190 ratings | 6 reviews | avg rating:4.45

Sam Harris’s Followers (84)

Sam’s Bookshelves

to-read (0)
currently-reading (0)
read (195)

Sam’s Friends (74)

Michael Fox

628 books | 861 friends

Toni

4,941 books | 329 friends

Sharon Hart O'Hara

434 books | 94 friends

Bob

4,446 books | 28 friends

Larry Stuckey II

896 books | 49 friends

Brian

552 books | 136 friends

Escape Into Reading

55,763 books | 419 friends

Madeline

2,835 books | 1,125 friends

More friends…

Sam Harris

Goodreads Author

Born

in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, The United States

June 04

Website

http://SamHarris.com

Twitter

SamHarris

Genre

Fiction, Contemporary, Ebooks

Member Since

July 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/samharris

edit data

Sam Harris was born and raised in the small town of Sand Springs, Oklahoma. At 15 years old, he left home to pursue a career in entertainment, living in New York and Los Angeles. He has established a multi-hyphenate career, having made his mark as a Tony nominated Broadway star, multi-platinum recording artist, television writer and actor, playwright, and author. His first big break came at the age of 22, when he won the first season of "Star Search."

Sam's first book, "HAM: Slices of a Life" (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster) was released in January 2014. HAM is a collection of stories and essays on everything from growing up in Bible Belt Oklahoma to show biz, celebrity, and his family life as a husband and father. The book received critica ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Sam Harris questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

One more comment and I will leave you alone. Haha I feel like your writing in Ham, Slices of a Life was written with more reservation, (like you were holding something back) than The Substance of All Things. The latter feels like you put everything you had into it. I obviously enjoy your books, but wondered if this was true?

Sam Harris Hi Mandeline -
I wouldn't say the I put less into HAM. It was a collection of essays, most of which were humorous, but there were some very personal a…moreHi Mandeline -
I wouldn't say the I put less into HAM. It was a collection of essays, most of which were humorous, but there were some very personal and poignant parts that were very transparent. Fiction is different. The things that happen to these characters are obviously much larger in scope because the stakes are so much higher. But I put my all into both.(less)

flag

2 likes · like
3 comments

Besides Theo, I really connect with Aunt Li. (I am only on page 63, circumstance might make me have a change of heart) Aunt Li is such a memorable person. How did you make her come alive? Do you know someone like her? In 1983, when I first saw you on tv, I was mesmerized by your passion and love for singing. And now when I read, Substance of All Things, I feel that same passion again.

Sam Harris Auntie Li is an amalgam of many people I knew growing up. But wait til you see what happens!! She will surprise you!

Thanks for your comment about pass…moreAuntie Li is an amalgam of many people I knew growing up. But wait til you see what happens!! She will surprise you!

Thanks for your comment about passion. Yes, I am passionate about this. The story becomes epic as you will see! (less)

flag

1 like · like
3 comments

See all 6 answers from Sam Harris…

Combine Editions
Sam Harris’s books

Average rating: 3.62 · 850 ratings · 171 reviews · 2 distinct works • Similar authors

	Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories 3.42 avg rating — 680 ratings — published 2014 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Substance of All Things 4.43 avg rating — 169 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

4 posts
Sam Harris's Blog: The Substance of Sam

And new reviews!

They're building up. This is one happy debut novel author. thanks for your reading and support. I appreciate your ratings and reviews.

Happy Reading!

Sam

"Harris' new novel tells the remarkable life story of a modern-day miracle worker. He expertly and adroitly plays each plotline against the other to create a gripping sense of narrative momentum. The slow, controlled portrayal of adult Theo's progr Read more of this blog post »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on September 01, 2020 14:50 • Tags: thesubdstanceofallthings

View all 4 posts »

rss
Sam’s Recent Updates

Sam Harris rated a book it was amazing The Substance of All Things by Sam Harris (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 26, 2025 09:22AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Substance of All Things by Sam Harris. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Substance of All Things by Sam Harris <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sam Harris rated a book it was amazing The Substance of All Things: a novel by Sam Harris	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 26, 2025 09:21AM · 1 like · like

More of Sam's books…

Quotes by Sam Harris (?)

“I have always believed that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an illusion; the illusion is the tunnel itself.”
― Sam Harris

9 likes

“Word was that God could heal anyone. The wounded, the infirm, even lepers. I figured I should be a breeze.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

4 likes

“I fear that my lesson in this lifetime is humility... and I think that lesson is beneath me.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

4 likes

See all Sam Harris's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD	2368	504	Feb 28, 2018 09:03PM

Sam’s Quotes

“I fear that my lesson in this lifetime is humility... and I think that lesson is beneath me.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

4 likes

“I was the muddled concoction of my father’s contradictions. The same man who warned me that “life is a bowl-a shit” was the channel to my bliss. The infection and the cure. He was, at once, the drought that left me parched and gasping, and the rain that nurtured the single blade of grass, pushing itself up from between the jagged cracks in the sidewalk, and into the sun.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

1 likes

“Word was that God could heal anyone. The wounded, the infirm, even lepers. I figured I should be a breeze.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

4 likes

“You’re not from around here, are you?” asked the room service girl.
“No,” I replied. “That’s why I’m staying at a hotel . . .”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

2 likes

“I wanted to be famous. So famous that I would be vehemently hated by all the people I admired most.”
― Sam Harris, Ham: Slices of a Life: Essays and Stories

1 likes

More of Sam’s quotes…

Sam Harris’s Followers (84)

Sam Harris

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssSam’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Substance of All Things by Sam Harris

Topics Mentioning This Author

rss
Sam’s Recent Updates