Full Circle; From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again

viii, 231, [1] pages. Illustrations (some in color). Andrea Laura Barber (born July 3, 1976) is an American actress. She is known for playing Kimmy Gibbler in the ABC sitcom Full House and the Netflix sequel series Fuller House. Andrea Barber is known to millions worldwide as Kimmy Gibbler, star of the hit 90s sitcom Full House, and the Netflix sequel, Fuller House. In this funny, heartfelt book, Andrea takes readers behind the scenes of her odd Hollywood career and beyond. She shares how anxiety, particularly postpartum anxiety, derailed her life, and how she was able to take back control and serve as inspiration for others. Refreshingly honest and deeply personal, Andrea writes in a way that feels like catching up with an old friend. Get ready to laugh, reminisce, and finally get to know the woman behind the zany next door neighbor . . . So many 80s and 90s kids (and their parents!) grew up watching Andrea Barber play the delightful, quirky, energetic character of Kimmy Gibbler on Full House. What a treasure to have a character who, like so many of us, is a little bit weird and wonderful! So, it’s no surprise that so many people have been raving about her recently published memoir which tells the story of the woman behind this iconic character. Full Circle covers all the highlights of Barber’s career that you would expect from a book like this: her start as a young child actress, behind-the-scenes stories of the close relationships she shares with her Full House castmates, and how the Fuller House reboot came about. She also digs into the private parts of her life which have rarely, if ever, been shared: the path she chose with college and her career after Full House ended, meeting her husband, getting married, and having children. The best part of this memoir, however, is not just the memories that Barber shares of growing up on set, or even her deep joy in returning to the screen decades later to reprise the role of Kimmy in Fuller House. Where she really shines in her storytelling are the deeply personal chapters in between. With a fearless clarity of voice, Barber goes into great detail about her struggles with anxiety and depression, as well as her divorce. She bares herself – thoughts, feelings, and experiences – creating such a clear picture of what it feels like, what it IS like, to experience anxiety and depression. She shares how she moved through the difficult process of divorce, learning to become comfortable with being alone and settling into herself. Barber’s passion to be a mental health advocate is inspiring. Her transparency in sharing highs and lows helps to normalize the all too common experiences that many are still afraid to speak about. She even shares the strategies that she has learned to use to help cope with these difficulties. From therapy to running to going to see her favorite boy band live in concert, she encourages the reader that the world around us is full of ways to tackle our hardest days and find our own way to move forward. Despite the detailing of many difficult life experiences, this entire book is also infused with such hope and joy, gratitude and humility. Barber writes in such an honest and relatable way, with language so clear and accessible, that the reader feels a nearly tangible connection to her. Even more so than her character of Kimmy Gibbler, Barber seems to be the "girl next door," a solid friend and human being, even the type of woman you’d want to sit down with for a cup of coffee and a nice long chat. She majored in English literature and prefers writing as opposed to live interviews, as it allows for the opportunity to reflect and craft thoughtful responses. Her lifelong fandom of New Kids on the Block and how she grew up just like the rest of us watching popular shows like Beverly Hills, 90210. That is the wonderful thing about a well-written memoir … it gives the reader the opportunity to find themselves in the narrative, to feel heard and validated for their feelings.…