Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness [Hardcover]

Mary Forsberg Weiland (Author), Larkin Warren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2009

On the surface, Mary Weiland had a fairy-tale life. She was a highly paid fashion model married to successful rock star Scott Weiland, the notorious frontman for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. Then came the rampage in a Burbank hotel room and the resulting media frenzy that revealed to the world her bipolar disorder and drug abuse. In "Fall to Pieces", Weiland describes the extreme highs and lows of her life, the volatility of which long hinted at mental illness. Working with acclaimed journalist Larkin Warren, Weiland tells her story with refreshing candour, unflinching detail, and more than a little humor. Reminiscent of celebrity memoirs by Tatum O'Neill, Brooke Shields, and Valerie Bertinelli, Weiland's story offers a window into the world of modelling and rock 'n' roll celebrity while providing deep insights into a serious and misunderstood psychological disorder.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Weiland's lively, vernacular memoir tells the sadly wasted but ultimately self-directed tale of her meteoric rise as a model from impoverished, half-Mexican roots to a precipitous plunge into drug addiction. Growing up in a broken Southern California home in the 1980s, where she lived mostly with her working Mexican mother in near poverty, the author, née Forsberg, found autonomy and financial independence early on in modeling; by age 14 she was a finalist for a Seventeen magazine modeling contest and traveling to New York; by 16, she had quit school, been legally emancipated and booked overseas jobs. She also became infatuated with aspiring rock and roller Scott Weiland, who was briefly her driver, and as he became hugely successful with his band, Stone Temple Pilots, he slid into heroin addiction and dragged her along with him. He was also involved with another woman, and the author's account is a painful re-enactment of her youthful abasement. From partying scene to junkie desperation to psychiatrist's office, jail and rehab, Forsberg Weiland battled her demons, learning with some surprise that she suffered from bipolar disorder. Having two children with Scott turned her around, though her marriage crumbled when he didn't change. Weiland's forthright, resilient can-do spirit injects this sad story with a healthy moral. (Dec.)
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Review

“For all the death and devastation detailed in its pages, this book is surprisingly funny.” (Reuters )

“Weiland’s lively, vernacular memoir tells the sadly wasted but ultimately self-directed tale of her meteoric rise as a model from impoverished, half-Mexican roots to a precipitous plunge into drug addiction....Weiland’s forthright, resilient can-do spirit injects this sad story with a healthy moral.” (Publishers Weekly )

“A harrowing story of addiction and mental illness.” (People )

“A worthy addition to the rock canon.” (New York Post )

“A brutally honest and compelling account of Mary Weiland’s struggles with addiction and mental illness. Brave, bold and unfiltered, Mary’s writing injects humor and levity in a way that is both entertaining and necessary. I have no doubt that this important book will help save many lives.” (Dave Navarro )

“Mary Weiland describes the depths of madness and addiction with surprising clarity. Fall to Pieces is a wild, gripping story, told with intense emotional honesty.” (Terri Cheney, New York Times bestselling author of Manic )

“Mary Weiland’s beautifully crafted memoir takes the reader through the journey that is so very common today, the slow drift into addiction and mental illness. Honest, clear, and accurate, Fall to Pieces is perhaps the most vivid rendition of this experience I have ever come across.” (Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of Loveline and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, author of The Mirror Effect and Cracked )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (November 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061719153
• ISBN-13: 978-0061719158
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #414,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a dark tell-all, November 10, 2009

By 

Alla S. - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness (Hardcover)

In "Falling to Pieces," Mary Forsberg Weiland, the model ex-wife of Scott Weiland from the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver rock groups, tells her story--one of a promising modeling career, lavish lifestyle, and touring with rock stars turned into a lifestyle of drug abuse, depression, and divorce. Coming from a working background and a broken family, Weiland has a dark childhood that reaches its climax when she goes to jail. Shortly afterwards, Mary replies to an ad for the Barbizon school of modeling and her life is forever changed.

Still a teenager, Mary drops out of school to pursue modeling. Her driver to assignments, for a brief period, becomes Scott Weiland--who at that point is a struggling musician. When he gets backed by a record company, Mary gets a new driver but can never forget Scott. Fast forward a couple of years, and Mary's touring with Scott and the band, spending time back and forth between the band's schedule and her modeling job. However, as Mary soon finds out, getting embroiled in the rock n' roll lifestyle has its costs--in Weiland's case, exposure to drugs. While Mary's modeling roommates, including future actress Charlize Theron, advance their careers--Mary enters a downward spiral, an increasingly dark frame of mind, and an ugly on/off relationship with her rock star boyfriend Scott.

The writing keeps the story interesting and Mary's occasional name dropping adds some extra flavor. You get to see the kind of world Weiland had access to, and see inside the mind of an addict. Mary's stories about her escalating dependence on Weiland and illegal substances seem to be rooted in her inability to deal with the real world. Throughout the book, there's almost nothing held back--including her breakdowns and dealing with being bipolar. Overall, I found the read pretty solid--too serious for a day at the beach, but deep enough to satisfy the more curious readers looking for a tell-all.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating story of mental illness, not a lame hollywood tell-all, December 5, 2009

By 

Amazon Book Junkie (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness (Hardcover)

This book is an amazing account of a person's struggle with bi-polar disorder and mental illness with the unusual twist of the life of a model who was too young and unprepared for the type of life that her accidental career provided.

To be honest, I was completely surprised by this book. I assumed this would be a poorly written, boring attempt to cash in on knowing someone famous and having a few moments in the spotlight thanks to an wacko hollywood person's meltdown. Being a fan of Scott Weiland, I assumed that this was just his crazy wife's attempt to make him look worse in the public eye.

I was completely wrong about the intended purpose of this book, the author, and her capability to share her story. Over the course of one weekend this page-turner gave me insight into the world of someone with bipolar disorder, addiction, and no where in the book did she seem like she was trying to capitalize on her husband's troubles or that of other hollywood celebs. Although, I will admit that it is fun to read about people like Dave Navarro, Anthony Kiedis, and Charlize Theron. I would recommend this easy to read book to anyone, especially those like me who know someone who struggles with mental illness and drug addiction.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bridget's Review, November 12, 2009

By 

bridget3420 "Bridget Hopper" (KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness (Hardcover)

Mary ended up in a mental institution after throwing her husbands clothes out and setting them on fire. She suffered from depression and would lay in bed for days. A lot of the time, she didn't even know why she was reacting a certain way. Addiction and depression seem to go hand in hand, so Mary was battling both.

It's an absorbing read that hits close to home for me. I too suffer from depression and it is a very difficult illness to live with. I know how brave Mary must be to pour out her life for the whole world to read. She's a strong woman and I hope that her book inspires others to get the help they need.