Carrie Fisher

Fisher comes clean (well, sort of) with the crazy truth that is her life, in her first-ever memoir.

Wishful drinking

Carmen Malca

The bestselling author of Postcards from the Edge comes clean (well, sort of) in her first-ever memoir, adapted from her one-woman Broadway hit show. Fisher reveals what it was really like to grow up a product of “Hollywood in-breeding,” come of age on the set of a little movie called Star Wars, and become a cultural icon and bestselling action figure at the age of nineteen. Intimate, hilarious, and sobering, Wishful Drinking is Fisher, looking at her life as she best remembers it (what do you expect after electroshock therapy?). It’s an incredible tale: the child of Hollywood royalty—Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher—homewrecked by Elizabeth Taylor, marrying (then divorcing, then dating) Paul Simon, having her likeness merchandized on everything from Princess Leia shampoo to PEZ dispensers, learning the father of her daughter forgot to tell her he was gay, and ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed. Wishful Drinking, the show, has been a runaway success. Entertainment Weekly declared it “drolly hysterical” and the Los Angeles Times called it a “Beverly Hills yard sale of juicy anecdotes.” This is Carrie Fisher at her best—revealing her worst. She tells her true and outrageous story of her bizarre reality with her inimitable wit, unabashed self-deprecation, and buoyant, infectious humor.

Wishful Drinking

RIP to the funniest woman alive and lowkey a modern hero. Excited to read more of her work 💫

Laurel 

From real-life Hollywood princess to Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher has lived a life beyond colorful. Daughter of a tabloid-rocked show business marriage, co-star of one of the world's most beloved blockbuster films at 19, married and divorced from a pop music icon, and in and out of rehab numerous times; Fisher has survived with odds-defying resilience and no small measure of sharp wit.

I’m obsessed with her she’s such an icon, this really made me laugh and it’s a bit all over the place but I like that about it

Laura Layden

Patrick Book

Rather entertaining! Brief, but interesting for someone who knew nothing about Fisher.

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 Warswhen 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 and weathering the wild ride of manic depression. It's an incredible tale - from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, to marrying (and divorcing) Paul Simon, and 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.

Laura Mauler

I just didn't love it. It was a collection of anecdotes and I was wanting stories. At least it was short.

A memoir based on the author's one-woman show describes growing up with celebrity parents, her early success in "Star Wars," battle with addiction and mental illness, turbulent romances, role as a single mother, and struggle for recovery and healing.

Nessa Luna

heleen de boever

Doubly enjoyable because of Carrie Fisher's impeccable narration of the audiobook

Izza

4 stars | "So by the end of this book you could be gay AND insane!"

Elda Mengisto

For the record, I didn't hear about Carrie Fisher until she had a heart attack and died last year. I later found out that she played Princess Leia in Star Wars, but as a non-Star Wars fan, as I never watched any of the movies, I wouldn't have known. But knowing that she was a writer of multiple books, I wanted to read them. This one focused on her life story, from growing up as the daughter of two famous performers to her mental struggles and meetings with shrinks. 

Her writing style was witty, filled with some quips which make it for easy reading. One of my favorites was when she goes, "...they get divorced...but they have good memories of one another, so what do they do then? They remarry, that's right." (39). The whirlwind cycle of Hollywood marriages which involved her parents, and eventually her, was made quite clear with that quote. 

There were also quite the endearing parts, from whenever she talks about how much she adores her daughter, to her hypothetical obituary where she wants "to be reported that she drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra" (88). However, I didn't get the laughs I thought I would--maybe it was better as a comedy sketch? Even though I like her writing style, some of it fell flat on the page, and could've been further brought to life.

Nevertheless, this was a good book, and I look forward to reading the rest of her work. (7.5/10)

Sam Missingham

Funny, open, honest and extremely poignant. Especially how much Carrie adored her mother.

Ashley J Brown

The first time I saw Carrie Fisher was as Princess Leia in Star Wars I had to be around ten and my dad was playing the movie. I remember instantly thinking this girl is a bad ass! I loved her from that moment on. A few years later on another Saturday morning when everyone else was sleeping my dad and I sat in the living room in our silent fashion and watched her HBO Wishful Drinking special. I laughed and laughed at things I probably shouldn't have understood but being beyond my years and my love for movies I knew who and what she was talking about. 

I didn't know this was a book until right before she died. So of course I didn't get to read it... or in this case listen to it until well after. It's beautiful yet heartbreaking to hear her talk about her mother and her daughter and of course her future death. But she kept me hooked wanted to hear all about her life and childhood of growing up with famous parents. I couldn't relate in that aspect of course but her struggle with her mental demons hit home. Someone so unlike myself had many of the same issues. 

Now I may not be a Star Wars fan I honestly haven't seen any of the new ones but Carrie fisher will always be one of my favorites. A true survivor.

Mirella Hetekivi

Shameera Nair Lin

She was clearly gifted as a writer, with a wicked sense of humour to boot. The content, however, works better as a one-person show. Still, I enjoyed reading this.

Robin M Cabana

I listened to this audiobook. Some parts were just hilarious. I loved Carrie Fisher's impression of her mother. But I felt like she was yelling at me through most of it.

Meghan Morris

I listened to this as an audio book and I think that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. 

if carrie fisher thought she wasn't good enough, what is left to say about the rest of us

Caroline Lewicki

Carrie Fisher is witty, hilarious, and honest. I listened to the audiobook and felt like I was having a conversation with a good friend. She laughs at her own jokes and this book is just so Carrie that I finished it fast. You won't be able to put it down.

Lauren Attaway

** spoiler alert **
           A brief peek behind the curtain of Carrie Fisher's life and a funny yet original portrayal of mental illness.

Cola

Probably one of the best memoirs out there. Coming up on 4 years sober and my therapist recommended I read it. And it was just absolutely perfect. Dark humor that caters to my outlook on life and sobriety. I needed this read. Such a shame we lost her too soon.

alice nunes

3.5, rounded up because I love Carrie

I was hoping I'd enjoy this more than The Princess Diarist, and in fact I did because I didn't find myself skimming as much, but I still feel a bit disappointed. I wish the book were longer and had more information! There were some great parts (the "drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra" bit was golden) and I found her musing about people who feel they should be happy all the time end up addicts very insightful--and it spoke to me on a personal level, so I have some shit I need to sort out about myself--but between these glimpses of brilliance were odd tangents and jokes that I feel didn't translate on the page as well as they would if she were delivering them in her act. I also found her references to death really sad, given what happened. I almost cried when she talked about her mother always asking her if she wanted her to leave certain things for her after she died. 

So, this book was a bit of a roller coaster to me, but I did enjoy it. Her writing is very easy and quick to read, and I love how much her personality and humor shines through.

Jessica Williamson

Very short audiobook. Only about 3 hours long.

Really enjoyed the tales of Carrie and her mom and you can clearly see how much the two loved one another. Also loved how you could feel Carrie's love for her daughter very clearly.

I will say as this is a written form of a stage production, I don't think this would read well as a book. It's great as an audiobook, but I think reading it, it wouldn't work right. So if you're interested, go the audiobook route!

Olivera Mitić

Potpuno neočekivana prva petica ove godine i možda (verovatno) najbolji tragi-humor na svetu.

Christina M Masters

Carrie Fisher is one of my favorite people of all time. I am still sort of in disbelief over the fact that it has been almost a year since she died and especially with the new Star Wars movie coming out, it may seem like she never left us. I listened to the audio book version so it was nice to hear her voice. It was funny and touching and just classic Carrie Fisher. My only real complaint about the books was that I wish it were longer. I have only watched part of the Wishful Drinking special she did (due to time, not b/c I wasn't enjoying it), so now I feel as if I need to go find that and watch the whole thing.

Wishful drinking

Reviews