So many 80s and 90s kids (and their parents!) grew up watching Andrea Barber play the delightful, quirky, energetic character of Kimmy Gibbler on Full House. What a treasure to have a character who, like so many of us, is a little bit weird and wonderful! So, it’s no surprise that so many people have been raving about her recently published memoir which tells the story of the woman behind this iconic character.
Full Circle covers all the highlights of Barber’s career that you would expect from a book like this: her start as a young child actress, behind-the-scenes stories of the close relationships she shares with her Full House castmates, and how the Fuller House reboot came about. She also digs into the private parts of her life which have rarely, if ever, been shared: the path she chose with college and her career after Full House ended, meeting her husband, getting married, and having children.
The best part of this memoir, however, is not just the memories that Barber shares of growing up on set, or even her deep joy in returning to the screen decades later to reprise the role of Kimmy in Fuller House. Where she really shines in her storytelling are the deeply personal chapters in between. With a fearless clarity of voice, Barber goes into great detail about her struggles with anxiety and depression, as well as her divorce. She bares herself – thoughts, feelings, and experiences – creating such a clear picture of what it feels like, what it IS like, to experience anxiety and depression. She shares how she moved through the difficult process of divorce, learning to become comfortable with being alone and settling into herself. Barber’s passion to be a mental health advocate is inspiring. Her transparency in sharing highs and lows helps to normalise the all too common experiences that many are still afraid to speak about. She even shares the strategies that she has learned to use to help cope with these difficulties. From therapy to running to going to see her favourite boy band live in concert, she encourages the reader that the world around us is full of ways to tackle our hardest days and find our own way to move forward.
Despite the detailing of many difficult life experiences, this entire book is also infused with such hope and joy, gratitude and humility. Barber writes in such an honest and relatable way, with language so clear and accessible, that the reader feels a nearly tangible connection to her. Even more so than her character of Kimmy Gibbler, Barber seems to be the “girl next door,” a solid friend and human being, even the type of woman you’d want to sit down with for a cup of coffee and a nice long chat. I myself identified with so much of what Barber shared in this book, as so many readers are likely to – Her introverted nature, her tendency to want to please others and not rock the boat, as well as her anxiety and depression. How she majored in English literature and prefers writing as opposed to live interviews, as it allows for the opportunity to reflect and craft thoughtful responses. Her lifelong fandom of New Kids on the Block and how she grew up just like the rest of us watching popular shows like Beverly Hills, 90210. That is the wonderful thing about a well-written memoir … it gives the reader the opportunity to find themselves in the narrative, to feel heard and validated for their feelings and experiences.
If you are looking for a gift for a nonfiction lover in your life,perhaps someone who grew up watching Full House or someone who is passionate about mental health issues, I definitely recommend Full Circle!
Full Circle is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers. Many thanks to Kensington Books for gifting me a lovely signed copy of this incredible memoir. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Andrea Barber is best known for her role on the sitcom Full House as Kimmy Gibbler, the best friend of D.J. Tanner, which she played from 1987 to 1995. After Full House ended, Barber retired from acting and started focusing on her personal life. In the years since, she has become an advocate for mental health awareness and an avid runner. In 2016 she literally found her way back to the Tanner family home in the spinoff series Fuller House, the #1 family show on Netflix, and continued to make millions laugh as our favorite zany next door neighbor.
Will you be picking up Full Circle? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
“She grew up in front of the world on the beloved sitcom Full House, but then actress Andrea Barber abruptly left Hollywood. Why did she leave and what did she do for twenty years out of the spotlight before returning to television? This is her funny and inspiring memoir of fame, heartache, resilience–and the reboot of a lifetime . . .
When Kimmy Gibbler burst into the Tanners’ home on Full House in 1987, audiences immediately connected with the confident and quirky pre-teen character, played by ten-year-old actress Andrea Barber. During an eight-season run on one of the most popular series of the ’80s and ’90s, Andrea came of age in front of millions. But she was as far removed from her character as a girl can get. The introverted young star was plagued with self-doubt, insecurities, and debilitating anxieties that left her questioning her identity after the show’s cancelation. Andrea wouldn’t return to the public eye until 2016, for Fuller House. So what happened in those intervening decades that Andrea jokingly calls “the lost years”?
For starters, Andrea never stopped working. But it was on a series of life-changing transitions: earning a college degree, then a Master’s, building a career in international education, getting married, and starting a family. She also faced some unforeseeable transitions: navigating a sudden divorce after nearly twelve years of marriage, and second-guessing her capabilities as a single mother. But it was her devastating bout with post-partum anxiety and depression that derailed Andrea’s life–and became a crucial turning point.
Full Circle is a raw, refreshingly honest look into the life of a celebrity who has never been fully comfortable in the spotlight. Here Andrea shares her deeply personal struggles with mental health in a way she has never done before. She opens up about fighting her way back and finding solace–while finding herself–all before her life came full circle with her costars and lifelong friends on Fuller House. Sharing her journey from child star, to champion of mental health, and back to stardom, Andrea writes in a way that feels like catching up with an old friend.
You’ll laugh, reminisce, and finally get to know the woman behind the zany next door neighbor.
