While I’m not one to take on memoirs a whole lot, I had to read Take Me Home From the Oscars by Christine Schwab. Her resume includes a massive list of beauty and fashion jobs, working with television shows such as Live with Regis & Kelly, Oprah!, and The Today Show. She has attended all the big name award shows: The Golden Globes, Oscars, Emmys, dined with celebrities, met Presidents- but for many years, Schwab kept a secret tightly under wraps. She was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. In a world where beauty is everything, she felt as though she couldn’t confess her disease to anyone, for fear of the backlash that would head her way.
Take Me Home From the Oscars kicks off with Christine having to do just that- be taken home from the Oscars. The effects from RA were too much to bear that night, and her ever faithful and supporting husband calmly led his wife away from the glamorous world of celebrities, back to their home where Christine could find a little comfort from her ever-aching body. The tale that Schwab tells, with strength and conviction that will leave you in tears, is one that enchanted me from the beginning. You travel with Christine through her highs and lows with the disease––to where she thought she could control it to the out of control moments, to the drug trials and countless pills and procedures that she endured, and finally, to the remission and her new work in being a spokesperson for the National Arthritis Foundation. And all of this while trying to hide her RA from her public persona, to fool everyone into thinking that sneakers were trendy and lace gloves were all the rage, only to have them hiding the effects of her disease. This book really was inspiring, and I suggest everyone pick up a copy for themselves- to learn, to be informed, and to read a great tale of triumph. And chick lit lovers- you will be a fan of all the behind the scene tidbits Schwab drops from being a veteran in the Hollywood scene!
[Rating: 4.5]
