My Extraordinary Ordinary Life

By: Sissy Spacek

Narrated by: Sissy Spacek

Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

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)

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)

Enjoyable listening

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.

Sissy is a wonderful story teller

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

Good listen!

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!

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

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.

Inspirational!!!

So many times when I read/listen to an autobiography of someone I admire, I end up being disappointed. The reasons for this are: the way the story is presented, the content feeling forced or stilted or suppressed, the language sounding nothing like the person I am reading about, or the fact that the person is just not who I imagined they were. Thankfully I can truly say that none of that occurred with this book and narration.

Sissy grabbed my interest, kept me enthralled, and never disappointed me in the least. She not only is as I imagined, but surpassed my expectations. I didn't think it possible but I am even more of a fan now than I was before listening to her telling her life's story.

Thank you, Sissy!

Rural Texas Childhood + Cosmo Adulthood = AWESOME

The first part of this book felt extremely personal for me. I loved hearing Sissy share her tales of a childhood in Quitman, especially after having lived there for a year, and visiting my family, who've been there since the 1800's, unbeknownst to me until I was about 20 years old, when they retired and built a home on family land, which had never been discussed previously. I knew nothing about East Texas growing up, but fell in love with it's unique beauty when I lived there. My daughter was born there, and sadly is buried in Quitman. We had her funeral at the Quitman Public Library, a building which Sissy mentions had great importance to her father. It was Thanksgiving Day and none of the churches would open for us. I spent a majority of time, during my pregnancy, at that library. My daughter would've approved. Thanks Sissy! It was my Mecca during my only "rural" living experience. I also enjoyed hearing Sissy speak about Lake Lydia, which is a mile from where I lived. I was very alone during that time, but I relished the beauty of the woods and Lake Lydia, and the library. Somehow I felt validation in hearing Sissy's perspectives on these places. Finally, someone else gets it!

Sissy's childhood years truly span the giant state of Texas, from East Texas to Central, to The Valley. This alone is interesting because the cultures of each region are distinct, and clearly had a positive impact on her outlook on life. Her life after leaving home for NYC is incredible and without giving anything away, I truly appreciate the depth Sissy shares in this personal, funny and sometimes painful journey. Her voice is soothing and I could listen to it all day long. I bought this book after listening to Sissy narrate Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" and enjoyed it more than I had anticipated!I hope she continues to share her beautiful soul through more narrations on Audible!

Excellent!

The story was so interesting and I always looked forward to the next part. Her voice is perfect for storytelling. Soft, gentle but able to express the emotions that match the situation. I will keep this book to enjoy again. The first I have loved that much. Very few cuss words proving they are not necessary and add nothing to a well written, well told story. Sissy Spacek was able to take me to places as she described them and I give that 100% perfection as a narrator. I have and will continue to suggest this book to friends who enjoy the audible books. Now that she mentioned being the narrator for Harper Lee’s book “To Kill a Mocking Bird” I am ready to enjoy that book. The movie was excellent but with the narration by Sissy Spacek I look forward to a new adventure.

Love!!!

Sissy is one of my favorite actors. I enjoyed getting to know you! Just down to earth as I always thought you were.

what a great life

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

Lake Lydia house

Last December, my husband and I bought the lake Lydia house that was owned by someone in the Spacek family. We bought it from Jim Bell. We also met the grandson of the people who built the house.

Our Lake Lydia book club read this book and will discuss it on November 16, 2019. We would love love love for Sissy to join us. We meet every other month. Please get this message to her.