Friday 11 October 2019

Book ~ "Inside Out" (2019) Demi Moore

From Goodreads ~ Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.

For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight - or the headlines.

Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues and childhood trauma that would follow her for years - all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress - and, always, if she was simply good enough.

As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life - laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. "Inside Out" is a story of survival, success, and surrender - a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman’s at once ordinary and iconic life. 

I'm wouldn't say that I'm a fan of Demi Moore's but I don't dislike her.  I like reading bios/autobios and thought I'd check it out.

Demi was born in 1962 in New Mexico.  Her parents were young and not overly stable ... definitely not ready for marriage and children.  They moved around a lot, with her father looking for the next adventure and dodging bill collectors.  Her parents eventually split up when she was in her teens, both with alcohol issues.  Her father committed suicide and her mother continued to make questionable decisions (like supposedly giving their apartment key to an older man and being paid $500 by him so he could rape 15-year-old Demi).  After years of distancing herself from her mother, I found it amazing that she reconnected with her mother as she was dying and forgave her for all the craziness she'd caused in Demi's life (I'm not that forgiving).

At 16, Demi moved out of her mother's house and eventually met and married musician Freddy Moore at age 17.  She would go on to marry actors Bruce Willis (with whom she had three daughters) and Ashton Kutcher.  Demi started off in modelling and got her big break getting a part on the soap opera General Hospital.  She would go on to star in many movies, some major successes and some not so much.

This is Demi's story of growing up in a dysfunctional family to today.  She discusses her marriages and why they ended, her children, her body issues, her addiction to alcohol and drugs, her movies, and more.  She's made some questionable decisions during her life, which she attributes to her parents and her messed-up childhood.  There comes a point, though, when you can't keep blaming your parents for the decisions you make and you have to take ownership, which it doesn't seem like she really does.  Hopefully she has found the inner peace and acceptance she's been seeking.

It's a quick easy read.  I like it when there are pictures in bios/autobios and this book didn't disappoint as there are lots and lots of pictures.

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