I’m Glad My Mom Died
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I love reading memoirs - people are endlessly fascinating, and the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of celebrity/actor memoirs especially. Jennette McCurdy was a good actress, but she is an excellent writer. She kept a delicate balance of being open enough about her life to give the reader a clear picture of her childhood while infusing a surprising amount of humor throughout. To me that was the biggest indicator of what a skilled writer McCurdy is - she was able to drive home the severity of the abuse she was put through along with her major battle with her mental health while giving the reader breaks with wit and flashes of humor. Trying to do both could easily have come across as unbalanced or given the reader emotional whiplash instead of ensuring the book never got too heavy to read.
I know McCurdy has been pursuing writing/directing in film for years, but I really hope this isn’t the only book she publishes. She has such a vivid voice and I’d love to read more from her. That being said, I have no doubt she’s going to be wildly successful on whatever track she chooses to focus on.
I paired this with a cold glass of Ginger Ale - a childhood favorite felt like a better choice than trying to match a cocktail to a book so focused on recovery from things including substance abuse. I also had to take a moment after finishing the book to just appreciate that 1) my mom is awesome and 2) therapy is becoming increasingly normalized and accessible for people. If you enjoy memoirs, learning more about the business of Hollywood, or if iCarly/Nickelodeon was a core part of your childhood this is definitely a book you’ll want to pick up!
