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The Steps: A Memoir
A gritty, inspiring, heart-wrenching memoir by the Academy Award-winning legend and icon Sylvester Stallone, about his unlikely path to stardom and the creation of the greatest underdog story ever told.
In the fifty years since Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, he and those steps have become symbols of resilience and determination, and have inspired millions from all over the world to pursue their dreams. In The Steps, Stallone recounts how he pursued his own dreams. A culmination of decades of reflection, Sly shares where he came from - a difficult birth, an even more difficult childhood, years of struggle in school being misunderstood - and he explains how the real story of a successful life is built by facing, embracing and ultimately overcoming our challenges. It's found in the distances we are willing to go and the steps we must take to get from where we are to where we want to go.
In a narrative framed between Stallone's arrival in New York City in 1969 and the triumph of Rocky at the 1977 Academy Awards, Sly weaves a vivid and propulsive portrait of struggle, subsistence and ultimately success. He writes of his early days and later years, too, and the persistence, creativity and resilience that led not only to the creation of Rocky but to a career filled with remarkably iconic roles. The Steps is a testament to Stallone's extraordinary life and a profound meditation on the importance of vision and willpower and hard work.
In the fifty years since Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, he and those steps have become symbols of resilience and determination, and have inspired millions from all over the world to pursue their dreams. In The Steps, Stallone recounts how he pursued his own dreams. A culmination of decades of reflection, Sly shares where he came from - a difficult birth, an even more difficult childhood, years of struggle in school being misunderstood - and he explains how the real story of a successful life is built by facing, embracing and ultimately overcoming our challenges. It's found in the distances we are willing to go and the steps we must take to get from where we are to where we want to go.
In a narrative framed between Stallone's arrival in New York City in 1969 and the triumph of Rocky at the 1977 Academy Awards, Sly weaves a vivid and propulsive portrait of struggle, subsistence and ultimately success. He writes of his early days and later years, too, and the persistence, creativity and resilience that led not only to the creation of Rocky but to a career filled with remarkably iconic roles. The Steps is a testament to Stallone's extraordinary life and a profound meditation on the importance of vision and willpower and hard work.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published September 29, 2026
About the author
Sylvester Stallone
44 books185 followersSylvester Gardenzio Stallone (July 6, 1946 - ) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter.
One of the biggest box office draws in the world from the '70s to the '90s, international megastar Sylvester Stallone is a global icon. He has played two characters who have become a part of the American cultural lexicon: Rocky Balboa, the boxer who overcame all odds to fight for love and glory, and John Rambo, a courageous soldier who specialized in violent rescue and revenge missions.
During the 1980s, he enjoyed phenomenal popularity and was one of the biggest movie stars in the world with the Rocky and Rambo franchises. Stallone's culturally influential films changed pop culture history and he has largely enjoyed a career on the Hollywood A list for over 30 years.
He is considered by many (including the mayor of Philadelphia) as the one who made the city of Philadelphia an international tourist attraction with the Rocky Steps. His immense popularity there has led to a statue of his Rocky character being placed permanently near the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a cultural landmark. In August 2007, a statue of Rocky was also erected in the Serbian village of Žitište. Stallone's film Rocky has also been inducted into the National Film Registry as well as having its film props placed in the Smithsonian Museum as a national treasure.
One of the biggest box office draws in the world from the '70s to the '90s, international megastar Sylvester Stallone is a global icon. He has played two characters who have become a part of the American cultural lexicon: Rocky Balboa, the boxer who overcame all odds to fight for love and glory, and John Rambo, a courageous soldier who specialized in violent rescue and revenge missions.
During the 1980s, he enjoyed phenomenal popularity and was one of the biggest movie stars in the world with the Rocky and Rambo franchises. Stallone's culturally influential films changed pop culture history and he has largely enjoyed a career on the Hollywood A list for over 30 years.
He is considered by many (including the mayor of Philadelphia) as the one who made the city of Philadelphia an international tourist attraction with the Rocky Steps. His immense popularity there has led to a statue of his Rocky character being placed permanently near the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a cultural landmark. In August 2007, a statue of Rocky was also erected in the Serbian village of Žitište. Stallone's film Rocky has also been inducted into the National Film Registry as well as having its film props placed in the Smithsonian Museum as a national treasure.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 29, 2026
Great story of Stallone's life leading up to the release of "Rocky." Read by the author, which made it SO MUCH BETTER!
September 30, 2026
Vuoden odotetuin kirja.
Rocky teki minuun valtavan vaikutuksen. Olin päälle parikymppinen, kun katsoin ensimmäisen osan ja sen jälkeen ilmestyneet osat. Legendaarisen ensimmäisen osan lisäksi erityisen vahvasti mieleeni on jäänyt Rocky IV, jossa Rocky taistelee Ivan Dragoa vastaan.
Elokuvan soundtrack on yksi parhaista, ja etenkin Training Montage sekä koko treenikohtaus ovat jääneet lähtemättömästi mieleeni. Olen saanut valtavasti fyysistä voimaa ajatellessani niitä älyttömiä vatsalihasliikkeitä ja valmentajaa, joka huutaa Rockylle vieressä: ”No pain!”
Olen synnyttänyt neljä lasta miettimällä tätä kohtausta. Ehkä on vähän hullua rinnastaa miehen nyrkkeilymatsiin valmistautumista synnytykseen, mutta jokin siinä on vaikuttanut minuun niin valtavasti. Kun on todella kovilla, ajatus siitä, että aina vielä vähän kestää, on jäänyt pysyvästi mieleeni Rockyn kautta.
Portaat kertoo Stallonen elämästä ennen Rockya ja ensimmäisen Rocky-elokuvan synnystä. Erityisen kiinnostavaa on seurata, kuinka Stallone piti päänsä, vaikka kukaan ei halunnut häntä näyttelemään pääroolia. Hän ei suostunut myymään käsikirjoitustaan suurellakaan rahalla, koska halusi itse olla Rocky, vaikka eli samaan aikaan köyhyydessä.
Stallone on tätä kirjoittaessa 80-vuotias ja tehnyt huikean elokuvauran niin näyttelijänä kuin käsikirjoittajana. Siksi kirjan tiiviys yllätti minut. Elämästä ja urasta olisi ollut aineksia vaikka kuinka paljon pidempään teokseen, mutta nyt kaikki on puristettu todella tiukkaan pakettiin. Asioita ei juuri käsitellä laajasti, eikä Rockyn jälkeisestä urasta kerrota oikeastaan lainkaan.
Olisin siis ehdottomasti toivonut kirjalle reilusti lisää pituutta.
Mutta koska rakastan Rockya ja sillä on ollut niin suuri vaikutus omaan elämääni, annan kirjalle suorilta 5/5 – vaikka myönnän, ettei kirja itsessään ehkä ole viiden tähden kirja.
Tämä on ennen kaikkea kirja, jonka luin Rocky-fanina. Ja jos et ole Rocky-fani tai ole nähnyt elokuvia, tämä ei välttämättä anna lukijalle läheskään yhtä paljon.
Keep punching🥊
Rocky teki minuun valtavan vaikutuksen. Olin päälle parikymppinen, kun katsoin ensimmäisen osan ja sen jälkeen ilmestyneet osat. Legendaarisen ensimmäisen osan lisäksi erityisen vahvasti mieleeni on jäänyt Rocky IV, jossa Rocky taistelee Ivan Dragoa vastaan.
Elokuvan soundtrack on yksi parhaista, ja etenkin Training Montage sekä koko treenikohtaus ovat jääneet lähtemättömästi mieleeni. Olen saanut valtavasti fyysistä voimaa ajatellessani niitä älyttömiä vatsalihasliikkeitä ja valmentajaa, joka huutaa Rockylle vieressä: ”No pain!”
Olen synnyttänyt neljä lasta miettimällä tätä kohtausta. Ehkä on vähän hullua rinnastaa miehen nyrkkeilymatsiin valmistautumista synnytykseen, mutta jokin siinä on vaikuttanut minuun niin valtavasti. Kun on todella kovilla, ajatus siitä, että aina vielä vähän kestää, on jäänyt pysyvästi mieleeni Rockyn kautta.
Portaat kertoo Stallonen elämästä ennen Rockya ja ensimmäisen Rocky-elokuvan synnystä. Erityisen kiinnostavaa on seurata, kuinka Stallone piti päänsä, vaikka kukaan ei halunnut häntä näyttelemään pääroolia. Hän ei suostunut myymään käsikirjoitustaan suurellakaan rahalla, koska halusi itse olla Rocky, vaikka eli samaan aikaan köyhyydessä.
Stallone on tätä kirjoittaessa 80-vuotias ja tehnyt huikean elokuvauran niin näyttelijänä kuin käsikirjoittajana. Siksi kirjan tiiviys yllätti minut. Elämästä ja urasta olisi ollut aineksia vaikka kuinka paljon pidempään teokseen, mutta nyt kaikki on puristettu todella tiukkaan pakettiin. Asioita ei juuri käsitellä laajasti, eikä Rockyn jälkeisestä urasta kerrota oikeastaan lainkaan.
Olisin siis ehdottomasti toivonut kirjalle reilusti lisää pituutta.
Mutta koska rakastan Rockya ja sillä on ollut niin suuri vaikutus omaan elämääni, annan kirjalle suorilta 5/5 – vaikka myönnän, ettei kirja itsessään ehkä ole viiden tähden kirja.
Tämä on ennen kaikkea kirja, jonka luin Rocky-fanina. Ja jos et ole Rocky-fani tai ole nähnyt elokuvia, tämä ei välttämättä anna lukijalle läheskään yhtä paljon.
Keep punching🥊
October 1, 2026
I’m not a huge Stallone fan. I’ve not watched any Ricky beyond the fourth, any Rambo beyond the second, or any Expendables at all. And yet I was so excited by this memoir I preordered it. I think there’s something highly interesting about Stallone the creative. From the way he talks, he clearly has grand visions about what he’s aiming for, and the fact that what makes it to screen often doesn’t reach those visions just makes his struggle and determination all the more poignant.
If you’ve seen or read any of the interviews he’s done regarding this book, you’ll know there’s a certain amount of misery porn here. Sly had two nightmare parents. And they clearly gave him both a chip on his shoulder and a desire to prove himself. He talks in this book about not dismissing those who are just average people doing their jobs, that it happened to him while working as an usher, and he swore he would never do that. He writes you need to treat everyone with respect, which is an admirable sentiment. But one of the common themes you get from reading about the man is what a nightmare he can be to the people he’s working with. He might have these high ideals (but as with his films) he doesn’t live up to them. As the adage goes – hurt people hurt people.
But this is Sly Stallone and he knows how to tell an uplifting story. It’s what we get in ROCKY, and it’s here in his life up until ROCKY wins best picture. Is it self-serving? Of course. Does he have scores to settle? Yes, and Francis Ford Coppola. Telly Savalas and Paddy Chayefsky are all on the receiving ends of jabs. Do I wish he’d stayed with his first wife, who sounds absolutely lovely? Yes, very much so. It’s a fun read, and with Bill Conti’s score swelling on the audiobook, hard not to be affected.
And it being Stallone, I look forward to the sequels.
If you’ve seen or read any of the interviews he’s done regarding this book, you’ll know there’s a certain amount of misery porn here. Sly had two nightmare parents. And they clearly gave him both a chip on his shoulder and a desire to prove himself. He talks in this book about not dismissing those who are just average people doing their jobs, that it happened to him while working as an usher, and he swore he would never do that. He writes you need to treat everyone with respect, which is an admirable sentiment. But one of the common themes you get from reading about the man is what a nightmare he can be to the people he’s working with. He might have these high ideals (but as with his films) he doesn’t live up to them. As the adage goes – hurt people hurt people.
But this is Sly Stallone and he knows how to tell an uplifting story. It’s what we get in ROCKY, and it’s here in his life up until ROCKY wins best picture. Is it self-serving? Of course. Does he have scores to settle? Yes, and Francis Ford Coppola. Telly Savalas and Paddy Chayefsky are all on the receiving ends of jabs. Do I wish he’d stayed with his first wife, who sounds absolutely lovely? Yes, very much so. It’s a fun read, and with Bill Conti’s score swelling on the audiobook, hard not to be affected.
And it being Stallone, I look forward to the sequels.
Want to Read
July 16, 2025(Sylvester Stalone)
October 1, 2026
I pre-ordered this book as soon as I learned it was being released. It did not disappoint. While many authors call their books "memoirs" when they are more accurately autobiographies, this book is truly a memoir. Sly includes all and only the information that you'd want to know, culminating with the success of the first Rocky movie. He made me laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between. Rocky spoke to me in a profound way as a child and lessons from that movie have stayed with me throughout my entire life. It was amazing to hear how it came to be from Sly's perspective and what it meant and still means to him. THANK YOU SLY for sharing your story with us. I hope you consider writing additional books!
October 2, 2026
I've known Sylvester Stallone from his movies for basically my entire life, but I really didn’t know much about the man behind them. It was really interesting learning about his life, especially his childhood and everything he went through before becoming successful.
His early life was probably the most interesting part to me. Learning where he came from and some of the struggles and setbacks he faced gives you a different perspective on the person who eventually became Rocky and one of the biggest movie stars in the world.
There were a lot of things about his life that I had never heard before. I definitely came away knowing a lot more about Stallone than just the characters and movies I’ve known him for all these years. Good book and a really interesting life story.
His early life was probably the most interesting part to me. Learning where he came from and some of the struggles and setbacks he faced gives you a different perspective on the person who eventually became Rocky and one of the biggest movie stars in the world.
There were a lot of things about his life that I had never heard before. I definitely came away knowing a lot more about Stallone than just the characters and movies I’ve known him for all these years. Good book and a really interesting life story.
October 1, 2026
By now, the story of the making of Rocky has been told so many times that there's nothing much new to reveal. There was a documentary on Stallone's career not long ago, followed by this book, and a feature film coming soon. What would be more interesting would be for the author to trace his career after this point, when the sequels piled up and the quality went down... at least until Creed.
September 30, 2026
Fans of Rocky might enjoy the behind the scenes look at how the movie came to be, but I didn't find it that engaging. The constant jumping back and forth in time before you get to the "Rocky" part of the story is distracting.
October 2, 2026
I've been completely binge-reading The Steps: A Memoir by Sylvester Stallone over the past three days. It's a raw, incredible account of his journey to becoming a screenwriter and an actor.
I even splurged and got the audiobook too, narrated by Stallone himself. Highly recommend.
At the heart of this memoir is failure, and his path to Hollywood was filled with it. People constantly told him he didn't have what it takes, including, heartbreakingly, his own parents. One phone call with his mother, inviting her to the Oscars, broke my heart. But alongside the failure was faith in himself, learning the craft, writing, and putting himself out there again and again, no matter how many times the door closed.
A standout chapter for me was the filming of Rocky, when he had to beg the producer to let them finish the last scene. It was emotionally charged, and it jumped right off the page. The quote "I'd struggled my whole life to get here. I deserve one take," gave me goosebumps.
His writing is raw, funny, and reflective, and listening to him narrate it himself made it even more personal. He brought real inflection and emotion to every page, conversational in a way that pulled me in further.
What stayed with me most, though, is his mindset. It's not just resilience, it's his genuinely positive outlook on life, even in the face of constant rejection. "If no one was going to give me an opportunity, I knew I had to create that opportunity for myself," he writes, and that line alone is one I'll be reminding myself of whenever things get hard.
Whether you're a fan of Stallone, underdog stories, or just looking for something motivating, this one's not to be missed.
I even splurged and got the audiobook too, narrated by Stallone himself. Highly recommend.
At the heart of this memoir is failure, and his path to Hollywood was filled with it. People constantly told him he didn't have what it takes, including, heartbreakingly, his own parents. One phone call with his mother, inviting her to the Oscars, broke my heart. But alongside the failure was faith in himself, learning the craft, writing, and putting himself out there again and again, no matter how many times the door closed.
A standout chapter for me was the filming of Rocky, when he had to beg the producer to let them finish the last scene. It was emotionally charged, and it jumped right off the page. The quote "I'd struggled my whole life to get here. I deserve one take," gave me goosebumps.
His writing is raw, funny, and reflective, and listening to him narrate it himself made it even more personal. He brought real inflection and emotion to every page, conversational in a way that pulled me in further.
What stayed with me most, though, is his mindset. It's not just resilience, it's his genuinely positive outlook on life, even in the face of constant rejection. "If no one was going to give me an opportunity, I knew I had to create that opportunity for myself," he writes, and that line alone is one I'll be reminding myself of whenever things get hard.
Whether you're a fan of Stallone, underdog stories, or just looking for something motivating, this one's not to be missed.
October 2, 2026
Instagram - @comewalkinmybooks
📚 book review 📚
The Steps by Sylvester Stallone
Goodreads rating - 4.66/5 ⭐️
My personal rating - 5/5 ⭐️
This is my first book by Sylvester Stallone
In this book we follow the story of a young Stallone arriving in New York with no money and one big dream.
Throughout this book we read the story of Sylvester Stallone’s beginnings. The house environment he grew up in with verbally and physically abusive parents. Leaving home for a boarding house and trying to find his own way in this world at such a young age.
We also follow his journey to Rocky. How the idea started and the struggle it took to even find someone to make the film never mind let him be in it.
It’s a story that proves if you believe in something so much you should never let it go !
My downfalls for this book would be that it’s too short 😂 I need more about all his future projects after Rocky like Rambo and the Expendables !! Come on Sly 🥹
Would I recommend this book - yes
This is a must read for all Rocky fans. Learning the story behind one of my favourite movies from the man himself is a dream come true !
Would i read this author again - yes
I need more 😂
I’m also on the hunt for a signed copy of this book ! I’ve emailed so many publishers and book stores and there’s none 😭 EBay prices are outrageous so if anyone knows of one going for a decent price please let me know !
This is my personal opinion !
📚 book review 📚
The Steps by Sylvester Stallone
Goodreads rating - 4.66/5 ⭐️
My personal rating - 5/5 ⭐️
This is my first book by Sylvester Stallone
In this book we follow the story of a young Stallone arriving in New York with no money and one big dream.
Throughout this book we read the story of Sylvester Stallone’s beginnings. The house environment he grew up in with verbally and physically abusive parents. Leaving home for a boarding house and trying to find his own way in this world at such a young age.
We also follow his journey to Rocky. How the idea started and the struggle it took to even find someone to make the film never mind let him be in it.
It’s a story that proves if you believe in something so much you should never let it go !
My downfalls for this book would be that it’s too short 😂 I need more about all his future projects after Rocky like Rambo and the Expendables !! Come on Sly 🥹
Would I recommend this book - yes
This is a must read for all Rocky fans. Learning the story behind one of my favourite movies from the man himself is a dream come true !
Would i read this author again - yes
I need more 😂
I’m also on the hunt for a signed copy of this book ! I’ve emailed so many publishers and book stores and there’s none 😭 EBay prices are outrageous so if anyone knows of one going for a decent price please let me know !
This is my personal opinion !
October 2, 2026
The rating may not have been quite as high if I hadn't listened to this audiobook. Hearing this told directly from Stallone brought the story even more to life. His laughing and somber tones in certain parts really moved me. I grew up loving the movie and have ran the steps in Philadelphia. But I did not know the whole story behind the movie. I see Stallone in a whole new light now. Highly recommend this audiobook.
September 30, 2026
Wow, this was brilliant!
I was undecided whether I should read the physical book or listen to the audio. Given that I had an Audible credit to use and that Sly himself was the narrator, I just had to listen to him tell his story.
There were so many insights into his life I weren't aware of, and the obstacles he overcame inspired generations.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
I was undecided whether I should read the physical book or listen to the audio. Given that I had an Audible credit to use and that Sly himself was the narrator, I just had to listen to him tell his story.
There were so many insights into his life I weren't aware of, and the obstacles he overcame inspired generations.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
October 2, 2026
So many of us ignorantly refer to successful folks as 'lucky'... not appreciating the struggle, effort, or grit required to achieve such 'luck'. This book is a perfect example of this and thank God Mr. Stallone has the courage to show us the 'man behind the curtain'.
I'm forever changed, thank you for this book, sir.
I'm forever changed, thank you for this book, sir.
Read
October 2, 2026Eu pensei que o livro falaria mais da vida dele do que da realização de Rocky. Não é um livro ruim, mas fui ler às cegas e acabou que as minhas expectativas não condizeram com o que o livro tratava; faz parte.
Mas enfim, de forma geral foi muito interessante ler a trajetória do Sly. Fiquei com gostinho de “quero mais”
Mas enfim, de forma geral foi muito interessante ler a trajetória do Sly. Fiquei com gostinho de “quero mais”
October 1, 2026
Very interesting listen narrated by the author. He reveled fascinating details about his career and life. He was endearing and open. Obviously a good writer which you would not expect based on his tough personna.
September 30, 2026
All new stories with his voice narrating. Worth it!
Read
September 30, 2026WOW!
Thought I would read a bit to see how was. Didn't stop until I was done. Amazing story of true grit by the real Rocky.
Thought I would read a bit to see how was. Didn't stop until I was done. Amazing story of true grit by the real Rocky.
October 1, 2026
OUTSTANDING!
October 2, 2026
I ugly-cried.
October 2, 2026
Great guy.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews