Customer Reviews

I Ain't Down Yet: The Autobiography of My Little Margie

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"I Ain't Down Yet" is the inspiring autobiography of Gale Storm, best-known as TV's My Little Margie. This frank and informative book follows Gale's humble beginnings in Bloomington Texas to stardom in Hollywood. Gale valiantly describes her bout and ultimate victory over alcoholism. Her candor and humor makes this very enjoyable reading. One can easily read this book in one sitting...in fact, it's almost impossible to lay the book aside. If you only know Gale Storm from My Little Margie or her many top ten hit records, you don't know all you need to know. This book will enlighten you to the multifaceted talents of Gale Storm and to the warm, wonderful person she is. And her struggle and ultimate victory over alcoholism will move and inspire you.

I have to confess that I was skeptical about reading a biograghy of Gale Storm, but two things drove me to do so. One, my father went to high school with her here in Houston Texas, when she was known as Jo Cottle.. she even wore his senior ring for a time. He was smitten.Second, I loved My Little Margie and Oh! Susanna! when I was growing up. Don't be put off by the beginning of this book by her jumping right in about her battle with alcoholism. It is to play an immensely important role for what you will read as you get into her story. This book also chronicles a time of TV in it's infancy and the role it came to play for all of us baby-boomers.She is detailed, precise in her recollection of famous people she worked with and even "tattles" a little about some of show business icons' ego trips. In short, you begin to really love this special lady as she writes from her heart and soul. She is honest and brave, as you will see when she details her final attempt to recover from the disease of alcoholism.It came close to killing her but she made it. I feel certain you will enjoy her story,learn a lot about early television, the price of celebrity and a warm journey of the heart. A terrific read!

This is one of the most uplifting and inspiring books that I have ever read.

I had seen some My Little Margie reruns and then Gale Storm died recently so I looked on Amazon for DVDs and books and came across this and bought it. So many things about her life were fascinating--she juggled so many things at once that hearing her alcoholic battles seemed like that was how she somehow coped with fame, pushing herself in so many ways to be better and do better at her career, plus balancing her family life with her husband and four children. The book is interesting if you follow Hollywood and know some of the many people in her life during those days. That part did not interest me, but I was not an adult and don't remember some of them. The details about her acting and how she trained and got different jobs and parts was interesting, and the actors she worked with that I did remember brought back fond memories.

The most shocking part of her life, to me, was when her alcoholism was treated with aversion therapy. It was very revolting and sickening to hear her describe her treatments and yet what an amazing final outcome she had. I recommend this book to her fans and also to people who are struggling with addictions. She finally got hope and then freely gave it.