The real, untold, and unvarnished story of life inside the legendary Playboy Mansion-and the man who holds the key-from the woman who was Hef’s #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next Door.
A spontaneous decision at age twenty-one transformed small-town Oregon girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s #1 girlfriend. But like Alice in Wonderland after she plunged down the rabbit hole, what seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion-including A-list celebrity parties and her own #1-rated television show-quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies. Losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide.
But instead of ending her life, Holly chose to take charge of it.
In this shockingly candid and surprisingly moving memoir, this thoughtful and introspective woman opens up about life inside the Mansion, the drugs, the sex and the infamous parties, as well as what her relationships with her Girls Next Door co-stars, Bridget and Kendra were really like. Holly talks candidly about a subsequent abusive relationship, her own successful television series, and the hard work of healing, including her turn on Dancing with the Stars. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, Down the Rabbit Hole reminds us of the importance of fighting for our dreams-and finding the life we deserve.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Imprint: Dey Street US
Publication date: 10/05/2016
Down The Rabbit Hole
by Holly Madison
Review by Alex
I've loved Holly Madison since I was a kid. At ten years old, I was flipping through Sky TV and stumbled across her face on the infamous show "The Girls Next Door". I thought she was the most amazing woman I had ever seen, and tuned in whenever I could just to listen to her talk. She felt like the warm big sister I secretly wished I had, and seeing her on my screen felt like seeing a distant family member. The way some people feel about Marilyn Monroe is the way I felt about Holly Madison. Obviously, I was far too young to be watching that show, and when my parents found out they immediately locked behind a password. Ten year old me was very disappointed. But I never forgot about the warm eyed lady that made me feel safe.
This book felt like truly getting to know that distant big sister. Only this time it seemed like I was finally old enough to understand what she actually was going through. Behind the glitzy smile seen around the world was a woman who was treated worse than the dogs who pissed on the infamous mansion steps. Not a blonde bombshell gold digger, but a young, autistic victim of a serial rapist and wife abuser. One who had been victimising the vulnerable young women and teenagers who crossed the threshold of his prison for the better part of a century. It's a story of survival. Of escape. Of self reliance. But it doesn't come across like one. There is no epic saga or dramatic retellings of incidents. No slating of the people who mistreated and failed her, the people who used her for their own profit. Instead, she tells her story in the most 'Holly' way I can imagine. As if you're just catching up with your big sister.
