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A review by zachlittrell
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim
5.0
Bless Arngrim for finally writing a tv star memoir that doesn't dick around about telling fans what they actually want to know. Specifically, Little House on the Prairiedogs wanna know:
* Is she actually a bitch? (No.)
* Who did she get along with on set? (Laura, of all people)
* Who did she NOT get along with on set? (Mary, of all people)
* How were famous episodes made? (With difficulty)
* Was Michael Landon nice? (For the most part)
* How was her home life screwed up? (Terrifically)
* Did she end up screwed up?
And thankfully, the answer to the last question is no. She feels like a pretty down-to-earth person, but not so dumb as to believe some patronizing horse hockey as "I'm just a regular gal!" When you have secret knowledge like Michael Landon's habit of not wearing underwear, you ain't a regular person.
While the lion's share is on her time on the Prairie, as it rightfully oughtta be, she does delve into some darker personal territory. And it's so odd listening to her cornball accent as she describes traumatic episodes in her child and adult life that it threw me for a loop. But Arngrim plays the correct balance, and avoids getting depressing or maudlin. She knows how to be appropriately somber, and also appropriately naughty.
(I'm also glad she touches on the bittersweetness of Percival and Nellie's marriage. Sure, they were cute together, and it's sweet that Nellie finally finds her match in a little man with a backbone. But it's sad that Nellie's happily-ever-after on the show was 'being tamed.' I'd rather have seen Nellie Oleson's bitchiness evolve into magnificent adulthood, rather than be de-toothed and domesticated.)
Now, I ain't going to say this is the most perfect book in the world. I sincerely doubt it would hold interest for anyone not at least familiar with the TV show (how the hell I got into Prairie watching is beyond me). But this is exactly what I want in a memoir. She treats her readers with respect, dishes the dirt, offers but doesn't preach some of her hard-earned lessons, and admits to playing monopoly while under acid. I cannot ask for more.
* Is she actually a bitch? (No.)
* Who did she get along with on set? (Laura, of all people)
* Who did she NOT get along with on set? (Mary, of all people)
* How were famous episodes made? (With difficulty)
* Was Michael Landon nice? (For the most part)
* How was her home life screwed up? (Terrifically)
* Did she end up screwed up?
And thankfully, the answer to the last question is no. She feels like a pretty down-to-earth person, but not so dumb as to believe some patronizing horse hockey as "I'm just a regular gal!" When you have secret knowledge like Michael Landon's habit of not wearing underwear, you ain't a regular person.
While the lion's share is on her time on the Prairie, as it rightfully oughtta be, she does delve into some darker personal territory. And it's so odd listening to her cornball accent as she describes traumatic episodes in her child and adult life that it threw me for a loop. But Arngrim plays the correct balance, and avoids getting depressing or maudlin. She knows how to be appropriately somber, and also appropriately naughty.
(I'm also glad she touches on the bittersweetness of Percival and Nellie's marriage. Sure, they were cute together, and it's sweet that Nellie finally finds her match in a little man with a backbone. But it's sad that Nellie's happily-ever-after on the show was 'being tamed.' I'd rather have seen Nellie Oleson's bitchiness evolve into magnificent adulthood, rather than be de-toothed and domesticated.)
Now, I ain't going to say this is the most perfect book in the world. I sincerely doubt it would hold interest for anyone not at least familiar with the TV show (how the hell I got into Prairie watching is beyond me). But this is exactly what I want in a memoir. She treats her readers with respect, dishes the dirt, offers but doesn't preach some of her hard-earned lessons, and admits to playing monopoly while under acid. I cannot ask for more.