An excellent first-person perspective of everything that is The Karate Kid from THE Karate Kid. It's written as if Macchio is telling a story that he has told a thousand times, which I'm sure he has. It is an excellent read for any fan of the original movie or the new TV show. ( )

Oh what an absolutely delightful book. I mean, I am a 90's child....but didn't really do The Karate Kid until Cobra Kai (which my husband and I are obsessed with)

This book is more about Karate Kid/Cobra Kai. Not more not less. And I was okay with that. Ralph Macchio is truly not a diva (YAY!) and he doesn't have any skeletons in his closet (Rare I know). I loved reading about his relationship with Pat Morita. About actions he took that he wishes he could have done differently.

It wasn't the most spectacularly written. I read it in an evening (so yay for an easy read). But it was what I hoped it to be!

Thanks to Dutton and Edelweiss Plus for an Advanced Review Copy of this book. ( )

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me

I Picked Up This Book Because: Memoirs are my jam.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: BC Public Library
Dates Read: 2/27/23 - 3/1/23
Stars: 3.5
Narrator(s): Ralph Macchio

The Characters:

Claire Davenport:
Alex Murphy:
Michelle Moss (BFF), Missy Peters (Former BFF turned Frenemy)

The Story:

This book was rightly subtitled The Karate Kid and Me because this book was 98% Karate Kid universe. I love the way we started with the audition process, meeting his co-stars and production. There were some great nostalgic moments and I’m looking forward to rewatching the movie with all this behind-the-scenes knowledge in my head. He also ruminated on all of the additions to the universe including movies he was not in and of course Cobra Kai. I should mention if you haven’t watched Cobra Kai there are a ton of spoilers in this book.

I think I would have liked to hear more personal stories, but the author admitted he didn’t have a lot of drama in his life, and it wasn’t anything more interesting to share.

The Random Thoughts: ( )

The thing about Ralph Macchio is that he comes across as such a genuinely good guy. I don't really think he has gotten the respect he deserves as an actor either; he just makes it look too easy.I have been surprised at how much I genuinely enjoy "Cobra Kai" even though it IS cheesy...i mean, we have mostly successful people running around worrying about karate and old rivalries? But it's still fun. Wouldn't you love to just drop everything and use what you know now to defend the high school you? Another thing: the Japanese parts of The Karate Kid stand up amazingly well, and I'm saying that after living in Japan for more than half a decade, and the tie-ins to Japan in the current show are spot on, IMO. ( )

The boy from Long Island makes good with a movie in 1984 that changes his life and his trajectory from mega star to has-been to mega star again with the reprisal of his role as Daniel LaRusso and the TV series Cobra Kai. Fast read, enjoyable. ( )