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.
Book Info: Print length: 319 pages. Listening length: 6 hours 26 mins. Narrator: Jennette McCurdy. Publication date: 9 Aug 2022. Publisher: Simon & Schuster.
My Thoughts:
I’m Glad My Mom died is the memoir of child star Jennette McCurdy, famous for iCarly and Sam & Cat (nope, me neither) and despite not knowing anything about Jennette, I kept seeing this book being recommended so used my Audible Credit and took the dog for a very long walk!
You don’t need to be a fan of Nickelodeon or cheesy American kid’s shows to listen to this honest, raw and often brutal account of growing up with an over bearing “showbiz” mother and thankfully Google and Wikipedia is on hand when you want more information.
Jennette McCurdy, now aged 32, has been in the public eye since she was 6 years old. She was born in California and her family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Home schooled with her 3 older brothers by her mother Debra, Jennette’s only objective as a young child was to please her mother and this meant becoming a child star which was Debra’s dream.
Narrated by Jennette, she doesn’t hold back on some of the absolutely horrific scenarios she was subjected to from the one person in her life who should have been there to protect her. The mental abuse from her mother and grandmother is shocking. The physical abuse is utterly unimaginable and it’s impossible not to listen to this and feel nothing but contempt and disgust at her mother’s behaviour.
Growing up in this dysfunctional and damaging environment sent Jennette spiralling into alcohol abuse and severe eating disorders. This behaviour affected friendships and her ability to get close to people. Her self-esteem was non-existent and yet throughout her teens and early 20’s her only desire was to make her mother happy which often resulted in making herself very unhappy.
It’s harrowing and emotional, but there is humour, albeit quite dark humour, scattered in each chapter. Honestly, I don’t know how someone can move on from such a toxic situation, but thankfully Jennette has and by writing this book, I can only hope that she continues to find strength in her recovery.
Powerful, shocking, brutally raw and absolutely heart-breaking.
