Iconic actress Hayley Mills shares personal memories from her storied childhood, growing up in a famous acting family and becoming a Disney child star, trying to grow up in a world that wanted her to stay forever young. The daughter of acclaimed British actor Sir John Mills was still a preteen when she began her acting career and was quickly thrust into the spotlight. Under the wing of Walt Disney himself, Hayley Mills was transformed into one of the biggest child starlets of the 1960s through her iconic roles in Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, and many more. She became one of only twelve actors in history to be bestowed with the Academy Juvenile Award, presented at the Oscars by its first recipient, Shirley Temple, and went on to win a number of awards including a Golden Globe, multiple BAFTAs, and a Disney Legacy Award. Now, in her charming and forthright memoir, she provides a unique window into when Hollywood was still 'Tinseltown' and the great Walt Disney was at his zenith, ruling over what was (at least in his own head) still a family business. This behind-the-scenes look at the drama of having a sky-rocketing career as a young teen in an esteemed acting family will offer both her childhood impressions of the wild and glamorous world she was swept into, and the wisdom and broader knowledge that time has given her. Hayley will delve intimately into her relationship with Walt Disney, as well as the emotional challenges of being bound to a wholesome, youthful public image as she grew into her later teen years, and how that impacted her and her choices--including marrying a producer over 30 years her senior when she was 20! With her regrets, her joys, her difficulties, and her triumphs, this is a compelling read for any fan of classic Disney films and an inside look at a piece of real Hollywood history.

From the moment young Australian teenager Helen Le Mesurier saw Hayley Mills in Walt Disneys Pollyanna, she felt a deep, intense connection that defied explanation. For years, Helen collected every photo, every article, every scrap of information she could find about the beautiful, young, English actress. Her sense of connection to the star was legendary among her friends and family. Thirty years after she first saw Hayley on screen a rare opportunity presented itself and, with her sense of connection still very real, Helen was determined not to let the chance to finally meet the star pass. With newfound boldness and conviction, she made her lifelong dream come true. Meeting Hayley changed her life forever. As both women came to understand the true nature of their strong connection, Helen had an epiphany that inspired an intense journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth, one that has made her new career as a life coach and seminar presenter possible today. It was as a result of her life-changing journey to Hayley that she was propelled into starting her own personal empowerment business, Seeing Life Differently, through which she now helps others realize their goals and actualize their potential. Helens story is proof that dreams can indeed come true!

“A memoir for our times.” —Michael Stipe “A coming-of-age drama captured through poetic prose and convincing honesty.” —Kirkus Reviews “I swim for every chance to get wasted—after every meet, every weekend, every travel trip. This is what I look forward to and what I tell no one: the burn of it down my throat, to my soul curled up in my lungs, the sharpest pain all over it—it seizes and stretches, becoming alive again, and is the only thing that makes sense.” At fifteen, Casey Legler is already one of the fastest swimmers in the world. She is also an alcoholic, isolated from her family, and incapable of forming lasting connections with those around her. Driven to compete at the highest levels, sent far away from home to train with the best coaches and teams, she finds herself increasingly alone and alienated, living a life of cheap hotels and chlorine-worn skin, anonymous sexual encounters and escalating drug use. Even at what should be a moment of triumph—competing at age sixteen in the 1996 Olympics—she is an outsider looking in, procuring drugs for Olympians she hardly knows, and losing her race after setting a new world record in the qualifying heats. After submitting to years of numbing training in France and the United States, Casey can see no way out of the sinister loneliness that has swelled and festered inside her. Yet wondrously, when it is almost too late, she discovers a small light within herself, and senses a point of calm within the whirlwind of her life. In searing, evocative, visceral prose, Casey gives language to loneliness in this startling story of survival, defiance, and of the embers that still burn when everything else in us goes dark.

Told from two viewpoints, high school seniors Haley, who had a public breakdown, and shy Lewis, long-time member of the TV Production class, find that filming documentaries about their classmates' hidden talents reveals their own aspirations.

Get the Summary of Hayley Mills's Forever Young in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. "Forever Young" by Hayley Mills is an autobiography that chronicles the life and career of the English actress, from her unexpected casting in "Tiger Bay" at age twelve to her coming of age in the 1960s. Born into a theatrical family, Mills grew up in a nurturing environment, though her boarding school years were challenging. Her acting career began serendipitously when director J. Lee Thompson cast her in "Tiger Bay," leading to a successful screen test and her acclaimed performance...

“A lilting, loving memoir of the South and simpler days” from the vibrant and beloved star of Sisters and Once and Again (USA Today). “This is the story of a girl who grew up in a gentle town in the Deep South, cradled by family and friends, worshiping Bear Bryant on Saturday night and Jesus Christ on Sunday morning . . .” At a time when much of America is yearning to recapture the spirit and feelings of a more innocent era, comes this extraordinary memoir from one of our most beloved actresses: a story of reconnecting with the most important things in life. Millions of TV and film viewers know Sela Ward as the Emmy-winning star of the series Sisters and Once and Again. But before she became a successful actress, Sela was first and foremost a small-town girl, the daughter of a family that lived for generations in a Mississippi homestead they called “Homeward.” It was there, within a tightly knit community of neighbors and kin, that Sela learned ways that would remain with her through life-humble virtues, like generosity, selflessness, and respect, that are “forged in the hearth of a loving home.” Now she has woven together nostalgic reminiscences, stories from throughout her life and career, and lessons on drawing strength and wisdom from a simpler place and time, to give us Homesick: a very special book on the challenge of raising a family, maintaining perspective, and carving away time for happiness amid the challenges of modern life. “An ode to simpler, safer times that is likely to strike a chord among Americans in these unsettling days.” —The Baltimore Sun

"A seven-time Olympic medalist describes her battles with depression, eating disorders and substance abuse in spite of her successful career, recounting how she hid her struggles from her loved ones before seeking help and finding renewal in the birth of her son. 75,000 first printing."