Prairie Tale: A Memoir (Thorndike Press Large Print Biography Series)

Prairie Tale: A Memoir (Thorndike Press Large Print Biography Series)

Selected Book Details

  • Hardcover
  • Edition: Lrg
  • Author: Melissa Gilbert
  • Publisher: Thorndike Press
  • Release Date: December 2009
  • ISBN-10: 1410421589
  • ISBN-13: 9781410421586
  • List Price: $31.50

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Summaries and Customer Reviews provided by Amazon

Summary

A fascinatiating, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery from the beloved actress who earned a permanent place in the hearts of millions when she was just a child.

To fans of the hugely successful television series Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert grew up in a fantasy world with a larger-than-life father, friends and family she could count on, and plenty of animals to play with. Children across the country dreamed of the Ingalls' idyllic life -- and so did Melissa.

She was a natural on camera, but behind the scenes, life was more complicated. Adopted as a baby into a legendary show business family, Melissa wrestled with questions about her identity and struggled to maintain an image of perfection her mother created and enforced. Only after years of substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and made-for-television movies did she begin to figure out who she really was.

With candor and humor, the cherished actress traces her complicated journey from buck-toothed Laura "Half-pint" Ingalls to Hollywood starlet, wife, and mother. She partied with the Brat Pack, dated heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and bad boys like Billy Idol, and began a self-destructive pattern of addiction and codependence. Left in debt after her first marriage, and struggling to create some sense of stability, she eventually realized that her career on television had earned her popularity, admiration, and love from everyone but herself.

Through hard work, tenacity, sobriety, and the blessings of a solid marriage, Melissa has accepted her many different identities and learned to laugh, cry, and forgive in new ways. Women everywhere may have idolized her charming life on Little House on the Prairie, but Melissa's own unexpectedly honest, imperfect, and down-to-earth story is an inspiration.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: Score = 4.0 Score = 4.0 Score = 4.0 Score = 4.0 Score = 4.0

Excellent

Rating: Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5 Score = 5

Excellent transaction - I will definitely work with this seller again!! :-) Thank you!!

VERY REVEALING

Rating: Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4

I originally ordered this book because it was a package deal when I ordered High on Arrival by McKenzie Phillips. I got a good deal and have always loved Little House on the Prairie. So I figured what the heck...I really enjoyed the book..she covered all of her life in the book and summerized a lot. She left in the interesting parts, and left out the less interesting parts. It seemed to me that she left out a large part of her drug past, doesn't go into details about how much she was using or for how long (that is vague). But that was ok also.
From reading the book, it appears to me as if her real addiction is MEN! (and alcohol)

I think she had a amazing and very interesting life. Like so many of the child stars raised by a show biz family, she hob-nobbed with all of the famous stars (and names them one by one). While she never "made" it as a big screen star, her years on Little House have put her name on everyone's mouth for years to come.

Well worth the money, great reading

Interesting Read

Rating: Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4 Score = 4

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a memoir about the entire life of Melissa Gilbert, and her days on The Little House on the Prairie make up just a small part of it. It was not what I was expecting, but I didn't have a problem with it, and I found her story to be a very interesting and quick read. My one complaint would be that I got a little tired of all the name-dropping of the famous men who were in love with her, wanted to date her, etc. If it was someone who had a big role in her life (e.g. Rob Lowe), I understand talking about it, but there were a lot of places were she would just randomly mention someone for a few sentences(e.g. the parts at the end about Kiefer Sutherland). It got kind of annoying and it seemed like those mentions were irrelevant. However I still enjoyed it and thought it was worth reading.

Two Thumbs Down for Misleading Book Title & Misuse of Language

Rating: Score = 1 Score = 1 Score = 1 Score = 1 Score = 1

Prairie Life

From the title of the book, I'd expected a focus on this Ms. Gilbert's "Little House on the Prairie" life, or some type focus surrounding her life during that time period. However, almost giving up after several chapters into the book with nothing about this at all, I finally ran into references of this episode in her life in chapter four. Then sadly to say, this time period is only covered for a few chapters.

The rest of the book, like the beginning, reads like a who's who of Hollywood or something, with forced language throughout using curse words men say for themselves indicating body parts women don't even have.

Seriously, had I been looking for a celebrity name dropping book, this might have been a god choice. But based upon the title, I felt very, very much mislead. And as such the language came off forced and offensive as well.

Suggestion: re-title the book. And if nothing else but in Michael Landon's memory, if you are going to refer to, "Little House on the Prairie," for goodness sakes clean up the language a bit, please. Or at least don't use forced cursing and that using phrases men say referencing their own body parts, not women.

And in the next hopefully re-titled memoir version, please have someone proof the next edition first, especially for appropriate swearing used by women. Women don't refer to body parts they don't have...hmmm....makes me wonder who all the writers were in this book....seriously.

OK, about the info on Prairie Life that actually focused on the subject in a couple chapters: not bad. Looked for much more, though, much more depth and focus on "Prairie life." Most of the photos don't even touch on that period, either.

Two books would be best, in summary. And have someone who's not a Hollywood friend proof the content. Focus is needed, not so much name-dropping all over the place. Hollywood celebrity friends may love this, so maybe that's the intended audience, as there is too much finger-pointing and negativity in all that. If so, I bow out gracefully. Average citizen here, long time fan of "Little House on the Prairie."

Two Thumbs Down for Misleading Book Title & Misuse of Language

Average citizen here, long time fan of "Little House on the Prairie," who felt you are taking advantage of the show by referring to it in the book title.

Two books would be best, in summary. And have someone who's not a Hollywood friend proof the content. Focus is needed, not so much name-dropping all over the place. Hollywood celebrity friends may love this, so maybe that's the intended audience, as there is too much finger-pointing and negativity in all that. If so, I bow out gracefully. Average citizen here, long time fan of "Little House on the Prairie," who felt the author is taking advantage of the show and long-time fans by referring to it in the book title. That doesn't seem right to the deceased Mr. Michael Landon, so hopefully I am wrong in getting this meaning, as respect for the actress has dropped after reading this book. Most of the contents belong in tabloids, not "Prairie Life," as "Little House on the Prairie" fans know and respect it.


Not what I expected

Rating: Score = 3 Score = 3 Score = 3 Score = 3 Score = 3

I purchased this book for myself and it was definately not what I hoped for. I had always enjoyed the Little House on the Prarie series and was looking forward to a memoir that would include a more detailed account of Ms. Gilbert's time through those years. This autobiography was more of an account of how her life has taken her down the paths of alcohol, drug abuse and numerous sexual relationships over the years. It seemed to be just another Hollywood story! I plan to donate it to my local library instead of passing it on to others in my circle to read and enjoy.