Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by rachelja
Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame by Mara Wilson
4.0
3.5 stars
I tend to have high hopes for celebrity memoirs, but they usually let me down. Sometimes they keep all the gossip to themselves (looking at you, Judy Greer) or they include the "I have to write a book but I don't know how" chapter (many, many celebrities, but Amy Poehler comes to the surface). Acting doesn't always translate to storytelling.
I am not a fan of Mara Wilson's childhood films, nor do I follow her in the public sphere. But I do like to read about people who have "been through something" - generally, those are travel or survival memoirs. However, I think going from being a top-billed child actor to, well, not that, counts as "something."
Mara does identify right away that she loves storytelling most of all, and I think it shows. I wouldn't say she is outstanding, but I think she's above average for a celebrity memoirist. She's willing to talk about sex and depression and she names drops a few people and sheds a little light on what child celebrities were really like.
The end gets a little dry, and that's where she's a full-fledged normal person again talking about her normal life - and that's where it's clear she's not exactly a David Sedaris. However, as I said before, I'd say this swings more into a worth-your-time category instead of a waste-of-time that some memoirs have left me feeling.
I tend to have high hopes for celebrity memoirs, but they usually let me down. Sometimes they keep all the gossip to themselves (looking at you, Judy Greer) or they include the "I have to write a book but I don't know how" chapter (many, many celebrities, but Amy Poehler comes to the surface). Acting doesn't always translate to storytelling.
I am not a fan of Mara Wilson's childhood films, nor do I follow her in the public sphere. But I do like to read about people who have "been through something" - generally, those are travel or survival memoirs. However, I think going from being a top-billed child actor to, well, not that, counts as "something."
Mara does identify right away that she loves storytelling most of all, and I think it shows. I wouldn't say she is outstanding, but I think she's above average for a celebrity memoirist. She's willing to talk about sex and depression and she names drops a few people and sheds a little light on what child celebrities were really like.
The end gets a little dry, and that's where she's a full-fledged normal person again talking about her normal life - and that's where it's clear she's not exactly a David Sedaris. However, as I said before, I'd say this swings more into a worth-your-time category instead of a waste-of-time that some memoirs have left me feeling.