By Sutton Foster
From the 2-time Tony Award-winner and the star of TV’s Younger, funny and intimate stories and reflections about how crafting has kept her sane while navigating the highs and lows of family, love, and show business (and how it can help you, too).
Whether she’s playing an “age-defying” book editor on television or dazzling audiences on the Broadway stage, Sutton Foster manages to make it all look easy. How? Crafting. From the moment she picked up a cross stitch needle to escape the bullying chorus girls in her early performing days, she was hooked. Cross stitching led to crocheting, crocheting led to collages, which led to drawing, and so much more. Channeling her emotions into her creations centered Sutton as she navigated the significant moments in her life and gave her tangible reminders of her experiences.
Now, in this charming and poignant collection, Sutton shares those moments, including her fraught relationship with her agoraphobic mother; a painful divorce splashed on the pages of the tabloids; her struggles with fertility; the thrills she found on the stage during hit plays like Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, and Violet; her breakout TV role in Younger; and the joy of adopting her daughter, Emily. Accompanying the stories, Sutton has included crochet patterns, recipes, and so much more!
Witty and poignant, Hooked will leave readers entertained as well as inspire them to pick up their own cross stitch needles and paintbrushes.
Reviews:
"In those moments when she knitted or stitched, Foster was free from the worry of the world's judgment; she could relax, or celebrate or mourn her mother as she was doing. And isn't that why many of us get into D.I.Y. projects? It's that combination of escape and productivity and doing for others that Foster captures so well." ― New York Times Book Review
"With humor and candor, Foster chronicles her life's challenges -- including infertility and painful family ties -- and how the soothing outlet of crafting helped her surmount them all." ― People
"[A] charming memoir imbued with crafting projects, recipes and more. . . Fans of “Younger” will find Foster just as endearing as her character, Liza." ― CNN
"Stage, screen, and cabaret star Foster dazzles with this deeply personal debut told largely through crafts ranging from baby blankets to bonbon recipes. . . [B]rutally honest and deeply empathetic. . . Those struggling with mental health or family problems will find this incredibly moving." ― Publishers Weekly
“While filming the last season of Younger, I had the honor of witnessing Sutton’s writing process and watching her crack herself open to share the monumental moments in her life. She is talented beyond belief, a comfy home cook, a wonderful friend, and now a crafting and crochet teacher to all. Just like the rest of us, Sutton’s journey is beautiful and complicated, an intricate pattern woven one thread at a time. Be prepared to get hooked.” ― Hilary Duff
"I have been a superfan of Sutton Foster ever since I watched her demolish the stage as the "Star to Be" in Annie but, after reading Hooked I feel like I finally met her. I will watch all of her future roles through a different lens because with this book she filled in the blanks and left this adoring audience member fully satisfied. I had no idea Sutton's beauty was informed by such early heartbreak and I am grateful to have her example of resilience as a guiding light. And, shoot, it looks like I have to bust out the yarn after all." ― Jennifer Garner
“Hooked is an inspiring memoir about overcoming fear, finding true love, and the healing power of art.” ― Lauren Graham
"This book is much like Sutton herself. Warm, honest, funny, probably very helpful to those that actually wish to pick up the glue-gun, basically its own unique thing. So as someone who has gone from fan to friend to semi-stalker I highly recommend you find a great chair and spend some time in Sutton Foster’s weird, wonderful world. You’ll certainly love her stories. You might even cry a little. Or at the very least maybe you’ll come out of it with a great scarf. Merry Christmas." ― Amy Sherman-Palladino
"Sutton’s strength really lies in her bold, strong voice — the singing one and the one on the page." ― GMA.com
"[D]espite her insistence that she feels "as passionate about crafting as I am about singing, dancing, and acting," Foster's deep love for live performance comes through on every page of this heartfelt memoir." ― Theatermania
Sutton Foster. Grand Central, $15 (256p) ISBN 978-1538734285