This is the story Smith wants to tell about his life: that of a fierce drive for success rooted in powerful feelings of inadequacy. Unfortunately, what feels like real anguish — and the seed of a worthwhile read — is repeatedly obscured by braggadocio and pat moralizing.
Alexandra Jacobs,
The New York Times
... a fairy tale of dazzling good fortune—albeit one told by a narrator who admits by the second chapter that he is unreliable, a lifelong embellisher for whom 'the border between fantasy and reality has always been thin and transparent'.
Jane Mulkerrins,
The Times (UK)
... [a] 412-page personal unburdening.
Kirkus
... hidden within this memoir lies a powerful self-help book.