I'm Glad My Mom Died

Jennette McCurdy

Aug 2022 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Jennette McCurdy

About this audiobook

* #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * MORE THAN 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD!

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

Ratings and reviews

Jennette's insight throughout her story is as horrifying as it is captivating. Her witty writing style invites people of all kinds to be able to empathize with her upbringing. Whether the reader has experienced similar hardships and can relate to Jennette's story, or simply hasn't picked up a book since finishing that last high school book report and wants to find out what this child star has been up to, "I'm Glad my Mom Died" is a heartbreaking memoir that everyone can learn from. It is one of the best books I have read in my life.

I grew up loving Jenette, and heart broken when she stopped acting, but this book, this peek into her life has not only made me love her more, but has made me respect her in a new light. This book has given me new perspective and while at times hard to listen to, I recommend it to everyone. I wish her luck in all her endeavors. (she has a book club where she recommends book of a similar vein if that's what you're looking for!)

Wow, this gave me such a respect for Jennette. she was my childhood despite at the time not knowing what it cost her. now she is expressing her story to those same kids who watched her. I am so very sorry she had to deal with everything she did but I admire her tenacity and choice to never give up. it is very inspiring

About the author

Jennette McCurdy starred in Nickelodeon’s hit show iCarly and its spin-off, Sam & Cat, as well as in the Netflix series Between. In 2017, she quit acting and began pursuing writing/directing. Her films have been featured in the Florida Film Festival, the Salute Your Shorts Film Festival, Short of the Week, and elsewhere. Her essays have appeared in HuffPost and The Wall Street Journal. Her one-woman show I’m Glad My Mom Died had two sold-out runs at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre and Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles. She hosts a podcast called Empty Inside, which has topped Apple’s charts and features guests speaking about uncomfortable topics. She lives in Los Angeles.