Mommie Dearest A True Story Author:Christina Crawford Mommie Dearest is the story of a child trying to stay alive and a ruthless, cunning, lonely woman who knew every trick of survival. Christina loved Joan and searched for her mother's love in return throughout the years they shared. — It is a book for all those people who have lived with a terrible secret and have had to hide the truth because th... more »ey were afraid or because no one would believe them. It is for everyone who knows what it is like to grow up with a parent determined to thwart every effort to achieve independence. In Mommie Dearest, Christina offers hope that it is possible to live through a terrifying personal struggle and create a productive life out of chaos.« less