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

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. [em]Agent: Mollie Glick, Creative Artists Agency. (Mar.) [/em]