Skip This One

I liked Claudia Christian in Babylon 5 so i got her memoir on Audible when it was on sale a few weeks ago. She narrates the book herself. This is going to be the second time in just under 600 books i've gotten over many years from audible that i'm returning this book. (They allow you to do that, and i make a point of not abusing that privelege). If you want in depth accounts of the 40 or so men and women she has fallen deeply in love with, the multiple abortions, the tons and tons of drugs and other addictions in her life, then this is right up your alley. It isn't up mine. I was hoping for behind the scenes insights on the Babylon 5 cast, etc. There was about 10 minutes of that total. My advice: skip this one.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

It Takes Guts to Share a Story Like This

This book is quite possibly the most candid book I've ever experienced. That Claudia Christian narrates the audiobook herself makes it feel that much more personal, and that much more powerful. On Babylon 5, her character Susan Ivanova is tougher-than-nails, the left hand of God and vengeance personified when the call arises. The actress behind the character... she's much tougher by necessity, and all too human, just like the rest of us.

Everyone has that personal chink in the armor, the Achilles' Heel to which we can fall prey. She found hers, and this book is an amazing chronicle of her battle with what she calls her inner monster. The book is intense and as relatable as a tale like this can be. It's not for the squeamish, but it is one for pretty much anyone who doesn't live that fairy tale perfect life. At its core, which she reminds us up front, this is a story of hope.

While I myself am not an alcoholic, I found the details to be particularly enlightening as to what that kind of thing really is like, and in the sharing, I felt like I was given a boost to my own fight against my own personal demons. We all have an addiction to something, even if we aren't aware of it, and even if it seems minor by comparison of others. I'm in the midst of battling with mine. This came along at exactly the right time, which is perhaps why I'm biased towards a higher rating, but I just can't give anything less than the highest mark for a person who bared her soul to the world in this way. A book like this is courage incarnate.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

well written.

Wise and funny and thougt awakening. Could not stop listening. Happy that the author was the narrator in the audio book.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

A Memoir of Pity, Self Descruction and Narcissism

Wow...so disappointed. Although I have not followed a lot of her career, I do like a good autobiography so thought why not. What I read was a person who after not fighting tooth and nail in an early incident, went on to live the rest of her life that way. Laid back and took it! She may have lost me when she referred to her self inflicted alcoholism as a disease! No honey, cancer is a disease not drinking to excess.
So much happened to her before she was obviously mentally ready for it which seems so common for young people in that line of work. I tried to have compassion for her and on occasion I did. But where as other autobiographies have me writing up a list of the person's work to watch later, this one left me with "well I saw that movie so that's enough'.
In the end I was very annoyed to find that the whole book seemed to be the build up to an advertising ploy. Well done as I did listen to it all but I do not need all that information on how to be an alcoholic and still drink but not have the effects be so destructive on your life and those around you. At least now I now the story behind her facial plastic surgery.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Taming The Monster

Truth about addiction is hard to come by especially when you think you are hiding it so well. This is a very open and honest look at what addiction can do to our lives. I appreciate her courage for sharing her truth because abuse tried to stay hidden creating the monster. I also admire her for reaching out to others to try and help with their monsters. I am glad that you are still here to do battle with your monster. I hope you continue to have s happy and successful life.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Thank you Claudia Christian!

Claudia you are awesome!
Thank you for narrating and writing this phenomenal book. Thank you.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

Memoir of a Narcissist

I believe that any path that helps someone who wants to be Sober or drink responsibly is good. The last quarter of this memoir is about the author's Alcohol Use Disorder and her successful use of The Sinclair Method. That part is great and very helpful. The first three quarters is a bunch of name dropping, cringe worthy story telling from someone who is full of herself. I don't think she's a bad person, but she can be very judgemental, and this memoir has NOT aged well. She is so very different from someone who is in recovery due to working a 12 Step Program. She never learned to not be self absorbed and judgemental. To be fair, that's NOT what she wanted. She didn't want to become a better person. She just didn't want to have a drinking problem. and The Sinclair Method worked for her.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

Always more

There is always more than meets the eye. What a fantastic look behind the scenes of one particular life. To boot, hearing it her voice itself. A fan's dream memoir.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

congratulations

honest helpful and insightful, best wishes for continued success; may your life story inspire others

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

A fascinating life & alternative treatment for alcoholism

Despite its name, this book has little to do with Babylon 5, or Claudia Christian’s time on it.

It gets mentioned - several times - but Claudia’s life story, the ups and downs, and, more and more as it progresses, her struggles with alcoholism, are the real story here.

She writes frankly about her experiences, and ends up with why she’s such a big proponent of the Sinclair Method (no relation to B5’s first commander :)

It’s a fascinating story: funny, sad, scary, and sweet.

The narration of course is outstanding. Claudia reads it herself - she’s an experienced voice actor and is reading her own words, so I wouldn’t expect anything less.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !