Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up
Book by Selma Blair
DETAILS
Publisher : Knopf (May 17, 2022) Language : English Hardcover : 320 pages ISBN-10 : 0525659498 ISBN-13 : 978-0525659495 Item Weight : 1.45 pounds Dimensions : 6.37 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches Best Sellers Rank: #11,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Multiple Sclerosis (Books) #5 in Biographies of People with Disabilities (Books) #133 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies , NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • Selma Blair has played many roles: Ingenue in Cruel Intentions . Preppy ice queen in Legally Blonde . Muse to Karl Lagerfeld. Advocate for the multiple sclerosis community. But before all of that, Selma was known best as … a mean baby. In a memoir that is as wildly funny as it is emotionally shattering, Blair tells the captivating story of growing up and finding her truth. "Blair is a rebel, an artist, and it turns out: a writer." —Glennon Doyle, Author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Untamed and Founder of Together Rising The first story Selma Blair Beitner ever heard about herself is that she was a mean, mean baby. With her mouth pulled in a perpetual snarl and a head so furry it had to be rubbed to make way for her forehead, Selma spent years living up to her terrible reputation: biting her sisters, lying spontaneously, getting drunk from Passover wine at the age of seven, and behaving dramatically so that she would be the center of attention. Although Selma went on to become a celebrated Hollywood actress and model, she could never quite shake the periods of darkness that overtook her, the certainty that there was a great mystery at the heart of her life. She often felt like her arms might be on fire, a sensation not unlike electric shocks, and she secretly drank to escape. Over the course of this beautiful and, at times, devasting memoir, Selma lays bare her addiction to alcohol, her devotion to her brilliant and complicated mother, and the moments she flirted with death. There is brutal violence, passionate love, true friendship, the gift of motherhood, and, finally, the surprising salvation of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. In a voice that is powerfully original, fiercely intelligent, and full of hard-won wisdom, Selma Blair’s Mean Baby is a deeply human memoir and a true literary achievement. Read more
REVIEW
This book is divided into three parts, with 31 main chapters (not numbered), and a total of about 291 pages, not including the Acknowledgments. There are dozens of pictures throughout the book, some in color and some black and white; and also copies of letters that Blair had written as a child. At the start of the book Blair explains the title, recalling that her family told her that when she was born her face “looked judgmental, scrutinizing”; and so people called her a mean baby. She goes on to explain her given name, and recount some of her early devious plots and schemes that lived up to the “mean baby” moniker she had been given. The stories and memories throughout this book are recounted in a somewhat chaotic and random writing style. There is often little cohesion, just recollection of an event and then on to something else. This took me a while to get used to; as it almost seems like Blair is less concerned with entertaining the reader, and more focused on simply collecting all of her memories in one place. The first part of the book covers Blair's early years. She recalls listening to her maternal grandfather (PopPop) who was a Jewish man that was born in Kiev. She mentions the strong influence of her mother, who had so many rules that she made sure to follow. There are chapters about her father Elliot, becoming Jewish, drinking alcohol as a child, and loving to write. There is also a painful and disturbing account of how she was assaulted by the Dean of her school. The second part of the book starts with her time at Kalamazoo College, and continues through Blair getting married and divorced. Blair covers major events in her life; writing with the same matter-of-fact style, and jumping around from story to story. She covers her addiction to drinking, and horrible memories of suicide attempts and being raped. It is not all painful memories though, as she also recalls her first experiences in Hollywood, and meeting some great friends. The last part of the book focuses more on Blair becoming a mother, caring for her family, and coping with her MS diagnosis. There are also painful memories here; but in this section there is also strength, determination and optimism as she recalls her struggles. Her commitment to her family and attempts to give others hope made this section a more enjoyable read for me. This memoir offers a window into events in Blair's life that shaped her as a person. I do appreciate her candid accounts, and respect her vulnerability in revealing embarrassing or painful parts of her life. Personally, there were parts I had a hard time making it through; sometimes because the writing style was not my favorite, and other times because the content was disturbing. I tend to prefer a bit more humor injected into good storytelling, and there isn't as much of that in this book. So overall this wasn't exactly my favorite memoir that I've read recently, but this is just my personal preference of course. I still admire Blair for having the strength to power through writing this, and including so many details. If you are curious about her past, this book will certainly scratch that itch.
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