Will Smith Popular Books
Will Smith Biography & Facts
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper and film producer. He has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Grammy Awards. As of 2024, his films have grossed over $9.3 billion globally, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. Smith began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1993 and 1994. He first gained recognition as part of a hip hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff, with whom he released five studio albums and the US Billboard Hot 100 top 20 singles "Parents Just Don't Understand", "A Nightmare on My Street", "Summertime", "Ring My Bell", and "Boom! Shake the Room" from 1984 to 1994. He released the solo albums Big Willie Style (1997), Willennium (1999), Born to Reign (2002), and Lost and Found (2005), which contained the US number-one singles "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" and "Wild Wild West". He has received four Grammy Awards for his rap performances. Smith achieved wider fame as a leading man for the action film Bad Boys (1995) and the science fiction comedy Men in Black (1997); he later reprised his role in several sequels. After starring in the thrillers Independence Day (1996) and Enemy of the State (1998), he received Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his portrayals of Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001), and Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). He starred in the commercially successful films I, Robot (2004), Shark Tale (2004), Hitch (2005), I Am Legend (2007), Hancock (2008), Seven Pounds (2008), Suicide Squad (2016), Aladdin (2019), as well as the dramas Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Concussion (2015), and Emancipation (2022). For his portrayal of Richard Williams in the biographical sports drama King Richard (2021), Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor. At the 2022 ceremony, shortly before winning, Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock after Rock made an unscripted joke referencing Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The controversial event earned substantial media coverage and criticism, with Smith ultimately resigning from the Academy along with being banned from attending all their events for ten years. Early life Willard Carroll Smith II was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, to Caroline (née Bright), a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a US Air Force veteran and refrigeration engineer. His mother graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood and was raised Baptist. He has an elder sister named Pamela and two younger siblings, twins Harry and Ellen. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia, and Overbrook High School. His parents separated when he was 13 and divorced around the year 2000. Smith began rapping at age 12. When his grandmother found a notebook of his lyrics, which he described as containing "all [his] little curse words", she wrote him a note on a page in the book: "Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you're as smart as we think you are". Smith said that this influenced his decision not to use profanity in his music. Career 1985–1992: DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. Townes and Smith were introduced to each other by chance in 1985, as Townes was performing at a house party only a few doors down from Smith's residence, and he was missing his hype man. Smith decided to fill in. They both felt strong chemistry, and Townes was upset when his hype man finally made it to the party. Soon after, the two decided to collaborate. Smith enlisted a friend to join as the beatboxer of the group, Clarence Holmes aka Ready Rock C, making them a trio. Philadelphia-based Word Records released their first single in 1986 when A&R man Paul Oakenfold introduced them to Champion Records with their single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble," a tale of funny misadventures that landed Smith and his former DJ and rap partner Mark Forrest (Lord Supreme) in trouble. The song sampled the theme song of "I Dream of Jeannie." Smith became known for light-hearted story-telling raps and capable, though profanity-free, "battle" rhymes. The single became a hit a month before Smith graduated from high school. Based on this success, the duo were brought to the attention of Jive Records and Russell Simmons. The duo's first album, Rock the House, which was first released on Word Up in 1986 debuted on Jive in March 1987. The group received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for "Parents Just Don't Understand" (1988), though their most successful single was "Summertime" (1991), which earned the group their second Grammy and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith and Townes are still friends and claim that they never split up, having made songs under Smith's solo performer credit. Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. Smith was struggling financially in 1990 when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world", studying box office successes' common characteristics. In 1989, Smith was arrested in relation to an alleged assault on his record promoter, William Hendricks; the charges were later dismissed. 1993–1997: Solo music and film breakthrough Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence. The latter film was commercially successful, grossing $141.4 million worldwide. However, critical reception was generally mixed. In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest-grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw. In the summer of 1997, he starred alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the hit Men in Black, playing Agent J. The film was released on July 2 by Columbia Pictures and grossed over $589.3 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, becoming the year's third highest-grossing film, with an estimated 54,616,700 tickets sold in the US. It received positive reviews, with critics praising.... Discover the Will Smith popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Will Smith books.
Best Seller Will Smith Books of 2024
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The Black Sheep
Honoré de Balzac & Donald AdamsonPhilippe and Joseph Bridau are two extremely different brothers. The elder, Philippe, is a superficially heroic soldier and adored by their mother Agathe. He is nonetheless a bitte...
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Writing to Save a Life
John Edgar WidemanA major literary figure tells “a searching tale of loss, recovery, and déja vu that is part memoir and whatif speculation, part polemic and exposé” (The Washington Post) about two ...
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Life of the Party
Bert KreischerA collection of outrageous stories by the standup comic, TV host, and inspiration for the movie National Lampoon's Van WilderBert Kreischer doesn't know how to say "no." If he did,...
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Wannabe
Aisha HarrisBEST READS OF 2023: New York Times Book Review USA Today The Skimm Bookpage St Louis PostDispatch / BEST HOLIDAY GIFTS 2023: Publishers Weekly / MOST ANTICIPATED READS OF 2023:...
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A Forever Family
Rob Scheer & Jon SternfeldIn the tradition of The Promise of a Pencil and Kisses from Katie comes an inspirational memoir by the founder of Comfort Cases about his turbulent childhood in the foster care sys...
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Produced by Faith
Devon FranklinHollywood executive DeVon Franklin shows readers how to live and work their faith from nine to five, not just after quitting time.Straight from Hollywood comes a dynamic business m...
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The Quartermaster
Robert O'Harrow“The lively story of the Civil War’s most unlikelyand most uncelebratedgenius” (The Wall Street Journal)General Montgomery C. Meigs, who built the Union Army and was judged by Abra...
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Gemini Man - The Official Movie Novelization
Titan BooksThe official novelization of Gemini Man, the latest film by Academy Awardwinning director Ang Lee, starring twotime Academy Awardnominee Will Smith.Henry Brogan is an elite assassi...
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Say What You Will
Cammie McGovern“A unique and unforgettable love.” Teen VogueJohn Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emoti...
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Built to Move
Kelly Starrett & Juliet StarrettINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER Simple but powerful physical practices to dramatically improve the way your body feels and prolong your lifespan, no matter how you sp...
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Lincoln and the Power of the Press
Harold Holzer“Lincoln believed that ‘with public sentiment nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.’ Harold Holzer makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Lincoln’s l...
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Britain Against Napoleon
Roger KnightFrom Roger Knight, established by his multiaward winning book The Pursuit of Victory as 'an authority ... none of his rivals can match' (N.A.M. Rodger), Britain Against Napoleon is...
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Independence Day Resurgence Movie Novelization
Tracey WestPrepare for another alien invasion with this actionpacked retelling of Independence Day: Resurgence that features an eightpage fullcolor insert with images from the film!Independen...
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Mr Midshipman Fury
G.S. BeardFans of Hornblower and Sharpe will love this captivating and compelling nautical adventure from much loved author G.S.Beard. Guaranteed to stir into life even the most sluggish of ...
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Night Walks
Charles DickensCharles Dickens describes in Night Walks his time as an insomniac, when he decided to cure himself by walking through London in the small hours, and discovered homelessness, drunke...
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Free to Fall
Lauren MillerFrom the author of Parallel comes a highstakes romantic puzzler set in a nearfuture where everyone's life is seamlessly orchestrated by personal electronic devices. Imaginative and...
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Blood Will Follow
Snorri KristjanssonIn this epic new entry to The Valhalla Saga, blood will be spilled, bonds will be tested and longburied secrets will be revealed . . .Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson surviv...
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Fearless
Doug Pederson & Dan PompeiHow does an underdog become a champion? One of the most innovative, gutsy, and dynamic head coaches in the NFL reveals the strategies behind building the Eagles team that shocked t...
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Company Of Spears
Allan MallinsonTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson brings us another adrenalinfuelled, absorbing adventure featuring Matthew Hervey. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell ...
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Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time
Barry SonnenfeldOneofakind filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld tells stories only he can tell, from his blockbuster career with iconic actors, studio execs, and producers. His humor and insight provide an ...
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An XL Life
Big BoyThis is the weightloss story you don’t hear about. As LA’s most talked about radio personality, and a man that peaked the scale at 500pounds, Big Boy shares his journey to the top,...
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The Wicked Will Rise
Danielle PaigeIn this New York Times bestselling sequel to Dorothy Must Die, who is goodand who is actually Wicked? The Wicked Will Rise is perfect for fans of richly reimagined fairy tales and ...
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Will Smith
Chris NicksonFrom BelAir to The Wild, Wild West, Chris Nickson's biography of Will Smith details the extraordinary rise of today's hottest superstar. With #1 hit music singles and explosive suc...
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A Billion Years
Mike RinderOne of the highestranking defectors from Scientology exposes the secret inner workings of the powerful organization in this remarkable memoir that is “not only a cautionary tale bu...
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Dear Me
Peter UstinovSir Peter Ustinov's beautifully crafted autobiography is told with exquisite wit and insight. From his birth in April 1921, it spans his extraordinary career as actor, playwright, ...
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Love Me as I Am
Garcelle Beauvais“Dishy, warm, and entertaining.”Kirkus Reviews?The beloved Black pop culture icon, entrepreneur, Hollywood actress and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star bares her lif...
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Surge
Jay BernardWinner of the 2020 Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year AwardJay Bernard's extraordinary debut is a fearless exploration of the New Cross Fire of 1981, a hou...
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Human Happiness
Blaise PascalCreated by the seventeenthcentury philosopher and mathematician Pascal, the essays contained in Human Happiness are a curiously optimistic look at whether humans can ever find sati...
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Billy Bragg
Andrew Collins'Love me or hate me. It's a great read’ Billy Bragg He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flagwaver for the Labour Party and the miners. He is Billy Bragg, passionate protest ...
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The Fresh Prince Project
Chris PalmerThis “oneofakind” (Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author) cultural history of the beloved nineties sitcom that launched Will Smith to superstardomThe Fresh Prince of Bel...
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Frederick Douglass
David W. BlightWinner of the Pulitzer Prize in History“Extraordinary…a great American biography” (The New Yorker) of the most important African American of the 19th century: Frederick Douglass, t...
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Willie Nelson
Graeme ThomsonIn this intimate and engaging biography, Graeme Thomson interviews Nelson himself, his band and those who knew him best en route to discovering the real Willie Nelson. The Outlaw b...
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The Excalibur Codex
James DouglasJamie Saintclair embarks on another actionpacked historical adventure, guaranteed to have you gripped from page one! A must read for fans of Dan Brown, Chris Kuzneski and Scott Mar...
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Ulysses
James JoyceArguably the greatest novel of the twentieth century, James Joyce's Ulysses remains as much of a shocking and redemptive testament to the human condition as it was when it was firs...
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Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother
Barry SonnenfeldA New York Times Editor's Choice selection!This outrageous and hilarious memoir follows a film and television director’s life, from his idiosyncratic upbringing to his un...
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Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 11
Maxim JakubowskiThis superb annual anthology of the year’s most outstanding short crime fiction published in the UK is now well into its second decade. Jakubowski has succeeded, once again, in une...
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Will
Will Smith & Mark MansonThe instant #1 New York Times bestseller! “It's the best memoir I've ever read.” Oprah Winfrey“Will Smith isn't holding back in his bravely inspiring new memoir . . . An ...
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Break Free from Reactive Parenting
Laura Linn KnightA Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.
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Path of Gods
Snorri KristjanssonThe epic conclusion to The Valhalla Saga, perfect for fans of Vikings and The Last Kingdom.Reunited, Audun and Ulfar have a new sense of purpose: to ensure that the North remains i...
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Will
Will Smith & Mark MansonUna de las fuerzas más dinámicas y reconocidas en el mundo del entretenimiento nos muestra su vida en un libro valiente e inspirador donde se conjugan el éxito, la felicidad interi...
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Stanton
Walter StahrNew York Times bestselling author Walter Stahr tells the story of Edwin Stanton, who served as Secretary of War in Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet. “This exhaustively researched, wellpac...
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A Simpler Time
Peter FitzSimonsAn affectionate and hilarious tribute to the childhood of another era, from one of Australia's favourite authors A memoir of love, laughter, loss and billycarts Peter FitzSimons's ...
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Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize
Margo Rabb“A delightfully offbeat mystery that is also about the mystery of becoming yourself.” Rebecca Stead, New York Times bestselling author In this witty and whimsical story b...
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Hollywood Black
Donald Bogle & Turner Classic MoviesThe films, the stars, the filmmakersall get their due in Hollywood Black, a sweeping overview of blacks in film from the silent era through Black Panther, with striking photos and ...
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Have Dog, Will Travel
Stephen KuusistoIn a lyrical love letter to guide dogs everywhere, a blind poet shares his delightful story of how a guide dog changed his life and helped him discover a newfound appreciation for ...
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The Book of Secrets
Tom HarperFrom the pen of prizewinning author Tom Harper, this is a highoctane adventure thriller in the bestselling tradition of The Da Vinci Code. Jampacked with murder, mystery and mindbl...