What a Fool Believes: A Memoir

Singer-songwriter McDonald offers a self-aware and grace-filled debut memoir, coauthored with actor and comedian Reiser. With his instantly recognizable baritone voice, McDonald narrates, candidly describing his youth, musical journey, and struggles with addiction. Born into an Irish Catholic working-class family, McDonald grew up in 1950s suburban Saint Louis. As his parents’ marriage fell apart, he surrounded himself with music, learning to play banjo and piano. At 19, he moved to Los Angeles and dove into the music scene rather than being drafted to serve in Vietnam. McDonald’s voice brims with humility as he reflects on touring with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers and writing music with Carly Simon, Burt Bacharach, and his childhood idol, Ray Charles. Substance-use disorder led to rehab in his later years, and with it came the realization that he’d never truly spent a full day feeling secure in himself. But, like the old upright piano of his youth, McDonald and his music still stand the test of time. A delightful conversation with Reiser closes the book, shedding light on the friendship between the two men and how this book came to be.