Sally Field's Auto-biography "In Pieces" Reveals Childhood Sexual Abuse and Soaring Acting Career

Sally Field's candid revelation of years of sexual abuse by her step-father take front stage in her revealing auto-biography.  The roles of the cherubic all-American teen "Gidget" & the angelic (albeit moronic) "Flying Nun" mark the initial roles in her illustrious career.  They belie a tormented childhood of sexual abuse & self-loathing.  Sally professes a steadfast attachment to her mother "Baa."  Baa  divorced Sally's father when she & her older brother were toddlers.  Baa's 2nd husband entailed years of abuse marring Field's well-being.  These harsh pieces in her life are painful to read.  A climatic but restrained mother/daughter confrontation of the abuse comes towards the very end of Baa's life.  Field's auto "In Pieces" nay be cut into 3 factions; an abusive childhood & its pervasive aftermath, her young marriage and early motherhood of 2 sons,  and the passionate & circuitous path to honing her highly regarded acting craft.  She maintains acting sustained her lifeline.  The shame & rage from early childhood of abuse may be partially responsible for her submission to other men in positions of power.  Although Sally assesses at 28 she can't claim herself solely a victim.  The path of Sally's acting career is a testament to the commitment to her craft along with the support of other skilled actors and mentors. The "inside the actor studio" section is the central & most compelling portion in her auto-biography.  It offers insightful glimpses of what is required of aspiring & accomplished actors to achieve nobility in the demanding & elusive craft of acting.  "It was all of the those mindless, repetitive tasks I was forced to endure day after day, the getting up & doing every scene the best I could, over & over."  Sally's career was grounded for a long-time after 3 years floundering in a repetitive & unimaginative role.  It was here that a fellow actor steered her to acting classes where she worked arduously to develop her skills.  Delving into her major breakthrough roles as in "Sybil" and "Norma Rae" show an actress unleashing all the nuances of being human and possessing inner strength.   "The pressure of what people thought of me or didn't' think of me, who they wanted to be or didn't want me to be completely stopped."  Fields' remarkable career is a cornerstone to her life.  "In Pieces" is the culmination of Fields' life mired in the shame of abuse, the drudgery of coping as a young worn out mother and the mystifying qualities that make her an iconic actress.  This is not a kiss & tell auto-bio but her relationship to Burt Reynolds does feature in her story.  To fully appreciate Sally's awe-inspiring accomplishments & rousing life, there are grueling inseparable realities that comprise the pinnacle of a remarkable artist.