Overview

WINNER of the 2021 Los Angeles Book Festival Wild Card WINNER of the 2021 New York Book Festival Wild Card WINNER Booklife Quarter Finalist ""A spectacularly written memoir about the impact of cycles of abuse and dependence, Samantha Hart's Blind Pony is an intelligent exploration of both runaway teenage years and the ephemeral nature of truth."" BookLife Quarter Finalist ""BLIND PONY is a memoir about overcoming-about facing up to and learning from one's past without being imprisoned by it."" - David Herman for IndieReader ""Hart's powerful debut, a gritty memoir rife with graphic details of abuse and triumph over it, will break hearts."" - Publisher's Weekly ""A spectacularly written memoir about the impact of cycles of abuse and dependence, Samantha Hart's Blind Pony is an intelligent exploration of both runaway teenage years and the ephemeral nature of truth."" - BookLife Prize The true story of a runaway teen who escapes an abusive home life only to find herself in predatory Los Angeles in the 1970's. After years of enduring her grandfather's abuse, 14-year-old Samantha Hart runs away from her Pennsylvania family farm in search of her estranged father in Arizona. After a troubling reunion, she flees to the promising lights of La-La Land. Desperate to forget the past, she immerses herself in a spectacle of drugs, decadence, and money in Hollywood. But when a wealthy playboy mistakes her Pittsburgh accent for British, a new spiral of white lies begin, and a new identity is born. Swept to Europe, Samantha floats through champagne parties, sexual adventures, and a whirlwind of international escapades. With a portfolio of nude photos under her arm, she is determined to make something of herself. Will her young, broken spirit find the strength to persevere, to survive the unsurvivable? Will she transcend the temptation to give up in a world that seems so set against her? BLIND PONY: AS TRUE A STORY AS I CAN TELL is the tale of one young woman's unwillingness to accept the circumstances life dealt her, and instead, takes the reins to find success beyond her wildest dreams.

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9781648710100

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Reviews

Hart's powerful debut, a gritty memoir rife with graphic details of abuse and triumph over it, will break hearts. Hart, born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, was sexually abused by her maternal grandfather. Finally no longer able to tolerate the abuse, 14-year-old Hart ran away to Phoenix to live with her father, Wild Bill. Far from a safe harbor, Hart soon learned that Bill was as deeply flawed as other members of her family. Showing an impressive amount of moxie, she landed a series of jobs and pulled up stakes to move to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Times remained tough-an abusive lover caused her to have a miscarriage, and two marriages ended-but there were joyful moments too, especially the birth of her daughter, Vignette. Readers will be flabbergasted by Hart's tenacious survival instincts. From the cradle, the cards were against her; disturbingly and spitefully, her mother named her Pam after her father's mistress, and her vindictive father put sugar in her gas tank to foil her move to Los Angeles. But despite being dealt a losing hand in the parental game, she quickly sized up what she needed to do to survive, including selling softcore porn to European magazines and pretending to be old enough to waitress in restaurants serving alcoholic beverages. A lesser spirit would have given up early on, but Hart admirably soldiered forward. Hart's incredible resilience and courage will captivate anyone who reads her words. Her rise to top roles in the advertising game and in Hollywood is nothing short of an amazing reinvention, and her perseverance eventually led to a life-changing friendship and new love. Unforgettable and raw, Hart's deeply honest musings will ring true to all abuse survivors and those who want to understand what it's like to walk through fire. Takeaway: Hart's frank narrative of surviving domestic abuse may be rough going for her fellow survivors, but it will awe anyone seeking a memoir of determined self-invention. Great for fans of Mackenzie Phillips's High on Arrival, Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle, Dorothy Allison's Bastard out of Carolina. - --Publisher's Weekly/Book Life A harrowing and engrossing account of a young woman's difficult journey. Hart is a gifted storyteller, and sometimes these engaging tales of traveling the world and mingling with the rich and famous seem like something out of a celebrity biopic. The book is ultimately inspirational... - Kirkus Review Samantha Hart's memoir BLIND PONY features polished, fluent writing and offers a gripping account of how she overcame a traumatic childhood and difficult young adulthood to establish a secure and loving home for her daughter. The narrative ends just as Hart achieves personal and financial independence...Fundamentally, however, BLIND PONY is a memoir about overcoming-about facing up to and learning from one's past without being imprisoned by it. - David Herman for IndieReader A powerful coming of age story under impossible circumstances, Samantha Hart writes movingly of finding her strength through rebellion, recovery, forgiveness, and moving forward. Jill Watts/Bestselling Author/Professor of Graduate Studies, CSU Sam's writing is exquisite and made me feel I was living this journey with her...I laughed out loud more than once. Ann Haugen/Music Producer

Hart's powerful debut, a gritty memoir rife with graphic details of abuse and triumph over it, will break hearts. Hart, born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, was sexually abused by her maternal grandfather. Finally no longer able to tolerate the abuse, 14-year-old Hart ran away to Phoenix to live with her father, Wild Bill. Far from a safe harbor, Hart soon learned that Bill was as deeply flawed as other members of her family. Showing an impressive amount of moxie, she landed a series of jobs and pulled up stakes to move to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Times remained tough-an abusive lover caused her to have a miscarriage, and two marriages ended-but there were joyful moments too, especially the birth of her daughter, Vignette. Readers will be flabbergasted by Hart's tenacious survival instincts. From the cradle, the cards were against her; disturbingly and spitefully, her mother named her Pam after her father's mistress, and her vindictive father put sugar in her gas tank to foil her move to Los Angeles. But despite being dealt a losing hand in the parental game, she quickly sized up what she needed to do to survive, including selling softcore porn to European magazines and pretending to be old enough to waitress in restaurants serving alcoholic beverages. A lesser spirit would have given up early on, but Hart admirably soldiered forward. Hart's incredible resilience and courage will captivate anyone who reads her words. Her rise to top roles in the advertising game and in Hollywood is nothing short of an amazing reinvention, and her perseverance eventually led to a life-changing friendship and new love. Unforgettable and raw, Hart's deeply honest musings will ring true to all abuse survivors and those who want to understand what it's like to walk through fire. Takeaway: Hart's frank narrative of surviving domestic abuse may be rough going for her fellow survivors, but it will awe anyone seeking a memoir of determined self-invention. Great for fans of Mackenzie Phillips's High on Arrival, Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle, Dorothy Allison's Bastard out of Carolina. A powerful coming of age story under impossible circumstances, Samantha Hart writes movingly of finding her strength through rebellion, recovery, forgiveness, and moving forward. Jill Watts/Bestselling Author/Professor of Graduate Studies, CSU Sam's writing is exquisite and made me feel I was living this journey with her...I laughed out loud more than once. Ann Haugen/Music Producer

Author Information

.Samantha Hart found her calling in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, holding numerous high profile positions in music, film, and advertising, as a senior creative executive. She has won awards for creative direction, copywriting, and design.She lives in Los Angeles.

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