Carrie Fisher wrote Shockaholic after Wishful Drinking, which means that I did not read her memoirs in the chronological order. Oops, I inadvertently read her memoirs in reverse chronological order. Shockaholic and Wishful Drinking address very similar subjects, but Shockaholic seems more touching and mournful. Fisher uses Shockaholic to confront her own mortality, which includes the loss of her memories, and reminisce about those whom she lost along the way.
Fisher manages to be dishy without being mean in Shockaholic. She confronts a fame whore doctor over the wisdom of letting his kid stay overnight at Michael Jackson’s home while simultaneously believing the best about her friend. She describes her odd meeting with her stepmother, Elizabeth Taylor, with a perfect mixture of honesty and love. She recounts a showdown between her and Senator Ted Kennedy that frankly she won. She manages to get into the earthy details of daily life with her stepfather while implicitly appreciating his (odd) role in her life. She also tackles the evolution of her relationship with her father and siblings.
Shockaholic is a mature and humorous memoir that perfectly captures Fisher’s unapologetic, honest, vulnerable and humorous voice. Shockaholic is a must read for Fisher fans.