My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner

My Next Breath

Author: Jeremy Renner

Genre: Memoir

Publish Date: April 2025

Read: July 2025

Favorite Quote: To make things better, to achieve the things you want to achieve, to push through and past obstacles, you have to do something. You cannot be inactive. You will die. Complacency is death; it is the opposite of life; it is what keeps us stuck in situations that make us unhappy.

Synopsis: Jeremy Renner was crushed by a snowcat on January 1, 2023. Nearly dead and in a remote location in a snowstorm, Renner’s nephew and neighbors keep him clinging to life until an emergency evacuation can pick him up. What follows is Renner’s recount of the event and the mental fortitude that kept him going and allowed him to make a miraculous recovery against all odds.

Why does this book beguile? I’ve enjoyed Jeremy Renner’s work for years and always loved his portrayal of Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Reading (or listening) to his experience is jarring because the accident was so traumatic. Living through it, keeping up a pragmatic mentality, and not letting tragedy get in the way is inspiring. Everyone can learn something from Renner’s experience. As a side note, I loved how he started with “I didn’t want to write this book.” You can tell he didn’t want to rehash the event and he didn’t want to write the book, and I love how his spirit shines through his words.

Bookshop.Org Link*: My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner

Amazon.com Link*: My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner

If you’re interested in this, read*: The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday