The Facts of Life, an American television situation comedy, broadcast on NBC for nearly nine years, making the series one of the longest-running of the 1980s. Edna Garrett, played by Charlotte Rae, served as mother hen at an all-female boarding school, yet no one knew that Charlotte’s personal story of triumph over tragedy spanned more twists and turns than any screenwriter could ever imagine.

Charlotte Rae’s career spans more than seventy years, from the Golden Age of television to Shakespeare in the Park, the New York Cabaret scene of the late 1940s and 1950s to her hit series, The Facts of Life, and well beyond.

Off stage and screen, Charlotte’s life has been one of joy and challenge, raising an autistic son, coming to terms with alcoholism, the heartache of a broken marriage, the revelation of a gay husband, and the sudden challenge of facing middle age with financial and emotional uncertainties—a crisis she ultimately turned into the determination that brought her stardom.

The Facts of My Life is the first opportunity for Charlotte’s fans to explore the fascinating story of her extraordinary life: poignant and hilarious, a story of courage and triumph, one that speaks for a generation of women breaking barriers, taking on challenges, overcoming personal tragedy, and paving the way for others.

“It’s about time a book came out about one of the most talented and beloved performers in the American theater. Charlotte is the consummate actress, comedienne, and entertainer. Her work on stage and screen is always hilarious and somehow also gets you right in the gut. Her story is every bit as brilliant. Read it and smile.” –Carl Reiner, producer, director, and actor

“To think of Charlotte Rae is to smile. Consequently, when I began to read The Facts of My Life, I was unprepared for the emotional impact it would have on me. By the time I finished the first chapter, dealing as it does with her severely troubled son Andy, I was in tears. As an old friend of Charlotte’s, I thought I knew her fairly well, but as I read on, I discovered that the ‘facts of her life’ were constantly surprising, (as well as amusing and engrossing)! –Sheldon Harnick, composer of Fiddler on the Roof