I'm Glad My Mom DiedI'm Glad My Mom Died
What it's about
Jennette McCurdy was six when her mother put her in her first audition, and she spent the next decade as a child actor, eventually starring on Nickelodeon's iCarly, all to make her mother happy. Behind the scenes, her mother controlled everything, from her showers to her eating, teaching her the calorie restriction that became years of eating disorders. This is Jennette's account of that childhood, the fame she never wanted, her mother's death, and slowly learning who she is without her.
Why it's worth reading
The title is shocking, but the book is the opposite of cheap: it's funny, brutally honest and full of hard-won wisdom about family, control and recovery. It speaks to anyone who has loved a difficult parent.
You'll love it if you liked
Educated: A Memoir
The Glass Castle
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African ChildhoodGood to know
It deals frankly with eating disorders, addiction and emotional abuse, often in a darkly comic tone. It's short and fast, and the audiobook is read by Jennette herself.
By the numbers
- Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller91 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz77 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #4 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #6 of the 481 new books we rank
- #24 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Moving
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Quick answers
Is I'm Glad My Mom Died worth reading?
Yes. The title is shocking, but the book is the opposite of cheap: it's funny, brutally honest and full of hard-won wisdom about family, control and recovery. It ranks #24 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 91.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is I'm Glad My Mom Died about?
Jennette McCurdy was six when her mother put her in her first audition, and she spent the next decade as a child actor, eventually starring on Nickelodeon's iCarly, all to make her mother happy. Behind the scenes, her mother controlled everything, from her showers to her eating, teaching her the calorie restriction that became years of eating disorders. This is Jennette's account of that childhood, the fame she never wanted, her mother's death, and slowly learning who she is without her.
How long does it take to read I'm Glad My Mom Died?
About 7 hours (290 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has I'm Glad My Mom Died won?
Goodreads Choice (memoir autobiography) winner (2022).
What should I read after I'm Glad My Mom Died?
If you liked it, try Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls or Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.