This month’s Book Club Read is a memoir by Jennette McCurdy titled “I’m Glad My Mom Died”. I was drawn to it by the title when I was perusing the Goodreads Choice awards for 2022. It won the 2022 award for Best Memoir & Autobiography. This is a genre that I do not often read unless there is something very intriguing about the subject’s life. Being happy about her mother’s death gave me a strong hint that this was a life lived far from what society considers the norm.
This is a little embarrassing, but I was a fan of the ICarly show when it aired. I don’t think I was the target audience but it seemed like light-hearted fun and I enjoyed it. The book is another eye-opener about the lives of many child stars. It is not the first time I have read stories about child stars driven by something other than their own desire to do the thing they were early famous for (i.e. Drew Barrymore, Mark Wahlberg, and even Albert Einstein), but it was told by the author in such a direct way that it was as shocking as it was meant to be.
The author comes from a matriarchal background (mother and grandmother) expert at anger, guilt, and emotional blackmail, and is easy prey for adult abusers in the television industry. She runs the gamut of mental and physical health issues brought on by her abusers between the age of six and her mid-twenties. This is not written to be the story of a hero beating all the odds, but I was amazed more than once by the strength and resilience shown by the author. She also hinted at the power of writing/journaling in her life.
I recommend it highly to readers that have struggled themselves with some of these issues or are looking for insight into factors pushing our and others’ lives off course.
If you are looking for other Griffonneur Press book club news go here.