by Ron Howard
First published 2021
Ron and Clint Howard examine their unusual childhoods for the first time in this joint memoir. Ron found fame playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days, roles that brought opportunity but also stress and bullying. His younger brother Clint started strong on programs like Gentle Ben and Star Trek, but his career faded during adolescence with difficult consequences. The brothers explore an upbringing that felt normal to them but was extraordinary. Their Midwestern parents Rance and Jean moved to California chasing showbiz dreams, yet their sons became the steady earners. Rance transformed into teacher and moral guide while Jean became their fierce protector against Hollywood's dangers. The memoir alternates between both brothers' perspectives as they reveal closely guarded experiences. They examine how their tight family unit survived an unforgiving industry and how two child actors escaped the typical pitfalls to become fulfilled adults.
Genres: family-life, autobiography, memoir, biography-memoir, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: California, Midwest
Period: 20th-century
393 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: child-abuse, mental-illness