Michael McDonald on Co-Writing Memoir With Paul Reiser: ‘Paul’s Worked Harder Than I Have On This’ (Exclusive)

Michael McDonald shares his story, and not without help. The legendary musician, 71, recently shared the cover of his upcoming memoir exclusively with PEOPLE. What a fool believes, out next year from Dey Street Books, will detail McDonald’s life and career as a music legend. Covering his childhood in Missouri through his years with iconic bands such as Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, along with his successful R&B solo career, the book will provide an intimate look into the life of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. I worked really hard on this,” McDonald tells PEOPLE. “I can’t help but think that Paul worked harder on this than I did. But it’s been a long, long journey.”

‘What a Fool Believes’ by Michael McDonald with Paul Reiser.

Day Street Books

McDonald teamed up with Paul Reiser, 67, an Emmy-nominated actor known for his TV roles on crazy about you and My two dads, write a book. Although it seemed like an unlikely duo, the two have been friends for years, and Reiser has always been interested in McDonald’s story. “As much as I’ve listened to his music endlessly over the years, I’ve never fully gotten to know his story,” Reiser tells PEOPLE. “[He’s] in a way, what’s the word? Mystery, enigma. Or maybe I’m just stupid. It was twofold. I really wanted to help Mike pull it off. But I also, selfishly, wanted to understand his story. I’m happy to report that the book is now complete, I see. I understand. Now I understand his story and it was better and more interesting than I could have imagined.”

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McDonald and Reiser began working on the memoir at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Reiser says their interview process was easy because the two had no expectations and didn’t talk about the events in chronological order, instead letting the stories come naturally.

Paul Reiser.

Dmitry Bocharov

“It’s funny because Mike would tell a story and he’d say, ‘You know, that reminds me of…’ and then all these stories would come up, many of which probably wouldn’t [have] we dug that we didn’t have all this time and conversations and interest,” says Reiser. “He says, ‘I don’t know if this is important.’ I say, ‘Just tell me,’ and it’s always been very funny or interesting or touching.”

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Even so, McDonald admits he was unsure about the book at first. “The scariest thing was wondering if there was a story in it at all,” says McDonald. “Because my story really, I always felt, existed more in the people I worked with. That was actually my story. It wasn’t really so much about me as it was about my happiness to work with a lot of different people.” The book will also contain stories about other famous musicians, such as James Taylor, Quincy Jones and Carly Simon.

Michael McDonald.

Timothy White

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Despite his initial hesitation, and now that he’s seen “the story emerge” for him, McDonald says working with Reiser has allowed the project to come to full fruition. “It was one of those things that I know I would never finish,” he says. “But it reminded me of a hike I did in Boy Scouts when my friend, Danny Hanley, was the only reason I completed the hike. He walked the last five miles backwards, encouraging me. He staggered like a zombie to the finish line. So that’s a metaphor for my relationship with Paul.”What a fool believes will be published on May 21, 2024.

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Source: HIS Education