The Great Peace

A Memoir

By: Mena Suvari

Narrated by: Mena Suvari

A memoir by award-winning actor Mena Suvari, best-known forher iconic roles in American Beauty, American Pie, and Six Feet Under.

The Great Peace is a harrowing, heartbreaking coming-of-age story set in Hollywood, in which young teenage model-turned-actor Mena Suvari lost herself to sex, drugs and bad, often abusive relationships even as blockbuster movies made her famous. It's about growing up in the 90s, with a soundtrack ranging from The Doors to Deee-Lite, fashion from denim to day-glo, and a woman dealing with the lasting psychological scars of abuse, yet knowing deep inside she desires so much more from life.

Within these vulnerable pages, Mena not only reveals her own mistakes, but also the lessons she learned and her efforts to understand and grow rather than casting blame. As such, she makes this a timeless story of girl empowerment and redemption, of somebody using their voice to rediscover their past, seek redemption, and to understand their mistakes, and ultimately come to terms with their power as an individual to find a way and a will to live—and thrive. Poignant, intimate, and powerful, this book will resonate with anyone who has found themselves lost in the darkness, thinking there's no way out. Ultimately, Mena's story proves that, no matter how hopeless it may seem, there's always a light at the end.

Entertaining

It’s a good story. She is a likable character. She’s a celebrity with problems…… that’s the story but it’s well told.

Very honest and helpful!

I really appreciate Mena's honest story about her life. It helps to know many women have experienced the same struggles. Together we are stronger.

The story

Mena Suvari is a wonderful story teller. I felt her emotions throughout her journey. This was a great story about life and perseverance.

Intense and hopeful but misogynistic :-(

Ok. So I’ve lived through many of the same experiences and I must first say that I’m really happy she came out alive. The story is well written, her performance is emotional but very clear and it’s an intense narrative of her life that I appreciate her courageously sharing. My problem really comes from the way she portrays many of the things that happened to her as just wrong, disgusting and immoral in all situations, not just when done without consent (which is obviously NOT ok for anyone to do to another person). It’s quite discouraging to read that viewpoint when, in reality and done consensually, using toys, having threesomes, etc is completely normal and acceptable. I, more than anything, hope she continues to work on herself to address the internalized misogyny to which she is still clinging. I am 100% against anything nonconsensual but this whole demonizing narrative comes across as sl*t shaming and really not ok at all. The way she speaks about other women is very yikes and reeks of her lingering confidence issues. Nothing screams “I’m insecure and uncomfortable with feminine sexuality and confidence” louder than saying stuff like “some woman” “a fckin STRIPPER” “big breasted girl” about various women you feel threatened by and predominantly identifying women by their physical appearance while describing men by their personality traits. Big yikes from a feminist perspective. Please keep working on yourself, my friend. <3

Sad and heartbreaking but peace in the end

Mena’s story is really really sad. I found myself just in disbelief by some of her stories and knowing they are her truth is horrifying. Hollywood is not all it’s cracked up to be. I’m glad she found her peace and her son is adorable.