First published 2008
Maureen McCormick became America's sweetheart as Marcia Brady on The Brady Bunch. Viewers saw the perfect teenager with style, looks, and talent. Behind the cameras, McCormick lived a different story. She struggled with the pressure of her television persona's perfection. After the show ended, she descended into Hollywood's drug scene, moving between Wonderland Avenue dens and Playboy mansion parties. Addiction consumed her life as she tried to escape Marcia's shadow. McCormick chronicles her relationships with fellow cast members, the jealousies and friendships that developed, and the support they provided during her darkest moments. She describes losing a father figure from the show and battling depression while caring for her dying mother. The memoir traces her journey from rock bottom to recovery. McCormick eventually overcame her addictions, found love in marriage, and learned to accept herself. She emerged as a survivor who discovered peace after decades of struggling with perfection's impossible standards.
Genres: addiction, autobiography, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: celebrity, redemption
Setting: Wonderland Avenue, Playboy Mansion
Period: The Brady Bunch
277 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use