Prairie Tale: A Memoir

Melissa Gilbert

June 2009 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

A fascinating, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery from the beloved actress who earned a permanent place in the hears of millions for her role in Little House on the Prarie when she was just a child.

To fans of the hugely successful television series Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert grew up in a fantasy world with a larger-than-life father, friends and family she could count on, and plenty of animals to play with. Children across the country dreamed of the Ingalls’ idyllic life—and so did Melissa.

With candor and humor, the cherished actress traces her complicated journey from buck-toothed Laura "Halfpint" Ingalls to Hollywood starlet, wife, and mother. She partied with the Brat Pack, dated heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and bad boys like Billy Idol, and began a self-destructive pattern of addiction and codependence. She eventually realized that her career on television had earned her popularity, admiration, and love from everyone but herself.

Through hard work, tenacity, sobriety, and the blessings of a solid marriage, Melissa has accepted her many different identities and learned to laugh, cry, and forgive in new ways. Women everywhere may have idolized her charming life on Little House on the Prairie, but Melissa’s own unexpectedly honest, imperfect, and down-to-earth story is an inspiration.

Ratings and reviews

I found this reading hard to put down, I feel as if you could make me laugh and cry all at the same time! It clarified so many of my questions and made me feel as if I was one of those best friends, especially since I have watched you grow from half pint into a beautiful grown women that truly has a big heart and strong mind! Thank you for sharing your life story with your fans! P.S. You are doing great on dancing with the stars!

A Prairie Tale this is not. The difference between the disciplined, self-reliant prairie women and a spoiled, out-of-control starlet raised in decadent Hollywood is immense, as is embarrassingly shown in this book. This story is mainly about Melissa's youthful promiscuity--which she wears like a badge of honor--and after about the 10th "fling" it really starts to get boring. Who really cares? She name drops all all over the place--perhaps to add gravitas to her Hollywood status, since she herself is not a "big movie star." Is this the sum total of Melissa's life? I think by the way she writes, she is an intelligent woman who could have accomplished something useful in this life, perhaps in the healthcare field, which she has interest in. Instead, she has squandered her intelligence in pursuing stardom and later, in fighting for higher salaries for already over-paid actors. Her interesting writing style is the only reason I didn't give the book only one star. PS--Yet another celebrity memoir that convinces me that parents who want to raise their kids in Hollywood must be in it for the money, because why would any good parent want their kids in that culture? She's lucky she hasn't dropped dead like so many of them.

I couldn't decide whether she is the biggest bragger,liar,spoiled adult brat or whiner. This was really poorly written and simply boring.... It took everything I had to keep me reading. Thank goodness I borrowed it. I wouldn't pay 50 cents for this book. I actually feel sorry for Melissa Gilbert though. Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls) chose a private life and never says anything negative about anyone. Just looking at these two women now says it all. BTW, I hear Melissa Anderson has a book out and it is a much kinder and very positive view about the LHOTP years. I'm sure there are many good things about MG-perhaps she has taken the wrong career path in life. *Even though Melissa says her life is amazing in 2009; she announced her seperation (March 2011) from husband of 16 yrs without informing him of the world-wide announcement. Very sad. I really wish I could have recommended this book but simply can't!

About the author

Melissa Gilbert starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the hit NBC television show Little House on the Prairie. She has starred in numerous movies and plays and served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. She is the author of Prairie Tale, Daisy and Josephine, My Prairie Cookbook, and Back to the Prairie. She resides in the Catskills and New York City with her husband, Timothy Busfield.