole book so if you’re sensitive to language， fair warning）。 Fabulous book。 4。5 stars
Sabrina
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This is a fantastic book that everyone should read。 The audio is narrated by @zacharylevi so it's incredibly well done and engaging。 Honestly， I finished it in a day。😳 I listened every chance I could。 I was captivated。 It's a quick read that is rich in wisdom and insights into human nature with encouragement to find grace and love for ourselves and others。 Heartbreaking but also hope filled and inspiring。 This is a fantastic book that everyone should read。 The audio is narrated by @zacharylevi so it's incredibly well done and engaging。 Honestly， I finished it in a day。😳 I listened every chance I could。 I was captivated。 It's a quick read that is rich in wisdom and insights into human nature with encouragement to find grace and love for ourselves and others。 Heartbreaking but also hope filled and inspiring。 。。。more
Dawn Michelle
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Whoosh。 I do not even know how to review this。 I am beyond overwhelmed， did some serious ugly crying and came out of the whole reading experience realizing just how much I need to be in therapy and how much I wish that I had people around me like Mr。 Levi does - it is amazing to realize that there are people who will go out of their way to help someone when their life falls apart。 Written in a straightforward， frank way， the author pulls no punches in talking about where he came from， where he Whoosh。 I do not even know how to review this。 I am beyond overwhelmed， did some serious ugly crying and came out of the whole reading experience realizing just how much I need to be in therapy and how much I wish that I had people around me like Mr。 Levi does - it is amazing to realize that there are people who will go out of their way to help someone when their life falls apart。 Written in a straightforward， frank way， the author pulls no punches in talking about where he came from， where he is now [and realizing that there is no cure for depression and anxiety， just ebbs and flows] and where he hopes to be as his life continues。 This is not a sob story。 This is a story of trauma and verbal abuse and how that almost derailed his life and what he did to fight and claw his way back。 This is also a book that can help you claw your way back from whatever brink you are on and encourage you to get the help you need [and heaven knows， many of us need it desperately。 I know I do]。 This book also works hard at de-stigmatizing mental illness。 We all need to do this。 People need help。 We need to stop judging them for that。 I cannot recommend this book enough - brutal and honest and at times so raw you will weep， this is one of the best books I have read this year。 One I will be revisiting。 Kudos to Zachary Levi for being brave enough to write the book we all need。 Thank you to NetGalley， Zachary Levi， and Harper Horizon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Brandy Hobbs
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I picked up this book thinking I knew Zachary Levi。 I picked it up thinking it would be a happy book full of light and love that I’ve always felt associated with Zac。 What I found was myself curled in a ball ugly crying more than once because I just saw my own childhood trauma in someone else’s life。 I saw my own defense mechanisms played out a different way。 I saw all my failed relationships talked about nearly verbatim to the way they happened。 I read the book in a couple days because I could I picked up this book thinking I knew Zachary Levi。 I picked it up thinking it would be a happy book full of light and love that I’ve always felt associated with Zac。 What I found was myself curled in a ball ugly crying more than once because I just saw my own childhood trauma in someone else’s life。 I saw my own defense mechanisms played out a different way。 I saw all my failed relationships talked about nearly verbatim to the way they happened。 I read the book in a couple days because I could not put it down。 I realized how much I needed to read this book and honestly how much I’ve been running scared from trying therapy。 I always felt like I was missing a piece that everyone else had figured out in life。 I’m pretty sure this book just told me where to find it and that’s it not going to be easy， but entirely worth it and necessary。 。。。more
Philip Forrest
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Radical Love is a stirring message of healing and faith， written in a sometimes-conversational， sometimes-instructive manner。 The author shares about his work as an actor， but only insomuch as it relates to his personal journey。 Anyone seeking a tantalizing or salacious Hollywood memoir will be disappointed。The journey the reader is invited on is non-linear- the author's time at a mental health retreat acts as a frame for much of the book to the telling of various periods and specific events whe Radical Love is a stirring message of healing and faith， written in a sometimes-conversational， sometimes-instructive manner。 The author shares about his work as an actor， but only insomuch as it relates to his personal journey。 Anyone seeking a tantalizing or salacious Hollywood memoir will be disappointed。The journey the reader is invited on is non-linear- the author's time at a mental health retreat acts as a frame for much of the book to the telling of various periods and specific events when his mental health， or lack thereof， was forged and tested。 The title is a distillation of the central theme; the reader is shown what Radical Love should mean to us through the author's life-long struggles to discover what it means to him。The author's faith is on clear display， but he never attempts to portray a right answer to the question of what religion or denomination is the right one。 Those agnostic or atheistic can find value in his expression of his faith， as his concept of radical love takes center stage through his illustration of his Christianity and in many ways is a showcase of what the non-religious believe the religious should be。The messages of true forgiveness， healing， and empathy encompassed by the author's definition of radical love are universal; the author suggests this radical love， both of oneself and others， as the balm to soothe the woes we as humans must face。 I am inclined to agree。If we can all acknowledge these traumas and seek to heal and free ourselves from them， then perhaps we can start to truly listen to each other， learn from each other， and radically love each other。 。。。more
Katie Nelles
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This book is so wonderfully raw and real。 Zachary dives deep into his childhood trauma and current mental health crises in this book。 He provides a loving， genuine approach to these battles that will leave you feeling heard and understood。 And you will cry。 I would definitely suggest listening to the audio book as it he is the narrator as well。 It gives you more of an insight to hear him speak his words。
Shannon
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Such a beautifully vulnerable memoir about his struggle with mental health， depression and suicidal thoughts。 I had no idea Zachary Levi struggled so much and it was so brave and affirming to listen to him talk about his very personal battles with happiness， family traumas and deciding to try medication （a step that I definitely feel a lot of us struggle with， myself included）。 Great on audio read by the author himself and HIGHLY recommended for anyone who's ever had mental health challenges （an Such a beautifully vulnerable memoir about his struggle with mental health， depression and suicidal thoughts。 I had no idea Zachary Levi struggled so much and it was so brave and affirming to listen to him talk about his very personal battles with happiness， family traumas and deciding to try medication （a step that I definitely feel a lot of us struggle with， myself included）。 Great on audio read by the author himself and HIGHLY recommended for anyone who's ever had mental health challenges （and I mean honestly， who among us hasn't after going through a pandemic！？！？）。Favorite quote:"Healing is a process。 It's an ongoing process and it's never done。。。Healing is acceptance， radical acceptance。 It's being patient with yourself and not beating yourself up over unmet expectations - either yours or others and not basing your worth on external validation。" 。。。more
Laney Estel
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✨ Actor Zachary Levi talks about love and your perception of self worth。💜Ok Zack Levi。 I see you， I feel seen。 And if you are reading， I feel in love with your heart in Chuck and you continue to be one of my favorite humans。💥I sobbed reading this book。 The feelings of inadequacies and inability of people to support you in healthy ways was just so relatable。 Inevitably， I learned so much about myself。 The most poignant was realizing the trauma we never realize is imposed on us at a young age， and ✨ Actor Zachary Levi talks about love and your perception of self worth。💜Ok Zack Levi。 I see you， I feel seen。 And if you are reading， I feel in love with your heart in Chuck and you continue to be one of my favorite humans。💥I sobbed reading this book。 The feelings of inadequacies and inability of people to support you in healthy ways was just so relatable。 Inevitably， I learned so much about myself。 The most poignant was realizing the trauma we never realize is imposed on us at a young age， and how that really does effect you even decades later。 Read this book， you will definitely find something to take from it。 My face at the end: 🥰🍪 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 Thank you to @Netgalley and Harper Horizon （and @librofm） for allowing me to read this ahead of publication。💯 For more details on the books we read， be sure to follow me on TikTok （@zaineylaney）。 I will give you a list of reasons to read！ Or listen to our podcast， Elated Geek， wherever you subscribe。 。。。more
Skyler
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Thank you to Netgalley， Zachary Levi， and Harper Horizon for this eARC in exchange for an honest review！This is a wonderful and brutally personal book that gives insight into who Zachary Levi is when the cameras are off。 Prior to reading this I was not aware of his struggles with mental health and his past traumas。 I nonetheless enjoyed this read that really made me think， and I would suggest this book to any one in need of time to think and reflect。This memoir follows Levi through his emotional Thank you to Netgalley， Zachary Levi， and Harper Horizon for this eARC in exchange for an honest review！This is a wonderful and brutally personal book that gives insight into who Zachary Levi is when the cameras are off。 Prior to reading this I was not aware of his struggles with mental health and his past traumas。 I nonetheless enjoyed this read that really made me think， and I would suggest this book to any one in need of time to think and reflect。This memoir follows Levi through his emotional journey from his childhood all the way up to present day as he Even though he does not have a history of writing to this degree， the writing itself was inviting and honest， and really showed that he is human just like everyone else。 It reads like a conversation between friends rather than something more clinical。 This journey of the discovery of the need for self love Ultimately I applaud Levi's bravery and honesty as he navigates the exploration of what it makes to love yourself。 。。。more
Jennifer Jackson
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I read this book in under 24 hours。 It was that good that I didn’t want to stop reading。 I commend Zachary for being open and honest about his struggles with mental health。 I hope for one day that the stigma around mental health will disappear。 I think everyone needs to read this book because even if you haven’t struggled with it， someone you love may be struggling。 I cannot recommend it enough。 Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC。
Book Club of One
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Radical Love is the blended memoir and self help journey of actor Zachary Levi known for the television Chuck and superhero film Shazam。 Levi bares his struggles with mental health and his difficult childhood in an abusive household， with the laudable goal of helping others。 I came to this work as someone interested in Levi's work as an actor。 While written with a great deal of bravery， honesty， and well meant intention; I frequently found myself wishing this were just a traditional memoir。 （Eve Radical Love is the blended memoir and self help journey of actor Zachary Levi known for the television Chuck and superhero film Shazam。 Levi bares his struggles with mental health and his difficult childhood in an abusive household， with the laudable goal of helping others。 I came to this work as someone interested in Levi's work as an actor。 While written with a great deal of bravery， honesty， and well meant intention; I frequently found myself wishing this were just a traditional memoir。 （Even though Levi himself didn't feel his life had warranted one）。 The reader does learn a good bit of the challenges of landing a part， the amount of time and work involved in the entertainment medium and the temptations of fame。 However，the focus of the book is how to take responsibility for your own care and recognize your short comings and unhelpful habits。 Levi did this， often with the help of faith in God。 The narrative alternates between 2017 when he suffered a mental breakdown and formative times and experiences from Levi's life。 The reader bounces between Levi detailing and explaining his mental health treatment methods and the periods of his life that led to the development of his habitats。 Amidst every chapter are platitudes and affirmation phrases。 Levi has used his position to advocate for mental health， importantly emphasizing that this is a lifelong struggle for many。 As with many things， the COIVD-19 pandemic delayed the publication of this work and Levi rewrote some of this book during that time。 I'm left to wonder what was that earlier version？ Very raw and honest， and I'm happy to read that Levi is doing well。 This work demonstrates that Levi has learned how to better manage his mental health and I wish it had been presented more informationally and less as a set of instructions。 I hope the published version includes resources for those needing access to mental health support regardless of status。 I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley。 。。。more
Deborah Pendleton
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My 19 yo son， Zachary texted me from the dentist’s chair， saying he wanted to to read this book by Zachary Levi。 I was like， me too！ My son said， I like the guy， he’s a good actor， and I like is ideals。 It’s a rare moment my son and I are interested in the same thing。 He was impressed I was able to review an advanced copy before the release！ Now we are both reading the same book， looking forward to buying a paper copy， and discussing some similarities between our lives and Zachary Levi’s life。 T My 19 yo son， Zachary texted me from the dentist’s chair， saying he wanted to to read this book by Zachary Levi。 I was like， me too！ My son said， I like the guy， he’s a good actor， and I like is ideals。 It’s a rare moment my son and I are interested in the same thing。 He was impressed I was able to review an advanced copy before the release！ Now we are both reading the same book， looking forward to buying a paper copy， and discussing some similarities between our lives and Zachary Levi’s life。 There’s the common first name， the generational mental health related traumas， and the resilience。 I am thankful for this book and the connection it helped foster with my son。 Thank you to the author Zachary Levi for lessening the stigma related to mental health。 。。。more
Karen Fiume
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Wow。 Just WOW。 He’s right， he’s not a therapist。 He’s just a guy who’s gone through hell and back， and wants to help people heal and not be ashamed of their struggles to be emotionally and mentally healthy。 This book is so eye-opening to me of what people who struggle with their mental health actually go through on a daily basis。 It will help me in my own struggles， but also in my career as a nurse。 READ THIS， the life you save could be your own。
Becky Pendleton
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This book pulls on your heart strings， it makes you learn about self love。 You are the only person who is in your shoes， nobody knows you better then you， be kind to yourself。 I recommend this book to learn empathy and information about mental health。
Cortney Walton
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Words can’t describe how much I loved this book。I have loved Zachary Levi since I watched Chuck。 My husband introduced to me to the show and I was instantly hooked。Zachary Levi has been one of my favorite actors since。 When I found out he wrote a book I knew I needed to read it。 It did not disappoint。Part memoir and part self help he discusses how he deals with trauma and anxiety。I like he was talking to me。 He was so honest。 His words meant a lot to me especially about his faith， how to deal wi Words can’t describe how much I loved this book。I have loved Zachary Levi since I watched Chuck。 My husband introduced to me to the show and I was instantly hooked。Zachary Levi has been one of my favorite actors since。 When I found out he wrote a book I knew I needed to read it。 It did not disappoint。Part memoir and part self help he discusses how he deals with trauma and anxiety。I like he was talking to me。 He was so honest。 His words meant a lot to me especially about his faith， how to deal with anxiety， and how to love ourselves。It’s a book I am going to hold close。 。。。more
Jennifer Lauren
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I love Zachary Levi and his heart。 His desire to grow and love not only himself but others is so real and raw。 Parts of this book felt like a diary - so personal and honest。 I’ve always respected him and his vulnerability and I hope he writes more！
Lizbeth
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I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author， publisher and NetGalley。com。 Many thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review。 The opinions expressed in this review are my own。This isn't a tell-all， dirty laundry all over the place kind of memoir that you usually find celebrities writing。 This is a "warts and all" and very real look at someone who is living with the aftermath of generational trauma and dealing with his own mental health because of it。 Equal parts heart I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author， publisher and NetGalley。com。 Many thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review。 The opinions expressed in this review are my own。This isn't a tell-all， dirty laundry all over the place kind of memoir that you usually find celebrities writing。 This is a "warts and all" and very real look at someone who is living with the aftermath of generational trauma and dealing with his own mental health because of it。 Equal parts heartbreaking and funny。 Mr。 Levi speaks of his journey candidly， and with what feels like an intent of sharing healing and growth through therapy and his faith， how he had to learn to love himself as he loves others。 Take note: there are triggering moments， as he writes of dealing with an abusive mother that could leave a reader dealing with their own trauma。5 out of 5 stars。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Alex
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Raw， honest and compassionate。 I wasn’t sure what to expect （chose it because I’m a die hard Chuck fan） - it massively exceeded my expectations。 I’ve read a lot of books on mental health recently from clinicians and therapists， but none that resonated with my personal experience as much as this one。
Angela
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This was the book I was looking forward to reading the most this year。 It does not disappoint。 Mr Levi has a way of writing that makes it seem as if he is next you having a conversation。 I found myself nodding along in many places。 His openness about mental illness serves his purpose of helping to remove the stigma and isolation so many feel。 While I wouldn't say the book is religious， he does reflect on his own faith in God and how that connects to mental illness。 But he doesn't do it in a way This was the book I was looking forward to reading the most this year。 It does not disappoint。 Mr Levi has a way of writing that makes it seem as if he is next you having a conversation。 I found myself nodding along in many places。 His openness about mental illness serves his purpose of helping to remove the stigma and isolation so many feel。 While I wouldn't say the book is religious， he does reflect on his own faith in God and how that connects to mental illness。 But he doesn't do it in a way that should stop anyone who doesn't share his beliefs from reading this book。 This will most likely become my go to recommendation for books on mental illness， if for no other reason than the reader will leave feeling like they aren't alone。I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Sandy Reilly
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Zachary Levi will have readers crying and self-reflecting with his journey with mental illness and generational trauma。 It's not often that a memoir results in introspection and realization of one's own generational trauma and subsequent triggers/reactions。 We hear all the time that celebrities' lives aren't all sunshine and roses， and Levi proves this with his recanting of the emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of his mother as well as his struggles with self-worth， anxiety， and dep Zachary Levi will have readers crying and self-reflecting with his journey with mental illness and generational trauma。 It's not often that a memoir results in introspection and realization of one's own generational trauma and subsequent triggers/reactions。 We hear all the time that celebrities' lives aren't all sunshine and roses， and Levi proves this with his recanting of the emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of his mother as well as his struggles with self-worth， anxiety， and depression in an industry designed around popularity contests and constant judgement。 I was surprisingly very moved and educated by Levi's Radical Love and I recommend it to anyone who is struggling with their own sense of self。**Thank you Harper Horizon for this ARC。** 。。。more
Kelly Heslip
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I had the pleasure of meeting Zachary Levi in 2021， and he talked about this book he was writing。 My youngest daughter was and is still having some issues of anxiety and finding purpose She heard his talk too， and really perked up。 I knew that this was a book I needed to read， and to my delight， it was available to me early！Zachary Levi details how his childhood was riddled with bullying， verbal abuse， parents not paying attention， etc。 I can't imagine what that can do to a person， but he does a I had the pleasure of meeting Zachary Levi in 2021， and he talked about this book he was writing。 My youngest daughter was and is still having some issues of anxiety and finding purpose She heard his talk too， and really perked up。 I knew that this was a book I needed to read， and to my delight， it was available to me early！Zachary Levi details how his childhood was riddled with bullying， verbal abuse， parents not paying attention， etc。 I can't imagine what that can do to a person， but he does a great job of explaining how his mental well being was affected。 He gives very personal examples from childhood into adult hood of how he suffered， messed up， and sought help。 I love that he stresses， throughout this book， that we don't have to do anything to earn or be worthy of love。 Unconditional love is a gift， and I pray that those who struggle with these thoughts and anxieties would be able to hear that and feel that。 Learning to love self and others is hard， but when we are intentional， we can be happy。I highly recommend this to everyone。Thank you Harper Horizon and NetGalley for the digital ARC。 The opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Ira Smith
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I’ve been a fan of Zachary Levi since watching Chuck， and had the pleasure of seeing him on Broadway in First Date。 What I didn’t know was that behind his happy go lucky exterior was a guy who was suffering from depression and anxiety，In Radical Love， Levi opens up honestly about his struggles with depression， anxiety， suicidal thoughts， and his emotional traumas growing up。 His journey to accepting himself and learning self love is enlightening， and I admire his courage in recounting his dark t I’ve been a fan of Zachary Levi since watching Chuck， and had the pleasure of seeing him on Broadway in First Date。 What I didn’t know was that behind his happy go lucky exterior was a guy who was suffering from depression and anxiety，In Radical Love， Levi opens up honestly about his struggles with depression， anxiety， suicidal thoughts， and his emotional traumas growing up。 His journey to accepting himself and learning self love is enlightening， and I admire his courage in recounting his dark times。 His plea that mental illness not be a societal stigma needs to be heard。 The book itself reads as if he’s speaking directly to you （he could have toned down some of the language though）。My thanks to Harper Horizon， and to Netgalley， for providing me an ARC of this book that is an important addition to the national conversation about mental health。 。。。more
Jessica
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I love Zachary Levi。 He has made his career on being the nice funny guy。 He's even a Disney Prince！ （one of the good ones who， though stumbles at times， actually supports the princess and respects her boundaries） I don't associate any negative emotions with him。 This memoir showcases a drastically different side of him。 He mentions Hollywood and his relationships， but rather than going into the gossip he writes about his feelings and thoughts。 He speculates how his thoughts have come to be throu I love Zachary Levi。 He has made his career on being the nice funny guy。 He's even a Disney Prince！ （one of the good ones who， though stumbles at times， actually supports the princess and respects her boundaries） I don't associate any negative emotions with him。 This memoir showcases a drastically different side of him。 He mentions Hollywood and his relationships， but rather than going into the gossip he writes about his feelings and thoughts。 He speculates how his thoughts have come to be through reflecting on his relationships in his life。 Levi does not shy away from the harsh words he has for himself。 He delves into the dark emotion。 I wasn't expecting it， so if you are in a fragile state or tend to have sharp angry words for yourself in your head， be aware that Levi writes these words out， too。 The darkness isn't balanced with the light every time。 The beginning of this may make you spiral depending on your anxiety or depression。 I appreciate the clarity。 For those who never have such words for themselves would never understand the depth of that emotion or how hard it is to not believe those lies in your head。 The book does end in a hopeful tone。 He finds help and strategies that keep him going。 I've learned so much more from this memoir than I was expecting。 。。。more
Anni
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Ok， first， yes - I was warned （thank you to my Bookstagram bestie for the heads-up） that this is heavy， and to have something light on-tap for when I was done。 Maybe today （my late BFF’s birthday） was not the right day to read it， when I’m already feeling down。 But phew… this book is extremely difficult， emotionally！ If you don’t know Zachary Levi - he was Kip Steadman on “Less Than Perfect” starring Eric Robers and Sara Rue， Chuck on “Chuck”， Flynn Ryder’s voice for Tangled （Disney）， and Shazam Ok， first， yes - I was warned （thank you to my Bookstagram bestie for the heads-up） that this is heavy， and to have something light on-tap for when I was done。 Maybe today （my late BFF’s birthday） was not the right day to read it， when I’m already feeling down。 But phew… this book is extremely difficult， emotionally！ If you don’t know Zachary Levi - he was Kip Steadman on “Less Than Perfect” starring Eric Robers and Sara Rue， Chuck on “Chuck”， Flynn Ryder’s voice for Tangled （Disney）， and Shazam （DC Comics）。Back in his Chuck days… I always though “I want to marry that guy。” （I loved Less Than Perfect， but of course his character was intentionally unlikeable - but I definitely noticed Zac！）。 Who knew what struggles he was going through！ This incredible man， who is my age， has been through hell and back （several times）， masked it under comedy and a smile - much like Jim Carey and Robin Williams - they say some of the funniest comedians are the most depressed people。 My heart breaks learning that the actor I’ve admired so much （the most？） for 20 years has struggled so terribly， for so long， and was unable to reach out and ask for help for a long time。 Hopefully， by telling his story， it will reduce the mental health stigma a little more， and some others will reach out， talk to someone， and think twice before coming to self-harm。While this was hard to read， it is necessary。 Mental health struggles need to be discussed， brought into the light， into everyday conversations - as Zac says from the opening of the book， discussed like other health issues and treated like all other regular daily health care such as brushing your teeth。 Take the stigma out of it and help more people get the treatment and medication that can help stabilize their lives - and perhaps tragedies like last week’s Uvalde school won’t keep happening。For the simple fact that everyone has something going on upstairs （whether they want to admit it or not， and whether it can be controlled with simple tricks & techniques， or needs medical intervention is not the discussion here）， I highly recommend that every single person out there takes the time to read this book。 If you know and love Zac as I do and also want to know his story， or if it’s just for the mental health discussion - go and pick up a copy！ Out June 28 in ebook and Audio read by Zac himself！ I will be getting the Audible so I can hear his words in his voice， you betcha！！I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Harper Horizon， and this is my honest review and feedback。 。。。more
Meagan
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I am a big fan of Zachary Levi as an actor （even though I've probably only seen him in 2-3 things， lol）。 So when I discovered he was releasing a book， I got very excited。I was pleasantly surprised in a few areas with the read， and disappointed in others。Levi has been through A。 Ton。 in his life。 _A ton。_ And he doesn't shy away from that。 The downside for me was the language included--especially given the faith component woven throughout the read at the same time， so one hand _language_， the oth I am a big fan of Zachary Levi as an actor （even though I've probably only seen him in 2-3 things， lol）。 So when I discovered he was releasing a book， I got very excited。I was pleasantly surprised in a few areas with the read， and disappointed in others。Levi has been through A。 Ton。 in his life。 _A ton。_ And he doesn't shy away from that。 The downside for me was the language included--especially given the faith component woven throughout the read at the same time， so one hand _language_， the other hand _faith_。 That read as a bit of a jerky back-and-forth to me。 （And a majority of the language was f-bombs， which got really old really fast。）I did really appreciate how much Levi shared about the hard work he has put in to better his own mental health and encourage the reader。 A few paragraphs on objective truth， in particular， were refreshing counterpoints to the subjective "your truth" so prevalent in Hollywood （and， frankly， everywhere else） today。 Some elements did still read a bit New Agey， and I may not hold the same theological convictions on all fronts， but I did particularly appreciate those paragraphs， and other sections certainly gave food for thought。My main takeaway was Levi's emphasis on mental health and that there is no shame in seeking counseling--in fact， quite the opposite。 No one is less-than for seeking help through therapy， medication， etc。; that pursuit is， truly， one of the bravest things we can do。I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Jenny Lou
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