Title: Wishful Drinking

By: Carrie Fisher   

ISBN: 9781439102251

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. “But it isn’t all sweetness and light sabres.” Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace hairdo), Carrie also spends her free time battling addiction, weathering the wild ride of manic depression and lounging around various mental institutions. It’s an incredible tale—from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, to marrying (and divorcing) Paul Simon, from having the father of her daughter leave her for a man, to ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed. (Goodreads)

Review:

Wishful Drinking, written by Carrie Fisher, is her story, and what a story it is. I first met Carrie as many did… “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….” back in 1977 when Star Wars first came to theaters. As an impressionable teen – I became fully entranced in the story. And by virtue of this I loved some of the main characters (Princess Leia – Carrie Fisher and Luke Skywalker – Mark Hamill). 

What I learnt from Wishful Drinking was what a hard and complex life Carrie led (some of it her own making – substance abuse and some a result of mental illness). Now I do know that growing up in Hollywood can be a challenging feat where not everyone gets through in one piece. I don’t envy anyone growing up under the star microscope!

I found some of her anecdotes infused with humor interesting and provided a way of handling some very difficult issues. It is shameful that such an interesting person spent so much of her life battling addiction and mental illness. 

Fisher adds as an opening disclaimer that she underwent electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) and that she may not remember all the particular details (or even broad strokes) of certain things that happened in her life. When I read that – I was saddened to know that our medical practices still allowed that type of therapy.

I found the book interesting and gave me more perspective on the life that Carrie Fisher led – and what a life it was. There were also some great one-liners. I will most definitely be picking up other titles by Ms. Fisher, notably “Shockaholic”.