My Extraordinary Ordinary Life Audiobook By Sissy Spacek cover art

My Extraordinary Ordinary Life

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My Extraordinary Ordinary Life

By: Sissy Spacek
Narrated by: Sissy Spacek
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About this listen

In her delightful and moving memoir, Sissy Spacek writes about her idyllic, barefoot childhood in a small East Texas town, with the clarity and wisdom that comes from never losing sight of her roots. Descended from industrious Czech immigrants and threadbare southern gentility, she grew up a tomboy, tagging along with two older brothers and absorbing grace and grit from her remarkable parents, who taught her that she could do anything. She also learned fearlessness in the wake of a family tragedy, the grief propelling her "like rocket fuel"; to follow her dreams of becoming a performer.

With a keen sense of humor and a big-hearted voice, she describes how she arrived in New York City one star-struck summer as a 17-year-old carrying a suitcase and two guitars; and how she built a career that has spanned four decades with films such as Carrie, Coal Miner's Daughter, 3 Women, and The Help. She details working with some of the great directors of our time, including Terrence Malick, Robert Altman, David Lynch, and Brian De Palma - who thought of her as a no-talent set decorator until he cast her as the lead in Carrie. She also reveals why, at the height of her fame, she and her family moved away from Los Angeles to a farm in rural Virginia.

Whether she's describing the terrors and joys of raising two talented, independent daughters, taking listeners behind the scenes on Oscar night, or meditating on the thrill of watching a pair of otters frolicking in her pond, Sissy Spacek's memoir is poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, plainspoken and utterly honest. My Extraordinary Ordinary Life is about what matters most: the exquisite worth of ordinary things, the simple pleasures of home and family, and the honest job of being right with the world. "If I get hit by a truck tomorrow," she writes, "I want to know I've returned my neighbor's cake pan."

©2012 Sissy Spacek (P)2012 Hyperion (packaging elements only)
Entertainment & Celebrities Women Celebrity Nonfiction Biography Heartfelt Funny Inspiring Witty Feel-Good Memoir
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Critic reviews

" My Extraordinary Ordinary Life is the book version of Sissy: warm, heartfelt, and very real. Perhaps most remarkable is that Sissy's life-from the ordinary experiences of growing up in and raising a close-knit family to the extraordinary thrills of starring in some of the most iconic roles in Hollywood-unfolds as gracefully on the page as it does on the big screen and, as all of her readers will soon learn, in everyday life." (Kathryn Stockett, New York Times best-selling author of The Help)
" My Extraordinary Ordinary Life describes a remarkable woman's journey from a baton-twirling East Texas gal to an Academy-Award winning star. Sissy Spacek tells her story with warmth and grace, never straying far from the small-town roots that shaped her." (Jeannette Walls, best-selling author of The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses)
"[A] warm narrative...Like a folk song, Spacek's storytelling is tender and unhurried." ( Publishers Weekly)
Heartwarming Childhood Stories • Genuine Personal Journey • Soothing Voice • Engaging Storytelling Style • Genuine Tone
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If you could sum up My Extraordinary Ordinary Life in three words, what would they be?

Very entertaining story!

What did you like best about this story?

It was like sitting down and having a conversation with Sissy.

What does Sissy Spacek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'm from Texas so I enjoyed hearing the Texas accent again. She highlights passages with laughter and inflections that emphasize the emotions she wants to express.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The death of her brother-I recently lost a brother, so I felt her sadness acutely.
Also the love she had for her parents and the lessons they taught her.

Any additional comments?

I could really relate to many things in the book so that made it natural for me to enjoy the book- Being from Texas and knowing how friendly Texans can be; my brother was born the day Kennedy was assassinated; I am learning the guitar now after so many years of saying "someday"; I saw Carrie when I was 18 on a first date and started crying when I got home and told my Mom about the movie ( in front of my date!) Sissy mentions that people think they know you because they relate to the movies she's been in. Well, I related to her because I really like the person she portrays herself to be in her book! So glad that she was able to remain grounded despite her fame, unlike so many people in the entertainment business. I also admire how she is phasing gracefully into roles that reflect her maturity.
Way to go, Sissy!

Good listen!

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She acts. She sings. She writes. Sissy Spacek can do everything. Well. Loved her book. She told all the stories I wanted to hear. I love her voice. Would listen to her read anything. Loved her reading of TKAM. She seems like she's a real person and a good mother. I admire her. Will now watch and enjoy all of her movies again knowing more about how each one was made.

She's a writer in addition to her many other talents!

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Loved story brought alive by her narration. Excellent! Very highly recommend. Even suitable for kids.

Great to listen to!

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Would you listen to My Extraordinary Ordinary Life again? Why?

I really enjoyed this audible experience- Sissy Spacek delivers a wonderful, easy listening story of her life, she has a wonderful speaking voice and great perspective on the good and bad experiences of her life.

What does Sissy Spacek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her lilting, southern Texas accent is wonderful to listen to and adds dimension to her story.

Enjoyable listening

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love this woman and her story. I listen to this when I need to feel grounded.

Sissy is a wonderful story teller

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This story was interesting and entertaining all the way through. Sissy sounds like a wonderful person, as do all her friends and family. I'm so glad

Sissy narrated so well!

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Great stories, I hear myself agreeing. You are transported in time and history, in words as you see it all in your head. Easy listening.

keeps you listening,and wanting more

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I loved listening to Sissy's voice; she could read the phone book & keep my interest!

what a great life

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great book loved it smart sweet kind wonderful delightful charming it was the best thanks.

your life

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After listening to this book I have a newfound respect and admiration for Sissy Spacek. Her narration is outstanding.

Loved it!

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