First published 2007
Brooke Shields opens her story with an unexpected reality. After bringing her newborn daughter home, she faces crushing depression instead of the joy she anticipated. The actress reveals her battle with a condition that strikes many new mothers yet remains poorly understood. Shields describes her earlier struggles with fertility and the pressure she felt to excel as a mother. She shows how these expectations from herself and others intensified her suffering. Her husband, friends, and family watch as she fights to find her place as a parent. The book traces her path from isolation and despair toward recovery. Shields found her way back through therapy sessions, medication, and the gradual healing that time provided. Her account captures the gap between what motherhood looks like from the outside and what it can feel like within.
Genres: psychology, mental-health, biography-memoir, parenting
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, recovery
Paperback · Penguin
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness