Publisher Description
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actorincluding eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing motherand how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mothers 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 doesnt tint hers? She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. In Im Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detailjust 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, Im Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair. Download and start listening now!
Quotes
[An] explosive debutInsightful and incisive, heartbreaking and raw, McCurdys narrative reveals a strong woman who triumphs over unimaginable pressure to emerge whole on the other side. Fans will be rapt. – Publishers Weekly (starred review) Hysterical and heartbreaking and fascinating all at the same time. – Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author Im Glad My Mom Died is furious, sad, brave, knowing, honest, heart-wrenching, and utterly compellingA beautifully crafted coming-of-age story as fearless as its author. – Lauren Hough, author of Leaving Isnt the Hardest Thing A coruscating picture of her life as a child actor, devastatingly honest and with great understanding of the psychology and emotions operating at a deep level. Its a riveting read, entertaining and very touching. – Hayley Mills, English actress Jennette McCurdy is the queen of lemonade from lemons, using her trauma to weave a painfully funny story that also illuminates the commodification of teenage girls in America. An important cultural document just as much as a searingly personal one. – Lena Dunham, actor, director, and New York Times bestselling author
