Too Much Is Not Enough - by Andrew Rannells (Paperback)

About the Book

"Originally published in hardcover in slightly different form in the United States by Crown Archetype, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, in 2019"--Copyright page.

Book Synopsis

From the star of Broadway's The Book of Mormon and Tony-nominated Gutenberg! The Musical!, 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--now with a new afterword

"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.

Review Quotes

"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

About the Author

Andrew Rannells is an actor, singer, and performer best known for originating the role of Elder Price in The Book of Mormon and playing Elijah Krantz in HBO's Girls. A Tony and Drama Desk nominee and Grammy winner, he has also played Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, King George III in Hamilton, Whizzer in Falsettos, and, most recently, Larry in The Boys in The Band. On the small screen, he has also appeared in The Romanoffs, The New Normal, Big Mouth, The Knick, and can currently be seen in Showtime's Black Monday, now in its second season. Rannells's film credits include A Simple Favor, The Intern, Bachelorette, and two forthcoming Netflix projects, The Boys in the Band and The Prom. His writing has been published in the New York Times "Modern Love" column. This is his first book.