Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything

A Memoir

De: Alyson Stoner

Narrado por: Alyson Stoner

*AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER*

Actor-dancer Alyson Stoner narrates their revelatory and incisive memoir—from family violence and betrayal, to eating disorders and religious trauma—may begin in Hollywood, but its chilling relatability will resonate with anyone navigating identity, privacy, purpose, and mental health in a digital age. This audiobook contains clips from the song "Stripped Bare," by the author, Alyson Stoner.

Raised on soundstages and studio lots from the age of six, shuffling between auditions for Disney Channel, Cheaper by the Dozen, or Missy Elliott music videos, Alyson Stoner experienced many of the defining moments of childhood inside the bizarre fishbowl of Hollywood. From working eighty hours a week at eight years old, to learning how to distinguish fan mail from kidnapping plots, to TV execs saying they weren’t “anorexic enough” to stop working and get help, Alyson struggled to find stability and sanity in a chaotic world.

In Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything, Alyson shares their powerful story for the first time, detailing a turbulent home life fractured by substance abuse, harrowing accounts from rehab, the messy process of discovering their sexuality in church, rebuilding a life after an early professional peak, and charting a path of self-discovery and advocacy. With striking introspection, Alyson connects the dots across the entertainment industry ecosystem, child development, and media culture, exposing the “toddler to trainwreck pipeline” of child stars and sparking timely conversations about success and society’s enchantment with fame.

Bold, entertaining, warm, and galvanizing all at once, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is more than a personal memoir: it’s a beacon for industry reform, a road map for breaking the bonds of generational trauma, and a testament to the freedom and strength that come from finally trusting your own voice and power.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press

©2025 Alyson Stoner (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"How can a book be so heart-breaking and yet so hopeful? Alyson’s memoir is a bracingly honest and necessary examination of what it actually means to be a child in the spotlight, and everything that happens after. Candid, insightful, and healing in ways I didn’t know I still needed."—JoJo Levesque, New York Times bestselling author of Over the Influence

"A ballsy page-turner that puts the greed of the entertainment industry on blast, while simultaneously being a grounded narrative of incredible tenacity, courage and healing. A compelling argument for the abolition of child stardom."—Stephanie Foo, New York Times bestselling author of What My Bones Know

“Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is an intimate and compelling view into Alyson Stoner’s unique developmental journey as a child celebrity. Stoner courageously shares the challenges of a demanding professional life through family fractures, self-doubt and personal discovery. Stoner is a gifted storyteller; this book is a perfect mix of reflection, humor, generosity and empathy. It is the rare book that can carry so many important lessons without being shrill or preachy. Highly recommended.”—Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Principal of The Neurosequential Network and #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of What Happened to You

Powerful, Insightful, and Beautifully Written

I admired Alyson Stoner growing up, even though I was never a tom boy and she got older I could see how she was handling gender non-conforming identity and that resonated with me and my current journey along with being bisexual. Along with struggling with my own eating disorder for years. This memoir gave me a whole new appreciation for her. It’s well written, deeply thoughtful, and offers an honest look at the realities of growing up in stardom. She writes with intelligence and depth, sharing personal moments that felt vulnerable and relatable. I’m excited to see what she does next both in her activism and her continued personal growth. I love listening to these books in the authors voice and she is a great voice actor so the audio book really brought you in. I’m happy I pre-ordered this book and I listened through it in a few days. Really captivating and will continue to watch for the work she puts out. Including her awesome dancing videos. 10/10

Just read it

Incredibly personal book that is beautifully written and worth listening to while reading so go read it

a triumph of the industry. a resurrection

so happy for your healing, alyson 🩵 thank you for sharing with us, keep being you! an edge-of-my-seat read.

Realness and Relatable Mindset

Loved the storytelling, how the themes were crafted and the lessons within. It was beautifully done.

Relatable and Insightful

While I’ve never experienced fame, I related to so many aspects of this book and felt it really gave me some important insights to reflect on in my own life. This was beautifully written and narrated.

The trauma

This was a hard read for me, but hearing the rawness and knowing how you got through these experiences makes me feel like I can get through my own. The memories that continue to persist. Thank you for voicing your story.

Great memoir

I think a lot of adults should be ashamed of themselves. I am so sorry all Alyson went through but she is doing great things now. Enjoyed the memoir very much

Loved every minute

What I really like about this book was the advocacy piece. Standing up for children’s rights and common decency, really.
Alyson tells her story in such a personal and inspiring way. There were times when I laughed and when I teared up at her tumultuous moments and it made me want to scream, “Somebody help this poor child!”
Sharing a multitude of resources for mental health at the end was an important piece and what really set this book apart for me. Great read.

WOW! As good as I knew it would be!

As a former IMTA contestant, I actually met Alyson back in 2004 when she was a special guest at the LA convention. It's so crazy to hear her talk about being there and for me to remember it. The descriptions, the detail, the depth, the storytelling - all top notch. I am so appreciative of the courage it took to spell it all out in a way that connects you back to just being child, even not in Hollywood. So beautifully done.

Honest & Necessary

Thank you Alyson for your vulnerability. I really enjoyed your story telling. Raw, honest, and necessary in today’s world.