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Wishful Drinking: Carrie Fisher Paperback – 1 Jun. 2009
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‘No motive is pure. No one is good or bad – but a hearty mix of both. And sometimes life actually gives to you by taking away.' Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking
In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher told the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit.
Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play aprincess in a little movie calledStar 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 and weathering the wild ride of manic depression.
It's an incredible tale: from having Elizabeth Tayloras 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.
Carrie Fisher's star-studded career included roles in numerous films such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She was the author of four bestselling novels, Surrender in the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, The Best Awful and Postcards from the Edge, which was made into a hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep. Carrie's experience with addiction and mental illness – and her willingness to talk honestly about them – made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate. She was truly one of the most magical people to walk among us.
- Print length176 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSimon & Schuster UK
- Publication date1 Jun. 2009
- Dimensions19.6 x 12.8 x 1.2 cm
- ISBN-101847397832
- ISBN-13978-1847397836
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Product description
Review
‘What a joy to watch Fisher on screen! And she writes precisely as she looks: like a continually fresh and bold idea’ ― Sunday Times
‘What makes Wishful Drinking remarkable is that it is, as far as I can make out, the invention of a whole new, and very specialised, literary genre’ ― The Times
‘She has a wonderful self-deprecating wit and total lack of self-pity – there is none of the I Will Survive grandiosity one expects from Hollywood memoirs’ ― The Times
‘Wishful Drinking should be read as an account, as touching and incisive as any, of bipolarity, addiction and motherhood’ ― Independent
‘In her candid and hilarious autobiography, Carrie reveals the bizarre secrets of her Hollywood upbringing’ ― The Daily Mail
'She is one of the rare inhabitants of La-La Land who can actually write' ― New York Times
'Fisher has a talent for lacerating insight that masquerades as carefree self-deprecation' ― Los Angeles Times
[Shockaholic] is the finest, funniest chronicler of the maddest celebrity mores.' ― Sunday Times
'Wishful Drinking is a touching and incisive account of bipolarity, addiction and motherhood.' ― Independent
From the Back Cover
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.
Carrie Fisher's star-studded career included roles in numerous films such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She was the author of four bestselling novels, Surrender in the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, The Best Awful and Postcards from the Edge, which was made into a hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep. Carrie's experience with addiction and mental illness – and her willingness to talk honestly about them – made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate. She was truly one of the most magical people to walk among us.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK; 1st edition (1 Jun. 2009)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 176 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1847397832
- ISBN-13 : 978-1847397836
- Dimensions : 19.6 x 12.8 x 1.2 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 35,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 38 in Blues Musician Biographies
- 124 in Depression & Mental Health Biographies
- 221 in Philosopher Biographies
- Customer reviews:
About the author

Carrie Fisher, the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, became an icon when she starred as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. Her star-studded career included roles in numerous films such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She was the author of six bestselling books, most recently The Princess Diarist.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book entertaining and readable. They appreciate the author's honest and frank writing style. However, some readers feel the content lacks depth and is not as engaging as expected.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book humorous and entertaining. They appreciate the author's honesty and self-deprecating humor. The writing style is described as witty and insightful, making it a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Readers also enjoy the personal and honest glimpse into the author's life.
"...Carrie was a number of things - popular, hugely intelligent, superbly funny, likeable and down to earth and in a way her bipolar also adds to that,..." Read more
"Couldn’t put this book down. Interesting, insightful and fun read into the life of Carrie Fisher. Now need to read her other books ." Read more
"This is a funny self deprecating account of the life of the late Carrie Fisher.Along with photography it is light and easy reading and highly amusing" Read more
"Funny, interesting and refreshingly written however I think there could have been more. Great for a short read. Just wanted more. 🙈..." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They describe it as a single-sitting read that reads like a live performance script. The characters are described as down-to-earth, witty, and creative. However, some readers feel the writing style is fragmented and lacks depth.
"...things - popular, hugely intelligent, superbly funny, likeable and down to earth and in a way her bipolar also adds to that, it makes her in part..." Read more
"...Along with photography it is light and easy reading and highly amusing" Read more
"Funny, interesting and refreshingly written however I think there could have been more. Great for a short read. Just wanted more. 🙈..." Read more
"Not a long book and jumps about but very easy to read and a nice companion if you have enjoyed her other books such as 'Postcards etc...'" Read more
Customers find the book an interesting and honest look into the life of someone who died too young. They appreciate the witty and original observations and memories. The book is described as poignant and moving, with the author being warm, funny, and self-deprecating.
"...But over all she comes across as really strong, unfathomable and her own person - I don't think she really cares what people think which is great!..." Read more
"Couldn’t put this book down. Interesting, insightful and fun read into the life of Carrie Fisher. Now need to read her other books ." Read more
"...She is irreverent, self-deprecating and has a refreshing voice that simultaneously pays tribute to and breaks down the illusion of Hollywood glamour..." Read more
"...That being said I'm glad I read it, its very touching, insightful and funny...." Read more
Customers enjoy the author's clever and original perspective. They find the book an interesting insight into her extraordinary life. It provides an honest reflection of how Carrie Fisher thinks, communicates, and sees the world. Readers appreciate the author's writing style and humor.
"...Carrie was a number of things - popular, hugely intelligent, superbly funny, likeable and down to earth and in a way her bipolar also adds to that,..." Read more
"...much more into the rhythm of it, and by the end I was filled with admiration for her courage, her wit and her defiance...." Read more
"...With direct comments to the reader Carrie Fisher, even whilst being dead, makes you feel like you are her friend and having a conversation...." Read more
"...On the other hand, its an honest reflection of how Carrie Fisher thought, how she communicates and see's herself and her experiences, how each part..." Read more
Customers find the book honest and humorous. They appreciate the author's open and personal style.
"...Unflinching honesty and sharp as a razor wit brings this great account of a Hollywood upbringing, together with addiction and depression...." Read more
"While Fisher is very honest about her own struggle with addiction and bipolar disorder, including her ECT treatments, her description of other people..." Read more
"...You can hear her voice and she is very honest and hilariously self-deprecating...." Read more
"Funny and witty and honest...." Read more
Customers have different views on the book's length. Some find it short enough to read in one sitting, while others feel it leaves them wanting more. The book is 156 pages long, which some consider too short.
"Not a long book and jumps about but very easy to read and a nice companion if you have enjoyed her other books such as 'Postcards etc...'" Read more
"...Great for a short read. Just wanted more. 🙈..." Read more
"I didn't like this book for some reason. I found it way too short and maybe I should have read this before reading The Princess Diarist...." Read more
"...Be aware it's a very short book and you can fly through it in just a few hours." Read more
Customers find the book disappointing and a waste of time. They say it's a bit all over the place with little substance and little laughs. The content falls short of expectations, with a sad ending and no real message or purpose.
"...incoherent, rambling, with no structure, no real message and no purpose...." Read more
"...Makes one wonder regarding celebrity families in this day. A terribly sad outcome too. Did Carrie ever find peace?" Read more
"...A bit all over the place and nothing particularly engaging." Read more
"much as I admire the woman this account is poor. neither entertaining nor enlightening" Read more
Customers find the narrative disjointed and lacking a clear plot. They feel the story lacks structure and is not engaging enough to hold their attention for long.
"...The problem is that huge parts of that story are just plain missing...." Read more
"...On the one hand its badly written, incoherent, rambling, with no structure, no real message and no purpose...." Read more
"I wasn't sure what to expect but this was interesting,amusing and sometimes hilarious...." Read more
"...and can be easily dipped in and out of, but it's not very linear or narratively-satisfying (if that means anything)...." Read more
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 January 2017I had been wanting to read this book for ages and of course Carrie's untimely death prompted me to do so and I'm so glad I did. Unflinching honesty and sharp as a razor wit brings this great account of a Hollywood upbringing, together with addiction and depression. Carrie was a number of things - popular, hugely intelligent, superbly funny, likeable and down to earth and in a way her bipolar also adds to that, it makes her in part who she was which was this remarkable person so I hope she knew that. Saying that, of course there are vulnerable moments and she just wants to be loved - who doesn't!! But over all she comes across as really strong, unfathomable and her own person - I don't think she really cares what people think which is great! This isn't told in a normal autobiographical way and I love her for that! I also love her relationship with her mother, it's told in such a funny way. Amazing women who will be both be sorely missed.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2024Couldn’t put this book down.
Interesting, insightful and fun read into the life of Carrie Fisher. Now need to read her other books .
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2024This is a funny self deprecating account of the life of the late Carrie Fisher.Along with photography it is light and easy reading and highly amusing
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2024Funny, interesting and refreshingly written however I think there could have been more. Great for a short read. Just wanted more. 🙈
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2024Not a long book and jumps about but very easy to read and a nice companion if you have enjoyed her other books such as 'Postcards etc...'
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2024Pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon. Recommend.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 October 2024This short book is a confession of drug addiction and depression but Carrie managed to make it sound hilariously funny which clearly it wasn’t. Still it’s a great read and has plenty of warnings for those of us heading down a dangerous path
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2017I had read and enjoyed 'Postcards from the Edge' many years ago after seeing the film. But not being a particular Star Wars fan, was not enticed into into buying any more or Carrie's books until now.
I really enjoyed Carrie's style of writing and the content of the book.
I think having spend so long attending AA meetings, and embracing their ethos she was very self-deprecating and did not ever seek any sympathy. One could certainly think she would deserve some, having been raised in the most unusual circumstances, and dealing with a most tragic life. She described herself as being "blessed with very few problems in life" but when one considers those problems were of such magnitude (a dead guy in her bed, substance abuse and manic depression together with her "half problem" her husband leaving her for another man) she did remarkably well with trying to deal with those problems.
I really enjoyed this book and will certainly be buying her follow up book "Shockable".
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on 2 January 20235.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
One of the funniest books I have ever read. Fisher laughs in the face of tragedy, inspiring others with similar challenges to keep on keeping on. Life is absurd after all, and nobody (not even Camus) deals with its absurdity more gracefully than Princess Leia.
User12345Reviewed in Germany on 27 August 20245.0 out of 5 stars It is like a stand up show
The book was hilarious. I even got it as a gift for loved ones. It was a quick and an easy read memoir.
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Keyzer SozeReviewed in Mexico on 26 January 20203.0 out of 5 stars Una mirada a alto nivel de la vida de Carrie Fisher
Sin entrar en mucho detalle y con un humor ácido, Fisher (la eterna Princesa Lea) relata algunos pasajes de su vida. Algunos son poe demás interesantes o morbosos (ej. Su mamá le pidió a Cary Grant que hablará con ella sobre su adicción a las drogas, su mejor amigo gay murió en la casa de ella).
Sin embargo, al no entrar en detalle te quedas sólo con un vistazo, y esta sensación aumenta pues cambia de un tema a otro.
No he visto el programa de TV pero creo que puede estar mejor que este libro
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Josephine Salvadó SolReviewed in Spain on 6 August 20205.0 out of 5 stars Interesante
Llegó en perfecto estado. Muy práctico para poder conocer mejor a la actriz. Un libro muy interesante.
Sumit SuriReviewed in India on 28 December 20193.0 out of 5 stars Well written but I recieved it in a bad state
The book itself is well written but when I received the product it had stains on the cover and was in a pretty bad condition.







