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I'm Glad My Mom Died

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I'm Glad My Mom Died

By: Jennette McCurdy
Narrated by: Jennette McCurdy
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About this listen

 * #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * MORE THAN 3 MILLION COPIES SOLD!

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair. Dysfunctional Families Dysfunctional Relationships Entertainment & Celebrities Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Parenting & Families Relationships Celebrity Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Witty Health Cats Mental Health

Critic Reviews

"Read by the author, I’m Glad My Mom Died finds McCurdy reassessing her childhood and voicing her mother as only marginally less deranged than Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest. The book opens with the adult McCurdy and her brothers crowded around a hospital bed where Debra, who has cancer, is in a coma. In an effort to rouse their mother, each sibling fills her in on family news. When it is McCurdy’s turn, she leans in to deliver the bombshell that will surely jolt her mother into consciousness: “Mommy, I am … so skinny right now.” McCurdy’s memoir is full of these comic moments, expertly placed to counterbalance the bleakness elsewhere. The title is provocative but don’t be deceived: rather than a flippant chronicle of childhood resentment, McCurdy’s memoir an insightful portrait of narcissism, familial dysfunction and the ways cruelty can be mistaken for love." (Fiona Sturges)
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I don’t remember the last time I found myself glued to an audiobook like this! I finished listening to it within 2 days! The storytelling is light but shines a light on so much! Would highly recommend the listen.

Incredibly moving

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Very insightful into the experience of the reluctant child actor. i found it emotional and interesting. Jeanette reading it was fantastic, really added to feeling her experience. Great book

Emotional and insightful

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From the moment I clicked "play", I could not stop listening to "I'm Glad My Mom Died". Jennette McCurdy offers an insightful and harrowing perspective into her own meteoric rise to fame. The book is narrated by McCurdy herself, which presents a new level of depth to the author's experience and makes the book feel raw and authentic. I'm glad Jennette chose to share her story with the world, which I'm sure will affect change and make waves in Hollywood.

Expertly written, amazing narration & a great read

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what a book. raw, real and beautiful. love that the story was narrated by Jennette too.

loved it!

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Mejor libro que he leido en mucho rato, lo tiene todo, risas, dramas...Como la vida misma!
Muy recomendado.

Me encanto!

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Just a must read. Gives the reader a deeper understanding of the life of a child star.

Heartbreaking and Healing

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I wasn't sure what to expect but Jennette McCurdy did a fantastic job with this memoir.
she's a great story teller and kept my attention throughout.

exceeded expectations

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This was such an incredible read. While I cant pretend to relate to the realities of growing up as a child actress, Jeanette McCurdy described it in such detail that I felt like I was living it!
What I was able to relate to very intimately was devoting your childhood and early years to a beloved narcissistic parent. I felt seen and validated. The title of this book is a feeling that children of narcissistic abuse have earned the right to feel and express. Thank you for putting the feeling and relief into words.

Like reading a diary

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This completely resonated with me. I always thought there was something wrong with me to feel relief when my mum died. Narcissistic mothers are truly a destructive force of nature. Thanks Jannette - I'm so grateful to you

I'm with you on this!!

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loved it. A very insightful look into eating disorders and family dynamics. A brave book indeed. thank you.

a very honest book

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