What is the main message of Inside Out?

The main message of Inside Out is to find the path to self-acceptance and inner strength.

How long does it take to read Inside Out?

Reading time for Inside Out varies. But reading the Blinkist summary is a quick way to get the key insights.

Is Inside Out a good book? Is it worth reading?

Inside Out is a compelling book that offers valuable insights into Demi Moore's life. It's definitely worth a read!

Who is the author of Inside Out?

The author of Inside Out is Demi Moore.

Biography & Memoir

Inside Out Book Summary - Inside Out Book explained in key points

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Inside Out summary

Name: Inside Out
Rating: 4.1 (59 reviews)
Author: Demi Moore

Demi Moore

A Memoir

4.1 (59 ratings)

21 mins

Brief summary

Inside Out by Demi Moore is a powerful memoir exploring her tumultuous life and career. She reveals the ups and downs of stardom, motherhood, and relationships, inspiring readers to embrace vulnerability and prioritize self-love.

Topics

Women's Stories Memoirs

Table of Contents

Inside Out
Summary of 8 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Dive deep into the story of a Hollywood movie star.

Demi Moore was one of the blockbuster stars of the 1980s and 90s, acting in films that touched the lives of millions of people. Wherever you were in 1990 – in the West, at least – it’s likely you’d have seen a poster advertising her film Ghost. And if you’ve ever seen a photograph of a pregnant celebrity unashamed to show her body – say, Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé Knowles – then you’re looking at something that Demi Moore did first in 1991, amidst great controversy.

But this is just the exterior. What about the inside story? What was it like to star in a cult 80s teen movie like St Elmo’s Fire? What was it like living in Hollywood as one of the famed “Brat Pack?” How did it feel being married to Bruce Willis? Or, more darkly, what was it like to fall off the rails, into alcoholism? To be pursued and denigrated by the tabloid media?

In these blinks, you’ll learn what’s going on inside the mind of a woman ready to give her side of the story now that the storms of triumph and failure have passed.

You’ll also find out

why a young German actress is responsible for Demi’s turn to acting;
which 80s teen movie changed her life; and
what kind of life Bruce Willis was living before he met her.

Demi Moore had a turbulent upbringing – marked by illness and her parents’ relationship – culminating in a dramatic crash.

Demi Moore was born on November 11 1962, to a family that never stopped moving.

In many ways, it was the classic American story – a scrappy working-class family struggling day to day and just about makings things work. Her dad, Dan, was a newspaper advertising salesman, whose work took him, Demi’s mother Ginny, and their new baby Demetria from town to town.

When Demi was five, she was diagnosed with something called kidney nephrosis, a life-threatening condition about which very little was known at the time. By the age of fourteen she’d mostly recovered, but the illness was to recur throughout her early life. It even interrupted her schooling, requiring her to miss valuable class time as she followed a special treatment routine. Occasionally, she’d suffer terrifying attacks which made her body swell up.

While her parents loved her, they were only kids themselves, inexperienced and prone to quarrelling. Her father was also a serial philanderer, and whenever her mother discovered one of his affairs, she insisted that they move house to get away from “the problem” – the other woman. The family moved often anyway because of Danny’s job, so what little hope they had of a settled family life was shattered each time he cheated. Demi’s early life was a blur of new beginnings and sudden endings, new homes, new schools and new friends.

Finally, this cycle of infidelity and flight caught up with Demi’s parents. One night, when Demi was eleven, she heard a commotion coming from her parents’ bedroom. She rushed in to see her mother thrashing around and her father holding her down. By the bedside, there was a vial of yellow pills. Her father screamed for Demi’s help, and before she knew it, she’d jammed her small hand into her mother’s mouth and was clawing out the pills she’d swallowed.

It was a terrifying experience for a little girl to have gone through. But the incident taught her a powerful lesson: her parents couldn’t be relied upon to care for her. Her father’s infidelity and her mother’s suicide attempt demonstrated to Demi that her parents weren’t a foundation she could count on – she’d have to find that elsewhere.

A dreadful incident finally brought home how alone Demi was in the world.

By the mid-seventies, Demi’s parents had spiralled out of control – they fought constantly, and were abusing lots of prescription medication. Eventually, they decided to separate. Ginny took Demi to live in an apartment in West Hollywood, while her father took her younger brother Morgan to live with him in Redondo Beach.

With the family split, Demi’s relationship with her mother changed a great deal. Rather than mother and daughter, they became much more like sisters. As Demi entered her early teens, her mother allowed her an irresponsible degree of freedom – there were, essentially, no boundaries. She was allowed to accompany her mom to bars, where her mom would grow increasingly drunk and flirt with men late into the night. Recalling how leering men would often stop and ask the two if they were sisters, Demi later suspected that her mom had used her as a kind of bait. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before something bad would happen.

A young German actress inspired Demi to take up acting.

While still living with her mother in California, Demi encountered a young woman who would have a profound impact on her life.

For a time after the family split, her mother rented an apartment in a complex with a large swimming pool. Demi would stand on her balcony and look down at the swimmers and sun-worshippers.

Demi met her first husband very early, then landed her first movie role.

When she was a teenager in California, Demi often went to see New Wave bands play. One night, she went to see The Kats. The singer, Freddy, with his mop of blond, stringy hair, had something about him, she thought. An intensity. She thought that if she could be with someone that magnetic, then maybe it would make her magnetic too.

She went to see the band a second time, then snuck backstage afterward to meet him. Soon they were in love, and though she was just 16 and he was 29, Demi moved in with him. Before long, she was accompanying The Kats on tour, in an old Chevy Suburban that pulled a little trailer with all their equipment.

Demi developed a serious addiction problem just as her career took off.

When Demi returned from Brazil and ended her marriage with Freddy, she entered a dark period. Although her life was full of the activity that came with growing success, she felt increasingly lonely.

So she did what many people do in situations like that: she turned to alcohol.

Two great defining moments in Demi’s life happened in the 80s: her marriage to Bruce Willis and her role in Ghost.

After St Elmo’s Fire, Demi went on to star in other 80s hits such as About Last Night and One Crazy Summer.

Her romantic life was eventful, too. After a brief engagement to fellow Brat Pack member Emilio Estevez, she met someone who’d mark another significant chapter in her life: up-and-coming star Bruce Willis. At the time, he’d assembled a gang of young actors around him, like Woody Harrelson and John Goodman. Together, they lived the fast life, cruising around Los Angeles and partying every night.

Demi Moore did two things which changed perceptions about the female body and gender.

As a young Hollywood actress in the 1980s, Demi experienced the various biases and assumptions that impacted women working in film. So, it was fitting that she would go on to make two major contributions to the discussion around women’s bodies and gender. The first came while she was pregnant with her second child, Scout.

Though her marriage was suffering something of an early wobble – Bruce was having second thoughts about long-term commitment – they conceived a second child. A while into the pregnancy, Demi was asked if she’d like to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair. She did a shoot with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, and in the end, Vanity Fair chose a photograph that Demi thought was just going to be a private keepsake – a nude, with one arm covering her breasts.

Demi’s relationship with Ashton Kutcher seemed like another chance at love after her split from Bruce Willis.

Demi and Bruce decided to divorce in October 2000. After thirteen years of marriage and three children, they felt that they had outgrown their relationship. It wasn’t until 2003 that she again met someone who she felt as powerfully drawn towards.

This was the twenty-five-year-old TV actor, Ashton Kutcher.

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What is Inside Out about?

Inside Out (2019) is a memoir by Hollywood actress Demi Moore. Here, she turns inward and reports from memory – from her troubled childhood and her rising fame as a member of the “Brat Pack” in the 1980s, to her marriages to Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher.

Inside Out Review

Inside Out (2019) by Demi Moore gives readers an intimate look into the actress's journey of self-discovery, resilience, and growth. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Packed with candid, personal stories, it offers a raw and honest portrayal of the highs and lows of Moore's life, from her childhood to Hollywood stardom.
Moore's vulnerability and self-reflection bring depth to the narrative, allowing readers to connect with her experiences on a profound level.
This memoir offers a unique glimpse into the complexities of fame, relationships, and self-acceptance, making it a fascinating and compelling read.

Best quote from Inside Out

St Elmos will always be the movie that changed my life.

—Demi Moore

Who should read Inside Out?

Pop-culture junkies who want to go behind the scenes of Hollywood history
Aspiring actors on the thorny path to stardom
Lifelong fans of Demi Moore

About the Author

Demi Moore is an actress, producer, director, and activist. She is best known for her roles in St Elmo’s Fire, Ghost, A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal, and G.I. Jane. She is also the co-founder of Thorn, a non-profit that creates technology to defend children from sexual abuse. She lives in Los Angeles and Hailey, Idaho.

Categories with Inside Out

Biography & Memoir

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