Shockingly Nearly Perfect Book

I take back everything I ever said about the unpleasant changes in Carrie Fisher's voice, tone, and inflections. This perhaps NOT so shockingly gorgeously written midlife autobiography is nearly PERFECTLY read by the author herself, whose writing appears to have only improved and tightened and become -- somehow -- both more hilarious and more serious as the years have gone by. It's probably true that reading the print version of this book aloud to your partner won't be the laugh-out-loud party that her previous memoir Wishful Drinking provides, but as a listening experience, this soars above even Fisher's earlier, sterling novels, the whip-smart Postcards From The Edge included. The only reason the story/organization does not earn 5/5 stars is that unfortunately the previous reviewer who complained that the chapter on Michael Jackson was a little too long was correct; it could have used some editing.

To the previous reviewer who complained that this material is largely a rehash of Fisher's previous work, I can emphatically assure you that you are mistaken. I've spent a lot of the past year reading and re-reading everything Carrie Fisher has ever written (except Delusions of Grandma--please can this be made available on Audible soon??), and I have NEVER before heard ANY of the stories related here. If I had, I would not have waited so long to finally read/listen to Shockaholic! The details regarding her reconciliation with her father alone practically constitute a primer on how to deal with fractured family relationships and aging parents, the jaw-dropping story of her final confrontation with Elizabeth Taylor over having stolen her father away from her mother is worth the cost of the book all by itself, and Oh, My, God, I am replaying that Ted Kennedy story for all my friends and family and we are practically all still gasping for breath. That, unfortunately, is a story I shall NEVER forget, and never stop wondering if I would have been able to stand up to him one-tenth as heroically as young Carrie did at that age.

I'm happy to have had the privilege of living at the same time as Carrie Fisher. She has said before that when two celebrities mate, someone like her is the result. If only that were true! But alas, she is one of a kind. Long may she live--and write!

31 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

I am getting very attached to Carrie

Carrie Fisher's writing is disturbing and entertaining. I feel kind of protective of her as she is so raw and uncensored. Sometimes she goes too far for me as she can get off on strange tangents but I value her perspective and silliness. When she talks about her father and the way she took care of him when he needed her was surprising and profound to me...
I actually feel attached to her as she is getting to be like an old friend who you want to look out for as she sounds fragile sometimes and I don't want to lose her....

19 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Carrie Fisher Grows up, Learns About Real Life

Where does Shockaholic rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's in my top ten books, so far. I enjoyed it.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the way Carrie Fisher tells her own story. She's very honest, forthright, and has very interesting life stories to tell.

What about Carrie Fisher’s performance did you like?

I like the style of her delivery. I appreciate the candor in which she speaks. She tells her own story, as no one else can.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I did.

Any additional comments?

No.

6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

I'd Rather Drink...

Well, I'm a little let-down. Carrie Fisher is definitely funny, and I love her ease at throwing out wit, but parts of this book were a bit too serious, which was not what I was looking for in her book. I still liked it, but I wanted to be crying from laughing too hard like I did with Wishful Drinking, but this one didn't do it for me. I'm still glad I listened to it though.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

One of the Best Carrie Fisher Books Ever

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've always liked Fisher's caustic wit and candid honesty about her life, Shockaholic has to be one of her most candid and funny books ever. I'd reccomend it for someone who needed their spirits lifted.

What did you like best about this story?

Insights into Ted Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, and Michael Jackson.

Have you listened to any of Carrie Fisher’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

One of the best.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor reconsiled.

Any additional comments?

This is a good book for people suffering depression, it shows that one can over come their mental illnesses if one is willing to take risks and take control of their lives.

4 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Disappointing after Wishful Drinking

What would have made Shockaholic better?

Stronger storyline, more to share. This story was very thin, dull and at times defensive.

Would you ever listen to anything by Carrie Fisher again?

Maybe. She's obviously funny and a good writer.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The author/narrator is very low key. Not energetic about anything. Felt like she wasn't enthusiastic about this book at all.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Carrie Fisher is very funny, and honest. I will give her that. There just wasn't much of interest here. Most of her story was told in Wishful Drinking. I almost feel like she put out this book just to make a buck.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed Wishful Drinking and was looking forward to more. This wasn't it. Very little story. Also Fisher has become very mushy. It actually made me gag a few times, how she tried to tie everything up with a bow. Very disappointing, especially the defense of Michael Jackson, and the long second half of the book, mostly about her father's death. Dull.

7 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Carrie Fisher: Truthaholic

What did you love best about Shockaholic?

What's not to love?

Carrie Fisher, addicted to brutal truth, delivered the fascinating details of her life with her classic self-effacing humor.

What other book might you compare Shockaholic to and why?

Well... 'Wishful Drinking' -- Ms. Fisher's memoir that also let's her fans know what her Wonder Bread years were like

What does Carrie Fisher bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Everyone has a 'readervoice' in their head that turns on when reading a book. You have your own style, and it works; besides, what else are you gonna do for a narrator?

When an author, who is also an actor, reads you their work, you know you're getting it exactly the way they wrote and meant it to be heard.

So you get the added novelty of filling in a sort of emotional gap between the author and audience.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

You could... in my case we did listen to it from beginning to end while driving (skidding) through a torrential downpour while looking for an open restaurant on the backroads of Virginia one Sunday.

Any additional comments?

I loved it.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Funny and light

Would you listen to Shockaholic again? Why?

I would listen to this again. It is a fun book with engaging narration.

Which scene was your favorite?

I love it when Carrie talks about her Mother.

Any additional comments?

This is a fun, light book. It gives a light look into the lives of the rich and famous. I laughed outloud many times. Carrie Fisher doesn't take herself too seriously and is able to tease out the absurdity in her life circumstances.

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Short but incredibly poignant

Cried several times while reading this. I laughed a lot, out loud, but I definitely cried real tears at several points. Although I have never dealt with depression myself, her explanation of her struggles to overcome it touched me deeply. Her matter-of-fact assessment that her obituary would not fail to feature a picture of her young self in that silly Princess Leia wig also made me cry, now that we have seen her prediction come true. And the most surprising thing to me was her tender, funny, warm, intimate portrayal of her father, Eddie Fisher and their final reconciliation. Her description of losing him brought back recent losses I have experienced, and I cried so hard I actually had to stop the car.

What a wonderful book, what a wonderful gift to the world she was.

4 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Shockaholic

I have listened to several books by Ms. Fisher lately. I find her ability to talk about such dark and hard things with comedy and candor surprisingly refreshing. You don’t get the sense that she lives in self pity, which would be easy seeing what her childhood was like. She also gives off a sense of non-judgementalness, which surprises me very much. This book relays some very personal things and I really appreciate her reading them. If it had been someone else, I’m not sure how appropriate that would feel, since it is so personal. I’m sorry that she has left us, but grateful for her heart and the desire she had to share her anecdotes and humor with us all.