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Earth to Moon

A Memoir

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Earth to Moon

By: Moon Unit Zappa
Narrated by: Moon Unit Zappa
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About this listen

 The saying goes that "God only gives you what you can handle." Well God didn't grow up in my atheist, Wiccan, fame-laden, oversexed, teetotalling, drug-free, cloistered, chaotic, non-communicative, workaholic, feral-feeling house.'

For Moon Unit, daughter of musician Frank Zappa and his 'manager', Gail, processing a life so unique, so punctuated by the whims of creative urges, the tastes of popular culture and the calculus of celebrity, has at times been eviscerating. But it is her deep sense of humour and unshakeable humility that keeps her - and this memoir - pinned to the ground.

A child-star at age 14 after her accidental international hit single (recorded with her father), 'Valley Girl', turned her into a reluctant celebrity, Moon Unit Zappa's life has been utterly extraordinary from her birth in 1967 into a family that was already blessed/cursed as music royalty thanks to the acknowledged genius of Frank. But what are the consequences of growing up in a family who spend most of their time naked arguing about sexual/extra-marital liaisons and practising white magic in a free-for-all state of nonconformist, virtuoso abandon?

Earth to Moon is a reckoning with self-esteem, the ghosts of the past and a mother and a father who, in the process of leaving their mark upon on the world, scarred their first daughter on home soil. Brutally self-deprecating and funny as hell, it belies a rose-tinted perspective on the 70s and 80s west coast American scene, from within the belly of the beast of the rock and roll world.©2024 Moon Unit Zappa Entertainment & Celebrities Relationships Women Funny Celebrity Witchcraft Magic Comedy

Critic reviews

This is a wonderful book: lyrical, moving and funny
Moon . . . is a sublime writer who dips her pen in Nora Ephron's ink
Even if you're no Zappa fan, this is a funny and, yes, Frank, look at how selfish rock stars harm their kids
Engrossing
Earth to Moon makes for engaging and charitable company
Very funny
Gripping, hilarious and often mesmerising, this warts and all account of bohemian family life shines a light on the damaging effects of fame in the golden age of the counterculture (ADELLE STRIPE)
Will uplift you, inspire you and blow your mind (PAMELA DES BARRES)
Anyone how has ever felt lost, weird, confused, disempowered, underutilised, horny, dismissed, then spoke up and took the high road will love this book as much as I do (KYLE RICHARDS)
With unflinching detail and sharp, witty prose, Moon captures both the specificity and universality of an aloneness that comes from being raised by narcissists (ARIEL LEVE)
Rich with detail, this excellent book does not let you escape the feeling of being there and experiencing that life for yourself (JUSTINE BATEMAN)
Every family is locked into its own form of dysfunction - but Earth to Moon is written with so much authenticity you cannot help but feel connected (ROSANNA ARQUETTE)
All stars
Most relevant
An extraordinary journey through a complex landscape of unusual family relationships dictated by Frank’s genius. Outstanding narration by Moon Unit Zappa takes the listener into the guts of this saga but she becomes the star not the bit player.

This is full Moon in every phase.

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I wasn't sure if Moon was an entitled nepo baby or an abuse survivor but either way this book is an incredible listen

Engaging

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a raw and honest memoir, very moving and entertaining, it challenges our concept of fame and the price paid by those caught in the wake of single-minded commitment

superb

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You feel for Moon. It’s a hard listen. One thing. I’m never buying a Frank Zappa CD again.

Frank and Gail were terrible parents.

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Since the latter years of the 1960s, this reader has been a great admirer of the works of Frank Zappa's extraordinary music. This is an autobiographical account by Moon Unit Zappa of growing up as eldest child in a dysfunctional marriage. With a musical genius father, totally dedicated to his work (though not addicted to drugs as were so many musicians of his era) and largely emotionally absent from contact with his family and Moon's demanding mother who seems to have been unable to see anyone, even her children, as having any rights or self motivation other than the famous husband she was determined to keep as hers alone. She was so disturbed in her attitudes it is remarkable the Moon Zappa managed to survive into adulthood relatively undamaged. If, of course, she did.

Interesting, disturbing and at times with attitudes difficult comprehend, there is real emotion tied up in Moon's distress, this book feels almost fictional at times although occasional snippets garnered from newspaper stories tends to support her distress.

This reader also partially read the book in paperback format, but the audiobook, read by the author herself, is definitely the best format : the emotion sings in the latter part of the her reading, greatly adding to the veracity of her words.

Good luck in the future, Moon Unit Zappa

Don't think about it."

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