Book Review: Little House in the Hollywood Hills by Charlotte Stewart

For those who thought maybe Charlotte Stewart was defined only as the beautiful and kind schoolteacher on Little House on the Prairie, Little House in the Hollywood Hills will show what a diverse and talented actress she really is. Though definitely more well known as Ms. Beadle (LHOP) or Betty Briggs from Twin Peaks, Stewart's career has spanned decades and found her on everything from soap operas to TV shows to big screen movies like Tremors. 

In her classy, eloquent style Stewart shares her work, her life and her personal struggles. She shares glimpses into what an actor's life is and about the addictions and breast cancer diagnosis she's had to fight along the way. She shares memories of her husbands and the actors she has the chance to work with. You come away feeling like you really know her.

It took me a while to read Little House in the Hollywood Hills, mostly due to my other commitments, but it also reads at a much slower pace than some other celebrity memoirs. Three other female stars from Little House on the Prairie have written memoirs, and you'll notice the slow and steady pace of Stewart's book is different from the others. You're really immersing yourself into her life, and she brings you in calmly and casually and holds you there for a moment or two before bringing you further. It's very much a book that captures the essence of the Charlotte Stewart I met at a cast reunion in 2014.

Little House in the Hollywood Hills is the perfect addition to your Little House on the Prairie book or TV tie-in collection.

Paperback: 326 pages
Publisher: BearManor Media (April 7, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159393906X
ISBN-13: 978-1593939069

I purchased this book from Amazon. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

I read this book for the following challenges...

Musing Monday - Jan 9

Musing Monday is now hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker.  It is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK'S RANDOM QUESTION: What do you think about books being made into movies or TV shows and do you always read the book first?

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great week. I've gotten back into work full throttle since the holidays and this week's calendar is jam packed.

I'm currently reading this book by Charlotte Stewart, who played Miss Beadle on the classic television show, Little House on the Prairie. She is the fourth cast member-that I know of--to come out with a memoir. Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder), Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls Kendall), and Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) have also written books.

There is a brouhaha in the Laura world over the creative license Michael Landon took with the show based upon Wilder's books. Some Laura fans refuse to watch Little House on the Prairie because of the inaccuracies. I am a Laura fan who appreciates all the different ways Wilder's legacy is celebrated: books, television, fan fiction stories, live productions, and visits to historical sites. 

Did you read the books or watch the show? What do you think?

This conversation also leads nicely into today's question. As long as the productions are done well, I like it when they turn books into television shows and movies. Many times I read the book first, but in the case of Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, and The Thorn Birds I saw the television version first and then read the books. In some ways, I prefer the Anne of Green Gables movies to the first three books they are based upon. The way they changed some of the relationships in the second movie worked much better. 

How about you? Book first? Movie first? A combination?