The Tao of Bill Murray

by: Gavin Edwards
Publisher: Random House
Dates Read: October 13 - December 10, 2017
Pages: 313
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
It was October.  I was in Chapters.  I saw a book about Bill Murray and I bought it simple as that.  

The Tao of Bill Murray is a one-of-a-kind book depicting one of my favourite people on this planet: Bill Murray.  I realize I read this more than two years ago and am just writing the review on it, but it deserves it's own review.  I love Bill Murray.  Do I know him?  Of course not, but he is a very special person to me.  It's crazy, but sometimes when I watch a Bill Murray film I don't hear Bill Murray talking, I hear my dad.  He's just special to me so the world has to put up with my great love with the genius.  

Bill Murray does what he wants, when he wants.  He comes and goes as he places and can be found in the oddest of places wearing the oddest of things.  This book is written in two halves: The Ten Principles of Bill and the Films of Bill.  Edwards interviewed numerous people who have come into contact with Murray from costars to interviewers to the random people he has surprised on the street.  Through that he shares how a person could live a life like Bill Murray.  In the introduction Edwards shares a conversation he had with Melissa McCarthy (who starred with Bill in St. Vincent - an EXCELLENT film).  He shares that he feels like Bill Murray is teaching us how to live and McCarthy agreed.  The ten principles are shared through numerous stories of how Bill seems to live and, you know what, it's not bad advice.  

After this Gavin goes through every film Bill has been in, talks about it, and talks about the part he played in it.  I mean it, they are all in there, from starring roles to cameos (yes, even Agent 13 in a tree in Get Smart is in there).  This part of the book is so good.  The only reason I watched Zombieland is because of this book talking about his insanely epic cameo.  It's just all so good.   

Rating: 4.5/5 (Come one...it's Bill Freaking Murray)

Recommendation: Does anyone I know love Bill as much as I do?  No.  Does that mean I won't recommend this book to you?  No.  Read it.  Bill Murray is the greatest.  He doesn't have an agent.  You have to call a 1-800 number, that is very hard to get, in order to get a hold of him, maybe.  Sometimes I think about working at a wine store or Kinkos in New York City so that I can receive a script for him.  I consider attending the Pebble Beach celebrity golf tournament to catch a glimpse of him in person.  I look at trips to Charleston, South Carolina for a one-in-a-million chance to have Bill Murray cover my eyes and say "guess who."  Just read about this quirky, whimsical, one-of-a-kind man!