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If at Birth You Don't Succeed

My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Comedian Zach Anner opens his frank and devilishly funny book, If at Birth You Don't Succeed, with an admission: he botched his own birth. Two months early, underweight and under-prepared for life, he entered the world with cerebral palsy and an uncertain future. So how did this hairless mole-rat of a boy blossom into a viral internet sensation who's hosted two travel shows, impressed Oprah, driven the Mars Rover, and inspired a John Mayer song? (It wasn't "Your Body is a Wonderland.")
Zach lives by the mantra: when life gives you wheelchair, make lemonade. Whether recounting a valiant childhood attempt to woo Cindy Crawford, encounters with zealous faith healers, or the time he crapped his pants mere feet from Dr. Phil, Zach shares his fumbles with unflinching honesty and characteristic charm. By his thirtieth birthday, Zach had grown into an adult with a career in entertainment, millions of fans, a loving family, and friends who would literally carry him up mountains.
If at Birth You Don't Succeed
is a hilariously irreverent and heartfelt memoir about finding your passion and your path even when it's paved with epic misadventure. This is the unlikely but not unlucky story of a man who couldn't safely open a bag of Skittles, but still became a fitness guru with fans around the world. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love with the Olive Garden all over again, and learn why cerebral palsy is, definitively, "the sexiest of the palsies."
Praise for Zach Anner
"Zach makes you want to be a better person, with his humor and his heart and everything he's had to deal with from the time he was born. I've never met anyone like him, and I've met a lot of people." —Oprah Winfrey

"Zach Anner is a truly inspiring and hysterical human being with a warped sense of humor (and body). He's also an exceptional writer and his memoir is an absolute joy."—Rainn Wilson
"Zach Anner is the living definition of 'giving better than he's gotten.' Life dealt him a difficult hand but he managed to beat the house with humor, heart, and a fearless punk attitude. Required reading."—Patton Oswalt
"I love Zach Anner and I love his memoir. If everyone were a little more like Zach, the world may not be abetter place, but it would be funnier place, which is a great step forward."—Alexis Ohanian
"He's a unique, creative kid with a smart, edgy sense of humor."—Arsenio Hall

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from November 9, 2015
      In this wonderful, open collection of essays, Anner, a stand-up comedian, reflects on his 30 years with cerebral palsy. Though the disease has limited Anner’s mobility, it’s done nothing to dampen his sense of humor and love of the world; he was a breakout favorite on the OWN reality competition Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star, which launched a series of travel shows, and he writes at length about the experience with some intriguing insights. A great deal of Anner’s comedy is the peppy, uplifting sort you’d expect from someone who Oprah says “makes want to be a better person,” such as his elaborate Olive Garden metaphors for the nature of life, but there’s a healthy dose of sobering reality in the mix as well. Some of his most resonant work deals with the influences on his life as a person with a disability: Anner remarks wryly that being expected to act as an ambassador for the disabled “is a tightrope walk, which is hard on four wheels.” Maybe so, but with this book, he makes it look easy.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Ambitious and hard-working media personality Zach Anner narrates his memoir with the verve and compassion that make his story so compelling. Anner has cerebral palsy--as he says, "the sexiest of the palsies"--and listeners get a glimpse of that world, but what Anner truly offers is a funny and thoughtful exploration of the ways human beings can propel themselves forward or hold themselves back. This is a man who, with a voice full of expression and enthusiasm, frames accidentally soiling himself on the second day of filming a reality show as a hilarious tale of triumph. Anner's sincerity shines throughout the production, and listeners will find themselves laughing out loud, nodding with recognition, and hoping for more of Anner's stories. A.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      May 15, 2016

      Born with cerebral palsy (or as the author likes to call it, the "sexiest of the palsies"), Anner has seen more and done more in his life than many healthy adults. He has worked at Disneyland, won his own show on the Oprah Winfrey Network (Rollin' with Zach), traversed the world for his travel shows, driven the Mars Rover, and become a viral sensation--all before the age of 30. The book starts out somewhat slow but picks up quickly and is filled with humor. Anner hosts several web series, including Wednesday Workout and Riding Shotgun, and travels around the United States speaking at universities and conferences. Anner narrates his own work, and listeners will be charmed by his wit and good attitude. VERDICT Patrons who enjoy humorous, inspiring memoirs with a message about refusing to accept limitations will want to listen to this.--Jessi Brown, Huntington City Twp. P.L., IN

      Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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