Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Released: November 2008

Wishful Drinking is the saddest biography I've ever read. I'm sure die-hard fans of Carrie Fisher may enjoy and appreciate this book, but if you're looking for some fun celebrity comic-relief, definitely pass this one up.

Wishful Drinking begins with Carrie Fisher explaining how proud she is to be starting her life over at the age of fifty-two after having undergone electroshock therapy. She states how she can't remember much of her life up until the writing of Wishful Drinking, and also tries to spin bipolar disorder into something normal, light and humorous.


Carrie Fisher sprinkles random anecdotes about her life throughout Wishful Drinking, all of which aren't funny at all. I understand she is trying to maintain a positive outlook on her alcoholic, drug-ridden life, but her writing isn't humbling at all; just boastful. If Fisher had reflected more on what she's learned and how she's overcome her problems, then Wishful Drinking might have been more redeeming. Instead, her biography comes across as pathetic.

In Hollywood there are many existing celebrities whose parents are celebrities as well, but despite being born into a whirlwind of stardom, the stronger personalities do eventually grow up at some point.

When I originally saw Wishful Drinking in the bookstore, I thought to myself, "Wow! Princess Leia is finally going to come forward and share with the world how she overcame her drug and alcohol problems because she's finally grown up and learned something!" Boy was I wrong!

I recommend Wishful Drinking only to the faithful fans of Carrie Fisher.