You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate

I always consider it a privilege to read a memoir, no matter how sad. For someone to take the time to not only write about their life, but also honestly share it with complete strangers, is incredible. It is brave and heroic, but also such an accomplishment to get it all down on the page. “You with the Sad Eyes” is Christina Applegate’s story filled with humor and wit as well as pain and struggle. She kept diaries her whole life, almost foreshadowing that hers was going to be a bumpy ride, so she should take notes. She has had wonderful career highs with starring roles in “Married. . . With Children,” “Samantha Who?” and “Dead to Me.” However, personally she had to battle breast cancer and later Multiple Sclerosis, diagnosed in 2021. The book reveals a very sad and neglected childhood in Laurel Canyon, which was later parlayed into a horrifyingly abusive relationship with a man she does not name. She frequented the notorious Viper Room, danced on Broadway in “Sweet Charity,” and launched the “Anchorman” franchise with Will Farrell. For the reader, and I imagine the author too, “You with the Sad Eyes” is a chance to comb over Applegate’s life and see how she became an actress, a survivor and devoted mother to daughter, Sadie. The roller-coaster-ride of her career has been matched with the overwhelming health issues her body has had to stand up against. The strength of her voice and the power of her words are a testament to the fact that this is a woman who is not going to give up easily. “I truly believe that books can make people feel less alone. That’s why I’m doing this,” she wrote. Through the darkness, she continues to search for light and hope through her sad eyes. To buy this book on Amazon click here.