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57th out of 116 books
—
20 voters
Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering
“I remember Sarah asking me, when I’d just begun therapy with her, what I looked for in a man. After a few moments of silent, tense deliberation I had it. ‘Hair,’ I blurted. ‘He has to have hair.’”
Meredith Baxter is a beloved and iconic television actress, most well-known for her enormously popular role as hippie mom, Elyse Keaton, on Family Ties. Her warmth, humor, and br...more
Meredith Baxter is a beloved and iconic television actress, most well-known for her enormously popular role as hippie mom, Elyse Keaton, on Family Ties. Her warmth, humor, and br...more
ebook, 0 pages
Published
March 1st 2011
by Crown Archetype
(first published February 21st 2011)
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Meredith is so open and honest in this memoir, as well as a wonderful writer. Most of the time with memoirs or bios of actors, I get really bored when reading about their work unless it's something I'm familiar with. Not so with this. She doesn't over-do it, and she isn't riding some high horse. She's just down to earth, not trying to sing her own praises. It's amusing at times, sad at others; she brought me to tears a few times, and made me smile many times.
I loved this book. I could not put it down. I loved Meridith's charater in "Family" and loved her character in "Family Ties." She must really be an amazing actress for the rest of the world to not know that her home life was miserable. It amazes me that she could be so successful with such a low self-esteem and very little support from the ones that were supposed to love her. For her to put out her personal story is so brave and admirable. I recommend this book to everyone who thinks they have o...more
My usual habit of skipping to the point where I came to know a celeb did me wrong in this autobiog; I came to know this actress in the late 60s, when she was floundering through single motherhood while guest-appearing on lots of decent dramatic TV series, usually playing the "young hippie girl". (Something vulnerable yet wholesome about her even then.) Who knew she was a refugee from a crazy upbringing--neglectful mom obsessed with her own career, bio dad who faded away & died, step-dad who...more
Oct 15, 2011
Robin
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-your-listening-pleasure
Meredith does a good read, and she does have a story to tell. She'll come out to you in the Prologue, because she knows that's what you're flipping for in the bookstore, but that's really the end of the story.
The childhood stuff is fairly standard Hollywood High, with the domineering stepfather and the absentee mother.
The Hippie/drug stuff bores me, but Baby Boomers need books too. And while you're waiting for MacKenzie Phillips to show up at a Canyon Be-In, wait a little longer, because their c...more
The childhood stuff is fairly standard Hollywood High, with the domineering stepfather and the absentee mother.
The Hippie/drug stuff bores me, but Baby Boomers need books too. And while you're waiting for MacKenzie Phillips to show up at a Canyon Be-In, wait a little longer, because their c...more
As a woman who grew up in the era of sitcoms and dramas I remember fondly watching Family and Family Ties. Interesting that her of two most iconic roles have "family" in the title. What follows in her memoir is something much different. Meredith had for the most part an absent, selfish mother and her parents divorced early on. She spent a great deal of time with her two brothers and they found a way to survive being left alone too much of the time. She was a young adult fluid in the way of the 6...more
I picked up the book because I thought Meredith Baxter might have an interesting story to tell. The title is exactly true. The book is basically about her family life, details of working on various sets, and her loosing control emotionally and with alcohol. In the epilogue, she says that she's glad she didn't wait until she was 80 to write the book. I sort of wish she had. I enjoyed reading all the details, but with such a roller coaster of a life, I'm not sure if she's reached the place to look...more
Living in London, I was quite oblivious over Meredith Baxter coming out in America so when I read the Prologue and it is about her coming out on NBC's Today Show - I was a little surprise. Unfortunately for the book, it is the only thing that surprised me.
The book was well written and she is a very intelligent person from what she writes. The book starts from birth and ends in around 2010/11 and although it does detail her life and her insecurities quite well, it is very vague on her working li...more
The book was well written and she is a very intelligent person from what she writes. The book starts from birth and ends in around 2010/11 and although it does detail her life and her insecurities quite well, it is very vague on her working li...more
1 like · like · see review
Mar 12, 2011
Sue Seligman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of classical tv shows
Recommended to Sue by:
saw her on tv
This is an engrossing memoir written by a well-known actress who has been a role model for years. From playing the naive Catholic girl who marries a Jewish guy to the calm, liberal mom on one of my favorite shows, Family Ties, and countless tv movies, Meredith Baxter has been a staple in my cultural awareness for years. I watched the reunion of the Family Ties cast on the Today Show, and I watched her come out a year or two later, also on the Today Show. So when I saw her promoting the book on t...more
I enjoyed this quick autobiography of Meredith Baxter--best known as Elise Keaton, the mother on Family Ties. Baxter grew up in Hollywood and her childhood was far from being a fairy tale (her mother asked that her children call her by her stage name of "Whitney" instead of "mom" or "mother"). Although you might think being raised by such a person would repel their children from acting, Baxter found it was her niche and her tales of her entering the world of acting are interesting. I enjoyed lea...more
Wow! What a life Meredith has had so far. She survived parents who didn't want her and her two brothers. Her Mom made them called her Whitney because she didn't want anyone to know she had kids or it would ruin her career prospects. Her stepfather basically raised her and was very creepy and then went on to become her manager later. She survived three very bad marriages and had five children. All of these men seemed worthless and put her down physically and emotionally. She did drugs, worked a l...more
http://mariesbookgarden.blogspot.com/...
First of all, very clever name. Meredith Baxter, star of TV movies and the classic family sitcom, "Family Ties," writes about her lack of mothering, three troubled marriages, parenting, drug use and alcoholism, bout with breast cancer, and eventually, her coming out as a lesbian.
"Family Ties" last three years were when I lived in Japan. I remember my parents or friends taping a bunch of the American TV shows I liked and sending me videotapes--they were p...more
First of all, very clever name. Meredith Baxter, star of TV movies and the classic family sitcom, "Family Ties," writes about her lack of mothering, three troubled marriages, parenting, drug use and alcoholism, bout with breast cancer, and eventually, her coming out as a lesbian.
"Family Ties" last three years were when I lived in Japan. I remember my parents or friends taping a bunch of the American TV shows I liked and sending me videotapes--they were p...more
Oftentimes when I review a memoir I comment that I liked the authors honesty. How do I know the author is honest? I guess I never really know for sure but something in the writing offers clues. Usually they describe unflattering things about themselves and not make excuses. In this book, it seemed that Meridth went on and on about all of the awful things that were done to her and presented herself as a victim. She did mention some pretty awful things that she did as well but those were usually m...more
I hadn't thought much about Meredith Baxter (Birney) for a long time. Since Family Ties ended, I'd seen her in many made for tv movies, but hadn't really heard much about her. Her autobiography is really interesting. From her early days on Bridget loves Bernie to the present, her story is told with a good deal of humor and pathos.
Who would have thought that she chose 3 husbands who all turned out to be problems, one a ne'er do well, one an emotional and physical abuser, and the last one a defin...more
Who would have thought that she chose 3 husbands who all turned out to be problems, one a ne'er do well, one an emotional and physical abuser, and the last one a defin...more
"My mother/father/parents were strange and different" is a common theme in celebrity (and other) memoirs; don't we all think our parents are weird at some point? The author's mother required her children to call her by her stage name and not "mom" or "mother" and was more interested in her sporadic acting career than child-rearing. While interesting because of Baxter's acting career and her marriage to Bridget Loves Bernie costar David Birney, in which she admits being victimized was partially h...more
Jun 26, 2011
Kathleen Hagen
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-audio-books,
2011-nonfiction
Untied: a Memoir of Family Fame and Floundering, by Meridith Baxter, narrated by the author, produced by Random House Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
This is Baxter’s memoir in her own words: the difficult childhood with a distant mother, who was also an actor and producer; falling into theater roles without really trying, and then becoming dedicated to acting by having roles with such actors as Doris Day; two completely wrong marriages, and finally, at age 62, coming out as a lesbian and fin...more
This is Baxter’s memoir in her own words: the difficult childhood with a distant mother, who was also an actor and producer; falling into theater roles without really trying, and then becoming dedicated to acting by having roles with such actors as Doris Day; two completely wrong marriages, and finally, at age 62, coming out as a lesbian and fin...more
Meredith Baxter's memoir, "Untied: A Memoir of Family, Fame, and Floundering," burrows into her childhood moments and what it was like growing up the daughter of an actress; then we discover her feelings of loss and abandonment when she believed herself to be simply an afterthought in the lives of her parents. The story gives the reader a peek into her life before celebrity; and then takes us on the journey to that particular destination.
What we've known about this actor is the life we've only i...more
What we've known about this actor is the life we've only i...more
Mar 05, 2011
Laura Williams
added it
"I look forward to learning from someone who truly sounds like she has been there, fought the fight, won/lost the battle, came back wearing the t-shirt and bothered to take the time to reflect on her experiences." Just saw her on Oprah and was thrilled to hear that an actress I appreciated is as eloquent and as flawed (as we all are) to share such meaningful parts of her life. I have just come out of a bad marriage and her words were chilling to me - I picked up the book (afraid and eager both a...more
Ok, so I've always been a fan of hers mainly from being a Lifetime junkie. Movies like "Kate's Secret" and the Betty Broderick adaptations always suck me in and they will never get old. And of course, I feel obligated to mention Family Ties, an integral part of my adolescent TV viewing. Yes, this memoir was full of juicy stories of Hollywood, quirky families, and experimentation...but I found myself getting tired of reading how awful childhood and adulthood were for Baxter. It reminded me of how...more
I could SO relate to her story. If you're looking for great literature, this isn't it. But if you're in recovery and want a real story with no ending, just the promise of existing in the promise of One Day At A Time. Three messages come across strong in this book.
1. You can only blame your family and your parents for so much. Eventually you have to let go of that and take responsibility for yourself. You have to learn to love yourself.
2. Recovery WORKS! IT's less about quitting whatever your a...more
1. You can only blame your family and your parents for so much. Eventually you have to let go of that and take responsibility for yourself. You have to learn to love yourself.
2. Recovery WORKS! IT's less about quitting whatever your a...more
An autobiography by Meredith Baxter, read in the audio version by Ms. Baxter herself, which I always appreciate. I first saw Meredith years ago on “Family.” I thought she was beautiful and had it all together. Turns out that she did not have it all together. She was from a show biz family, but did not have many goals when she was younger. She married young and had two children before she started acting, which she first did just to earn money. Fortunately, many acting jobs came her way, but her p...more
Mar 27, 2011
Darlene
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
WOMEN
Recommended to Darlene by:
Some talk show she was on.
In all my years of drawing, I mostly did pictures of girls or horses or donkeys, the occasional parakeet. Only one male, from a TV Guide picture of David Birney. I saw him first on Love is a Many Splendored Thing. But now if I ever find that picture again I will tear it to fine dust!
I followed Meredith with both my Kindle and her voice on Audible. I am so happy she told her story. Though mine is different in many ways, I could relate to the feeling invisible, unworthy feelings she brought up. On...more
I followed Meredith with both my Kindle and her voice on Audible. I am so happy she told her story. Though mine is different in many ways, I could relate to the feeling invisible, unworthy feelings she brought up. On...more
1 like · like · see review
Meredith Baxter's easy-reading autobiography was so reminiscent of so many things in my life that I devoured it. It's always nice to find out that someone who appears to have it all together is just as much of an insecure marshmallow as you are. There are no extremes here, but disappointing information about David Birney, who seemed quite likeable during the Bridget Loves Bernie season, but was really a narcissistic, mysogynistic, rageaholic with flashes of physical violence. So much for America...more
Loved this read more than I thought possible. I was curious about her, thus the initial start, but became captivated. I appreciated her honesty and openess, and have thought a lot about how the circumstances we are brought up in - and subsequent choices we make for ourselves - really do shape our entire lives. Great reminder to watch the choices we make for our children and ourselves. I could have done without the occasional swearing and name dropping (especially the resumes that followed each),...more
I've always liked MB, especially her true-life portrayals of housewives gone mad in the old Lifetime movies. Her autobiography is a bit of an eye-opener. She seems to have had a brilliant knack for choosing that absolute wrong person to marry - three times. Her life with costar David Birney (Bridget Loves Birney for those who remember that tv show) is especially horrifying. MB is a pretty good writer, though, and keeps the reader interested and hoping that better days are coming. I don't know wh...more
Interesting life, interesting career, interesting woman. I enjoyed this book very much, and was actually surprised at how good it was. I have followed Ms. Baxter's career and always thought she was pleasant, attractive, and a decent actress, but not much more than that. Her actual story is quite riveting, and her candid way of telling it kept me turning the pages. There's no ego here, and that's always refreshing in the memoir of a celebrity. Her feelings about herself, her parents, her brothers...more
Mar 08, 2011
Joe Scholes
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Greg Rowland
Shelves:
read-in-2011,
memoirs
I really enjoyed this book, especially since I've been keeping an eye on the talk shows to see if she would be promoting the book. Listening to her talk about her life experiences at the same time as reading about them was really good. She's a very good writer! Her life history isn't particularly fascinating, but the way she tells it is poignant and entertaining - often very funny.
I particularly liked reading about her experiences in alcohol recovery. It's pretty cool to read so many similar exp...more
I particularly liked reading about her experiences in alcohol recovery. It's pretty cool to read so many similar exp...more
1 like · like · see review
i've always liked meredith baxter but now i like here even more. reading this i felt like i was getting to know someone who i had been only slightly aquainted with and maybe thought i knew, only to discover that there was a whole lot more to her than i ever expected. her dysfunctional childhood, her marriage(s)and their problems, her struggle with alcohol and her eventual coming out were all laid out in plain, honest talk. definitely one of the better autobiographies that i've read.
Meredith Baxter has written a very personal memoir that moves along easily. She talks about a difficult childhood, marriages, changes in her life and, of course, her career. I sometimes wondered how a woman who degrades herself so much in this book could become quite an accomplished actor. The book is at times sad and poignant and funny. She does give us a pretty clear picture of what makes her tick. I met Meredith once for a very short time and found her to be warm and friendly. I hope we get t...more
Loved it. If course it helps that I have had a crush on Meredith Baxter since Family Ties. But really, this was such a lovely book to read, more like having an intimate conversation with a favorite friend. She is honest to a fault, and doesn't spare herself by whitewashing some of her mistakes. I applaud her courage to get sober, fall in love and work on herself. I'm a little jealous of Nancy Locke, but I wish her many more years of happiness and contentment. She certainly deserves it!
Fascinating story of AMeRiCaS FaVoRiTe TV MoM. Meredith's courage and grace revealed throughout. I found impossible to put down, it was so easy to relate to her style, wit, and perspective. Writing style engages the reader from the outset. Her ability to open up about the most intimate details of her life with great candor and authenticity is rare in Hollywood these days. Thanks for sharing your story, I highly recommend this book!!! <3
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