What Falls Away - Hardcover

Farrow, Mia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385471874 ISBN 13: 9780385471879

Publisher: Nan A. Talese, 1997

Synopsis

In an exquisitely written memoir, Mia Farrow introduces us to the landscapes of her extraordinary life.  Moving from her earliest memories of the walled gardens and rocky shores of western Ireland and her Hollywood childhood to her career as an actress, she writes of these experiences and her struggle to protect her children in a painful custody battle with Woody Allen.  It was this crisis that led her to reflect upon the incidents that had brought her to a place so incomprehensible.  Now, in What Falls Away, a memoir resonant not only in its honesty but also in its beautifully crafted prose, Mia Farrow speaks for the first time.

She was born the third of seven children to the beautiful actress Maureen O'Sullivan and successful writer/director John Farrow, but the isolation of a polio ward brought her childhood to an abrupt end at the age of nine.  Several years later, two deaths shattered the security of the family forever, and Mia Farrow embarked upon a journey that would lead her away from the convent education that was to sustain her spiritual courage, to starring roles in Peyton Place and Rosemary's Baby, a marriage to Frank Sinatra, divorce, a defining trip to India, work on the London stage and in film, and marriage to André Previn.  Their life together in England brought them three sons and three daughters before that marriage, too, dissolved and she returned to the United States.

The year 1979 saw the beginning of a new career with brilliant performances in thirteen of Woody Allen's most distinguished films.

Told with grace and deep understanding, as well as humor, What Falls Away goes beneath the surface of this amazing life, with all its drama, success, and pain, and exposes the inner workings of a mind and spirit for whom truth, compassion, and faith are essential.

Mia Farrow's story is ultimately one of hope and courage in the face of difficulty; of commitment to others--most important of whom are her children; and of spiritual strength.  Readers will not easily forget this remarkable book, even long after the last page has been turned.

About this title

Review

There aren't many lives more steeped in celebrity than Mia Farrow's. The daughter of actress Maureen O'Sullivan and writer-director John Farrow, she grew up in Beverly Hills as a member of "the first generation of movie stars' children." Starting at the tender age of 19 she was involved with a succession of famous men--Frank Sinatra, André Previn, and Woody Allen--and has spent many years as a major film star in her own right. The book is casually populated with dozens of high-profile friends ranging from Yul Brynner and Salvador Dali to Michael Caine and Vladimir Horowitz. Yet Farrow's memoir has an unexpectedly honest, soul-searching quality, detailing her troubled inner life, her spiritual longings and pursuits (including a famous stay at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram, where her fellow inmates included the Beatles), and her passionate attachment to children. The book unflinchingly recounts her version of the ugly, very public breakup with Allen, including--rather bizarrely--the state supreme court's custody ruling in her favor in its 27-page entirety.

About the Author

Mia Farrow is an American actress who became an icon for her award-nominated performance as Rosemary Woodhouse in the horror classic Rosemary's Baby. She was born in Los Angeles in 1945 and is the eldest daughter of Australian director John Farrow. Before she became an actress, Farrow was a model for many years. Mia Farrow is also an activist and has done extensive work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2008. Farrow has starred in dozens of movies, including John and Mary, The Great Gatsby (1974), Widows' Peak, and Luc Besson's Arthur series.

Edition details

• Publisher: Nan A. Talese
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0385471874
• ISBN 13: 9780385471879
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384