Nevertheless: A Memoir by Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin has written a heartwarming yet often heartbreaking memoir that poignantly captures the details of a life determinedly lived with resolute optimism. Through Baldwin’s searing and at times funny, frank assessments of his life, memories and experiences, readers of "Nevertheless: A Memoir" will find themselves enveloped in a story of hope, resilience, and grace.

The life story of Alec Baldwin is one of success and failure, joy and pain, life and death. Raised in Massapequa, New York in a middle-class family, Baldwin learned the hard value of duty, responsibility, and hard work — lessons he brought with him throughout his illustrious career as a performer, producer and director. Baldwin’s love of theatre started at an early age, when he began performing in plays at local schools. His parents, despite struggling to make ends meet, did whatever they could to encourage their son’s dreams, and by the age of 16 he had made his Broadway debut in an off-Broadway production of "Lenchia (A Girl with Black Hair)".

In "Nevertheless: A Memoir", Baldwin recounts the days and nights spent huddled over books and scripts as he honed his craft and worked through the anxieties of trying to make it as an actor. He shares the atmosphere of intense competition in the entertainment industry and how it pushed him to become a better actor. He also reveals the moments of joy, the people he helped, and those he relied on for support and motivation as he worked his way through life’s successes and failures.

The memoir also covers Baldwin’s tumultuous relationships with his family and his personal life, whether that’s his marriage to his ex-wife Kim Basinger, his subsequent struggle with alcoholism, or the tragic death of his beloved father. He makes no attempt to gloss over or edit his dark moments, living up to his promise that he would write the memoir ‘unvarnished and unapologetically’. Baldwin also relays moments of profound happiness, such as his passionate affair with another woman and his joy at the birth of his daughter.

Themes of devotion, loyalty, and vulnerability run throughout the book as well. Baldwin is keen to emphasize that, despite the extraordinary tragedies and successes he has experienced, he is a man who is ‘just trying to maintain’ and ‘just trying to take care of my family’. These themes perfectly capture Baldwin’s personality—a man who is equal parts strength, compassion, resilience, and realism.

Ultimately, Baldwin's story is the story of life, illustrating that there can be joy, pain and redemption in our own lives. Through his memoir, Baldwin encourages readers to stay optimistic, to accept their sadness and struggles, and to remember that no matter what the situation may be, ultimately, love will always win the day.