Ralph Macchio just seems like a really NICE guy. He is the narrator for the book, which I always think adds a nice little bit of extra that they are reading their own words, so they can put the inflection and expression on what they feel the most strongly about.

The subtitle of this book says it ALL. Almost every other word is TheKarateKid. Or, CobraKai. I would have liked to hear more about the other movies he worked on as well, such as My Cousin Vinny or Crossroads. It would have been interesting to hear about how his baby face affected him more in his life and profession. What he had to say was interesting, but I feel that it could have been broadened a bit more. I'm guessing this was more a laser focus than a broad story about his life in general. Kind of sad, as it comes across that he feels his life only revolved around The Karate Kid and now Cobra Kai.

However, he HAS touched a LOT of lives in a positive way with the Karate Kid franchise, so I'm not knocking it. I'm just curious about the stories behind what else he has done, both in and out of Hollywood.

If you enjoy audio books, this would be a good one to pick up. Trained actors/actresses tend to do a good job with the narration of their own story and he is no different. It's so sweet to hear him talk about his coworkers from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai. You can tell he really liked them and misses the ones who are no longer here. He just seems like SUCH a sweet guy. Also, married to the same woman for 35 years, his high school sweetheart I think. DAAAAWWW!!!

4, 80s nostalgia all the way, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley, libro.fm and Penguin for an eARC copy of this book to read, listen to and review.

I loved getting a glimpse into the author's life. The behind the scenes stuff we rarely see. Beautifully written and a well put together memoir. Highly Recommend. Stay Gold Ponyboy!

Waxing On is a behind the scenes look into Ralph Macchio's impressive career.
It provides a lot of entertainment and proves that he is one of the most humble gentlemen in show business, If you loved The Outsiders and The Karate Kid/Cobra Kai, pick this up and read it right away!
Loved it!

I have been a Ralph Macchio fan since The Outsiders, so I could not be more excited to read this book.
In every interview I've seen of Ralph, he's always been gracious and grateful. I'm glad to say his book, Waxing On, keeps that same theme.

His appreciation for the people who helped him get his start and those he worked with over the years will only make readers smile.

Talking about the early screen-tests for Karate Kid to attending an early screening in New York City to the series Kobra-Kai, Macchino tells his stories with great enthusiasm and giddy excitement, like a kid who can't quite believe he actually hit that homerun in the 9th inning of the final playoff game.

The passages about Pat Morita had me a bit teary as their friendship was a true off screen as it was on.

For any fan of Karate Kid or Ralph Macchio, it's a must read.

**I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher and my opinions are my own.

As a teen I didn’t miss a single Karate Kid movie - as an adult I got addicted to the Netflix series Cobra Kai. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and so glad Macchio shared his story with his fans. Thank you for the advanced copy!

Even though I’m not an 80s kid I was a huge The Karate Kid fan and nothing beats the originals. I knew that I had to read Waxing on. And I enjoyed it. Especially learning more about the actor himself. And I enjoyed it. I would recommend this biography for all Karate kid fans as well as anyone who enjoys reading celebrity memoirs and biographies.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the review copy of Waxing On; this had me going back to wonderful childhood memories of the Karate Kid and that final movie scene. I really appreciated the easy style Ralph Macchio offers with his writing and the insider view into his career. He writes with genuine appreciation for the Karate Kid world and his acting career; there is no ego here and instead a joyful respect for this opportunities and fans and those he has worked with. I really enjoyed the style and the memories shared in this memoir.

Really really enjoyable read! Nobody tells the tales of The Karate Kid & Cobra Kai better than Ralph Macchio. Entertaining from start to finish!

Review of Waxing on: The Karate Kid and Me
by Ralph Macchio

Okay so I am an 80s child. And I love everything 80s. Except maybe the fashion. I definitely love the movies and the music. The Karate Kid was my absolute favorite movie as a child. I still love watching it today and my daughter loves it too. And don’t even get me started on Cobra Kai. Obsessed. So of course I needed to read this book immediately. Thanks to @prhaudio for the listening copy. I loved every second. He seems like such a genuine nice person and I loved hearing all about them making of these movies. His personal stories about meeting fans made me cry a bit even. I wish there was more about cobra Kai but otherwise I have zero complaints! No need for a synopsis on this one folks!

Have to say, I wasn't expecting to get sucked into this but I found it a down-to-earth delight! Was pleased to include it in the Oct/Nov print edition, a spread highlighting the season’s most anticipated celebrity memoirs, for the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see mini-review now online at link)

I was one of the kids who loved The Karate Kid, and now I'm an adult who loves Cobra Kai. This memoir is engaging and fun, and a nice burst of nostalgia for the Xers and Millenials for whom The Karate Kid was a massive culture touchpoint..

I enjoyed hearing Ralph's memories of creating his role in The Karate Kid—a movie that would come to define his career. But it was particularly refreshing to read an actor’s memoir in which he didn’t “bash” fellow actors. He owned his mistakes, and was very generous in his descriptions of others.

A must-read memoir for any Karate Kid, or even Cobra Kai, fan! Ralph Macchio gives you the inside-scoop on the biggest franchise to come out of the 1980S. A celebrated reflection on Macchio's career and turn as his most-famous character, Daniel LaRusso.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for an e-arc of this fantastic memoir.*

As a fan of Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, I enjoyed this book - I liked reading about the behind the scenes stories. It was a little different than other celebrity memoirs I've read in that it focused mainly on the Karate Kid and not so much on Macchio's life, but I think that largely has to do with the fact that he has managed to stay away from the pitfalls of celebrity.

As someone who grew up watching the Karate Kid movies and now loves the Cobra Kai series, I was extremely excited about this book ... and it did not disappoint!

I loved each chapter and the flashbacks and behind the scenes of these beloved movies (and now Netflix show). I could totally envision the scenes as Macchio talked about them. This is a fun, quick read for those who want to relieve the 80s nostalgia, and it's a must-read for fans of the movie or Netflix series.

This is an excellent book and a very quick read, though those looking for scandal should look elsewhere, as the author maintains his reputation for class by keeping this work wholly positive and uplifting. The book is a bit of 1980s nostalgia for Gen Xers like myself, with stories primarily about the Karate Kid franchise, but it also contains tidbits about The Outsiders and My Cousin Vinny, as well as minor mentions for smaller projects like Crossroads, Teachers, and even Up the Academy and Eight is Enough! Macchio also opens up a little more about his family than I have seen elsewhere, though I would still like to learn more about his day to day life, both growing up and today. Overall, an excellent first memoir, but I hope we see another in the future as well!

A must read for fans of The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai! Don't expect a salacious tell-all memoir; however, if you want a charming and entertaining read, this is for you.


Many thanks to Penguin/Dutton and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting memoir by a talented and kind actor. It's worthwhile to read the behind-the-scenes stories of his work.

I loved having some insight into how the Daniel Larusso character came to be and how Ralph Macchio felt and still feels about this character he brought to life.

#netgalleyarc Oh man, The Karate Kid is my childhood and this was a great insight to Ralph Macchio and his experiences with the movie. This was a great read, especially as a fan of the actor and the franchise. I really enjoying getting to “hear” someone tell their own story and love when they share special anecdotes. I won’t buy it for my school library but I really enjoyed this read.