Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life [Hardcover]

Tracey Gold (Author), Julie McCarron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2003

Tracey Gold was well known to television audiences in the 80s as the wholesome teenage sister on the long-running series Growing Pains. She co-starred for seven years alongside Kirk Cameron as brainy sister Carol Seaver in a picture-perfect American family. A working actress since the age of 4, she was a pretty and professional young star with a limitless future. But behind the smiles Tracey was fighting the battle of her life.

Ten years have passed since photos of the shockingly thin Tracey faced us from the cover of one of People's bestselling issues ever. "I always knew there'd come a day in the future, when I was far away from the media glare, when I'd have the proper time and perspective to process all I went through. Now there are many trained experts in the field of anorexia and eating disorders; and there are a lot of girls who struggle with it. I have both: the knowledge and the experience. I want this book to be something girls can turn to for help; something they can pick up and hold, a source of comfort and encouragement. It is for every sister, daughter, or friend whose life has been touched by anorexia nervosa. My celebrity has provided me a forum from which I can help others."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Actress Gold, now 33 and a happily married mother of two, is best known for her role as brainy teenager Carol Seaver in the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. But thanks to the tabloids and other popular press (including People, which featured Gold on its cover 10 years ago), she's almost equally well known for her battles with anorexia, which reached a crisis as the show ended its seven-year run in 1992. Gold reflects on why she became anorexic and how she overcame the illness. Her friendly tone will resonate with teen girls (although they probably didn't grow up watching Growing Pains and may not even know who Gold is). Gold's producers regularly told her to lose weight, and when she was unable to comply, wrote "fat jokes" into the script. Gold is more guarded when discussing the specific details of her recovery (e.g., while she says psychotherapy played an important role, she reveals little of what went on in the sessions and what she learned). And fat jokes aside, she gushes with praise for almost every actor, producer and director she has worked with. Gold realizes she was privileged to be able to afford the best care and that others might not be as lucky. The book's afterword is a call for activism and includes sections of a proposed federal law, which, if passed, could promote greater awareness of eating disorders and how to treat them-as can this affecting book. B&w photos throughout.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Now a married mother of two young boys, Tracey's is an account of a trip to hell and back. It is a journey of discovery and a chronice of the very difficult lessons Tracey learned and must abide by every day of her life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Millennium Press (February 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189322466X
• ISBN-13: 978-1893224667
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly inspirational book for women of all ages!, January 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life (Hardcover)

I've spent many hours watching Tracey grow up on television and I've read the many accounts of her battles with anorexia. Her memoir is truly inspirational. I highly recommend it to women of all ages...to moms, friends and young women. Her recovery was long and difficult but she's turned into a beautiful woman with a happy family and an ongoing career! This is a great book for fans of her work on television, but even if you haven't followed her career you'll be fascinated to learn of all she has been through on her road to good health. There are great pictures of Tracey and her family in the book, from when she was a baby until now as the mom of several young kids! Tracey can do alot to help people with eating disorders overcome their demons, and this book is certainly the means for her to do so. I applaud her honesty.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reason to hope...., January 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is struggling with eating disorders and for parents of adolescents with anorexia also. I applaud Tracey for her honesty, as I am sure that there are several other actresses in Hollywood who have anorexia and/or bulimia, and young girls see them on television and wish they could be so "thin and beautiful"....but these are the ones who don't admit that they have a problem.

Tracey's story has been an inspiration to me in a highly personal way. I grew up watching "Growing Pains" and loved the show. Tracey and I look a lot alike....especially when she was (sadly) at her thinnest...we have a very similar facial/bone structure. So I always watched to see if she could overcome this disorder....because if she could, then certainly somehow I could too. I always felt some kind of closeness to her and the whole situation.

Unfortunately I am still struggling after 15 years with the beast of anorexia....but Tracey and her story is truly an inspiration. And I hope that everyone who reads this book will see that they too can overcome....and that parents/loved ones can learn how to love the person through the disorder.

Blessings Tracey ~ you are awesome and you're beautiful!

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, January 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Room to Grow: An Appetite for Life (Hardcover)

This book is more than just Tracey Gold's battle with anorexia. It is also about her childhood and her life beyond her disease. It is sweet, sad, funny, and heart-breaking all at once. It's a short read that leaves you wanting more. It sets itself apart from other books dealing with anorexia and eating disorders in that it does not glorify the disease. The best part of the book is her recovery and how she realizes that, as a mother, she no longer can live for only herself and must learn to overcome anorexia to fully be present enough to nurture her children. Excellent read and very warm and conversational tone to the book!