The fortieth anniversary edition of the “shocking” #1 New York Times bestseller with a bonus story by the author, “Never Got to Say Goodbye” (Los Angeles Times).
 
When Christina Crawford’s harrowing chronicle of child abuse was first published in 1978, it brought global attention to the previously closeted subject. It also shed light on the guarded world of Hollywood and stripped away the façade of Christina’s relentless, alcoholic abuser: her adoptive mother, movie star Joan Crawford.
 
Christina was a young girl shown off to the world as a fortunate little princess. But at home, her lonely, controlling, even ruthless mother made her life a nightmare. A fierce battle of wills, their relationship could be characterized as an ultimately successful, for Christina, struggle for independence. She endured and survived, becoming the voice of so many other victims who suffered in silence, and giving them the courage to forge a productive life out of chaos.
 
This book features an exclusive introduction by Christina Crawford, rare photographs from her personal collection, revealing material not found in the original manuscript, and her bonus story, “Never Got to Say Goodbye,” which attempts to bring a healthy close her traumatic childhood.