I'm Glad My Mom Died

Jennette McCurdy's 2022 memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, pulls back the curtain on her years as a child star and the toxic relationship with her mother that shaped them. The book, which grew out of McCurdy's one-woman show of the same name, traces her path from Nickelodeon fame to a painful reckoning with the abuse she endured. McCurdy's mother, who died in 2013, pushed her into acting and controlled nearly every aspect of her life, from her diet to her emotions. The memoir doesn't shy away from the dark details, but it's also sharp, funny, and ultimately hopeful.

Published on August 9, 2022, by Simon & Schuster, this 304-page book is McCurdy's first. It landed on the New York Times best-seller list for hardcover nonfiction and stayed there for more than 60 consecutive weeks, a sign of how deeply readers connected with her story. As a celebrity memoir, it stands out for its raw honesty and its refusal to trade in easy nostalgia. McCurdy doesn't just recount her rise to fame; she dissects the cost of it, offering a candid look at family, trauma, and the slow work of healing.

The memoir's impact extends beyond its sales. It sparked conversations about the dark side of child stardom, the exploitation of young performers, and the long-term psychological damage inflicted by pushy stage parents. McCurdy's candid discussion of eating disorders and her mother's role in them also contributed to broader public discourse on disordered eating and maternal abuse. The title itself became a cultural touchstone, generating headlines, think pieces, and social media discussion. McCurdy's decision to leave acting and publicly critique the industry that made her famous was seen as a significant moment in the ongoing reckoning with how Hollywood treats child performers. [edit]