Jennette McCurdy

Memoir writing that combines dark comedy with unvarnished honesty has reached millions of readers through I'm Glad My Mom Died, a runaway bestseller examining child stardom, trauma, and independence. Author Jennette McCurdy established herself as a prominent literary voice after transitioning from a high-profile acting career in television. Her work offers a candid look into the psychological pressures of youth entertainment, body image struggles, and parental boundary violations.

Career & Background

Born on June 26, 1992, Jennette McCurdy began auditioning at six years old at the encouragement of her mother, Debra McCurdy. She achieved widespread recognition playing Sam Puckett on Nickelodeon's sitcom iCarly from 2007 to 2012, winning four Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, before reprising the character in the spin-off series Sam & Cat from 2013 to 2014. Her screen career also included roles in Malcolm in the Middle, Zoey 101, Lincoln Heights, True Jackson, VP, Victorious, and the science-fiction series Between, alongside writing, producing, and starring in her web series What's Next for Sarah?. Following her mother's death from breast cancer in 2013, McCurdy left acting and engaged in therapy, eventually channeling her personal history into writing. She published her bestselling memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died in August 2022. The book spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on The New York Times bestseller list, remained on the list for over eighty weeks, sold more than three million copies across thirty countries, and earned the 2023 American Library Association Alex Award and the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography.

Writing Style & Themes

McCurdy's narrative style is defined by straightforward candor, dark humor, and a sharp emotional edge. Across both her memoir and fiction, she examines themes of female agency, eating disorders, addiction, overbearing maternal relationships, and the search for self-discovery after childhood trauma. Her debut novel, Half His Age, expands her literary scope into fiction, tackling female rage and personal transformation with fast-paced storytelling. Beyond prose, McCurdy has taken on roles as writer, creator, executive producer, director, and showrunner for an Apple TV+ series project loosely inspired by her memoir.

Major Works

• I'm Glad My Mom Died — Published in August 2022, this bestseller chronicles McCurdy's upbringing as a child actor, her struggles with eating disorders and addiction, and her complicated relationship with her mother. The memoir won the 2023 ALA Alex Award and the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography.
• Half His Age — McCurdy's debut fiction novel explores female rage, desire, and self-discovery, marking a narrative move into fast-paced contemporary fiction.