What do you think?
Rate this book
The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir
From comedian and Emmy-nominated producer, actor, and former Daily Show correspondent, a humorous and heart-filled memoir exploring the lessons and values he’s distilled from the unexpected figures who shaped his life after his father’s passing.
When Roy Wood, Jr. held his baby boy for the first time, he was relieved that his son was happy and healthy, but he felt a strange mix of joy and apprehension. Roy’s own father, a voice of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, had passed away when Roy was sixteen. There were gaps in the lessons passed down from father to son and, when holding his own child, Roy wondered: had he managed to fill in those blanks, to learn the lessons he would one day need to teach his boy?
So Roy looked back to figure out who had taught him parenting lessons throughout his life, and what he could pass down to his son. Some of his father figures were clear, like a colorful man from Philadelphia navigating life after prison, who taught Roy the value of having a vision for his life, or his fellow comedians who showed him what it took to make it as a working stand-up performer. Others were less obvious, from the teenage friends who convinced him to race “leaf boats” carrying lit matches in the middle of a drought to a drug-addicted restaurant colleague who played hoops while Roy scoured dirty dishes to big names in Hollywood, like Trevor Noah and more.
In The Man of Many Fathers, Roy shares what he’s learned with humor and heart, delivering the most memorable lessons, such as how to channel anger through a more succesfull outlet (hint: never ever try to outfox a single mom), how not to get caught snitching (hint: never snitch), and many others.
Thoughtful, observant, Roy delivers an unforgettable laugh-out-loud memoir that reveals that no one really knows how to become a good dad, and that sometimes the best advice comes from the most surprising teachers.
When Roy Wood, Jr. held his baby boy for the first time, he was relieved that his son was happy and healthy, but he felt a strange mix of joy and apprehension. Roy’s own father, a voice of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, had passed away when Roy was sixteen. There were gaps in the lessons passed down from father to son and, when holding his own child, Roy wondered: had he managed to fill in those blanks, to learn the lessons he would one day need to teach his boy?
So Roy looked back to figure out who had taught him parenting lessons throughout his life, and what he could pass down to his son. Some of his father figures were clear, like a colorful man from Philadelphia navigating life after prison, who taught Roy the value of having a vision for his life, or his fellow comedians who showed him what it took to make it as a working stand-up performer. Others were less obvious, from the teenage friends who convinced him to race “leaf boats” carrying lit matches in the middle of a drought to a drug-addicted restaurant colleague who played hoops while Roy scoured dirty dishes to big names in Hollywood, like Trevor Noah and more.
In The Man of Many Fathers, Roy shares what he’s learned with humor and heart, delivering the most memorable lessons, such as how to channel anger through a more succesfull outlet (hint: never ever try to outfox a single mom), how not to get caught snitching (hint: never snitch), and many others.
Thoughtful, observant, Roy delivers an unforgettable laugh-out-loud memoir that reveals that no one really knows how to become a good dad, and that sometimes the best advice comes from the most surprising teachers.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2025
About the author
Roy Wood Jr.
3 books45 followersRoy Wood Jr. is a two-time Emmy-nominated writer and producer. The comedian, actor, and podcaster is primarily known for his stand-up comedy and work as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and hosting CNN’s Have I Got News for You . He hosted the 2023 White House Correspondents’ dinner and this year’s 85th Peabody Awards. He has created original half-hour scripted projects at FOX, NBC, and Comedy Central. He is the former host of the award-winning Comedy Central podcast, “The Daily Show: Beyond the Scenes.” He remains a regular guest star on various ESPN shows and the MLB Network. Wood lives in New York.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 14, 2025
One of the best audiobooks i’ve ever listened to
November 11, 2025
I met Roy Wood Jr. not on the Daily Show but on The Right Time with Bomani Jones podcast. Their conversation about life, race, and sports made me a big fan of Wood.
Now I’m an even bigger fan: I just love this book—it’s honest, entertaining—both funny and sad, and a guide to knowing when to move on.
And to top it off, it features some of the best writing I’ve read/heard in a long time. Seriously. Tight, vivid, memorable.
Thank you, Roy Wood Jr.
Now I’m an even bigger fan: I just love this book—it’s honest, entertaining—both funny and sad, and a guide to knowing when to move on.
And to top it off, it features some of the best writing I’ve read/heard in a long time. Seriously. Tight, vivid, memorable.
Thank you, Roy Wood Jr.
November 2, 2025
I almost quit reading this book several times. It starts with a story in which a woman is thrown across a room, hitting her head on a brick fireplace. Wood moves right along, ending the chapter with a tender moment with his mother and a lesson about “fire and compassion”. I was left wondering, “Forget you and your mom, what happened to the woman who was launched into the air?”
Many of the other stories have a similar, weirdly avoidant quality. He repeatedly writes some version of, “I wanted to respect their privacy, so I didn’t ask any questions.” So he never digs that deep into the really thorny issues, leaving a bunch of speculation and unresolved feelings. When he then draws a lesson, it’s only related in a sidelong way.
When I got to the Golden Corral chapter, though, I was so happy I had stuck with the book. It’s in this chapter that Wood is finally surrounded by people who take accountability for their actions. It’s such a change from his parents and his previous coworkers and friends, and Wood is clearly so appreciative, that I realized what kind of stress he had been under and what kind of person he was. Then, in the end, one of his Golden Corral coworkers, who was doing everything to live his life right, ends up coming to a tragic end.
So what makes this book fascinating and worthwhile is not the “life lessons” from the subtitle. It’s the fact that Wood encountered so many people and situations that could have left him disappointed and bitter, but he kept trying to learn what he could from them. It’s really impressive.
Finally: Don’t believe the inside flap. This book is not “laugh-out-loud-funny”.
Many of the other stories have a similar, weirdly avoidant quality. He repeatedly writes some version of, “I wanted to respect their privacy, so I didn’t ask any questions.” So he never digs that deep into the really thorny issues, leaving a bunch of speculation and unresolved feelings. When he then draws a lesson, it’s only related in a sidelong way.
When I got to the Golden Corral chapter, though, I was so happy I had stuck with the book. It’s in this chapter that Wood is finally surrounded by people who take accountability for their actions. It’s such a change from his parents and his previous coworkers and friends, and Wood is clearly so appreciative, that I realized what kind of stress he had been under and what kind of person he was. Then, in the end, one of his Golden Corral coworkers, who was doing everything to live his life right, ends up coming to a tragic end.
So what makes this book fascinating and worthwhile is not the “life lessons” from the subtitle. It’s the fact that Wood encountered so many people and situations that could have left him disappointed and bitter, but he kept trying to learn what he could from them. It’s really impressive.
Finally: Don’t believe the inside flap. This book is not “laugh-out-loud-funny”.
November 3, 2025
I firmly believe that Roy Wood Jr. is one of the most brilliant comedians on the planet today. What sets him above many other people in his position is his ability to talk about some of the most difficult things in someone’s life in a way that is comforting and soothing, and doesn’t let you shy away from the horrors of life.
Explaining his life through the lessons he’s learned from the people around him shows how great of a person he is by what he has learned from those around him. His experiences add to his gift and make him a blessing to anyone who ever listens to him speak, or reads what he has written.
Explaining his life through the lessons he’s learned from the people around him shows how great of a person he is by what he has learned from those around him. His experiences add to his gift and make him a blessing to anyone who ever listens to him speak, or reads what he has written.
January 3, 2026
The November 2025 #TBRChallenge is "Change of Plans." What immediately came to mind was the John Lennon melody and lyric Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans ("Beautiful Boy"). When I learned that Roy was writing a memoir of sorts, I immediately added it to Mount TBR, and I can't imagine any bigger change of plans than losing your father at a young age.
I remember when Roy was on 95.7 Jamz with his legendary prank phone calls; I picked up on his comedy career when he started popping up on TV and radio. I enjoyed his stories on The Daily Show and his podcast during the pandemic, Roy's Job Fair. I was on Twitter for the chicken sandwich wars, and was thrilled when I found him on Bluesky. It's part hometown boy made good, part vibing with his sense of humor. I was especially curious to see how he'd approach writing a memoir, given the legendary status of his father. What little he's posted to social media about his father made it clear that they weren't the closest of families, and he expands on this here.
This book is less memoir/life story and more of a collection of events that have shaped Roy's morality and character. He writes the book as a direct letter to his own son, relating the stories of the people who have touched his life in all kinds of ways. This includes various women, but he really focuses on the men who have made a difference in his life. He was on a quest for a father figure, because his own father was apparently distant at best. His childhood familial relationship was quite unusual, but it was his mother's desire to move to Birmingham to give him access to his father that pretty much drove this quest.
When Roy became a father himself, he took stock of his life and realized that he wanted to have a better relationship with his son than his father had with him. In this book, he's relating the stories that shaped him as a person: molding his ambition for a career, his desire for financial (and personal) independence, pushing him back on the right path when he strayed into dangerous territory. The men who feature in these stories are relatives, friends, acquaintances, co-workers - some nice, some ignorant, some racist, some indifferent. But he took a life lesson from all of them and wants to impart this knowledge to his son.
This is a beautiful, poignant book by a serious man who has made a career of making people laugh. Comedians ride an emotional rollercoaster few people ever see, and that shines through in this book. I was near tears at certain points. It's obvious Roy has done a lot of work to come to terms with and understand how his past has shaped the person he's become. He's learned from his own mistakes and the mistakes of others; he understands the value of feeling your feelings and then picking yourself up and going on with life. This is something I feel that precious few people in this world understand these days, so it was really lovely to read about it here.
Roy also discusses the reasons why he chose to leave The Daily Show, which were rather eye-opening to me. I knew he had other irons in the fire, but he digs down into what ultimately carried his decision to leave such a high-profile role.
This book is less life story and more life lessons, as the subtitle suggests. I really respect the fact that, though this book is written for his son, he doesn't spend time disparaging and blaming anyone. His desire is not to wallow in anger. He protects the privacy of pretty much everyone he mentions, to the degree that he can.
I really, really enjoyed this book, and seeing the serious side of this very funny man. I hope one day he writes a true autobiography - or at least a collection of the legendary stories from the Golden Corral, LOL.
I remember when Roy was on 95.7 Jamz with his legendary prank phone calls; I picked up on his comedy career when he started popping up on TV and radio. I enjoyed his stories on The Daily Show and his podcast during the pandemic, Roy's Job Fair. I was on Twitter for the chicken sandwich wars, and was thrilled when I found him on Bluesky. It's part hometown boy made good, part vibing with his sense of humor. I was especially curious to see how he'd approach writing a memoir, given the legendary status of his father. What little he's posted to social media about his father made it clear that they weren't the closest of families, and he expands on this here.
This book is less memoir/life story and more of a collection of events that have shaped Roy's morality and character. He writes the book as a direct letter to his own son, relating the stories of the people who have touched his life in all kinds of ways. This includes various women, but he really focuses on the men who have made a difference in his life. He was on a quest for a father figure, because his own father was apparently distant at best. His childhood familial relationship was quite unusual, but it was his mother's desire to move to Birmingham to give him access to his father that pretty much drove this quest.
When Roy became a father himself, he took stock of his life and realized that he wanted to have a better relationship with his son than his father had with him. In this book, he's relating the stories that shaped him as a person: molding his ambition for a career, his desire for financial (and personal) independence, pushing him back on the right path when he strayed into dangerous territory. The men who feature in these stories are relatives, friends, acquaintances, co-workers - some nice, some ignorant, some racist, some indifferent. But he took a life lesson from all of them and wants to impart this knowledge to his son.
This is a beautiful, poignant book by a serious man who has made a career of making people laugh. Comedians ride an emotional rollercoaster few people ever see, and that shines through in this book. I was near tears at certain points. It's obvious Roy has done a lot of work to come to terms with and understand how his past has shaped the person he's become. He's learned from his own mistakes and the mistakes of others; he understands the value of feeling your feelings and then picking yourself up and going on with life. This is something I feel that precious few people in this world understand these days, so it was really lovely to read about it here.
Roy also discusses the reasons why he chose to leave The Daily Show, which were rather eye-opening to me. I knew he had other irons in the fire, but he digs down into what ultimately carried his decision to leave such a high-profile role.
This book is less life story and more life lessons, as the subtitle suggests. I really respect the fact that, though this book is written for his son, he doesn't spend time disparaging and blaming anyone. His desire is not to wallow in anger. He protects the privacy of pretty much everyone he mentions, to the degree that he can.
I really, really enjoyed this book, and seeing the serious side of this very funny man. I hope one day he writes a true autobiography - or at least a collection of the legendary stories from the Golden Corral, LOL.
March 22, 2026
I always appreciate a memoir narrated by the author. This was probably one of the BEST memoirs I’ve read. Definitely top 5.
My aunt introduced me to Roy Wood Jr in 2005 with his prank phone calls and I’ve been a fan ever since.
The anecdotes are immersive (even the sad ones were entertaining). I laughed out loud so many times.
The lessons were also insightful.
Thank you for sharing your story with us!
My aunt introduced me to Roy Wood Jr in 2005 with his prank phone calls and I’ve been a fan ever since.
The anecdotes are immersive (even the sad ones were entertaining). I laughed out loud so many times.
The lessons were also insightful.
Thank you for sharing your story with us!
November 14, 2025
I'm impressed with Roy Wood Jr. Since I watch The Daily Show religiously, I knew he is (and the reason that I read his book) but he bared his soul in this memoir. He hasn't always been on the right side of the law, but thanks to the intervention of different father figures in his life such as ministers and employers.
He has learned a lot in his life and I've learned a lot about being in comedy and show business.
He has learned a lot in his life and I've learned a lot about being in comedy and show business.
October 28, 2025
Roy Wood, Jr was one of the best parts of The Daily Show for me…I have not missed one episode of Have I Got News for You…I have seen his stand up in person twice - once getting a selfie with him. He had to hold my phone to take the picture because he is 6 feet tall, and although I identify as tall, I am technically not. His show was top tier and afterwards he was kind and gracious. In the book he says his greatest fear is to live without joy. As someone who has doggedly chased happiness my entire life I relate to this on a cellular level. Joy is an unsung hero in all our lives. The ability to claw someone out of the muck and shake the dirt off them until they laugh is a wonderful under-heralded gift to humanity. This book was such a great journey. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
I’m giving this book five stars because it made my woe-is-me furloughed ass laugh out loud.
I’m giving this book five stars because it made my woe-is-me furloughed ass laugh out loud.
December 26, 2025
Roy Wood Jr. did not have the best relationship with his father. He shares what he’s learned from him (rolling my eyes) as well as several other men who had to fill in the gaps. It’s written as a memoir for his son Henry.
This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read, and I love when this genre has you going through several emotions. Sometimes I forget how funny he is. I laughed out loud many times, became upset, and sometimes I was sad for him.
Although this is about the men in his life, he doesn’t forget about his mother, who plays a major role in his life. One of my favorite parts of the book is when he and his mother argue with each other. Pure comedy gold.
I really enjoyed the cover of this book. The art is amazing. As a matter of fact, that’s his mother at the bottom left.
Here’s a quote:
Roy’s mother: “You got a ride home from a goddamn drunk?”
Roy: “Yup. But better to meet a drunk than a kidnapper.”
One man Roy writes about is the Amazing Trevor Noah. I don’t know if you have read his memoir Born a Crime, but if you haven’t, I highly suggest that you do. I love the fact that they are close friends and both have great memoirs. The Man of Many Fathers is a must-read, and the audiobook is top-tier.
This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read, and I love when this genre has you going through several emotions. Sometimes I forget how funny he is. I laughed out loud many times, became upset, and sometimes I was sad for him.
Although this is about the men in his life, he doesn’t forget about his mother, who plays a major role in his life. One of my favorite parts of the book is when he and his mother argue with each other. Pure comedy gold.
I really enjoyed the cover of this book. The art is amazing. As a matter of fact, that’s his mother at the bottom left.
Here’s a quote:
Roy’s mother: “You got a ride home from a goddamn drunk?”
Roy: “Yup. But better to meet a drunk than a kidnapper.”
One man Roy writes about is the Amazing Trevor Noah. I don’t know if you have read his memoir Born a Crime, but if you haven’t, I highly suggest that you do. I love the fact that they are close friends and both have great memoirs. The Man of Many Fathers is a must-read, and the audiobook is top-tier.
September 11, 2025
Crown Publishing provided an early galley for review.
I got to know and enjoy Roy as the host of Have I Got News For You, a weekly comedy-headlines show on CNN. I like his sense of humor and timing, so I felt I too would enjoy a look into his life.
This was definitely an interesting approach to a memoir. His life story is a very interesting one. Though it has its moments of humor, it also gives the reader things to think about regarding their own lives and relationships with their parents and their children. At the stage of life where I find myself in, I found this useful and oddly comforting.
I got to know and enjoy Roy as the host of Have I Got News For You, a weekly comedy-headlines show on CNN. I like his sense of humor and timing, so I felt I too would enjoy a look into his life.
This was definitely an interesting approach to a memoir. His life story is a very interesting one. Though it has its moments of humor, it also gives the reader things to think about regarding their own lives and relationships with their parents and their children. At the stage of life where I find myself in, I found this useful and oddly comforting.
April 2, 2026
This book of "life lessons" is aimed at the author's son. As noted, it's also a memoir, written with gratitude to his mom and a number of men in his life ranging from a coach to a probation officer to a pastor to a more senior performer.
A comedian, actor, and podcaster, Roy Wood Jr was a correspondent for The Daily Show and the host of the 2023 White House Correspondents' dinner.
In his early years, Wood's father wasn't around much. He was busy being a well-known Black journalist who covered many of the critical points in the Civil Rights Movement. He was also the father of 10 other children, in addition to the author, with various women. Jr.'s mother raised their son largely on her own while putting herself through school including grad school and law school--no mean feat. They went through some rough times and the son worked all kinds of jobs, a few not exactly legit, to take money pressure off his mom.
This is a great story about tenacity and hard work, and the engaging writing gives insights into worlds I know nothing about. For example, here is the description of the neighborhood where he worked the late shift at a Subway Sandwich shop.
"It was a nice little three- to four-block stretch of bars, tattoo shops, drug addicts, goth kids, black fingernail polish, white people who thought they were witches, the homeless, and some Black people who were starting to ride skateboards."
Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.
A comedian, actor, and podcaster, Roy Wood Jr was a correspondent for The Daily Show and the host of the 2023 White House Correspondents' dinner.
In his early years, Wood's father wasn't around much. He was busy being a well-known Black journalist who covered many of the critical points in the Civil Rights Movement. He was also the father of 10 other children, in addition to the author, with various women. Jr.'s mother raised their son largely on her own while putting herself through school including grad school and law school--no mean feat. They went through some rough times and the son worked all kinds of jobs, a few not exactly legit, to take money pressure off his mom.
This is a great story about tenacity and hard work, and the engaging writing gives insights into worlds I know nothing about. For example, here is the description of the neighborhood where he worked the late shift at a Subway Sandwich shop.
"It was a nice little three- to four-block stretch of bars, tattoo shops, drug addicts, goth kids, black fingernail polish, white people who thought they were witches, the homeless, and some Black people who were starting to ride skateboards."
Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.
December 14, 2025
4.5 Listened to the audiobook, read by the author!
My prior knowledge about Roy Wood Jr was limited to short clips on social media- his Ziwe interview, clips from stand up or podcasts, I think he also did a Subway Takes. I should take the time to check out more. He is a very gifted story teller and orator- which translates into his book. Definitely not a ha-ha funny book, Wood brings up issues of domestic abuse, divorce, poverty, racism... the voices he gives his parents especially and the people in his life.
I definitely recommend the audiobook, Wood's voice is so nice to listen to for 8 hours and he adds so much to the dialogue.
My prior knowledge about Roy Wood Jr was limited to short clips on social media- his Ziwe interview, clips from stand up or podcasts, I think he also did a Subway Takes. I should take the time to check out more. He is a very gifted story teller and orator- which translates into his book. Definitely not a ha-ha funny book, Wood brings up issues of domestic abuse, divorce, poverty, racism... the voices he gives his parents especially and the people in his life.
I definitely recommend the audiobook, Wood's voice is so nice to listen to for 8 hours and he adds so much to the dialogue.
November 14, 2025
The Man of Many Fathers:
Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir
I Picked Up This Book Because: I’ve enjoyed other work by the author.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: S Public Library
Dates Read: 11/3/25 - 11/6/25
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Roy Wood Jr
The Story:
I’ve only known of Mr. Wood since his time on The Daily Show. He is hilarious. His story is interesting. This book is told in the form of a letter to his son. Sharing the lessons the men in his life have shared along the way.
Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir
I Picked Up This Book Because: I’ve enjoyed other work by the author.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: S Public Library
Dates Read: 11/3/25 - 11/6/25
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Roy Wood Jr
The Story:
I’ve only known of Mr. Wood since his time on The Daily Show. He is hilarious. His story is interesting. This book is told in the form of a letter to his son. Sharing the lessons the men in his life have shared along the way.
December 18, 2025
Well Rounded
I didn’t know anything about Roy Wood, Jr. before I read this book except that he’s funny on Twitter. When I found out that he was releasing a book, it immediately went on my TBR. It was a pleasure to learn about his upbringing and career path. What I loved most was that it wasn’t all jokes. There were some deeper, heartfelt moments included. The nuggets of wisdom that he offered didn’t come off as preachy or generic. This book was interesting, thought provoking, and funny. I enjoyed all of it.
I didn’t know anything about Roy Wood, Jr. before I read this book except that he’s funny on Twitter. When I found out that he was releasing a book, it immediately went on my TBR. It was a pleasure to learn about his upbringing and career path. What I loved most was that it wasn’t all jokes. There were some deeper, heartfelt moments included. The nuggets of wisdom that he offered didn’t come off as preachy or generic. This book was interesting, thought provoking, and funny. I enjoyed all of it.
December 17, 2025
This kind of reminds me of never meet your heroes. I like Roy Wood Jr a lot less after reading this autobiography. There were hints at his personality during interviews but it didn't bother me too much. Just made me raise an eyebrow. But seeing this much of his life and knowing these were the parts he chose to share is an interesting angle. All in all this book feels like he is his own father even though he's trying not to become him.
Throughout the book he tells stories about how he learned from others mistakes as well as his own. He was a voyeur many times which makes him have such good comedic stories. But his voyeurism came off as judgmental in many instances. He even admitted so in one of his stories. There was always an excuse for making bad decisions and I didn't get the sense he accepted responsibility for much. This was written well, easy to read, but I would have liked more introspection
Throughout the book he tells stories about how he learned from others mistakes as well as his own. He was a voyeur many times which makes him have such good comedic stories. But his voyeurism came off as judgmental in many instances. He even admitted so in one of his stories. There was always an excuse for making bad decisions and I didn't get the sense he accepted responsibility for much. This was written well, easy to read, but I would have liked more introspection
December 19, 2025
Picked this up after seeing Roy Wood on Josh Johnson’s podcast (w that one lady), talking about his dad’s journalism legacy starting a black radio network in the Jim Crow south.
Imagine you overhear Roy Wood in a bar with a bunch of friends, telling stories about his life coming up in Alabama and as a comedian, for laughs, and closing each one with a lil moral of the story nugget. Fun, fucked up, interesting to hear some of the mechanics of comedy, etc., and framed as a letter to his son.
Imagine you overhear Roy Wood in a bar with a bunch of friends, telling stories about his life coming up in Alabama and as a comedian, for laughs, and closing each one with a lil moral of the story nugget. Fun, fucked up, interesting to hear some of the mechanics of comedy, etc., and framed as a letter to his son.
February 4, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up, with the caveat that this book has to be enjoyed as an audiobook. I mean, the man is a comedian - of course the timing and delivery is going to matter. Roy Wood, Jr. doesn’t disappoint. Just like his comedy, his book is thoughtful, funny, and moving. I already admired him as a comic, but learning more about his life and dedication to evolving as an artist made me appreciate him even more.
January 18, 2026
I heard Roy talk about this book on Trevor Noah’s podcast of What Now. The conversation during that episode made me add this book to my list to read. It was beautiful story of becoming a reflection of relationships and how they shaped Roy. I love that this was written for his son and as readers we get to join the journey!
February 9, 2026
I was hoping for more humor and this was ultimately a lot of trauma and sadness. Not in-your-face, but very much along all the edges. I still found this book interesting and it did fulfill its mission of sharing lessons from various “fathers,” but it mostly just made me feel kind of bad for Roy Wood Jr.
March 21, 2026
listened to this audiobook for 6 hours straight. Roy is a master story teller and I came in without having had an exposure to him as a comedian and only a periphery knowledge of him having bidder for the Daily Show host spot. This has made me a fan. Please do the audiobook, Roy's reading gives an irreplaceable quality to the storytelling.
April 23, 2026
The Man of Many Fathers had a few moments where I almost leaned in… but mostly I was just waiting for it to do more. For someone as sharp as Roy Wood Jr., I expected wit that hit harder and stories that stuck longer. Instead, it felt like a collection of almosts—almost funny, almost deep, almost memorable.
Not terrible… just very skippable.
Not terrible… just very skippable.
November 14, 2025
Funny, insightful, thoughtful and beautifully written. This book is a love letter to the Black men who shaped him and taught him life, love and career lesson and he shares these lessons and wisdom he wants to pass on to his own son. Beautifully written, hilarious and warm. I need to buy a copy just to save some of these quotes.
I always enjoyed Roy Woods Jr. while on the daily show and was devastated when he left, I have followed his journey since and was extremely excited to read this book. It was a great read and the lessons he leaves for his son are simply beautiful and heartfelt. Even the Acknowledgements had me rolling!
I always enjoyed Roy Woods Jr. while on the daily show and was devastated when he left, I have followed his journey since and was extremely excited to read this book. It was a great read and the lessons he leaves for his son are simply beautiful and heartfelt. Even the Acknowledgements had me rolling!
January 3, 2026
solid 4. great stories of a variety of individuals who impacted a life. really enjoyed it!
February 23, 2026
Highly relatable to my own life journey. Hilarious and insightful. Would read again.
April 18, 2026
Special thanks to the author & @crownpublishing for my gifted copy‼️
This was my first memoir of the year and let me just say it’s a must read. When I found out the audiobook was narrated by the author I had to grab a copy and y’all it was laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end.
The Man of Many Fathers is a combination of life lessons written to his son, memorable moments, advice he’s received along the way from different men he deemed as mentors or father figures, what it takes to make it as a comedian and how to become a good man/father. What made me love this memoir so much was seeing how Woods used his pain and trauma as comedy. It’s like sometimes things are so bad you can’t do anything but laugh at the circumstances.
Woods also spoke on his parents a lot throughout the book. Like how his mom could no longer handle his behavior so they moved states to live with his father. But while living with his father the man was never actually present and there’s a sad reason for this. The way his dad treated them it was almost as though they were just guests in his home. At one point in the book Woods talks about how his mom questioned why he didn’t ask his dad for money and his inner thoughts on the situation took me out lol. His dad was well-known and loved around town but I also wondered if they knew how he treated his wife and son would they still feel the same about him. The death of his father posed a question for Woods on whether he was actually a good dad. That part really struck me because he’d never be able to explain to his dad why he really wasn’t.
Overall, this memoir was well worth the read it’s raw, honest, heartfelt, and funny‼️ I loved how the author had people in his corner to lean on and that taught him things his dad never could. I had no prior knowledge of Roy Woods Jr prior to reading this but it made me watch his Hulu comedy special and yes he’s funny in real life. If this isn’t on your radar I recommend you add it.
This was my first memoir of the year and let me just say it’s a must read. When I found out the audiobook was narrated by the author I had to grab a copy and y’all it was laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end.
The Man of Many Fathers is a combination of life lessons written to his son, memorable moments, advice he’s received along the way from different men he deemed as mentors or father figures, what it takes to make it as a comedian and how to become a good man/father. What made me love this memoir so much was seeing how Woods used his pain and trauma as comedy. It’s like sometimes things are so bad you can’t do anything but laugh at the circumstances.
Woods also spoke on his parents a lot throughout the book. Like how his mom could no longer handle his behavior so they moved states to live with his father. But while living with his father the man was never actually present and there’s a sad reason for this. The way his dad treated them it was almost as though they were just guests in his home. At one point in the book Woods talks about how his mom questioned why he didn’t ask his dad for money and his inner thoughts on the situation took me out lol. His dad was well-known and loved around town but I also wondered if they knew how he treated his wife and son would they still feel the same about him. The death of his father posed a question for Woods on whether he was actually a good dad. That part really struck me because he’d never be able to explain to his dad why he really wasn’t.
Overall, this memoir was well worth the read it’s raw, honest, heartfelt, and funny‼️ I loved how the author had people in his corner to lean on and that taught him things his dad never could. I had no prior knowledge of Roy Woods Jr prior to reading this but it made me watch his Hulu comedy special and yes he’s funny in real life. If this isn’t on your radar I recommend you add it.
January 1, 2026
Round up, easy listen with some humorous parts to most of the stories.
August 5, 2025
This book was honest, insightful, and funny. I liked that the author found fathering advice from a wide variety of characters.
March 16, 2026
I love Roy!
“The Man of Many Fathers” by Roy Wood Jr.
“Parenting is one part in stealing in your children what you believe to be the best of you and one part recognizing what is the best in your child and watering those parts of them. We sometimes make the mistake with our children of trying to turn them into things we wish we were without identifying why we wish that change for ourselves. But to identify the best parts of yourself, you will have to identify the worst parts of yourself too. I held you tighter in the delivery room as I contemplated this self-audit. That’s the hardest part of parenting: figuring out how to heal your damage and protect your child from suffering the same damage, all while figuring out how you became that damaged in the first place.” P.5
“I probably hadn’t said my peace in the right tone, but I meant what I said, and it was the first time I’ve never told a grown-up the truth about how I felt. I must give my mother credit for letting me be honest, even if she didn’t agree. That night changed our relationship for the better to this day. I knew I could tell her the truth about my feelings and not be punished for them as long as I spoke respectfully. Punished me for what I did? Sure, but punish me for my feelings? Never.” P.15
“To be a child is to be convinced that no matter what you’ve learned, you’ve already learned everything you need to know to proceed in life without your parents.” P.31
“We talked a little here and there, but for the most part my father slept. Those times meant a lot to me because I knew that in that moment that I was doing something for him. I felt needed, I felt wanted, and that wasn’t a feeling I felt very often with my dad. I was a kid who just wanted to spend time with my father, and at that point in my life I didn’t care what we did anymore, I was just thrilled to be there. The radio stayed locked to the a.m. news channels.” P.110-111
“As I came over to get the potato, my father looked me in the eyes and said, “I did OK, didn’t I?” and I said, “Yes, you did the best you could.” he smiled and patted me on the hand.
This would be the final conversation I had with my father. A few days later, my father was checked back into the hospital and then after that into hospice at the home of an older half brother who lived across town.” P.116
“A week after seeing him, we got the call that my father had passed. I sat with my mother and we talked about it for a second, then I hopped in my car and went to school. Business as usual. I think working and finding something to focus on when things are emotionally heavy is my go-to. I’m still slightly annoyed that I was denied this on the day my father passed. Word of his passing was all over television radio, so by the time I got to school at 8:30, everyone was looking at me like “What the hell are you doing here?” it was a truly sad day in the city. My father was being more into by everyone but me. I just wanted to go about my day.
The convenience of cancer is that it gives you time to more in the person‘s death long before it comes. I think the difficult thing is watching someone be celebrated and exalted by all the people he touched while you sit in all and have to come to grips with the fact that you never got that same experience with that person. It is hard to do that when you harbor so many conflicted feelings. It’s even more difficult when the rest of the world revere is the person that you sometimes feel you got a short end of the stick on. Turns out the reason why my father watched so many different newscast is because he was mentoring all of the various anchors and reporters and offering them critiques and weekly meetings. Over the decades I’ve heard so many stories of his love and benevolence and giving and sacrifice, and it’s made me wonder if he was all out of love to give by the time he walked in the front door of our home. I was sad, but I don’t think I ever truly grieved.
You feel cheated, then you feel furious – neither of which is an acceptable emotion to show the week of your father‘s funeral. I didn’t know at the time that I was simply trying to cope. But the teachers clocked it. As a tradition at Ramsey High School at the time, when someone in our student body suffered through the death of an immediate family member, a teacher would go from class to class and collect money for that student’s family. Coach Lawrence Logan was the drivers Ed instructor and also my baseball coach. He walked into the homeroom hanging his head and announced to the class that my father passed and then we were taking up money to send to Roy and his mother. As Coach Logan finished the sentence he looked up and saw me sitting there. All of my classmates turned around; none of them knew what to say. My presence was in a officially a distraction, so sometime around third period I was called into the principals office and advised that I should go home and be with my mother. They just treated me like a kid that was in shock. I guess I was.” P.118-119
“Over time I figured out there are four connectors between all people: food, entertainment, love, and employment. No matter who you are from age eight to eighty, you love at least one thing and one of those four categories. Generally speaking, if you can get someone talking about one of those four connectors, then they will become happier in that moment. This theory would eventually become the basis of the joke structure that I used to this day when I’m attempting to quickly unify a room at the beginning of a comedy set.” P.153
“We are a country founded on religious principles of forgiveness and turning the other cheek, every piece of infrastructure is set up to remind you of and hold you accountable for your past mistakes. Your rest record, your credit score, you’re driving history, your rental history – are all just measurements of morality that people use to establish a trust matrix about you.” P.165
“I got my keys and hustle to my room in my New Jersey crack lodge. Threw one of the walls I could hear a women having sex, and through the other I could hear some weird couple doing drugs together and inevitably getting into an argument. It was a Dolby Digital surround sound of bad ideas, poor life choices, and terrible noises.” P.193
“Son, I saw you fall off your bike one day when you were seven. We were at your grandmother’s house, and I was sitting in the front driveway with a good vantage point. You were about three or four houses down from me, and you took a nasty spill over the front of the handlebars and skinned up your knee pretty good.
I was hesitant to rush to your assistance because I wanted to see how good you were at soothing yourself in these instances. And I watched you. You felt the pain. You looked up at me, but you didn’t call out this time. It was almost as if you didn’t want me to come. You got up and dusted yourself off. You assessed your injuries. You assessed the state of your bike. You were crying, but you were composed, and you simply walked back to the house, where I attended to your wounds.
I don’t know what the requisite amount of time is to feel pain and hurt before returning to oneself. I think that length of time will forever remain relative. But in that moment, I saw some of me and you – the ability to feel failure but also feel the need to get up and get back to it.
I am not sure if I should be proud of that or afraid, but for now, I’m proud.” P.204
“The Man of Many Fathers” by Roy Wood Jr.
“Parenting is one part in stealing in your children what you believe to be the best of you and one part recognizing what is the best in your child and watering those parts of them. We sometimes make the mistake with our children of trying to turn them into things we wish we were without identifying why we wish that change for ourselves. But to identify the best parts of yourself, you will have to identify the worst parts of yourself too. I held you tighter in the delivery room as I contemplated this self-audit. That’s the hardest part of parenting: figuring out how to heal your damage and protect your child from suffering the same damage, all while figuring out how you became that damaged in the first place.” P.5
“I probably hadn’t said my peace in the right tone, but I meant what I said, and it was the first time I’ve never told a grown-up the truth about how I felt. I must give my mother credit for letting me be honest, even if she didn’t agree. That night changed our relationship for the better to this day. I knew I could tell her the truth about my feelings and not be punished for them as long as I spoke respectfully. Punished me for what I did? Sure, but punish me for my feelings? Never.” P.15
“To be a child is to be convinced that no matter what you’ve learned, you’ve already learned everything you need to know to proceed in life without your parents.” P.31
“We talked a little here and there, but for the most part my father slept. Those times meant a lot to me because I knew that in that moment that I was doing something for him. I felt needed, I felt wanted, and that wasn’t a feeling I felt very often with my dad. I was a kid who just wanted to spend time with my father, and at that point in my life I didn’t care what we did anymore, I was just thrilled to be there. The radio stayed locked to the a.m. news channels.” P.110-111
“As I came over to get the potato, my father looked me in the eyes and said, “I did OK, didn’t I?” and I said, “Yes, you did the best you could.” he smiled and patted me on the hand.
This would be the final conversation I had with my father. A few days later, my father was checked back into the hospital and then after that into hospice at the home of an older half brother who lived across town.” P.116
“A week after seeing him, we got the call that my father had passed. I sat with my mother and we talked about it for a second, then I hopped in my car and went to school. Business as usual. I think working and finding something to focus on when things are emotionally heavy is my go-to. I’m still slightly annoyed that I was denied this on the day my father passed. Word of his passing was all over television radio, so by the time I got to school at 8:30, everyone was looking at me like “What the hell are you doing here?” it was a truly sad day in the city. My father was being more into by everyone but me. I just wanted to go about my day.
The convenience of cancer is that it gives you time to more in the person‘s death long before it comes. I think the difficult thing is watching someone be celebrated and exalted by all the people he touched while you sit in all and have to come to grips with the fact that you never got that same experience with that person. It is hard to do that when you harbor so many conflicted feelings. It’s even more difficult when the rest of the world revere is the person that you sometimes feel you got a short end of the stick on. Turns out the reason why my father watched so many different newscast is because he was mentoring all of the various anchors and reporters and offering them critiques and weekly meetings. Over the decades I’ve heard so many stories of his love and benevolence and giving and sacrifice, and it’s made me wonder if he was all out of love to give by the time he walked in the front door of our home. I was sad, but I don’t think I ever truly grieved.
You feel cheated, then you feel furious – neither of which is an acceptable emotion to show the week of your father‘s funeral. I didn’t know at the time that I was simply trying to cope. But the teachers clocked it. As a tradition at Ramsey High School at the time, when someone in our student body suffered through the death of an immediate family member, a teacher would go from class to class and collect money for that student’s family. Coach Lawrence Logan was the drivers Ed instructor and also my baseball coach. He walked into the homeroom hanging his head and announced to the class that my father passed and then we were taking up money to send to Roy and his mother. As Coach Logan finished the sentence he looked up and saw me sitting there. All of my classmates turned around; none of them knew what to say. My presence was in a officially a distraction, so sometime around third period I was called into the principals office and advised that I should go home and be with my mother. They just treated me like a kid that was in shock. I guess I was.” P.118-119
“Over time I figured out there are four connectors between all people: food, entertainment, love, and employment. No matter who you are from age eight to eighty, you love at least one thing and one of those four categories. Generally speaking, if you can get someone talking about one of those four connectors, then they will become happier in that moment. This theory would eventually become the basis of the joke structure that I used to this day when I’m attempting to quickly unify a room at the beginning of a comedy set.” P.153
“We are a country founded on religious principles of forgiveness and turning the other cheek, every piece of infrastructure is set up to remind you of and hold you accountable for your past mistakes. Your rest record, your credit score, you’re driving history, your rental history – are all just measurements of morality that people use to establish a trust matrix about you.” P.165
“I got my keys and hustle to my room in my New Jersey crack lodge. Threw one of the walls I could hear a women having sex, and through the other I could hear some weird couple doing drugs together and inevitably getting into an argument. It was a Dolby Digital surround sound of bad ideas, poor life choices, and terrible noises.” P.193
“Son, I saw you fall off your bike one day when you were seven. We were at your grandmother’s house, and I was sitting in the front driveway with a good vantage point. You were about three or four houses down from me, and you took a nasty spill over the front of the handlebars and skinned up your knee pretty good.
I was hesitant to rush to your assistance because I wanted to see how good you were at soothing yourself in these instances. And I watched you. You felt the pain. You looked up at me, but you didn’t call out this time. It was almost as if you didn’t want me to come. You got up and dusted yourself off. You assessed your injuries. You assessed the state of your bike. You were crying, but you were composed, and you simply walked back to the house, where I attended to your wounds.
I don’t know what the requisite amount of time is to feel pain and hurt before returning to oneself. I think that length of time will forever remain relative. But in that moment, I saw some of me and you – the ability to feel failure but also feel the need to get up and get back to it.
I am not sure if I should be proud of that or afraid, but for now, I’m proud.” P.204
September 25, 2025
I loved this book. Here’s what I texted my buddy about it: “The big takeaway is the importance of taking pride in your work, I think. He talks about being persistent and trusting that being your unique self will work. He also touches on different stages of a comedy career (e.g. jumping from feature to headliner). It’s really good and moving.” My buddy responded “Gonna order it now.” Lots of good advice. Highly recommend for entertainers and people feeling stuck who want to get unstuck.
February 2, 2026
I went into this one blind and I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed it. I know Roy Wood Jr is a comedian so I knew a few laughs were inevitable. But this was a really well rounded and REAL memoir. Baby, because Roy was always getting into some shenanigans! I loved how Black it was. (S/O to my alma mater, Alabama State University, and Roy's FAMU that were featured!) It reminded me of home and my family. I laughed way more than I thought I would and he even had me crying. I'd definitely highly recommend this one!
Also can we talk about how Roy Wood Jr's narration was amazing? He must have inherited his father's golden voice but that performance was all him. I'll start a petition right now to have him narrate more books.
Also can we talk about how Roy Wood Jr's narration was amazing? He must have inherited his father's golden voice but that performance was all him. I'll start a petition right now to have him narrate more books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews