What a Fool Believes cover art

What a Fool Believes

A Memoir

Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for £0.00
£8.99/mo thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Offer ends 31 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

What a Fool Believes

By: Michael McDonald, Paul Reiser
Narrated by: Michael McDonald, Paul Reiser
Try for £0.00

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 31 July 2025 23:59 GMT. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

A sweeping and evocative memoir from the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Grammy Award-winning, platinum selling singer-songwriter Michael McDonald, written with his friend, Emmy Award-nominated actor, comedian, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Paul Reiser.

Doobie Brothers. Steely Dan. Chart topping soloist. Across a half-century of American music, Michael McDonald’s unmistakably smooth baritone voice defined an era of rock and R&B with hit records like “What A Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “I Keep Forgettin’,” “Peg,” “It Keeps You Running,” “You Belong to Me,” and “Yah Mo B There.”

In his candid, freewheeling memoir, written with his friend, the Emmy Award-nominated actor and comedian Paul Reiser, Michael tells the story of his life and music. A high school dropout from Ferguson, Missouri, Michael chased his dreams in 1970’s California, a heady moment of rock opportunity and excess. As a rising session musician and backing vocalist, a series of encounters would send him on a wild ride around the world and to the heights of rock stardom—from joining Steely Dan and becoming a defining member of The Doobie Brothers to forging a path as a breakout solo R&B artist.

Interwoven with the unforgettable tales of the music, Michael tells a deeply affecting story of losing and finding himself as a man. He reckons with the unshakeable insecurities that drove him, the drug and alcohol addictions that plagued him, and the highs and lows of popularity. Along the way he relays the lessons he’s learned, and that if he’s learned anything at all it’s that there’s often little correlation between what you get and what you deserve.

Filled with unbelievable stories and a matchless cast of music greats including James Taylor, Ray Charles, Carly Simon, and Quincy Jones, What a Fool Believes is a moving and entertaining memoir that is sure to be a classic.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Michael McDonald and Paul Reiser (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
Entertainment & Celebrities Music Celebrity Memoir Funny

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Closest Thing to Crazy cover art
One Train Later cover art
Stories to Tell cover art
Grumpy Old Rockstar and Other Wonderous Stories cover art
The McCartney Legacy cover art
I Was There cover art
Never cover art
In One Ear cover art
Uptown Girl cover art
Nightfly cover art
My Effin' Life cover art
Echoes cover art
12 Notes cover art
Ted Templeman cover art
Led Zeppelin cover art
The Yacht Rock Book cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
There are a few artists I have picked up a vibe on I don't really understand...maybe my autism...but i received exactly what I wished for when hearing Michael was writing this...almost like sitting in a room, one and one, and just listening to his warm, humble self telling his story. Excellent book....thanks, Mike!!!

Great, personal listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I liked how relatable Michael comes across in this memoir. There’s just the right balance of stories from his personal and professional life.
It’s well read by him, and I enjoyed the brief piano interludes at the end of the chapters.
He’s someone I always felt I knew ‘of’ rather than about and this memoir corrects that.
Thank you:)

A very human story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I grew up listening to many of the people and bands Michael played with, and so interesting to hear of his journey and involvement, almost weaving his way through.
Fabulous listen and loved the extra interview piece at the end

Beautifully honest and engaging story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Loved this from the word go. Produced with such honesty and integrity. Really felt like I gathered a greater understanding of one of my musical heroes. Michael reads it beautifully and the music interludes are a real treat for the listener. The interview at the end is a lovely added bonus so keep listening through the credits!

A tremendous listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

For anyone that has ever heard Michael MacDonald, this is a must read into his huge catalogue of work over a considerable time span and his personal "battles" together with quite a large number of good times and achievements.

A small insight into a large catalogue of work

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.