We must try to contribute joy to the world. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. 'I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. Filled with the same deep insight, dry wit, and sharp observations that his readers have long cherished, this is more than a memoir-it is a singular, warm-hearted, inspiring look at life itself. This is a story that only Roger Ebert could tell. He shares his insights into movie stars and directors like John Wayne, Werner Herzog, and Martin Scorsese. He remembers his friendships with Studs Terkel, Mike Royko, Oprah Winfrey, and Russ Meyer (for whom he wrote Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and an ill-fated Sex Pistols movie). He writes about his years at the Sun-Times, his colorful newspaper friends, and his life-changing collaboration with Gene Siskel. In this candid, personal history, Ebert chronicles it all: his loves, losses, and obsessions his struggle and recovery from alcoholism his marriage his politics and his spiritual beliefs. It is a journey that began as a reporter for his local daily, and took him to Chicago, where he was unexpectedly given the job of film critic for the Sun-Times, launching a lifetime's adventures. Roger Ebert's journalism carried him on a path far from his nearly idyllic childhood in Urbana, Illinois.

And now, for the first time, he tells the full, dramatic story of his life and career. But with the loss of his voice, Ebert has only become a more prolific and influential writer. In 2006, complications from thyroid cancer treatment resulted in the loss of his ability to eat, drink, or speak. He has appeared on television for four decades, including twenty-three years as cohost of Siskel & Ebert at the Movies. He has been reviewing films for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967, and was the first film critic ever to win a Pulitzer Prize. Roger Ebert is the best-known film critic of our time. In the meantime, read a synopsis for Life Itself below:

Hopefully we hear more about the project soon. James’ most recent documentary, The Interrupters, expertly examined violence and poverty in Chicago, and I’m incredibly interested to see how he’ll handle Ebert’s life story. I'm keeping hands off any involvement, such as with the screenplay, because I don't want to be a third wheel. I believe Steve James' Hoop Dreams is one of the greatest documentaries ever made, and my hopes for this are so high. They say they have a good idea for an approach. No further details are known at this time, but Matt Singer at IndieWire reached out to Ebert for further comment: James, Zaillian, and Scorsese is one hell of a development team, and Ebert’s life story (up through his recent, inspiring battle with esophageal cancer) should make for a great documentary.

Life itself roger ebert book