Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning

by Leslie Odom Jr.

Overview

Leslie Odom Jr., burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical phenomenon Hamilton. Since then, he has performed for sold-out audiences, sung for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. But before he landed the role of a lifetime in one of the biggest musicals of all time, Odom put in years of hard work as a singer and an actor.

With personal stories from his life, Odom asks the questions that will help you unlock your true potential and achieve your goals even when they seem impossible. What work did you put in today that will help you improve tomorrow? How do you surround yourself with people who will care about your dreams as much as you do? How do you know when to play it safe and when to risk it all for something bigger and better?

These stories will inspire you, motivate you, and empower you for the greatness that lies ahead, whether you’re graduating from college, starting a new job, or just looking to live each day to the fullest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250139962
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	03/27/2018
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	176,792
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	930L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Leslie Odom, Jr. has most recently been seen in the blockbuster Broadway musical Hamilton, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the role of “Aaron Burr.” He is a Grammy Award winner as a principal soloist on Hamilton’s Original Broadway Cast Recording, which won the 2015 award for Best Musical Theater Album. Odom, Jr. originated the role of “Burr” in a sold-out run at The Public Theater in 2015, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical.

As a recording artist, his self-titled debut album was part-funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign which raised $40,971. The album was released in 2014 by Borderlight Entertainment, Inc. Odom, Jr. has appeared on “Smash," “Law & Order: SVU," “Gotham,” “Person of Interest,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House of Lies,” “Vanished” and “CSI: Miami.” He also starred in the feature film Murder on the Orient Express.

Editorial Reviews

03/26/2018
Odom Jr., who starred as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, has written a warm and inspiring reflection on his rise to success, delivering advice to readers plotting their own career paths. He begins with a frank discussion of his upbringing in Philadelphia as a “prideful, mouthy kid” struggling to find an outlet. At 16, Odom had already discovered his passion for theater. He describes the euphoria of landing a temporary role in the Broadway production of Rent and urges readers “to think of your Big Break as an inside job instead of something that you’ll find externally. The external world will eventually mirror what you begin on the inside of yourself today.” Odom goes on to describe his time at Carnegie Mellon University, the ups and downs of auditioning, and meeting his longtime romantic partner. He eloquently expresses the challenges of being a black actor in a world of predominantly white roles, and his reverence for Hamilton and its multicultural approach to history. Odom offers a multilayered perspective on musical theater, representation, and achieving professional dreams, while urging readers to walk confidently along their own paths to self-discovery. All ages. Agent: Mollie Glick, Creative Artists Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly