Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. In I’m Glad My Mom Died , Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly , she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.
Lamar Jackson –
THIS IS BY FAR, THE BEST BOOK I HAVE READ ALL YEAR BY DEFAULT and I give Jennette McCurdy many props for writing this blockbuster of an read while being extremely honest about it and no sugarcoating, unapologetic, unfiltered, uncensored, no holds barred and a damn great fascinating read. ALREADY ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME!
Janet Barsorian –
I had my child at 38. By the time she was finished with cartoons and started liking “peoplie” shows I was in my 40’s . ICarly, Sam & Cat were 2 of her favorites. I have to admit I loved both of those shows as well. Jeanette was our absolute favorite on both shows. So, funny. Great comedic timing and great physical comedy skills as well. We never understood why she just disappeared. Respect to her co-stars but I always felt Jeanette had the talent to keep moving. Reading this book really helped me understand. She was abused by her mom on so many levels. The showering and “exams” till she was 17 was the most glaring and disturbing example of her lack of boundaries. So many parents especially mothers create eating disorders in their children. They know they’re doing it, they know how terrible it is. It was done to them and instead of breaking that cycle they just keep pushing the they way they were pushed. Her mother gave her a terrible relationship with food that she may never fully reconcile. I was extremely overweight as a child I was so lucky I had the world’s greatest mom. She always gently tried to push me to make good decisions and to eat healthier I was already a super active kid but I was 250 lbs in 7th grade and I walked into every room like I owned it. Never occurred to me to feel bad about the way I looked. I had a mother who loved me and instilled such a confidence in me and I’m lucky I still carry with me today. I have never fully reconciled my relationship with food. Addictions on any level of very hard. I’ve also struggled with alcohol and drugs in my life even cigarettes. But the sad reality is you can lock somebody in a room for 6 months without any of those things and they won’t die. If you lock somebody in a room without food you’re going to die. So you need to come to some sort of understanding with food to develop as healthy a relationship as you can because it’s something quite literally no one can’t live without. I always enjoy watching the aforementioned shows, but after reading this book I love her even more. She’s a wonderful woman she’s done a great job. I fell in love with her when I was 40’s, she inspired me then and in my 50s she’s still inspires me after reading this book I wish her nothing but success in love, life and in the future. Most of all I wish for Jeanette to fully love herself. I wish total healing and I hope someday she can love herself as much as the world does! Congratulations Jeannette you deserve all the accolades from this book because it’s honestly, and painfully yet beautifully written. Peace & Love
Aleasha Stephens –
I read A LOT and have literally never written a review but…