Synopses & Reviews
A fascinatiating, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery from the beloved actress who earned a permanent place in the hearts of millions when she was just a child.
To fans of the hugely successful television series Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert grew up in a fantasy world with a larger-than-life father, friends and family she could count on, and plenty of animals to play with. Children across the country dreamed of the Ingalls' idyllic life -- and so did Melissa.
She was a natural on camera, but behind the scenes, life was more complicated. Adopted as a baby into a legendary show business family, Melissa wrestled with questions about her identity and struggled to maintain an image of perfection her mother created and enforced. Only after years of substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and made-for-television movies did she begin to figure out who she really was.
With candor and humor, the cherished actress traces her complicated journey from buck-toothed Laura Half-pint Ingalls to Hollywood starlet, wife, and mother. She partied with the Brat Pack, dated heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and bad boys like Billy Idol, and began a self-destructive pattern of addiction and codependence. Left in debt after her first marriage, and struggling to create some sense of stability, she eventually realized that her career on television had earned her popularity, admiration, and love from everyone but herself.
Through hard work, tenacity, sobriety, and the blessings of a solid marriage, Melissa has accepted her many different identities and learned to laugh, cry, and forgive in new ways. Women everywhere may have idolized her charming life on Little House on the Prairie, but Melissa's own unexpectedly honest, imperfect, and down-to-earth story is an inspiration.
Review
"Hold onto your sunbonnets... [Gilbert's] autobiography is no clean-cut family drama: It's chockablock with juicy tidbits."
—Entertainment Weekly
Synopsis
Thanks to her role as Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls on the television series Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert has earned a permanent place in the hearts of women of all ages. But her real childhood was a far cry from Little House’s idyllic portrait of family life, and her post-Little House years have been filled with ups and downs as well. Yet through her great sense of humor, resilience, and fantastic support system, Gilbert has found happiness and stability in her life—and in Untitled, she shares her incredible story.
Featuring behind-the-scene stories from her years on the Little House set and her time spent in Brat Pack Hollywood— including her relationships with Scott Baio, Tom Cruise, and Rob Lowe (to whom she was engaged)—as well as stories about her real-life girlhood as an adopted child, losing her father at age eleven, and revelations about things she’s faced as an adult, including battling with both alcohol and failed relationships. Untitled will astonish readers who can still picture Melissa in a bonnet and braids. It will inspire them as well—Melissa went on to serve as president of the Screen Actors Guild for two terms, become active in various charities, and she and her current husband, actor Bruce Boxleitner, have a wonderful (and fascinating) marriage. In a voice that’s extremely funny and down-to-earth, Gilbert shares her struggles, tragedies, and blessings, resulting in a memoir that, like the show that made her famous, will have readers laughing, crying, and cheering her on.
About the Author
Melissa Gilbert starred as Laura Ingalls on the hit television show Little House on the Prairie. Post-Little House, Gilbert appeared in numerous Lifetime movies and recently served as president of the Screen Actors Guild for two terms. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Children's Hospice and and Palliative Care Coalition, where she works directly with chronically and terminally ill children to provide them with care and comfort. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Bruce Boxleitner.