Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Wishful Drinking
Book Review: Easy on the eyes and soft on the heart...a wonderful book from a wise and truly brilliant comic --
Summary: 5 Stars
Where Terri Cheney describes in her book -- Manic: A Memoir -- her depression, electroshock therapy and use of prescription drugs and alcohol in a serious, heartbreaking manner, Carrie Fisher's book -- Wishful Drinking -- recounts many similar experiences from more of a "been-there, done-that" survivor's perspective.
Fisher's inside stories of being the daughter of glamour couple Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, her marriage to folk-rock icon Paul Simon, being Princess Leia of Star Wars fame, learning that her husband and father of her daughter is gay, and dealing with being manic-depressive, bipolar and drug issues, is told in an honest, straight-forward and hilarious manner.
We've all -- whether we live in Kansas or Beverly Hills -- had weird, strange disasters to befall us. It's just part of being human. And, while the event may seem like the end of the world to us at the time they occur, years later they become just another funny story we tell to our best friends to share a laugh with. This is that sort of book, only Carrie Fisher has had more weird, strange events happen to her than most of the rest of us would in five lifetimes!
I loved the feeling of being privy to know what it's like to grow up in Beverly Hills, to learn what she thought of having such wealthy and famous parents. To hear the inside-stories of her father, ex-husband and George Lucas' owning her image from Star Wars' to make money off pez despensers, posters and a wide variety of other odds and ends.
At some point, a lot of us who deal with trying to live in such a crazy world decide to either give up and be angry at life forever, or -- and it's a choice I admire and believe in myself -- we just squeeze the lemons in our life dry, add sugar (and more than a bit of humor) and make lemonade. Bravo Carrie ! Good job, great lemonade !
R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University
Book Review: Editor, please!
Summary: 2 Stars
I love Carrie Fisher, and think she is one of the wittiest people alive, but this book reads like a collection of chapter drafts that nobody bothered to edit. The first two chapters cover almost identical material, with some of the same witty asides, even. It's like she wrote chapter 1, then lost it, wrote it again, found the first draft, and then decided to just use them as chapters 1 and 2 -- there, almost halfway done!
The font is huge, and the content is probably more like 40 pages worth if it had been in normal font -- this would have been better as a long magazine article.
The cover is perhaps the most promising part of the book. As others have said, her stage show is probably hysterical -- with inflection and all. Much like David Sedaris books--it's funnier in the author's voice -- heard spoken out loud.
Disappointing, especially since she is capable of so much more.
Book Review: Entertaining glimpse into Hollywood
Summary: 4 Stars
if you've got time to kill, this book is a hilarious first-hand account of "Hollywood royalty". I admire Carrie Fisher's wit and intelligence and hope the second half of her life is full of the substance and meaning she deserves.Book Review: Fisher is hilarious again!
Summary: 5 Stars
I think Carrie Fisher is one of the funniest people on earth and this book doesn't change that opinion. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book and that takes a bit of doing for me. Just the cover alone gives you an idea of what to expect inside. It has always been apparent to me that Fisher's other books have been fairly autobiographical, despite her claims to the contrary, but this one she admits is actually her life. Given everything she talks about in the book, it is a blessing that she has such a resilient sense of humor. As I read every page, I could hear her voice speaking every word, her sarcasm so present. So much so, that after I read the book, I treated myself to the audio version as well just to hear her tell it with her own voice. If the book wasn't written with such a humorous, self-deprecating view, it would be blindingly sad. I am roughly her age, so maybe I relate to people and situations like hers because I know of so many others who have experienced similar ones, minus the Hollywood setting. However, not all of the situations familiar to me have been experienced by only one person! Read this and share it with all your friends. They'll thank you.Book Review: Fisher never disappoints.
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been a huge Carrie Fisher fan for years, even listing her as my "favorite suthor" several years ago for my class reunion informational booklet. She's witty, insightful, and inspires me with her ability to utilize her fantastic sense of humor when life seems far from funny. Her relationships with her mother and daughter are also an inspiration, especially during an era when so many people blame their parents for every bump in the road. Carrie, you never disappoint!