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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Far more serious than the memoirs I've previously read, but I really enjoyed it. So many times I caught myself thinking, "Omg, we are the same!" and at other times, "We are so different, but I feel for you."
Lines I liked:
P. 52: I could sense her disappointment. They were making Susan as cute as possible, and taking away what had drawn us to her -- her intelligence and complexity. She was becoming a caricature.
P. 76: The harshest criticism, I noticed, often seemed to come from other women. I didn't want to be that kind of woman, I decided; it wasn't right to hurt others in the way I'd been hurt. From then on, I vowed, I would never say anything negative about a woman's appearance. It had nothing to do with them as a person, and it wasn't something they could easily change. If I didn't want looks to matter, I would have to stop talking and acting as if they did.
P. 212: Crushes were placeholders. They gave me hope. It wasn't fair to the person I had one on to place those expectations on him, but it was the way my mind worked. I couldn't help but make up stories to make myself feel better.
P. 215: We talked about the people she had been seeing. There didn't seem to be anyone serious in her life, but she was happy with that. Happy with herself, and happy with having options.
"I don't think I could do that," I said. "I need to know where things stand." Lots of my friends dated around or had open relationships, but I remained stubbornly and singly devoted to monogamy. Being with just one person didn't seem to dull me, but then, I had been the kind of kid who was excited to open the lunch she packed herself.
Lines I liked:
P. 52: I could sense her disappointment. They were making Susan as cute as possible, and taking away what had drawn us to her -- her intelligence and complexity. She was becoming a caricature.
P. 76: The harshest criticism, I noticed, often seemed to come from other women. I didn't want to be that kind of woman, I decided; it wasn't right to hurt others in the way I'd been hurt. From then on, I vowed, I would never say anything negative about a woman's appearance. It had nothing to do with them as a person, and it wasn't something they could easily change. If I didn't want looks to matter, I would have to stop talking and acting as if they did.
P. 212: Crushes were placeholders. They gave me hope. It wasn't fair to the person I had one on to place those expectations on him, but it was the way my mind worked. I couldn't help but make up stories to make myself feel better.
P. 215: We talked about the people she had been seeing. There didn't seem to be anyone serious in her life, but she was happy with that. Happy with herself, and happy with having options.
"I don't think I could do that," I said. "I need to know where things stand." Lots of my friends dated around or had open relationships, but I remained stubbornly and singly devoted to monogamy. Being with just one person didn't seem to dull me, but then, I had been the kind of kid who was excited to open the lunch she packed herself.
I enjoyed that this was refreshingly honest, but also flowed nicely. The way this book is written made Mara's childhood seem surprisingly "normal," something former child stars rarely get to be portrayed as.
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
3.6 rounded up.
The first few essays were strong and funny, but the rest didn't stand out.
The first few essays were strong and funny, but the rest didn't stand out.
I've listened to a lot of celebrity memoir audiobooks, and I was getting pretty burned out on them. I feel like most of them are just entertaining fluff with no real substance.
Mara's book is a breath of fresh air. Great storytelling, deep thoughts and introspection, funny insights, serious issues, etc... The chapters felt more like essays, and there were a few that blew me away (A Letter, Patterns). Yes I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stories from her films, but what I really admire is her honesty. Overall I think she is a great writer and I would love to read more of her creative work.
Mara's book is a breath of fresh air. Great storytelling, deep thoughts and introspection, funny insights, serious issues, etc... The chapters felt more like essays, and there were a few that blew me away (A Letter, Patterns). Yes I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stories from her films, but what I really admire is her honesty. Overall I think she is a great writer and I would love to read more of her creative work.
”A boy at my preteen day camp had said to me, 'You were Matilda? Huh. You’ve gained a little weight since then.' I went home and cried...into a Dairy Queen blizzard.”
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, which was read by Mara herself. The stories were interesting and she’s definitely a great storyteller. I was trying to place actors because the stories usually only featured the first names... like, “fuck you, Zack” Zack. Wait. Does she mean Zac Efron?! WAIT. I don’t have the physical copy to see how it’s spelled. I don't think so, but I also don't know for sure.
Overall, I really enjoyed getting to know Mara. I found her incredibly relatable and likeable. The chapter on Robin Williams killed me.
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, which was read by Mara herself. The stories were interesting and she’s definitely a great storyteller. I was trying to place actors because the stories usually only featured the first names... like, “fuck you, Zack” Zack. Wait. Does she mean Zac Efron?! WAIT. I don’t have the physical copy to see how it’s spelled. I don't think so, but I also don't know for sure.
Overall, I really enjoyed getting to know Mara. I found her incredibly relatable and likeable. The chapter on Robin Williams killed me.
I really liked this collection of essays by Mara Wilson. She is a fun, friendly, and engaging writer, with some lovely stories of some of the people she worked with while filming. I saw her "What Are You Afraid Of?" storytelling show in Astoria in the fall and it felt a lot like reading the essays here. Ultimately, a quick read that fits in well with the other women-in-comedy memoirs I've read.
Very relatable, I enjoyed reading these essays. Felt like it was me writing them (except for the whole acting thing of course).
3.5 stars really. Picked this up at the library and thought it would be interesting; it was. Nothing earth shattering, but a well-written memoir by someone roughly my age who had quite a different life experience as a child star, but still a relatively normal family life and childhood. She is likable, layered and I think writing this book probably was a healthy exercise for her. Her young crushes and experiences with boys seem to have had a greater impact on her life today than mine. Her mom's cancer diagnosis really hit home and was the most moving part of the memoir for me. It's likely a great read for people who experience anxiety, OCD, or want to learn more about the personal experiences of those with these conditions.
I couldn't put this book down. I was very interested to read it since I was a fan of her growing up. When I started to read it, I felt like Mara was somebody I knew. In fact, I realized I had a lot in common with the author. The section of her book where she speaks about Robin Williams was very touching. I'm hoping she writes more in the future and knows now that we enjoy her storytelling.