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Surviving Agent Orange: And Other Things I Learned From Being Thrown Under the Partridge Family Bus
Hello world! Gretchen Bonaduce came onto the scene in the mid-00s, starring in Breaking Bonaduce , a VH1 reality show with her former Partridge Family star husband Danny Bonaduce.
Soon after the show ended they divorced and Surviving Agent Orange focuses on the rest of the her eighteen year marriage to Danny and all that entailed—addiction, infidelity, and the chaos of celebrity, as well as their divorce and her life as a single mother. Musician, reality star, and mother of two, Gretchen's story takes a fun and funny look at a life in and around the spotlight.
Soon after the show ended they divorced and Surviving Agent Orange focuses on the rest of the her eighteen year marriage to Danny and all that entailed—addiction, infidelity, and the chaos of celebrity, as well as their divorce and her life as a single mother. Musician, reality star, and mother of two, Gretchen's story takes a fun and funny look at a life in and around the spotlight.
- GenresMemoirAutobiography
140 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
24 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 10, 2018
this is a great book from a great person and friend . you will love it ! oh to live the hollywood life, its not always what it's cracked up to be and what people assume. enjoy!
October 11, 2018
Wow! What a great read. I read it in one sitting. Gretchen tells her story from a hilariously skewed perspective. I laughed out loud throughout. Besides the laughs, Surviving Agent Orange and other things I learned from being thrown under the Partridge Family bus tells the story of a Gretchen's resilience with every lemon life throws at her. This woman sure knows how to make a mean batch of lemonade. I can't recommend it highly enough.
October 17, 2018
I was a huge fan of Danny’s growing up and couldn’t wait to read this book. I loved it! Thanks Gretchen
February 12, 2020
It was interesting. However, I didn't like the skipping back and forth from her childhood to now.
Danny was always my favorite on the Partridge family so this book was sad to see what really happened in his life.
Danny was always my favorite on the Partridge family so this book was sad to see what really happened in his life.
July 5, 2020
Zero stars--horribly written book by a disgusting egotistical hypocrite who dares to call herself a "Christian Republican" while living a godless lifestyle and bragging about it. I was upset as I read it, from her rebellious teen years to her marriage to a guy after knowing him only eight hours, and I ended the book enraged at her cavalier attitude aborting a pregnancy (by pill) after spending the whole book telling us what a great Christian mother she was and how she wanted children so badly. There is something mentally wrong with Gretchen Bonaduce, but I guess those of us that watched her reality show already knew that.
In terms of writing style the book is a complete mess. She bounces back and forth to different inconsistent dates, none of it makes any sense, she tells half-stories without filling in details, she contradicts herself in spots, she interrupts a story to tell a different story from a different year which makes no sense, and she is always telling us how horrible her ex-husband Danny is while trying to claim herself innocent.
But the truth of the book is that she is a complete mess as well--the book style merely represents her own mixed-up mind. She was raised a conservative Southern Baptist and claims that she's still 75% Baptist but 25% rebel. In truth she's almost all rebel--she is drawn to drunk druggies, she flirts with them while claiming to be sexually pure, and she has no problem with her own smoking, drinking, drug usage, sleeping around, and misspending money--all the while condemning her ex-husband for doing most of the same things.
She is really guilty of enabling Danny's behavior. She's the perfect example of how a wife should not act with an addicted husband. While he's hooked on sex, drugs, and drinking, she looks the other way when she finds out his secrets--all in the name of keeping the family together. Of course her supporting his bad habits makes him worse, and after 18 years she gives up on him when he bursts into violent behavior. When he blamed her for many of his problems at first I didn't believe it, but the more the book went along I realized that she was willingly allowing him to get away with all of his vices instead of standing up and saying "no" for the sake of herself and the kids.
Gretchen Bonaduce is a perfect example of what's wrong with someone calling herself a committed Christian or a conservative--she doesn't act it. Ironically she tells us throughout the book how she trusts God with circumstances and things that are "meant to be." Yet she ended her out-of-wedlock pregnancy because of "bad timing." Maybe because it didn't match the image she was trying to portray of herself being a good Christian? So much for trusting God and acting with any moral standards.
Call me crazy, but I swear I read this book about ten years ago. It says it was published in 2018, but the actual events of the book end in 2008, then she tacks on two pages in Feb. of 2018. So this is not her entire life story that updates you on the past decade after the divorce--it's an older volume that she fails to bring up to date.
In the end she seems like a fame whore--she's needy, wants to fix everyone, has no real boundaries, and loves the entertainment scene. The book name drops dozens of celebrities in the movie, TV, and film business without any detailed stories, but in the end she still isn't happy because she doesn't have her own show or isn't in a popular band. It's a sad story that she meant to focus on her crazy Partridge Family ex-husband, but instead proves herself to be the loser throwing others under the bus.
In terms of writing style the book is a complete mess. She bounces back and forth to different inconsistent dates, none of it makes any sense, she tells half-stories without filling in details, she contradicts herself in spots, she interrupts a story to tell a different story from a different year which makes no sense, and she is always telling us how horrible her ex-husband Danny is while trying to claim herself innocent.
But the truth of the book is that she is a complete mess as well--the book style merely represents her own mixed-up mind. She was raised a conservative Southern Baptist and claims that she's still 75% Baptist but 25% rebel. In truth she's almost all rebel--she is drawn to drunk druggies, she flirts with them while claiming to be sexually pure, and she has no problem with her own smoking, drinking, drug usage, sleeping around, and misspending money--all the while condemning her ex-husband for doing most of the same things.
She is really guilty of enabling Danny's behavior. She's the perfect example of how a wife should not act with an addicted husband. While he's hooked on sex, drugs, and drinking, she looks the other way when she finds out his secrets--all in the name of keeping the family together. Of course her supporting his bad habits makes him worse, and after 18 years she gives up on him when he bursts into violent behavior. When he blamed her for many of his problems at first I didn't believe it, but the more the book went along I realized that she was willingly allowing him to get away with all of his vices instead of standing up and saying "no" for the sake of herself and the kids.
Gretchen Bonaduce is a perfect example of what's wrong with someone calling herself a committed Christian or a conservative--she doesn't act it. Ironically she tells us throughout the book how she trusts God with circumstances and things that are "meant to be." Yet she ended her out-of-wedlock pregnancy because of "bad timing." Maybe because it didn't match the image she was trying to portray of herself being a good Christian? So much for trusting God and acting with any moral standards.
Call me crazy, but I swear I read this book about ten years ago. It says it was published in 2018, but the actual events of the book end in 2008, then she tacks on two pages in Feb. of 2018. So this is not her entire life story that updates you on the past decade after the divorce--it's an older volume that she fails to bring up to date.
In the end she seems like a fame whore--she's needy, wants to fix everyone, has no real boundaries, and loves the entertainment scene. The book name drops dozens of celebrities in the movie, TV, and film business without any detailed stories, but in the end she still isn't happy because she doesn't have her own show or isn't in a popular band. It's a sad story that she meant to focus on her crazy Partridge Family ex-husband, but instead proves herself to be the loser throwing others under the bus.
November 9, 2018
I am writing this review with some trepidation as I now know how Gretchen feels about reviewers - note to Gretchen; if you are reading this, please don't send me anything LOL.
I rated this book 4 stars because it is intriguing and dare I say it? entertaining. I don't like using that word considering the fact that this is a memoir and most of the content is rather dark.
Having said that, i didn't really follow the Partridge Family, I am nowhere near Hollywood and even I knew that getting into a relationship with Bonaduce could not possibly end well. So, one of my first instincts when reading this book was "well, didn't you see that one coming?" - at. all? However, this book simply reinforces my view that we women, even the strong ones like Gretchen, turn dumb when it comes to men and love.
As I continued to read, I started to truly appreciate Gretchen's honesty at describing situations and her reaction to them. I like that she questions herself, wondering why she stayed for so long and I certainly think she did all she could do to keep her family together. I might have run for the hills way before she did, but nobody could fault her for trying to keep her life and what she knew.
Written in a very clear voice, Gretchen is honest and while some of the events she described could have used a little bit more detail, by the end, I found myself rooting for her to succeed at what she loves to do.
This is a short book and as I said, could have benefited with more fleshing out in some spots, but I find her courageous to a) have tried to hold her family together, b) written this book and c) did not, in the end, define herself only around a "celebrity".
One negative comment, there were several typos in this book. I am not sure if it was because it was Kindle, but it could have used more editing.
I rated this book 4 stars because it is intriguing and dare I say it? entertaining. I don't like using that word considering the fact that this is a memoir and most of the content is rather dark.
Having said that, i didn't really follow the Partridge Family, I am nowhere near Hollywood and even I knew that getting into a relationship with Bonaduce could not possibly end well. So, one of my first instincts when reading this book was "well, didn't you see that one coming?" - at. all? However, this book simply reinforces my view that we women, even the strong ones like Gretchen, turn dumb when it comes to men and love.
As I continued to read, I started to truly appreciate Gretchen's honesty at describing situations and her reaction to them. I like that she questions herself, wondering why she stayed for so long and I certainly think she did all she could do to keep her family together. I might have run for the hills way before she did, but nobody could fault her for trying to keep her life and what she knew.
Written in a very clear voice, Gretchen is honest and while some of the events she described could have used a little bit more detail, by the end, I found myself rooting for her to succeed at what she loves to do.
This is a short book and as I said, could have benefited with more fleshing out in some spots, but I find her courageous to a) have tried to hold her family together, b) written this book and c) did not, in the end, define herself only around a "celebrity".
One negative comment, there were several typos in this book. I am not sure if it was because it was Kindle, but it could have used more editing.
October 17, 2018
This book is a very enjoyable read and an interesting look at the insides of the "fame monster." Gretchen tells her side of being married to a former child star - someone who struggled with addictions and compulsive behavior, and whose every wrong step landed him on the cover of tabloids. Gretchen stood by him as long as she could, but now she's sharing the behind-the-scenes details of their tumultuous marriage. Through their early days struggling together to the success of Danny's radio shows and their pioneering family reality program, to her music career, Gretchen never stoops to insults or meanness but rather delivers her story with a heartfelt, witty voice that others can relate to, whether you've walked the red carpets or not. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments but also moments of heartbreak. A fairly short read, it's as if you scored a one-on-one with Gretchen as she playfully tells you her life story, inserting just enough celebrity encounters to keep it interesting and peppering it with insight, humanity, and a sense of humor.
October 9, 2018
What a fun ride with this fiery girl-next-door who who has lived an extraordinary life. Pretty remarkable for this Tennessee girl to have rubbed shoulders with everyone from Lady Diana to Def Leopard. In this memoir, you'll read tales of resilience and survival- I know many women will relate to this book. A fast, fun read that made me feel like I was sitting across the table, having coffee with a friend, hearing her stories. Really enjoyed it.
February 14, 2019
Gretchen is such a genuinely sweet person, and so brave for sharing her experiences with the world. The book is a treat to read, and you can tell it comes from her heart! It's difficult to imagine such a lovely person being treated so poorly, and I admire her for trying so hard to make a marriage work against all odds. Hopefully the book will provide a cautionary tale for others in similar positions.
October 11, 2018
Gretchen Bonaduce kept the story CLASSY!
Gretchen Bonaduce did a great job writing this book. She kept it classy and told her story. The book was easy to read and once you start it’s hard to stop reading it. Get this book, you will love her story. I do hope she writes more books.
Gretchen Bonaduce did a great job writing this book. She kept it classy and told her story. The book was easy to read and once you start it’s hard to stop reading it. Get this book, you will love her story. I do hope she writes more books.
October 17, 2018
I loved this book! I’m a junkie for trashy tell-alls, but I was pleasantly surprised by how classy and restrained this one was. You still get plenty of piping hot tea, and the names are changed to protect the not-so-innocent. She has such a funny point of view in the world and the events of her life, looking at it all in an optimistic way that can help anybody dealing with similar issues. Out of all the crazy things that occur my favorite was the pie story. 💦🥧
It’s an honest look at the inside of glam Hollywood lives, infidelity and the ramifications of what happens when all that goes sideways. This girl has had a wild life and is a real fighter, it was fun to read about.
It’s an honest look at the inside of glam Hollywood lives, infidelity and the ramifications of what happens when all that goes sideways. This girl has had a wild life and is a real fighter, it was fun to read about.
September 13, 2018
Okay book, Not enough gossip for me about Danny Bonaduce. I wanted more good gossip.
September 27, 2018
Not as good as I hoped
Was an okay read i was a disappointed in flow of the story wait for the price to drop before you purchase
Was an okay read i was a disappointed in flow of the story wait for the price to drop before you purchase
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews