Too Much Is Not Enough

A Memoir of Fumbling Toward Adulthood

De: Andrew Rannells

Narrado por: Andrew Rannells

From the star of Broadway's The Book of Mormon and Tammy Faye (coming Fall 2024!), the heartfelt and hilarious coming-of-age memoir of a Midwestern boy surviving bad auditions, bad relationships, and some really bad highlights as he chases his dreams in New York City

“Candid, funny, crisp . . . honest and tender about lessons of the heart.”—Vogue

ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

When Andrew Rannells left Nebraska for New York City in 1997, he, like many young hopefuls, saw the city as a chance to break free. To start over. To transform the fiercely ambitious but sexually confused teenager he saw in the mirror into the Broadway leading man of his dreams.

In Too Much Is Not Enough, Rannells takes us on the journey of a twentysomething hungry to experience everything New York has to offer: new friends, wild nights, great art, standing ovations. At the heart of his hunger lies a powerful drive to reconcile the boy he was when he left Omaha with the man he desperately wants to be.

As Rannells fumbles his way towards the Great White Way, he also shares the drama of failed auditions and behind-the-curtain romances, the heartbreak of losing his father at the height of his struggle, and the exhilaration of making his Broadway debut in Hairspray at the age of twenty-six. Along the way, he learns that you never really leave your past—or your family—behind; that the most painful, and perversely motivating, jobs are the ones you almost get; and that sometimes the most memorable nights with friends are marked not by the trendy club you danced at but by the recap over diner food afterward.

Honest and filled with charm, Too Much Is Not Enough is an unforgettable look at love, loss, and the powerful forces that determine who we become.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Witty, candid . . . an honest, detailed account of one man pursuing his dreams.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Charming.”—USA Today

“Funny and charming . . . a must-read for both theater geeks and newbies alike.”—HelloGiggles

“[Rannells is] as personal as possible in each chapter, in the style of his friend and Girls creator Lena Dunham. . . . [An] unguarded book.”—Vanity Fair

“A spirited debut saturated with personality and frank humor . . . [Rannells] is a natural raconteur who engages readers with self-effacing honesty about his life’s great expectations and fumbles. . . . An inspiring and consistently witty entertainment memoir.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Fueling his prose with pop-culture references, [Rannells] verbalizes feelings of insecurity with shocking poise as he describes being left adrift in a new city. . . . This is certain to resonate with all those brave enough to leave their comfort zones in pursuit of their dreams, and it is clear Rannells still has more stories yet to tell.”—Booklist

“From Omaha to Broadway, this funny, bighearted book follows a boy just crazy enough with ambition and love to bend the world to his dreams. Andrew Rannells has written a wise and moving story about struggle and success, the intoxication of the stage, and the home that, if we’re very lucky, we can make for ourselves in art.”—Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You

“This remarkable book, which straddles the line between brutal honesty and wild humor and sticks the landing every time, transcends entertainment memoir and tells a story of becoming—painful, pure, and true. Andrew Rannells is a singer and an actor and a dancer, and guess what? It turns out he’s a writer.”—Lena Dunham, author of Not That Kind of Girl

“Raw and sweet and real and laugh-out-loud funny, Too Much Is Not Enough is destined to be required reading for anyone trying to make it through the highs and lows of chasing a dream.”—Jessi Klein, author of You’ll Grow Out of It

“Andrew’s coming-of-age, coming-of-fame story is hilarious, touching, and relatable. I devoured it in a day and I already can’t wait to read his next book!”—Andy Cohen, author of Most Talkative

“Hilarious and heartbreaking, Too Much Is Not Enough is a joyous, generous road map to charting our own path from a place where we feel completely alone to the place where we make sense to ourselves. Andrew Rannells nails the triumph, the turmoil, and the absolute necessity of following your gut—especially when it scares you.”—Dave Holmes, author of Party of One

Funny, touching memoir

Great coming-of-age memoir about a boy in the big city just trying to succeed. Funny and touching, and even a little sad. Good quick read.

so entertaining!

I found myself listening to the chapters over and over they were so entertaining. I'm going to start it over again now that I'm done!

Fantastic Memoir

Loved this book and hearing the stories so expertly narrated by Andrew (Andy) is such a treat! Finished it is just a couple of days. If only all memoirs were this good.

love!

I'm looking forward to the next book!! Book of Mormon... Girls... the 2nd book will no doubt be jucier than the first!

This book is delightful!

I’ve been an Andrew Rannells fan since Book of Mormon and many of my favorite moments have come watching him be himself on talk shows. This book is so funny, so sweet, so honest and so self-aware that I understand why he makes such a great interview subject. Listen to this performance of this book. It is brilliant.

Enjoyed every minute

Loved this audiobook. The writing and narration are super-clear and compelling. I kept rearranging my day so I could keep listening. I hope Andrew Rannells decides to do a follow up book to continue from where this book ends.

Loved the way he expressed his feelings through words and beautifully read

I liked everything and it’s the first book that has made me cry because of how emotional the story gets

Read This One First!

This is a terrific listen! Andrew wrote two books and this is childhood up to and into his acting career. But his most famous roles come in the next book.

I urge you, dear reader, to read this one first. They're both delightful and you'll enjoy Uncle of the Year much more if you arrive with this book already in your head.

This memoir is not an airbrushed glamor headshot. You'll feel like he's in your living room and just telling the unvarnished story of his life. It's not writing and it's not careful. He really is this unassuming, adorable, honest kid from the heart of the Midwest. Amazingly determined and talented and passionate, yet still believably a bit surprised at every successful step.

If you've seen him on chat shows, you know he's hilarious. This is more of a kitchen-table, everyday kind of hilarious. He's not delivering a stand-up routine, but his timing and cadence and wordplay are endlessly amusing.

A Star in the Making!

What an incredible read...or in this case listen. I loved hearing Andrew's start from Nebraska in community theatre to his experiences in New York City. I related a lot to his stories doing theater and his experiences coming out. His humor really threads through the book and the emotional moments almost had me in tears. Loved ever page in this book. Broadway fans should definitely read this page turner.

Fantastic, must read book!

I loved every moment of this book. I recognized myself in many of his life moments even though I am a 58 year old straight woman. Aren't we all just fumbling toward adulthood? I laughed out loud and cried during this book. It is hilarious and poignant at the same time. Andrew Rannells is a great author and I need a sequel ASAP.