Rob Paulson is a name that might not ring a bell at first but what if I said Wakko, Donatello, Raphael, or Pinky (from Pinky and the Brain)? Well, if any of them sound familiar, you’ve heard Rob’s skills as a voice actor. In fact, there are probably very few 90’s kids that didn’t know his voice.

What Did I Like?

In Voice Lessons: How a Couple of Ninja Turtles, Pinky, and an Animaniac Saved My Life, Rob Paulson takes us on a journey starting with his beginnings of wanting to be an on-screen actor to his start as a voice actor and concluding with just past the time he beat throat cancer. It’s a humbling read. I have anxiety and depression and I’ve had plenty of “life suck” moments that have gotten me down but Rob doesn’t get that way. He pushes through, still works as much as he can, and keeps his characters alive all while battling cancer.

What Spoke To Me?

This is not a woe is me story and not once does he mention feeling sorry for himself. Sure, he has his moments of self-doubt but that makes him relatable. This is a powerful story about you can beat cancer and do it while making others laugh. There is also kind of a side story that tells you just how supportive and awesome the voice acting community is. From the start of Rob’s career, he seemed to be welcome with open arms by some of the legends in the business.

Audience

If you are a fan of Rob’s work, this is a must-read. If you have not heard his voice (I’d be very surprised considering his long list of credits ) this is still a story of optimism and hope in trying times and worth your time.

Finally

I give this book a five out of five for happy endings because Rob beat cancer and his optimism shines through every page. I walked away with a list of quotes that I keep posted at my desk to remind me of all that Rob has taught me in his book.

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link. The money goes towards helping me keep this blog alive.