79. Wildflower
Rating: ☆☆☆
Recommended by:
Author: Drew Barrymore
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
288 pages, published October 27, 2015
Reading Format: Audio Book
Summary
In Wildflower, Drew Barrymore examines her life through a series of vignettes which begin with her early years as a child actor through the birth of her two daughters. It soon becomes apparent that Drew marches to the beat of her own drummer which is especially evident during her wild period that led to her stripping on The David Letterman Show. It is interesting is to see how a rebellious non-conformist changed her ways and embraced a more grounded, chaste lifestyle once she had children.
Quotes
“I love my life and it takes every step to get to where you are, and if you are happy, then God bless the hard times it took you to get there. No life is without them, so what are yours, and what did you do with the lessons? That is the only way to live.”
“It’s ironic that we rush through being “single” as if it’s some disease or malady to get rid of or overcome. The truth is, most likely, one day you will meet someone and it will be gone. And once it’s gone, it’s really gone! Why does no one tell us how important it is to enjoy being single and being by yourself? That time is defining and amazing and nothing to “sure”. It is being alone that will actually set you up the best for being with someone else.”
“A stable, loving family is something that should absolutely, fundamentally never be taken for granted! I am lucky that I got dealt some cards that showed me what it’s like to not have family, and I am much luckier to now have the chance to create my own deck!”
“I was in a very free state in my life. This is something I struggle with as a mom because now that I have grown up, I couldn’t feel more passionate about being appropriate. Everything in my world is about being “appropriate.” People ask me, what are you going to tell your daughters about some parts of your life? I don’t want to have to lie, but I am much more invested in telling them how I found my values.”
My Take
If you like Drew Barrymore and her movies, and I generally do, then you will probably like Wildflower. While Barrymore sometimes takes herself too seriously, she has led an interesting life and after many years of trying to find herself she has arrived in a place of stability, creativity, love and family. Not the best memoir I’ve read, but still a light, enjoyable read.
