Radical Love

Learning to Accept Yourself and Others

By: Zachary Levi

Narrated by: Zachary Levi

Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Audiobook read by Zachary Levi

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.

©2021 Zachary Levi (P)2021 Harper Horizon

A ton of swearing!

If you are sensitive to profanity, this is not the book for you. There is a ton of swearing, and every opportunity the author has to throw in some more he does.
That being said, I really enjoyed the message of this book and learning more about the author.
I would only recommend this book with a strong language warning.

Could be a great book

Probably could have been a great book I just couldn't get past all the cursing I could really relate to what he was saying about the depression I really wanted to keep listening It's just the cursing kept bothering me
if you can get past tthat It is really relatible And probably so very helpful to those with depression

A raw and vulnerable look at mental health

This book by Zachary Levi is an eye opening look at mental health. Zach is someone who when we watch him on the screen we see a cool and funny guy. But behind the smile is a lifetime of hurts, abuse and mental illness. I hope that this book will find its place in helping to break the stigma and cycle of mental illness. I will say about the “raw” part that Zachary is very comfortable with profanity and use of the f-word. I would not normally read a book with so much in it, but hearing how he was raised and of course being immersed in Hollywood it probably comes very natural to him. I would recommend it on his honesty and vulnerability, it I also warn or caution based on the language.

Loved it

As a mental health therapist I read this book and saw with different eyes I guess. I loved it beyond words, regardless of the fact that I’m a big fan of Zachary Levi! It’s raw, it’s honest, it truly depicts what depression and anxiety feels like and how one many times triggers the other. I’ve been recommending this book to everyone, especially to those I know have endured similar parental abuse and symptoms. Didn’t mind the cursing, that’s just how he speaks (and so do I).

Such a great book!

Finally a relatable story to generational family trauma. Zachary Levi shares such valuable first-hand experience and insight having walked a long and tedious road. Though I am not an a-list movie star, I feel I can relate to him with how well he explained his struggles. I’ve adored Zac and his ability to talk so openly about his journey to find balance and optimal health- mentally, emotionally and physically. On a similar journey, with a similar family background, I felt so validated reading and listening to Zac. The concept of enduring emotional abuse at the hands of parent is such a sensitive subject and Zac speaks about it all without bashing and blaming- from a place of love. With each chapter, he provides hope. This book is honest, relatable and a giant validation for those of us in the club. Thank you, Zac, for baring it all. You’ve definitely made an impact here.

Very impactful

I don’t write many reviews, but I felt compelled to for this book.

I first encountered Zackary when the show “Chuck” debuted and I thoroughly enjoyed it and him, tuning in for each and every episode. I’ve seen him in various other shows and movies since then and was very interested when I heard that he’d written a book, especially one that dealt with mental health. I’m absolutely blown away by the sincerity and vulnerability that he bared in this book.

While I’m not at all famous, an actor, or religious, I felt like he was describing me almost to a T when talking through his own character traits, habits, and mentalities. Anchoring my self-worth and happiness to external sources of recognition and accomplishment…check. Experiencing super-high highs and ultra-low lows…check. Burying myself in dopamine inducing activities (parties, events, video games, drinking, etc)…check. Imposter syndrome…check. Feeling like I’d resolved my issues only to relapse months or years later…double check.

To me, there were a number of important things in this book, starting with the fact that he’s simply talking about and thereby helping to de-stigmatize mental heath issues. Gaining a better understanding of the root cause and talking through the many ways that he attempted to address and work with them, both the successes and failures (especially the failures) is extremely insightful. It was also a good reminder that all of us have struggles, no matter how successful one might appear to be. It’s truly refreshing to see someone of his visibility be so genuine, humble, and open. I’m generally turned off by famous personalities, but he seems like someone I’d truly enjoy talking to, should I ever have the chance.

In closing, I want to note that a number of people have been turned off by the amount of swearing that he does in the book. While I agree that there definitely is a lot, I would encourage people to bear with it, if any of this resonates with you. The message is a powerful and worthwhile one.

AMAZING

I’m truly grateful for this book for so many reasons. I can’t recommend it enough! If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, this book is for you. It honestly helped me in my own journey of healing my mental health. Thank you for writing this Zach! :)

A good listen

I very much enjoyed the honesty and courage of speaking about ones own mental health. It’s something a lot of us struggle with. A good listen for anyone in the battle or anyone who knows someone who is.

Amazing.

Might not be for everybody, but I'm not exaggerating when I say this has changed my life. So many of my life experiences are similar to his - it was mind blowing to hear someone vocalize these feelings and habits I have been dealing with for 20 years. I'm frustrated it's taken me this long to understand some of these things about myself, but I feel like I'm finally armed with some understanding and the ability to address these problems and really start healing for the first time. So glad I listened, and very blessed that he shared his story. Realizing the truth of what he was saying as it applied to me and my trauma was painful, but it left me hopeful, for the first time in a long time, that I don't have to be this way forever. I highly recommend it to anyone fighting a mental health battle and dealing with generational trauma.

Love this book and Zachary Levi!!!

I laughed and I cried and I can’t wait to read it again. I have loved watching him in all his movies and TV shows, never knowing all the pain and suffering he endured. This story is raw and beautiful and should be read by anyone trying to heal from abuse.