Book Review: Maureen McCormick's "Here's the Story"

Unless you’ve been avoiding TV and the Internet for the past few weeks (and obviously I hope the latter is not the case) you’ve heard some of the sordid details from Maureen McCormick’s new autobiography, “Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice.”

You’ve heard about her serious cocaine addiction. You’ve heard about her fling with Barry Williams (who played Greg Brady). You’ve maybe even heard about her blowing a meeting with Steven Spielberg for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” because she was high.

But just because you’ve already heard the most salacious details doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the book, because I highly recommend that you do…

I’ve never been much of a “Brady Bunch” fan (although I love “A Very Brady Sequel”), but ever since I caught her on “Celebrity Fit Club,” I’ve liked Maureen McCormick. She has such a genuine personality that comes across beautifully on a TV screen. She totally continued that with her beautifully written song on “Gone Country” and should have done the same on “Outsider’s Inn,” if that hadn’t been such a complete disaster.

So reading about all of her troubles was a little shocking at first, but then I just couldn’t put the book down. McCormick has a wonderful storytelling style that completely draws you in. The tales of her drug escapades could be just another Hollywood story, but for some reason it doesn’t come off that way. For me, it comes off more like a survivor story than anything else. And who doesn’t like to see the damsel in distress rescued?

Usually the reason to read a book like this is for behind-the-scenes dirt and you do get just enough to satisfy you, but it’s really not the attraction here. The attraction is McCormick herself as you just keep wondering what might have been for her if she had just not done that first line of cocaine.

But the good thing about McCormick is she doesn’t blame Hollywood or child stardom for her troubles. She knows her problems are the result of her actions. And although she struggles for quite a while after “Bunch” in dealing with Marcia, she eventually accepts her enduring legacy and even embraces it.

And just when you’re feeling good for her—although that’s MANY pages in—her story takes another awful turn as she details the collapse of her family after her mother’s death.

If you’ve ever been a Maureen McCormick fan, you must read “Here’s the Story.” It will make you see her in a whole new light.

However, when that light is one of courage and strength, that’s not a bad thing…

“Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice” is available now…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com