Long before she became a household name for her portrayal of Princess Leia in Star Wars, Carrie Fisher was a character. Still is, even in her 50s and post-electric shock therapy. Carrie Fisher is bipolar and has undergone EST to regain her memory. This book is that memory. It's also her comedy routine, based on events from her own life.
Even as a child, Fisher separated her "Hollywood" life from her "real" life. She knew she shared her parents, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, with the rest of the world. She actually charts what she calls the "Hollywood Inbreeding" that involved her own parents: a pictorial of who married who, who divorced who, and who remarried who. Two full pages.
She tells her stories with sarcasm and hilarity, and an uncanny ability to make fun of herself. We hear about her stint in her mother's chorus line at age 15, the gay friend that died on her couch, Star Wars, her alcohol and drug addictions, her marriage and divorce to Paul Simon, the Princess Leia Pez dispenser, and her daughter.
Fisher has gone from a film career to being the author of four novels and is obviously surviving bipolar disorder with the help of medication, family, and a HUGE dose of humor.
Thanks to AJ and Dave for introducing me to Michael Connelly. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting defense attorney Mickey Haller as he returned from a post-rehab 1-year sabbatical. His plans of returning to defense work a little at a time were shattered by the discovery that collegue Jerry Vincent had died - been murdered, actually, leaving his 31 open cases to Haller.
The big case is that of Walter Elliott, who is accused of shooting down his wife and her German lover. The trial is set for 2 weeks out, and Elliott is adamant that there will be no continuance. In order to keep the case, Haller, his case manager Lorna (also his ex-wife), and his investigator Cisco, take the plunge and prepare for trial. Little did they know that this case would lead them into the world of jury tampering, a corrupt judge, and an ongoing FBI investigation.
Did I mention that Haller owns a fleet of Lincoln Town Cars and works out of the backseat? Gotta hand it to him - the guy's got character. If you're into legal thrillers, you should check this one out.
Blues lovers beware - this is a book that will blow you away. The man known worldwide as "Slowhand" has opened up his life and penned a very revealing story of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll.
Abandoned by his mother, Clapton was raised by his grandparents in south England. That abandonment, emphasized by the fact that his mother went on to marry and have three other children who lived with her, would lay the foundation of insecurity and emotional detachment throughout much of Clapton's adult life.
My best calculation is that he got his first guitar, a used Hoyer, as a pre-teen. His passion for music and desire to play took over from there. Teaching himself to play by ear, he eventually quit school and worked alongside his grandfather, a master carpenter, who he credits for instilling within him the value of hard labor and a strong work ethic.
The book then leads you through Clapton's stints with The Yardbirds, John Mayall, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos. It details his friendships, his heroin, cocaine, pill and alcohol addictions (and rehab attempts), his love for his best friend George Harrison's wife - which eventually leads to Clapton's own marriage to the woman. It chronicles his touring years, his "lost" years, the affairs, the parties, the egos.
The birth of his son, Conor, in 1986, was a high point in Clapton's life and he finally realized it was time to sober up. He chronicles that struggle and, today, claims 20 years of sobriety. By the end of the book, Clapton is 60-ish, completes a world tour that pretty much kicks his old tail, is married again with children and has established a rehab center in the Caribbean.
It's easy to say that Clapton was a "B-A-D M-A-N," but the book gives us a glimpse of the man who struggled to right his wrongs and eventually defeated his demons. I encourage all music lovers-especially blues fans-to pick this one up today.
Long before she became a household name for her portrayal of Princess Leia in Star Wars, Carrie Fisher was a character. Still is, even in her 50s and post-electric shock therapy. Carrie Fisher is bipolar and has undergone EST to regain her memory. This book is that memory. It's also her comedy routine, based on events from her own life.
