Book Review: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

    Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

    I want to begin this review by saying that I am a great admirer of Carrie Fisher (and not in the merry band of stalkers way...I just want to clarify this). I have seen her struggle for many years in the media with various issues, including drug addiction and alcoholism. She has never hidden who she was, or who she had become due to her addictions. And recently with Star Wars the Force Awakens thrusting her back into the limelight, she has continued to remain as real as possible. As we all cope with the fact that this daring woman is no longer with us, we have her words (and voice on her audiobooks) to continue her message of hope, determination, and strength.

  I decided to learn more about Carrie and her world by reading her memoirs. The first book I was recommended was Wishful Drinking. I was told that it was a humorous and unapologetic journey through Carrie's life. This appealed to me, because in the past celebrity biographies have always smoothed over the truth. This promised never to do that. 

  Wishful Drinking is based on Carrie's one woman show about her life that debuted in 2006 and running through 2010. It was later turned into an HBO special that most of us have either heard of or have seen. This book takes some of the best material from the stage production, peppers in some family photos, and delivers lovingly-sarcastic sentences that make this one hundred and sixty one page book uproariously funny. 

  I usually fear that any biographical material, whether written by a third party or by the celebrity, will be filled with half-truths and glossed-over events. This is not what I was given when I began reading Fisher's memoir. It seems that Carrie felt that the truth was freeing, and that to better understand what she has gone through she would tell it like it is. From the early days of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher's marriage to Star Wars to the birth of her daughter, Carrie Fisher never once tries to B.S. us with any details. She is forward, honest, and refreshingly uncensored with her narrative. Her writing is amazing, and she pulled me into her world effortlessly. 

  I decided to unwind after work with a hot tea and my feet in a hot foot bath. I picked up Wishful Drinking and began to read.  After about two hours, the tea was gone, I had to pee, and the water surrounding my feet was ice cold. I was so engrossed in this book I did not budge, or even acknowledge the time that had passed. I laughed out loud many times, and appreciated the honesty in which this book was written.

  I came out of reading Wishful Drinking feeling that anything is possible. That no matter how hard your life may seem, there is always a chance that things will change. Carrie's road was a hard one, but she fought to live. She demonstrates her strength by writing this book. And she showed us the life of an addict using the voice of a survivor. The audio book narrated by Carrie Fisher is a wonderful companion to this book. Her narration was the best I have heard in a while for an audio production.

  If you are looking for a memoir written honestly by a celebrity with a wicked sense of humor, then pick this book up immediately. I gave Wishful Drinking five out of five stars. 
  
Proper Copper Coffee Pot!

Because there is always time to read,
   Xepherus3 

At Twitter at: https://twitter.com/XepherusStudios

At Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/XepherusStudios

At Goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11975160-xepherus3

All written content and Top logo (c) Copyright 2015 by Thomas Bahr II
Book cover (c) by the author and/ or publisher