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Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert Books in Review
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Prairie Tale - A Memoir
by Melissa Gilbert
Gallery Books
ISBN 978-1-4165-9914-2
Published June 2009 - Hardcover - 367 pages - $26.00

"A large part of my life has been an illusion," says Melissa Gilbert, along with, "My mother was at the helm of everything, including my career, my food intake, and how I dressed—my whole life".  Pretty stifling I'd have thought.  Imagine a mother saying to her daughter that her future son-in-law "will make a wonderful first husband"!  However, Ms. Gilbert also says, "I'm a twice-married, now-sober, former child actor and mother of four", just to clarify things.  We all remember little Laura Ingalls (or Half-Pint as her dad on the show called her) in the wonderful television series, Little House on the Prairie, but she grew up and had a life, much of which you'll read about in her book.  From the get-go it feels as though she's unloading a lifetime of bottling things up, and it had to feel good (the unloading) for the most part.  She does emphasize the love she enjoyed in her adopted home and with her adopted family.  Melissa's sense of integrity is evident in her writing, and you'll enjoy her recollections of how she started in show business, landed the role of Laura Ingalls, and worked with the legendary Michael Landon, who she adored.  Her style is easy and open, and you feel what she's talking about.  Never missing out anyone, we're taken on a wonderfully illuminating trip with regards to the making of the Little House series and all the loveable and some not so loveable characters.  She tells about them all, helping us understand more about them.  For example, "Willie Oleson" was played by her real-life brother Jonathan, and Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim) was her best friend off set—imagine "not liking" your best friend!  Melissa's childhood is openly and candidly recalled, and although funny in parts, quite weird-yet-normal under the circumstances.  As far as her friends and acquaintences go, she names a lot of names but never does it seem to be name-dropping, thankfully.  I find that so tacky.  She also opens up about many relationships (her learning curves) and her experimentation with drugs and a bout in AA, her love affair with Rob Lowe, her marriage and divorce from Bo Brinkman, and her romance and marriage to Bruce Boxleitner.  She also tells of her drinking, the movies she made, and the two-term presidency of the Screen Actors' Guild she undertook.  Many an accomplishment, not all smooth sailing, but Melissa Gilbert certainly is a fighter and a survivor.
Conclusion - A joy of a read.  A very brave thing putting your life story out there.  Well done.

book cover


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