I recently finished My Next Breath: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner, and it’s been a while since I read something like this. Though not a super long read, it was heavy, and I had to put it down several times only to pick it right back up. If you’re searching for an honest book review of My Next Breath, or wondering whether Jeremy Renner’s memoir is worth reading, here are my thoughts.
When I picked up Jeremy Renner’s My Next Breath: A Memoir, I didn’t have the faintest idea how it would be. Yes, Renner is an actor I have watched on screen for years, but I didn’t expect to be pulled into such an intimate story of survival, pain, and the fragile beauty of simply being alive. Renner writes not as a Hollywood star but as a human being who came face-to-face with death and somehow found the courage to keep moving forward.
The book begins with the snowplow accident that almost ended his life, and Renner goes deep into the details. It’s raw and, at times, difficult to read, but that honesty is exactly what makes the story so powerful. Through his words, as uncomfortable as it sounds, I felt exactly what he must have felt that day. What struck me most was how he continually comes back to something as basic as breath. Knowing how to breathe correctly can save you in the most difficult times.
Reading about his recovery was humbling. Renner celebrates things we often take for granted — moving a finger, standing upright, managing a few steps with support. Those moments reminded me that healing, whether from physical injury or emotional struggle, is rarely about giant leaps. It is about slow, stubborn persistence and the small victories that carry us through. His reflections on gratitude, love, and perspective felt like quiet lessons meant not just for him, but for all of us.
“We shouldn’t wait for the edge of the cliff before enjoying the mountainside that brought us there.”
This isn’t a memoir filled with Hollywood gossip or glamorous stories. Instead, it’s a deeply human account of resilience, written by someone who has been broken and rebuilt. That being said, some parts felt repetitive, and I felt like he had praised himself a little too much. My Next Breath is ultimately Renner’s story about surviving an unimaginable trauma, persevering, inspiring, and transparently sharing the authentic recovery journey with the world.
Is Jeremy Renner’s My Next Breath worth reading? I’d say yes, especially if you’re drawn to raw stories of survival told with heart, even if not flawlessly.
Have you had a chance to read it yet? What did you think? 📖
