Fame reached Joshua Bassett as a teenager, and so did the fall that came with it. Rookie tells that story in verse, from addiction and suicidal thoughts to recovery.
Readical Key Points
- A memoir in verse by the actor and singer-songwriter known for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
- An Instant New York Times Bestseller, according to the publisher
- Reviewed in Kirkus Reviews
- Content note: addiction, suicidal ideation and mental health struggles, told as the author's own experience; not a treatment guide
- Hardcover, 240 pages (Authors Equity, 2026)
Bassett writes about watching the most private parts of his life play out in public, including the pressures of early fame. The poems move through addiction and the lowest points of his mental health toward the work of recovery, and along the way arrive at the choice to keep going. The publisher presents the book as both a memoir and a source of practical wisdom for readers who feel like beginners at their own lives.
Readers who know Bassett's acting and music, readers of poetry memoirs, and anyone drawn to first-person accounts of mental health and recovery will find it here. It is one person's experience, set down in verse, and not a substitute for professional care. Bassett's title is a name for anyone still learning, himself included.
About the Author
Joshua Bassett is an actor, singer and songwriter who played the lead in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He has spoken publicly about his mental health, addiction and life in the public eye.
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