Full disclosure, I was a huge fan of the Little House on the Prairie television series when I was growing up and even went so far as to buy all the DVD box sets as an adult. I bought this book for myself at the end of last year, and I was excited to find a few hours to finish this one before the end of this year.
Alison Arngrim (aka Nellie Oleson) shares not just the reality of being a child star on Little House – which is why I’d imagine most people pick up this book – but also goes into detail about her nightmarish childhood, the road to becoming an actor, and her life after Little House.
Of course, I especially loved reading about her time on set with Little House. I was familiar with some of what she shared, but it was pleasantly nostalgic to read about her close and lasting friendship with Melissa Gilbert, the respect that the younger actors received on set, and how it was to work with Michael Landon. Arngrim is also a comedian, so there are a lot of jokes and wisecracks throughout at everyone else’s expense, although there is a fair amount of self-deprecation, as well.
I was also really moved to learn more about Arngrim’s relationship with her tv husband, Steve Tracy, and how their real-life, soulmate-like relationship led to her lifetime commitment to using her celebrity to support AIDS patients, especially at a time when it was not a popular cause.
All in all, this is a memoir, so of course it’s going to be skewed to make the author look good, but based on what I read here, Alison Arngrim sounds like a kick-ass person who would be a lot of fun to be friends with, and I highly recommend this book.