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What Falls Away

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At a glance

Condition
New
Dimensions
6.75 x 1.5 x 10 in
Weight
1.65 lb
Publisher
Nan A. Talese
Publication date
February 3, 1997
Edition
First Edition
Language
English

Description

In an exquisitely written memoir, Mia Farrow introduces us to the landscapes of her extraordinary life. Moving from her earliest memories of the walled gardens and rocky shores of western Ireland and her Hollywood childhood to her career as an actress, she writes of these experiences and her struggle to protect her children in a painful custody battle with Woody Allen. It was this crisis that led her to reflect upon the incidents that had brought her to a place so incomprehensible. Now, in What Falls Away, a memoir resonant not only in its honesty but also in its beautifully crafted prose, Mia Farrow speaks for the first time. She was born the third of seven children to the beautiful actress Maureen O'Sullivan and successful writer/director John Farrow, but the isolation of a polio ward brought her childhood to an abrupt end at the age of nine. Several years later, two deaths shattered the security of the family forever, and Mia Farrow embarked upon a journey that would lead her away from the convent education that was to sustain her spiritual courage, to starring roles in Peyton Place and Rosemary's Baby, a marriage to Frank Sinatra, divorce, a defining trip to India, work on the London stage and in film, and marriage to André Previn. Their life together in England brought them three sons and three daughters before that marriage, too, dissolved and she returned to the United States. The year 1979 saw the beginning of a new career with brilliant performances in thirteen of Woody Allen's most distinguished films. Told with grace and deep understanding, as well as humor, What Falls Away goes beneath the surface of this amazing life, with all its drama, success, and pain, and exposes the inner workings of a mind and spirit for whom truth, compassion, and faith are essential. Mia Farrow's story is ultimately one of hope and courage in the face of difficulty; of commitment to others--most important of whom are her children; and of spiritual strength. Readers will not easily forget this remarkable book, even long after the last page has been turned. Read more

Specs 9

Publisher Nan A. Talese
Publication date February 3, 1997
Edition First Edition
Language English
Print length 384 pages
ISBN-10 0385471874
ISBN-13 79
Item Weight 1.65 pounds

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Top Amazon Reviews


Riveting
Format: Paperback
I was riveted to this memoir. The first part of the book where she writes about her childhood is so beautifully wrought, I was taken aback. Who knew? There's a dreamy, evocative quality that reminds me of Proust without the 800-word sentences. Mia Farrow is a great writer. The dreamy quality dissipates as she writes of her life when she is older and show biz begins. You get a lot of inside scoop, that's for sure. I did not feel she was entirely truthful in presenting her character. I think she was intensely ambitious, particularly when it came to hooking up with powerful men, whereas she presents herself in romantic scenarios as somewhat passive. I don't know how she kept rationalizing staying with Woody Allen when he was so inappropriate with Dylan that she asked that he never have Dylan alone overnight. Then Mia stays with him for a few more years. That's nuts. But she had all these kids and no real financial security, except with Woody's movies. It seemed like the power of having Woody Allen in her life trumped her fears early on. I never walked in her shoes, though. She asks herself why she stayed with him,. (Clearly, she fooled around with other men when she was with Woody. Ronan is the image of Frank Sinatra.) The idea that he could be molesting one daughter while fooling around with his daughter's sister was too repugnant. I don't know. So it's an exceptional read in the beginning of the memoir and fascinating from a voyeur's point of view in the rest. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2018 by Francie Nolan

LOVED THE BOOK, HATED THE MAIN CHARACTERS!
WARNING: A bit of a spoiler. This book is a wonderful read. The writing is witty. Mia is articulate (if there are no ghost writers), and funny. Her experiences are of a extraordinary world, experienced by a very simple person giving it an almost 'Alice in Wonderland' feel. I really enjoyed reading it until I grew increasingly mad and then finally disgusted losing all respect for Mia. Yes, Mia. See, just from what I knew, I never had much respect for Woody so that did not change. Actually no, I do find him even more repulsive now, but I just cannot believe some of the decisions taken by Mia. There were choices, and in my opinion, she made many WRONG ones that were almost unforgivable because they impacted young children more than her own life and well being. OVERTLY obvious warning signs were flaring and she just wished them away, inappropriate acts were occuring, again she figured the shrinks were going to make it all right soon, just hang in there. I still rate it a 4 out of 5 for its cleverness, ability not to get boring, and for making me laugh and want to slap someone just pages apart. That makes for a good read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2002 by Amazon Customer

A fascinating life, a good woman
Format: Paperback
I came away from this book with true admiration for the author. She has lived a fascinating life, beginning with her childhood, including a bout with polio and the views into the lives of successful show business families. This story spans many decades, and will give the reader a lot of newsy stories about many well known personalities, as well as being kind of a pop history of the second half of the 20th century. My favorite tidbits were actually the parts about being in India to study under the Maharishi, at the same time as the Beatles. Some of the odd titles and songs from the White Cover album, came from that experience and have literal explanations. I particularly liked reading about how Bungalow Bill's song came about. Turns out it's a true story! And what was it like being married to Frank Sinatra and hanging with his crowd? That was another fun section to read. She had friendships with luminaries like Salvador Dali and his wife and Yul Brenner and his, real friendships that lasted, among many others. Of course there is the long period of her relationship with Woody Allen and it is detailed and unsparing. If anything is left out of the famous story about his romance and marriage to Soon Yi, or the stories about daughter Dylan, that are currently being revisited in the press, it would have to be the most minor or repititious detail because so much is told, you really will have an idea of what was going on and the difficulties encountered. There is also much to learn about all of the children Mia Farrow has adopted, with Andre Previn, with Woody Allen, and on her own. She is a giving and generous woman and has helped these children enormously. I was very satisfied with this book, and have recommended it to many. I've also listened to it on an audio version, read almost entirely in her own voice. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2014 by expert

Fascinating
Format: Kindle
What a fascinating difficult life. You always think that being the child of celebrities would be a charmed life, but Mia suffered many traumas along with the perks. At the age of nine, she contracted polio and was separated from her family to be treated in a polio unit. That must’ve been so traumatic for a young child. Then she and her sister were sent away to a strict convent school. She was one of seven children, which may be why she wanted to have a large family as an adult. The book chronicles her career and personal life. She goes to India to explore meditation with the Maharishi and the Beatles arrive, she becomes friends with Salvador Dali, she marries Frank Sinatra, then Andre Previn and begins a family, she has a long relationship with Woody Allen, which ends in scandal. I’m struck by the contradictions between who she seems to be and the relationships she chooses. This is her life from her perspective, and I think there can be no doubt that she is an exceptional person who opened her home and heart to the many children she adopted, some with special needs. I greatly admire her for this. I was happy to see photos included in the book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019 by DT

Good, Bad and Confusing
Format: Kindle
What a strange read and a strange life! The good includes that Mia is surprisingly one heck of a writer. Some of the writing, especially early in the book is lovely and eloquent. Other good elements are her frank discussion of polio, her parents and her sheltered, surreal childhood. The confusing - how can anyone be that clueless? She seems to feel nothing for breaking up Andre Previn's marriage and family, runs off into the jungle in India without a clue of the dangers, no red lights go off when Woody Allen refuses to engage with many of her children yet pays special attention to one. Some of the stories were so bizarre I had a hard time believing them to be real. The bad - wow, what a scum bag Woody Allen is! Yet, her ditzy, flower child attitude enabled his horrific behavior to continue and flourish. I found the beginning of the book interesting, the middle okay, but the final third just made me what to slap both Woody Allen and her! The final few pages about how idyllic her life is now with all of her happy, well-adjusted, successful children is downright delusional seeing that some of her children won't speak to her and others have died. Not sure what planet this woman lives on and amazed she is still worth millions - utterly confusing. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2021 by Dr. Von

What Falls Away
Format: Paperback
Mia Farrow has beautifully written this book. I am assuming she didn't use a ghost writer. The section of the book on her relationship with Woody Allen and his with her daughter is sometimes hard to read as you want to slap her for not acting on her feelings about Woody Allen before he injured her family so severely. She portrays her family as one big happy family except for the intrusion of Woody Allen, but she seems to live somewhat in a world of denial and dreams. My experience with adopted children is different than her portrayal. There are always problems for children who are adopted that are not faced by biological children, and having so many of her children in therapy would indicate that she is really sugarcoating the picture she paints of them. That being said, this is a well written book, and is an interesting look at a life that is different than most and very intriguing. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2012 by G. Gold

Good read, men are not all there in every sense of the word
Format: Hardcover
Very well written, but fuzzy when it comes to the specific attraction of the four men -- including her devout, wildly Catholic, philandering father and old-man-seeking-virgin-granddaughter Sinatra -- who helped shaped her experience. Her naiveté is a astonishing at times but her love, grace and generosity is equally amazing, at least as she tells it. As for old Woody, well, if HALF of what Farrow alleges re her children is true, he is a withholding, manipulative, very disturbed and sexually abusive man, in addition to being a stunning narcissist. Yik. I don't want to judge her for remaining with him for so many years but he was never a true partner and certainly never paternal. He still makes my skin crawl. Andre Previn remains a large empty space, absent-in-extremis, who also seems to have left virtually all the parenting to her, although three of her biological sons and three of her adopted little girls are his. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2019 by Fox in a Box

Beautifully Written, Sensitively Told
Format: Kindle
What a wondetful read. Ms. Farrow has led an interesting, traumatic, well connected, much loved, maturely reflective and in many ways, selfless life. She comes from brilliant Hollywood anticedents, has been connected to some very powerful men, and has significant acting talent of her own. She has opened her heart and soul many times..in her love life, in adopting and raising many special needs children from different countries, and in writing this book. What a deep, thoughtful being she is. I especially loved her descriptions of the profound respect and honor with which she holds each of her individual children, and also of some profoundly transcendent moments of personal awareness and meaning behind incidents she has experienced. She seems to try to lay out a fair, nonvindictive account of her relationship with Woody Allen, which cant have been easy given some of his bizarre behavior. Kudos to the author!! A fascinating autobiography. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2019 by Kindle Customer
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