SCPL Online NonFiction Book Club discussion

Memoirs from childhood actors are not exactly few and far between these days. In fact, there are literally stacks of reading options, ranging from Jodie Sweetin from Full House to Melissa Gilbert from Little House on the Prairie. Some of them are made up of cringe-worthy confessions of behind-the-scenes dramas complete with the fall-out resulting from the unearthly demands expected from a child actor. Mara, however, decides to do things a little differently.

For those of you who have had a chance to page through the beginning of the book, what are your initial impressions of this memoir? Do they conflict with your expectations?

She is definitely a story teller which makes her book fast paced and easy reading. I think she has a good sense of humour that adds colour to each memory and story she tells.

I was definitely expecting a memoir in the style written by other childhood actors but was pleasantly surprised to find out that Mara has chosen to write her story in the form of a collection of short stories/essays. She is a talented writer and I really enjoy her style. I really enjoyed her letter to Matilda, and how open and honest she is about her insecurities regarding her appearance.

I agree Valerie, Mara is definitely a story teller, which makes her books almost conversational, without any pretentiousness that you see in other memoirs She doesn't dwell on the "poor little me" aspect either and strikes me as a very strong and forthright individual!
~Marcella

Thank you for your comment Sammy! I must say that the way Mara organized her book kind of threw me at first. For some reason I was expecting a chronological memoir of her life as a child actor. Having read the entire book, though, I think the short stories and essays format really suits the author's style and personality. I found her letter to Matilda extremely touching as well - it must be difficult to measure up to such an amazing character, even so many years later!
~Marcella

I will second what has already been said. I really liked the author's writing style. It was easy to read and I could not put it down. Although I will acknowledge I never put two and two together that the actress from Matilda was also in Mrs. Doubtfire. I haven't ready too many child actress biographies but I really enjoyed this one.

That's true Anne - Mara definitely has a really easy to read style of writing, a talent that is not always the case for those in the acting business. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions about the topics she writes about!
~Marcella

I am reading the ebook version of this book, so there isn't really much "flipping through" the pages. But I did get drawn into her easy conversational style of writing. Her friendly easy tone is almost like she is there talking to you in person, like you are talking to a friend.

The first two chapters sort of hit you as far as subject matter, death and sex. I can't wait to see what the rest of the book holds!

I’ve only read the first two chapters but I agree with the earlier comments about being “drawn in.” The topics are a bit heavy but I appreciate her candor and humour in discussing them. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book!

Hi Lillian, I completely agree with you about the first two chapters - she really starts out strong! But again, I think it reflects her very existentialist personality and perhaps her love of drama and shock value as well!
Thank you for your comment!
~Marcella

Hi Heidi - thank you for joining us this month!
As I read through the reviews of this book, the feeling that you mentioned, of being "drawn in" was named a number of times! Her writing has a friendly feel to it and even though, as you said, the topics are heavy, it's refreshing to see how she's able to see the humourous side of some of her experiences!
~Marcella

I am about half way through the book now. I have not read many biographies of actors in general but was intriqued to read this one because I remember seeing all the Shirley Temple reruns as a kid. And knowing that Shirley Temple lived a very different life from acting as an adult.
Mara definitely was exposed to things as a kid that I was not or my own children. Fortunately she has not turned into the "Mylie Cyrus" type of adult.
She does talk about heavy topics but there are many who have heavy lives as small children. She does seem to have a positive attitude and tells her story naturally and not in a highly dramatized manner.
So far I am enjoying the book.
Jo

Hi Jo - I'm happy to see you're joining us!
I agree that it's refreshing to see a child star who, despite having an unchildlike childhood, managed to overcome the odds and experience a fairly successful life as an adult! She had some really excellent role models who helped her through too - loving parents, supportive siblings and even actors like Danny deVito and Robin Williams! I think they definitely acted as positive influences in her life who encouraged her individuality.
~Marcella

Hi everyone,
I really appreciate that Mara is so honest about her experiences with acting. I found the first two chapters to be a little difficult to get through and found the way she wrote the book quite unorganized, in terms of writing style. Overall, the book was good and I liked how she described her experiences with mental health and appears to be an advocate for those suffering from mental health issues.
-Nancy

Hi Nancy - thank you for your comment!

I had the same experience with you when I first read the book. The practice of jumping from topic to topic really had me confused initially, since I was expecting something more chronological. In some ways, the book could be better described as a collection of memoir-based essays, what do you think?

Ah - I see you've anticipated our next topic of discussion! I agree that it's encouraging to see how open and honest Mara is about her struggles with mental health. Be sure to check out the latest topic in the discussion for more information!
~Marcella