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In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some
A heartfelt and hilarious collection of essays from the comedian and entertainer known for voicing Olaf in Disney's Frozen and for his award-winning turn as Elder Cunningham in the Broadway smash hit The Book of Mormon
For the first and possibly last time Josh Gad dives into a wide array of personal topics: the lasting impact of his parents’ divorce; how he struggled with weight and self-image; his first big break; how everyone was sure his most successful ventures (both on the big screen and on the stage) would fail; his take on fatherhood; and much more. This trip down the rabbit hole of overly personal stories will distract readers from climate change, the downward descent of democracy in Western civilization, and the existential threat that AI poses to Drake’s music—with never-before-seen photos and few-to-no spelling errors.
Whether you know him from Disney or Broadway, YouTube, the silver screen, or not at all, one fact remains: Gad’s work never fails to bring people together (as long as they’re alive). His delightful debut, written in the tradition of Amy Poehler, Jim Gaffigan, and Mindy Kaling, reminds us to keep going, even when the chips and doubters are stacked against you.
For the first and possibly last time Josh Gad dives into a wide array of personal topics: the lasting impact of his parents’ divorce; how he struggled with weight and self-image; his first big break; how everyone was sure his most successful ventures (both on the big screen and on the stage) would fail; his take on fatherhood; and much more. This trip down the rabbit hole of overly personal stories will distract readers from climate change, the downward descent of democracy in Western civilization, and the existential threat that AI poses to Drake’s music—with never-before-seen photos and few-to-no spelling errors.
Whether you know him from Disney or Broadway, YouTube, the silver screen, or not at all, one fact remains: Gad’s work never fails to bring people together (as long as they’re alive). His delightful debut, written in the tradition of Amy Poehler, Jim Gaffigan, and Mindy Kaling, reminds us to keep going, even when the chips and doubters are stacked against you.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2025
295 people are currently reading
8568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 794 reviews
February 6, 2025
Oh look, Olaf is writing! Josh Gad tells some of his story in his memoir In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some. Quite simply, it's good! I had fun, learned some backstage gossip, and got a little smarter about how long it can't take to put on a Broadway show. And like a Broadway show, this book is so professionally put together to the point it might be a bit too slick.
Gad tells his story from his childhood to the present day. For the most part, the book is chronological, with one major exception that feels completely misplaced. The writing is funny and sharp, but you do get the feeling that the rough edges have been sanded down. There are allusions Gad makes to a significant ego, but he never tells a story that truly makes him look bad. This is his memoir and that's his prerogative. It feels safe, though.
This book doesn't reach the heights of I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy or Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford. Those memoirs were no holds barred, and you felt like something daring was on the page. While Gad doesn't reveal nearly as much (I mean, he does call it a "tell-some"), I would still say it's an enjoyable read.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)
Gad tells his story from his childhood to the present day. For the most part, the book is chronological, with one major exception that feels completely misplaced. The writing is funny and sharp, but you do get the feeling that the rough edges have been sanded down. There are allusions Gad makes to a significant ego, but he never tells a story that truly makes him look bad. This is his memoir and that's his prerogative. It feels safe, though.
This book doesn't reach the heights of I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy or Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford. Those memoirs were no holds barred, and you felt like something daring was on the page. While Gad doesn't reveal nearly as much (I mean, he does call it a "tell-some"), I would still say it's an enjoyable read.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.)
January 25, 2025
Ughhhhhh I wanted to like this so much more than I did. I was expecting fun stories but it fell prey to under-editing and became one of those memoirs where the author is trying to be so relatable that instead it comes across very self important (and name-droppy). There’s so much talk about box office numbers for projects he’s in that seem like an attempt at boasting evidence to the greatness of said projects and his importance in all of it. If it was a big project, you can assume anyone listening to this memoir is well aware and isn’t listening to hear how many movie tickets are being sold.
There are some funny anecdotes about Hollywood and raising adolescents, but in the end it’ll appeal to a pretty niche audience.
There are some funny anecdotes about Hollywood and raising adolescents, but in the end it’ll appeal to a pretty niche audience.
December 11, 2024
This is by far one of the best written memoirs I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I laughed, I cried, I learned some stuff and overall had the best time reading this. I've enjoyed so much of Gad's work and being able to see behind the scenes of some of his most famous roles was just so much fun. I also loved being able to just learn more about him as a person, father and actor. If you're a fan of Josh's work it's truly a must read!! It covers really his whole life thus far diving into his Broadway show's to movies such as Frozen and Beauty and the Beast as well as his personal experiences such as his parents divorce to fatherhood!
I can't wait to get a physical copy and re-read it with the audiobook!!!
Legit hugest shout out to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a digital ARC!!!! *all opinions are my own!*
I can't wait to get a physical copy and re-read it with the audiobook!!!
Legit hugest shout out to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a digital ARC!!!! *all opinions are my own!*
January 27, 2025
Thank you to Gallery books for the free copy of this book. I would call this book a celebrity memoir. That said, for some reason paparazzi don’t follow comic actors around. Have you ever seen a insidious photo of Will Ferrell? Robin Williams? I think it’s because comic actors are kind of hams. They don’t actually have the most interesting life sometimes. I’m happy to say that this memoir was fun to read, made me laugh out loud several times. If you look at the photos on my review on Instagram, you will see a photo of the book with tabbies placed where every place I laughed out loud (probably 50!)
Josh Gad is a very funny writer, self deprecating at times, but never mean spirited. The book starts out with his childhood in South Florida, he went to temple every week with his family, and his parents divorced in a messy way. Thankfully, he found that making his mother laugh and connecting with his friends at school would give him an outlet for his pain. And fortunately his best friend was the partner of Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard’s daughter. Some of his success is being in the right place at the right time. But we are all so lucky he was!
I forgot he was in the Original Broadway Cast of the book of Mormon, i forgot he was at Carnegie Mellon at the same time i was. But of everything i read about Josh’s life, I loved seeing which parts of Olaf in frozen were actually improvised. He truly does deserve the Disney legend award that he won in 2022. I love when actors talk about roles that they were passed over for our roles that they themselves passed up on in regret. Josh Gad really loves his wife and family.
If you enjoy celebrity memoir with light, Hollywood gossip, don’t pass this one up. I have a feeling this isn’t gonna be his last memoir.
Josh Gad is a very funny writer, self deprecating at times, but never mean spirited. The book starts out with his childhood in South Florida, he went to temple every week with his family, and his parents divorced in a messy way. Thankfully, he found that making his mother laugh and connecting with his friends at school would give him an outlet for his pain. And fortunately his best friend was the partner of Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard’s daughter. Some of his success is being in the right place at the right time. But we are all so lucky he was!
I forgot he was in the Original Broadway Cast of the book of Mormon, i forgot he was at Carnegie Mellon at the same time i was. But of everything i read about Josh’s life, I loved seeing which parts of Olaf in frozen were actually improvised. He truly does deserve the Disney legend award that he won in 2022. I love when actors talk about roles that they were passed over for our roles that they themselves passed up on in regret. Josh Gad really loves his wife and family.
If you enjoy celebrity memoir with light, Hollywood gossip, don’t pass this one up. I have a feeling this isn’t gonna be his last memoir.
February 4, 2025
I guess I'm in the minority here but I didn't find this to be a great memoir. It reinforces the idea that you don't have to write a book just because you're famous.
Sure, yeah, I guess I didn't realize how much Gad has done outside of voicing Olaf, The Wedding Ringer, and a few other parts, but I didn't need an entire book to explain what would take me 5 mins on IMDB to also figure out. I found his writing to be very dramatic - lots of events changed his life FOREVER (as many life events anyone encounters often do) or changed the course of his acting career FOREVER.
In conclusion, could have been a podcast.
Sure, yeah, I guess I didn't realize how much Gad has done outside of voicing Olaf, The Wedding Ringer, and a few other parts, but I didn't need an entire book to explain what would take me 5 mins on IMDB to also figure out. I found his writing to be very dramatic - lots of events changed his life FOREVER (as many life events anyone encounters often do) or changed the course of his acting career FOREVER.
In conclusion, could have been a podcast.
June 10, 2025
Road trip audiobook! I'm driving to Wisconsin for a graduation party, and having Olaf the snowman talk to me on the way seems like a good distraction.
In addition to giving some behind-the-scenes for his big hits -- The Book of Mormon Broadway musical and the Frozen animated film series -- Josh Gad spends a good chunk of time recounting his success in high school forensics competitions. I found this part very relatable, as I too competed in public speaking back in the (very, very long ago) day.
I was less interested in his takes on Covid-19 and the war in Gaza, but these bits at least didn't last too long.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, though it wasn't as humorous as I expected and Gad's ego seemed a bit overinflated at times. It helped the mile pass quickly enough though.
p.s., I realized part-way through my road trip that as I envisioned the stories in my mind's eye I was actually visualizing Harvey Guillén from What We Do in the Shadows instead of Gad. Afterward, I looked them both up, and boy are they similar looking. Separated at birth?
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents:
Foreword / by Sacha Baron Cohen
Book I. Of Childhood Dreams, Teenage Schemes, and College Themes
1. How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love to Clown
2. Forensics Can Be So Much More Than Cutting Up Dead Bodies
3. Man Up
Inward / by Josh Gad's Inner Voice
Book II. Of Growing Men, Mormen, and Snowmen
4. Spell Check
5. Highs and Lows
6. Hello!
7. It's just Snow, Man!
Book III. Of Adulthood, Parenthood, and Avoiding White Hoods
8. Just Kidding
9. Hath Not a Jew Book-Writing Deals?
Howard / by Ron Howard
Book IV. Of Movie Magic, Something Tragic, and Stage Comebacks
10. Controversy and the Beast
11. But Wait, There's More!
12. A Murder, an Icon, a Pandemic
13. Homecoming
Afterword: One Last Thing
Onward / by Mel Brooks
Acknowledgments
In addition to giving some behind-the-scenes for his big hits -- The Book of Mormon Broadway musical and the Frozen animated film series -- Josh Gad spends a good chunk of time recounting his success in high school forensics competitions. I found this part very relatable, as I too competed in public speaking back in the (very, very long ago) day.
I was less interested in his takes on Covid-19 and the war in Gaza, but these bits at least didn't last too long.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, though it wasn't as humorous as I expected and Gad's ego seemed a bit overinflated at times. It helped the mile pass quickly enough though.
p.s., I realized part-way through my road trip that as I envisioned the stories in my mind's eye I was actually visualizing Harvey Guillén from What We Do in the Shadows instead of Gad. Afterward, I looked them both up, and boy are they similar looking. Separated at birth?
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents:
Foreword / by Sacha Baron Cohen
Book I. Of Childhood Dreams, Teenage Schemes, and College Themes
1. How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love to Clown
2. Forensics Can Be So Much More Than Cutting Up Dead Bodies
3. Man Up
Inward / by Josh Gad's Inner Voice
Book II. Of Growing Men, Mormen, and Snowmen
4. Spell Check
5. Highs and Lows
6. Hello!
7. It's just Snow, Man!
Book III. Of Adulthood, Parenthood, and Avoiding White Hoods
8. Just Kidding
9. Hath Not a Jew Book-Writing Deals?
Howard / by Ron Howard
Book IV. Of Movie Magic, Something Tragic, and Stage Comebacks
10. Controversy and the Beast
11. But Wait, There's More!
12. A Murder, an Icon, a Pandemic
13. Homecoming
Afterword: One Last Thing
Onward / by Mel Brooks
Acknowledgments
February 12, 2025
Josh Gad is likable and thoughtful in his memoir, In Gad We Trust. It’s clear that he’s smart, well-read, and introspective. With that being said, this book is bland and rather boring. I appreciated his honesty and his insight into his struggles with his parents’ divorce and his own anxiety. However, he just doesn’t have a lot to say in this book. He’s a star of stage and screen, but he’s lived a pretty charmed life. This is not to say he hasn’t had his struggles, but he’s worked hard, paid his dues, and he’s achieved success.
Because of these reasons, there isn’t a whole lot to this book. I saw someone on Goodreads review this book and say it would have worked better as a podcast. I agree with that assessment. There are some interesting stories in the book, but it’s rather forgettable and uninteresting. I really wanted to like it, but it fell really flat for me.
Because of these reasons, there isn’t a whole lot to this book. I saw someone on Goodreads review this book and say it would have worked better as a podcast. I agree with that assessment. There are some interesting stories in the book, but it’s rather forgettable and uninteresting. I really wanted to like it, but it fell really flat for me.
April 26, 2025
DNF at 74%. I was enjoying all the cool insight into projects that Gad has worked on. I thought the book was going to be a 4 star as I cruised into the last 70 pages. However, the chapter on Judaism dipped its toes into Zionism, and a subsequent google search on Gad's views revealed some stuff that made me terribly disappointed. Now I find myself put off from the rest of the book, and I'm really bummed out to have lost admiration for someone who seemed cool.
February 7, 2025
An easy and fun read. It was heartfelt, and gave me the look of the inside of Broadway and Hollywood I was looking for. I’ve enjoyed interviews with Gad and was looking forward to learning more about him. I did! It wasn’t trying to be anything it wasn’t.
March 21, 2025
Josh Gad is adorably funny. This memoir was fun to listen to!
March 1, 2025
Entertaining and funny! Who knew Josh Gad was the most decorated high school speech contestant? As a theater and Disney fan, I enjoyed the behind the scenes stories about Josh’s contributions to those industries.
May 27, 2025
"Dreams can become reality, and reality can become dreams."
January 31, 2025
I love it when celebrities narrate their memoirs on audio. I've liked Josh Gad as an actor for a while, and I figured I'd listen to his book. I'm so glad I did because it was fantastic! It's one of the best celeb memoirs I've read in a while, and I think that's thanks to Gad himself. The writing was quick, and I felt like I was sitting next to Josh while he recounted important moments from his life. I knew the big things like The Book of Mormon and Frozen, but it was fun to dive deeper into how those things, among others, came to be. I also loved that he talked about his Judaism in various parts of the book. It made me feel connected to him while reading. Of course, there was a ton of humor and lightness as well, which I really enjoyed.
Want to read
March 5, 2025he will always be bearclaw to me 💛
January 29, 2025
I love this guy! I love his book!
First, Josh Gad is funny. Also, he's an underdog. This is not a guy with some kind of notably privileged background and he doesn't have leading man looks. No, he's scraped together a noteworthy career from his own significant talent, a little luck, and a lot of hard work.
Gad is very candid in these pages, calling 'em as he sees 'em. He names names and tells stories, whether it's his own father or theater legend James Lapine. And yet, there's no sense of an ax to grind. On the contrary, he comes across as very menchy. Which is appropriate, as he also comes across as very Jewish. I love that he embraces his culture, and that he directly addresses his relationship with Judaism in the book.
This memoir is billed as a "tell-some". Well, it seems that he tells just the right amount. But I'm hoping that--like his sometime partner Andrew Rannells--we'll see more than just one memoir from him.
First, Josh Gad is funny. Also, he's an underdog. This is not a guy with some kind of notably privileged background and he doesn't have leading man looks. No, he's scraped together a noteworthy career from his own significant talent, a little luck, and a lot of hard work.
Gad is very candid in these pages, calling 'em as he sees 'em. He names names and tells stories, whether it's his own father or theater legend James Lapine. And yet, there's no sense of an ax to grind. On the contrary, he comes across as very menchy. Which is appropriate, as he also comes across as very Jewish. I love that he embraces his culture, and that he directly addresses his relationship with Judaism in the book.
This memoir is billed as a "tell-some". Well, it seems that he tells just the right amount. But I'm hoping that--like his sometime partner Andrew Rannells--we'll see more than just one memoir from him.
February 18, 2025
This was delightful! Loved his stories about his grandparents and his daughters, and hearing some inside info about Book of Mormon and Frozen. It was VERY bloated in that every writer, director, actor and musician he has ever worked with is “brilliant, talented, unbelievable” etc etc but he’s also had a truly stellar career. So I suppose it’s warranted. Also #Bearclaw forever
April 3, 2025
Seems like a great guy, but the whole book felt like he was trying to figure out how many names of celebrities and actors he could fit in. Felt like he was trying too hard to add depth and emotion so added events he thought would add that.
April 5, 2025
An entertaining read
April 16, 2025
Really enjoyed learning about Josh’s story and overcoming some tough family issues. Had no idea he was a national champion in forensics. Fun to hear about the background of Frozen and Book of Mormon.
January 30, 2025
Josh gad just makes me so happy. There’s literally nothing he said in this book that I didn’t enjoy. From hearing how he grew up, to the Book of Mormon, to improving as a loveable snowman. I enjoyed listening to this with all my heart. P.S. Josh gad if you ever do anything bad I’ll be so disappointed.
April 14, 2025
Rating: 4.5 Stars
This book was SO FUN. I didn't know much about Josh Gad (my kid hasn't hit her Frozen stage yet, but I loved him as LeFou).
However, I now want to go watch every single thing he's performed in. This book made me giggle, made me swoon, and made me tear up. Such a great memoir!
This book was SO FUN. I didn't know much about Josh Gad (my kid hasn't hit her Frozen stage yet, but I loved him as LeFou).
However, I now want to go watch every single thing he's performed in. This book made me giggle, made me swoon, and made me tear up. Such a great memoir!
February 22, 2025
This book is like a warm hug. Fantastic story, great message - do what challenges and scares you. Loved it. And my daughter didn’t mind that I was listening to this because Olaf was talking to us.
January 21, 2025
I always enjoy a celeb comic memoir audiobook - this was surprisingly one of my favorites. I didn’t know much about his career besides Bearclaw and Olaf and it’s clear that his success isn’t from a random right-place-right-time moment.
July 23, 2025
This is a laugh-out-loud and tear-up-at-every-other-sentence kind of book, and definitely recommend listening since Gad reads it. As a celebrity memoir connoisseur, this is among my recent favorites.
February 5, 2025
Well no surprise here I loved it and laughed and cried the entire time.
January 22, 2025
Very wholesome and comedic. Love to see insight behind some of my favorites movies and broadway shows and can’t wait to watch some I hadn’t heard of!
April 19, 2025
i stay with my opinion... i am not Sure lf everbody needs a memoir.
i liked some of the stories, i didn't like the rest...
(and i also skiped all of the Covid stuff/stories, i always do, i dont have to read about it, i lived threw it, we all have...)
i still have to say do, i like josh gads Humor so i enyoed the journey all in all.
i liked some of the stories, i didn't like the rest...
(and i also skiped all of the Covid stuff/stories, i always do, i dont have to read about it, i lived threw it, we all have...)
i still have to say do, i like josh gads Humor so i enyoed the journey all in all.
February 22, 2025
Meh. I think I liked him better before this audiobook. He comes across as having a much bigger ego than I thought. I agree with others about the constant name-dropping too.
March 3, 2025
Audiobook - Loved hearing about the start of his career but then it got very name droppy and self congratulatory for me
January 17, 2025
Audiobook Review 📖✨
thank you so much partner @gallerybooks #gallerypartner @simon.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!
In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some
by Josh Gad
About the book 👇🏽
For the first and possibly last time, Josh Gad dives into a wide array of personal topics: the lasting impact of his parents’ divorce; how he struggled with weight and self-image; his first big break; how everyone was sure his most successful ventures (both on the big screen and the stage) would fail; his take on fatherhood, and so much more. This trip down the rabbit hole of overly personal stories will distract readers from climate change, the downward descent of democracy in Western civilization, and the existential threat that AI poses to Drake’s music—with never-before-seen photos and few-to-no spelling errors.
✨ My thoughts:
“Where there is an easy path, turn the other way and take the riskier route. In my life I have always taken chances, and by taking chances I have felt the beauty and thrill of success . .. and failure. Such is the journey of our time here on this planet from the moment we are born:
Only by failing can we learn to crawl. Only by falling can we learn to walk. Only by failing can we learn to succeed.”
I’m not going to lie, this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. One, because who doesn’t love Josh Gad? Two, because the cover is incredibly eye catching. I love that the audiobook was narrated by Josh himself. This is going to sound silly but sometimes I forget celebrities are human. And not in a “they’re on a pedestal” type way but more like… they’re rich and famous and are just in their own and different worlds. With that said, it was fascinating to listen to his life, well some of it, because this is a tell some not a tell all. His upbringing, how he got into the world of theater, how he chased and reached some dream, and receive a message of hope for us to chase our own. I listened, I laughed and I may have teared up a little. I found his story to be heartfelt, uplifting, and one I’ll be recommending to many! And if you decide to read it, it’s also full of pictures! Happy Publication week, I feel lucky to have been able to read/listen to it immediately!
“Along the way, you will surely cry, but you will also laugh. You will be scared, but ultimately grateful. You may be rejected, but you will simultaneously have had yet one more experience to learn and grow from.”
Happy reading 📖
thank you so much partner @gallerybooks #gallerypartner @simon.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!
In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some
by Josh Gad
About the book 👇🏽
For the first and possibly last time, Josh Gad dives into a wide array of personal topics: the lasting impact of his parents’ divorce; how he struggled with weight and self-image; his first big break; how everyone was sure his most successful ventures (both on the big screen and the stage) would fail; his take on fatherhood, and so much more. This trip down the rabbit hole of overly personal stories will distract readers from climate change, the downward descent of democracy in Western civilization, and the existential threat that AI poses to Drake’s music—with never-before-seen photos and few-to-no spelling errors.
✨ My thoughts:
“Where there is an easy path, turn the other way and take the riskier route. In my life I have always taken chances, and by taking chances I have felt the beauty and thrill of success . .. and failure. Such is the journey of our time here on this planet from the moment we are born:
Only by failing can we learn to crawl. Only by falling can we learn to walk. Only by failing can we learn to succeed.”
I’m not going to lie, this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. One, because who doesn’t love Josh Gad? Two, because the cover is incredibly eye catching. I love that the audiobook was narrated by Josh himself. This is going to sound silly but sometimes I forget celebrities are human. And not in a “they’re on a pedestal” type way but more like… they’re rich and famous and are just in their own and different worlds. With that said, it was fascinating to listen to his life, well some of it, because this is a tell some not a tell all. His upbringing, how he got into the world of theater, how he chased and reached some dream, and receive a message of hope for us to chase our own. I listened, I laughed and I may have teared up a little. I found his story to be heartfelt, uplifting, and one I’ll be recommending to many! And if you decide to read it, it’s also full of pictures! Happy Publication week, I feel lucky to have been able to read/listen to it immediately!
“Along the way, you will surely cry, but you will also laugh. You will be scared, but ultimately grateful. You may be rejected, but you will simultaneously have had yet one more experience to learn and grow from.”
Happy reading 📖
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