Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Anthony Rapp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2006

Anthony Rapp had a special feeling about Jonathan Larson's rock musical Rent as early as his first audition, which won him a starring role as the video artist Mark Cohen. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent opened to thunderous acclaim off-Broadway -- but even as friends and family were celebrating the show's first success, they were also mourning Jonathan Larson's sudden death from an aortic aneurysm. And when Anthony's mom began to lose her battle with cancer, Anthony found himself struggling to balance his life in the theater with his responsibility to his family.

In Without You, Anthony tells of his exhilarating journey with the cast and crew of Rent as well as the intimacies of his personal life behind the curtain. Marked by fledgling love and devastating loss, Without You is an exceptional memoir of the world of theater, the love of a son for his mother, and maturity won far too early.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As Rent hits the big screen, Rapp, who appeared in the film and the original cast of the Broadway hit, has written a sensitive, heartfelt memoir chronicling his life on and off stage. The actor who played video artist Mark Cohen pulls back the curtains to show the musical's genesis, which involved endless rehearsals and false starts. He lauds the genius of Jonathan Larson, its creator, and the supportive New York Theatre Workshop, which lent its facilities to the exuberant troupe and director. Rapp writes most movingly of his friends who lost their battle with AIDS [...] as well as the long, painful demise of his mother from cancer. While the book sometimes plunges too deeply into its twin themes of love and loss, Rapp recognizes the healing power of drama and theater, writing that acting is "an escape of sorts." Absorbing, warm and hopeful, the book celebrates a man, his work and a generation struggling with AIDS but determined to survive. Photos. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Anthony Rapp has written a courageous, brutally honest memoir that breaks new ground in writing about the constantly changing arena of the American family experience. The beauty of Rapp's writing lies in his ability to touch the reader with such intense emotional power. His insights into the theatre world are equally perceptive and fresh."

-- Chris Columbus, director of the film adaptation of Rent

"There's a moment in Rent when Roger damns his best friend, the character played by Anthony Rapp, by exclaiming, 'Mark hides in his work!' Here, Anthony hides nothing. In his account of Rent's backstory and the pain of losing friends and family, Anthony shares incidents and feelings most of us would hesitate to reveal to anyone. As the father of Rent's creator, I think Without You is a marvelous testament to the power of the show. As an audience member, I think it's a wonderful read and, even more impressive, a terrifically honest one."

-- Al Larson, aka "Poppa" or "Pop"

"Anthony Rapp's exquisite account of his formative years with Rent is heartbreakingly beautiful, a contemporary portrait of an artist as a young man. This is a memoir filled with love -- a love for the enabling possibilities of the performing arts, for the fragile bonds between family and friends, and for the mysterious enormities of life itself."

-- David Román, professor of English and American studies, University of Southern California, and author of Performance in America

"Without You deserves accolades purely for its author's courage and candor. I expected to be moved, but I didn't count on being completely swept up in the emotion that carries this story so eloquently and poignantly to its end. Rapp may be an actor, but his ability to lay himself bare is the great talent on display here."

-- Camryn Manheim, Emmy Award-winning costar of The Practice and author of Wake Up, I'm Fat! --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743269772
• ASIN: B000W3YD30
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #657,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Theatre

More About the Author

I'm pale and intense and passionate about what I do. I think those are the characteristics most readily apparent to folks. I have a very strong sense of social justice that has been known to get me into arguments. I love to experience authentic, bracing, hilarious, and/or devastating works of art in any medium. I love my partner Rodney very much. I'm on the road a lot so I require much patience from my closest friends, who happily have it in spades. I am humbled by the incredible outpouring of support out there for my work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthony's gift to us, February 8, 2006

By 

James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent (Hardcover)

Anthony Rapp is best known for his wonderful portrayal of Mark, the frustrated filmmaker trying to make the ends of his life meet in the groundbreaking musical, "Rent". Also a film celebrity, Anthony can now proudly add to his resume the word "author". "Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent" is a magical, wonderous, heartbreaking journey of discover of life and of oneself.

"Without you" is a gift to many different groups. First, us "Rentheads" who love and have every musical syllable memorized, will absolutely devour Anthony's recollections on the making of the musical, both the stage version and a brief mention at the end of the book of the new movie version. Secondly, people who have suffered the loss of a loved one will treasure Anthony's story of his mother's brave battle with cancer. Third, those who love a good coming out story will apprecaite Anthony's amazingly honest recollections of his growing up years as he came to terms with himself. This is a book for everyone.

I was struck by Anthony's gentle and honest prose. His writing is vivid, accurate, and honest. There were times, especially when he discusses his relationships, that it was painful to read; I felt as if I were there, listening to him recount these painful stories. Rarely does writing bring me to tears, but Anthony's remembrances of the loss of Jonathan Larson was stunning and heartbreaking, and I required a box of Kleenex right next to me. The same for the story of his mother's last days.

It's not normal for me to read a book cover to cover in the course of a couple of days. The last one I remember doing it for was the most recent Harry Potter. But Anthony Rapp has written a memoir of love and loss that I simply could not put down. Whereas Jonathan Larson's gift to us was Rent, Anthony Rapp's gift to us are his memories, and his recollection of them in "Without You".

You simply have to read this book.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical RENT, February 8, 2006

By 

Deborah (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent (Hardcover)

Perhaps it's best to preface this by saying that I have had in the past year the pleasure, privilege and honor of getting to know the author of this book. Anthony, aside from being an actor of immense talent and accomplishment, is eloquent, intelligent and has a heart of gold. I speak so highly of his personality in this review only to go on and say that it shows in the heartfelt nature of his memoir.

The book reads incredibly quickly; it's just that good. The raw emotion keeps coming and coming, and pushes you to keep reading. But what's most astounding about the book's raw emotion is its flat-out honesty, without fear of telling truths, even if they're ugly. I think it's rare for a show business memoir to be as up front and honest as this, while at the same time being so intensely personal. Anthony's not afraid to bare his faults, a brave and admirable leap. Anthony's voice throughout the book is gentle and accessible, only adding to the book's readability.

It's rare to read a book and to actively feel. There's a finite difference between recognizing emotion in a story and actually, truly feeling for it. When you read any story, you can recognize it as a happy one or a sad one, but it's another step entirely to actively experience the impacts of those emotions -- to laugh and to cry as your turn the pages. Without You doesn't only simply ask its readers for such a cathartic response; it commands it.

Catharsis in tragedy brings to the fore the notion of universality. When I bought my copy of Without You, the person who helped me find it at the store said "oh, is that the Rent guy?" Sure, Anthony's "the Rent guy," and yes, this book unlocks so many secrets that many Rent fans can only wish they had been part of, as Anthony puts into words so many things about the beloved show that fans -- myself included -- long to be able to express. But the Rent connection is far from all there is to be found here, and impact is not contingent upon familiarity with the show. The focus of the book is Anthony's loss of his mother, after her long, hard battle with cancer. Anthony's voice in his book puts this on a level so personal that not only is it a book for anyone who has experienced loss, but a book simply not to be missed. Even if you haven't experienced a loss of that magnitude, you will find something in this book of which to grab hold -- something that will cause you to re-evaluate your choices, past and present.

Art's job is to hold a mirror to reality; this book is art made of a reality, making the mirror image that much clearer. I don't hesitate to assert that people will take this moving, well-written book to heart. Check it out -- you will not regret it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What are you doing staring at your screen? Go buy Without You!, February 8, 2006

By 

S. (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent (Hardcover)

I have a feeling most people will think that Without You is a behind the scenes look at Rent, almost like a book parallel to the infamous Rent "bible". This is not the case at all. While touching on Anthony Rapp's journey through Rent, Without You delves much deeper than the show itself. Without You is a great read, and shouldn't, in my opinion, only be read by "Rentheads".

I'm not the type of person who usually is deeply affected by books. But, wow, did this one hit me hard. It was just so emotionally charged - you can easily tell that the words came pouring right out of Anthony's heart. Anthony has a great narrative voice, and although not known as a writer, he's got such an entrancing way with words. He's such a talented writer with so many great stories to tell.

The book is so touching, and at times, truly tragic. It's honest and raw and enthralling and pure and most of all, it's so brave. It's quite personal and at times I almost felt like I shouldn't be reading what was sitting in front of me. Anthony just laid his flesh out on the table. He held nothing back, and it took a lot of courage for him to do that. There are things that I didn't expect, that surprised me a little bit about his character, but if anything, seeing Anthony come through all of these situations only upped my respect for him as an actor, as a writer, and as a person.

I think this is the type of book you can pick up ten times, and still be affected and find something different that pulls you in. Obviously, I extremely enjoyed it - and I think most other people will too, regardless of whether or not they are familiar with Anthony's other work.