Tell Me Everything by Minka Kelly

I love the quote "Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." Nothing could be truer than this sentiment paired with the recently released autobiography of Minka Kelly called "Tell Me Everything." You know I read a lot of celebrity biographies, but I don't think I have ever read anything as surprising and raw as the tale of Kelly's childhood. The majority of the book focuses on the time before she became a star on the hit show "Friday Night Lights." She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, raised by her single mother, Maureen, who was an exotic dancer struggling with addiction and financial issues. Sleeping in garages, and on friend's couches, little Minka always made it a point to get herself to school one way or another. Determined to survive despite neglect and abuse, she manages to rely on the kindness of her mother's friends to get through school. She was always polite, and well behaved, even when the circus around her was raging. Her world changes forever when she is able to put herself through nursing school, and get a job as a surgical scrub nurse. Her determination and grit are admirable when she had no one to rely on but herself. From the sound of it, she was an excellent nurse and probably could have had a wonderful career in medicine. But like all Hollywood stories, there is a turning point when she is offered a job as a model, and then an actress. Nursing has less sparkle and money than show business. When she is cast in the television show "Friday Night Lights," she makes the move to Austin, Texas, leaving her nursing career behind. What is so haunting about this memoir is her relationship with her mother. Despite the manipulation and complicated relationship with her mom, she keeps coming back to her, desperate for her love and approval. Instead of a nurturing relationship, the union leaves the actress beaten down and exhausted. Minka is not afraid to go deep in this book, and she has clearly made a lot of self-discovery along the way. Her memoir is a tale of survival and triumph, down to the very last page. To buy this book on Amazon click here.