Throughout my childhood, I was a big fan of Nickelodeon, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. The wonderful, funny, and interesting series that you impatiently watched after school—what could be better? As time passes, we grow up, and it becomes interesting to learn more about our favorite childhood characters.
One book that made me reconsider many aspects of life and healthy self-esteem is “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy, known for her role as Sam Puckett in “I Carly” and “Sam & Cat.” Her popularity and success seemed enviable, but was her life as wonderful and joyful as it appeared? The book was published in 2022 and became one of the most popular and favorite books for the readers throughout the world.
The book opens our eyes to the harsh reality Jennette lived in. It’s an autobiographical book and when you read it it feels like your friend is sharing her life stories with you. There is also an audiobook version and what is interesting is that Jennette read the story by herself, so readers have an opportunity to hear the story directly from the author, to hear how intonation and mood is changing through telling. To be even more closer to the author. The book lets its reader feel Jennette’s highs and lows. Jennette describes her complex relationship with her mother, how she started acting in series, her fame, first love, harmful habits, mental health issues, and struggles.
The book has two main parts: “Before” and “After,” referring to the period when her mother was alive and later passed away. Jennette’s mother suffered from a severe illness—cancer. Jennette describes how she tried to make her mother happy but at the cost of her own self-sacrifice. She battled anorexia and later bulimia. McCurdy talks about her relationships with fellow actors, some of whom are well-known, and brings the light on her experiences working with Dan Schneider, who in the book is described as “The Creator”. How he influenced her life and some secrets which are forbidden to be told to the public. Her story shows that she is a very brave, fair, responsible and patient young lady.
I can confidently say that this book is worth reading. It’s easy to read, and after finishing it, you will have thousands of thoughts in your head and interesting themes to describe with your friends and family. It might help you understand yourself better and realize that you are the owner of your life. To be honest, this book holds a special place for me. Remembering how I perceived Jennette McCurdy as a child, my perception has completely changed. It’s a valuable experience to read about how someone, having gone through the unpleasant moments of life, managed to cope with them and write a compelling narrative.
***
New York: Simon & Schuster, 2022
Jennette McCurdy “I’m Glad My Mom Died” in e-catalogue ESTER
Jennette McCurdy “I’m Glad My Mom Died” in e-library OverDrive
Mariia Zakharova
Intern in the Department of Literature in Foreign Languages