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Like Brothers

Audiobook
5 of 5 copies available
5 of 5 copies available
The multitalented writers, directors, producers, and actors (as seen on The League, Transparent, and The Mindy Project) share the secrets of their lifelong partnership in this unique memoir.
“A book that anyone will love . . . You can enjoy it even if you have no idea who the Duplass brothers are.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times
Whether producing, writing, directing, or acting, the Duplass Brothers have made their mark in the world of independent film and television on the strength of their quirky and empathetic approach to storytelling. Now, for the first time, Mark and Jay take readers on a tour of their lifelong partnership in this unique memoir told in essays that share the secrets of their success, the joys and frustrations of intimate collaboration, and the lessons they’ve learned the hard way.
 
From a childhood spent wielding an oversized home video camera in the suburbs of New Orleans to their shared years at the University of Texas in early-nineties Austin, and from the breakthrough short they made on a three-dollar budget to the night their feature film Baghead became the center of a Sundance bidding war, Mark and Jay tell the story of a bond that’s resilient, affectionate, mutually empowering, and only mildly dysfunctional. They are brutally honest about how their closeness sabotaged their youthful romantic relationships, about the jealousy each felt when the other stole the spotlight as an actor (Mark in The League, Jay in Transparent), and about the challenges they faced on the set of their HBO series Togetherness—namely, too much togetherness.
 
But Like Brothers is also a surprisingly practical road map to a rewarding creative partnership. Rather than split all their responsibilities fifty-fifty, the brothers learned to capitalize on each other’s strengths. They’re not afraid to call each other out, because they’re also not afraid to compromise. Most relationships aren’t—and frankly shouldn’t be—as intense as Mark and Jay’s, but their brand of trust, validation, and healthy disagreement has taken them far.
 
Part coming-of-age memoir, part underdog story, and part insider account of succeeding in Hollywood on their own terms, Like Brothers is as openhearted and lovably offbeat as Mark and Jay themselves.
“Wright. Ringling. Jonas. I’m sure you could name a bunch of famous brother teams. They’re all garbage compared to Mark and Jay. I can’t wait for you to read this book.”—from the foreword by Mindy Kaling
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 30, 2017
      At the center of this hilarious dual memoir, the Duplass brothers—who have directed, produced, and written films and TV shows such as Togetherness, Cyrus, and Transparent—reveal their idiosyncratic work habits, such as making up scenes involving people they see at airports and riffing off each other’s ideas in long email chains. They ponder the art of compromise (“Check your ego at the door”) and collaboration: “We have a fundamental desperation to make things, and we are willing to destroy ourselves to get things done.” Jay admits that he’s a little jealous of his younger brother, Mark, but hopes his brother also gets jealous of him, too. The brothers conduct a back-and-forth about the top-10 films of all time, finally choosing a list on which both can agree that includes Joe Versus the Volcano, a “highly intelligent, misunderstood adult fairy tale.” The Duplasses ask their wives what makes the brothers tick: Katie, Mark’s wife, recognizes how creative and emotional turmoil helps feed their process; Jen, Jay’s wife, calls the Duplass family a “fine-tuned little ecosystem.” The Duplass’s entertaining and energetic memoir gives their fans a clear look at the creative genius that drives them.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 30, 2018
      The Duplass brothers, who run Duplass Brothers Productions and frequently write, direct, and star in their own productions, bring a free-flowing conversational style to the highly enjoyable audio edition of their joint memoir. The book alternates between chapters chronicling the brothers’ upbringing in Metairie, La., and those detailing their professional relationship, including their regular brainstorming sessions at airports, in which the brothers create intricate backstories for the people they observe waiting in terminals. The most memorable part of the book involves an annotated version of Mark’s edgy short story “The Blowjob,” along with Jay’s feedback, in which the brothers effectively use tone, pitch, and comedic timing to convey the often-tortured nature of the creative process. The brothers both draw on their acting chops to recreate their points of view in anecdotes from their childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Though primarily of interest to inspiring filmmakers, the brothers’ fun-loving dynamic should appeal to all types of listeners. A Ballantine hardcover.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

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