Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything
The Instant New York Times Bestseller
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Narrated by:
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Alyson Stoner
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By:
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Alyson Stoner
About this listen
This audiobook edition is read by the author.
Actor-dancer Alyson Stoner's revelatory and incisive memoir – from family violence and betrayal, to eating disorders and religious trauma – may begin in Hollywood, but its chilling relatability will resonate with anyone navigating identity, privacy, purpose, and mental health in a digital age.
Raised on soundstages and studio lots from the age of six, shuffling between auditions for Disney Channel, Cheaper by the Dozen, or Missy Elliott music videos, Alyson Stoner experienced many of the defining moments of childhood inside the bizarre fishbowl of Hollywood. From working eighty hours a week at eight years old, to learning how to distinguish fan mail from kidnapping plots, to TV execs saying they weren't 'anorexic enough' to stop working and get help, Alyson struggled to find stability and sanity in a chaotic world.
In Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything, Alyson shares their powerful story for the first time, detailing a turbulent home life fractured by substance abuse, harrowing accounts from rehab, the messy process of discovering their sexuality in church, rebuilding a life after an early professional peak, and charting a path of self-discovery and advocacy.
With striking introspection, Alyson connects the dots across the entertainment industry ecosystem, child development, and media culture, exposing the 'toddler to trainwreck pipeline' of child stars and sparking timely conversations about success and society's enchantment with fame.
Bold, entertaining, warm, and galvanizing all at once, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is more than a personal memoir: it's a beacon for industry reform, a road map for breaking the bonds of generational trauma, and a testament to the freedom and strength that come from finally trusting your own voice and power.
Critic reviews
As someone hearing Alyson's story, who is not in the spotlight but can relate to other issues discussed in the book, I found myself being brought me to tears at some points and having realisations about myself at others. Interspersed with their unique world view, insights, humour and kindness that radiates through each chapter, I couldn't stop listening!
I applaud Alyson for so bravely and skillfully sharing their story with us. I highly recommend listening to anyone reading this review!
Impactful
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It's just the only way I can describe it. I've loved making time to listen to their book every day and am blown away by how they’ve overcome so much. Thank you for your openness and vulnerability. I wish you the best in all you do.
Beautiful
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Beautifully read and written
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Good insight
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another painful memoir
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