Book Review- Jennette McCurdy's I'm Glad My Mom Died

Thank you to Libro FM and Simon & Schuster Audio for a copy of Jennette McCurdy’s memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died.

Nickelodeon child star Jennette McCurdy recounts a deeply troubled relationship with her mother, including emotional abuse that lead to a severe eating disorder. McCurdy’s mother had a long battle with reoccurring cancer, eventually passing away when McCurdy was in her twenties. McCurdy candidly explains the relief she felt with her mother gone and her struggle to overcome the toxicity of her upbringing.

I’m Glad My Mom Died is the hot non-fiction book of late summer 2022. I work as a bookseller and it is impossible to get in stock. Customers ask for it in hushed tones, as if saying the title aloud might bring bad luck. I don’t remember the last time a book has initiated so many interesting conversations.

I was drawn to the title. I had not previously heard of McCurdy, as she is a younger generation and I never watched her shows on Nickelodeon. A majority of the customers seeking her book are fans, however, you do not need to be a fan to appreciate her memoir. I’m generally drawn to non-fiction titles dealing with death and mother/daughter relationships, which is why the title, especially paired with the cover photo, made it appealing. Unlike McCurdy, I had a mostly wonderful relationship with my mom, but I can relate to that taboo sense of relief when a parent dies and you have the freedom of breaking away from your childhood, including family expectations.

This memoir is shocking! McCurdy’s mom uses her daughter as a proxy to chase after unfulfilled ambitions. McCurdy would do anything to please her mom and keep harmony in their household, which included relationship tension between her parents. In her focus on being a people-pleaser, McCurdy feels pressure to be perfect, including attending a strict schedule of extra-curricular classes aimed at improving her chances in Hollywood. McCurdy’s body is scrutinized as her mom, who also has an eating disorder, is proud of her daughter’s restrictive eating. The calorie restriction is not only to keep McCurdy thin, but to help delay puberty and keep her looking young to book kid parts. McCurdy develops a fear of puberty. McCurdy uses humor to lighten the topics and perhaps to deflect from truly difficult memories. Her pacing and sarcasm made me laugh. She has a strong comedic sensibility, but ultimately her memoir just made me feel really sad for her situation.

The feeling of hope comes towards the end, after her mother dies. McCurdy can finally let go of toxic relationships, not only the one with her mother, and make efforts to change her self-destructive tendencies. She feels empowered to make positive choices for her own health and happiness. She’s a strong woman.

If you can get your hands on a copy of I’m Glad My Mom Died, you should read it. If not, the audio version, read by McCurdy is a great option. It’s the non-fiction book of the season and definitely a pop-culture moment.

Side note, after finishing the book and doing a little internet digging about McCurdy, I discovered the book was originally a stage play that ran in Hollywood. I hope she reboots her play as i’d love to see it. Also, I had never seen her acting and watched a few clips. Specifically, I watched a bit of Sam & Cat, which she co-starred with Ariana Grande. The show is a cheesy comedy for kids and McCurdy is fine in her role, but Grande is shockingly unwatchable. I guess it’s different looking at it from the perspective of an adult, but I’m really glad that this show wasn’t on my step-kids radar when they visited us! Grande’s squeaky, babyish voice is going to haunt my nightmares.

Book Review: Anna Sale's Let's Talk About Hard Things

Thank you to LibroFM and Simon & Schuster Audio for an audio copy of Anna Sale’s Let’s Talk About Hard Things.

Let’s Talk About Hard Things is an extension of Sale’s popular podcast, Death, Sex, and Money. I’m a huge fan of her podcast and was very excited for this memoir. Sale breaks Let’s Talk About Hard Things into sections: death, sex, money, family and identity. Similar to her podcast, Sale weaves stories from her personal life with interviews and statistics to explore each topic.

The magic of Sale is how she manages to make difficult topics accessible. She reminds her audience that these are unavoidable topics and topics that are made easier when we realize that they affect us all. While it may be difficult to have financial or end of life conversations with our loved ones, Sale opens the door to the way in which we may broach these subjects and gives us examples of other people having these brave discussions. It gives us courage to take the same actions in our own lives and also makes us feel less alone.

Let’s Talk About Hard Things and Death, Sex, and Money are both excellent tools that can help anyone at any stage in life. Last year, I discovered a wonderful TedTalk by author Donna Jo Napoli, where she explains that stories prepare people for events that may occur in their lives and that through experiencing stories, we can imagine scenarios that perhaps could happen to us. I think this is the power of Sale’s work. You might not have had an illness or been a caretaker, yet by reading these sections, you can think about how a similar scenario could impact you in the future, in turn preparing you. You might not identify as LGBTQ, yet reading these sections of Sale’s book and hearing the stories of others, opens the door for listening and empathizing.

I highly recommend Let’s Talk About Hard Things. It’s filled with encouraging true stories on vital topics. The audio book, narrated by Sale, is fantastic, but I also plan to purchase hardcover versions to give as gifts. I can’t imagine a person who wouldn’t benefit from this book.

Book Review- Laura Clery's Idiots: Marriage, Motherhood, Milk and Mistakes

Thank you to LibroFM and Simon & Schuster Audio for a copy of the audio version of Laura Clery’s memoir, Idiots: Marriage, Motherhood, Milk & Mistakes.

Prior to Idiots, I had not heard of Laura Clery. I just thought Idiots sounded like a book that I’d enjoy and I’ve since learned that she is an actress, comedian, and has quite a large social media presence.

Clery is very funny and completely open about her life, including some less than stellar personal moments. She gets cringy. She includes stories that were too personal or horrific to include in her first memoir, stating that she now feels ready to share them. I admire her willingness to be so open, especially as some of the content was quite shocking.

Clery narrates the audio version of her book and I felt this added to the experience. Admittedly, it took me a bit of time to get used to her voice, especially when she gets enthusiastic and changes her tone for effect. She can be loud! However, I liked that I could experience her stories in the way she wants listeners/readers to experience them, through her vocal changes and pauses. Adding to the comedic effect, Clery does hilarious accents/voices, such as her British husband and her elderly neighbor. Clery is a solid storyteller, both through her writing and her vocalizations.

Although there is plenty of humor, Idiots also deals with serious subjects such as addiction, infidelity, and parenting issues. Clery explains the difficulties and joys of being neurodivergent. Not only is she neurodivergent, but so are her son and husband. Clery shares her thoughts on the importance of celebrating all types of people, and that despite the challenges, having a different way of thinking can be an asset to both an individual’s life and to the greater world. It’s a hopeful and kind message.

I throughly enjoyed Idiots. I look forward to reading Clery’s first memoir and future works.