{"product_id":"9781250758255","title":"Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Sheila Weller\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA remarkably candid biography of the remarkably candid—and brilliant—Carrie Fisher\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn her 2008 bestseller, \u003ci\u003eGirls Like Us\u003c\/i\u003e, Sheila Weller—with heart and a profound feeling for the times—gave us a surprisingly intimate portrait of three icons: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. Now she turns her focus to one of the most loved, brilliant, and iconoclastic women of our time: the actress, writer, daughter, and mother Carrie Fisher.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeller traces Fisher’s life from her Hollywood royalty roots to her untimely and shattering death after Christmas 2016. Her mother was the spunky and adorable Debbie Reynolds; her father, the heartthrob crooner Eddie Fisher. When Eddie ran off with Elizabeth Taylor, the scandal thrust little Carrie Frances into a bizarre spotlight, gifting her with an irony and an aplomb that would resonate throughout her life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe follow Fisher’s acting career, from her debut in \u003ci\u003eShampoo\u003c\/i\u003e, the hit movie that defined mid-1970s Hollywood, to her seizing of the plum female role in \u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e, which catapulted her to instant fame. We explore her long, complex relationship with Paul Simon and her relatively peaceful years with the talent agent Bryan Lourd. We witness her startling leap—on the heels of a near-fatal overdose—from actress to highly praised, bestselling author, the Dorothy Parker of her place and time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeller sympathetically reveals the conditions that Fisher lived with: serious bipolar disorder and an inherited drug addiction. Still, despite crises and overdoses, her life’s work—as an actor, a novelist and memoirist, a script doctor, a hostess, and a friend—was prodigious and unique. As one of her best friends said, “I almost wish the expression ‘one of a kind’ didn’t exist, because it applies to Carrie in a deeper way than it applies to others.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSourced by friends, colleagues, and witnesses to all stages of Fisher’s life, \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge \u003c\/i\u003eis an empathic and even-handed portrayal of a woman who—as Princess Leia, but mostly as herself—was a feminist heroine, one who died at a time when we need her blazing, healing honesty more than ever.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Riveting...mesmerizing...expertly probed.\"—Leigh Haber, \u003cb\u003eO: The Oprah Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Addictively readable.. Weller embraces her multifaceted subject and illuminates Fisher's life with the same sensitivity and attention to detail she displayed in her previous books\" —Hannah Brown, \u003cb\u003eThe Jerusalem Post\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Sympathetic and terrifically moving\" —Carrie Rickey, \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Forward\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Compassionate, engaging...[the book is] as sharp [and] endearing as its subject:\"—Douglass K. Daniel, \u003cb\u003eThe Associated Press\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This in-depth, insightful, and profoundly sympathetic biography is built around the premise that Carrie Fisher was simply 'famous just for being herself' . . .This is a worthy tribute to a strong, intelligent woman, and readers will appreciate Weller's honest portrayal and thoughtful analysis.\" —\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003e(Starred Review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Bestselling author Weller shares a heartfelt tribute to the late Carrie Fisher—a complex portrait of the actress, her struggles and her extraordinary singularity. A Life on Edge is a fitting and beautiful homage to Fisher.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eJuliana Rose Pignataro, \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNewsweek\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A thoughtful and fast-paced biography . . . [Sheila Weller] is exactly the right showbiz insider-outsider to shepherd Carrie Fisher's story to the masses . . . [Weller] does an excellent job of placing Fisher's life in context, showing that while she may have shifted the culture . . . the culture also shifted her.\" —Rachel Syme, \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBookforum \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Drawing from exhaustive research and interviews, Weller closely analyzes all of [the] interrelated facets of Fisher's story, from her countless accomplishments and vast social network to the disturbing side of her disorders. What emerges is a vivid and honest portrait of a brave, complex woman who had an impact on all who knew her. Extensive notes and a thoughtful introduction complement the absorbing narrative . . . Well written and poignant, this is a must for Fisher's fans.\" —\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Engrossing, gracefully written . . . \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher \u003c\/i\u003ereads as definitive.\" —Celia Wren, \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Fisher lived \u003ci\u003ea lot\u003c\/i\u003e, and that is felt in page after page. But like Fisher’s life itself, \u003ci\u003eA Life on the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e runs deep. It is less a long book than a very full one. It’s moving, truthful and a fitting tribute to its subject and to her unflappable courage and transparency. Reading Weller’s portrait of Fisher, you will miss her, deeply.\" —Anna Spydell\u003cb\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBookpage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A robust, many-faceted portrait of a woman whose longstanding feminism . . . elevated everything she touched and who left a powerful legacy . . . This satisfying biography of Carrie Fisher, the late actress, writer, wit and mental-health advocate, brings to the fore two additional defining attributes: feminist and friend.\" —Nell Beram\u003cb\u003e, \u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sheila Weller has always treated the brilliant, complicated women she writes about with the seriousness, curiosity, and care they deserve. I am so grateful that she has turned her lens on Carrie Fisher, a performer and writer who has meant so much, to so many people, for so many varied reasons. \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e considers Fisher in full, with attention to the love, pain, illness, advocacy, humor, generosity, and contradiction that made her so remarkable. I am so sad that Carrie Fisher is dead. I am so glad that Sheila Weller has given the story of her life the space and attention it deserves.” —\u003cb\u003eRebecca Traister, author of \u003ci\u003eGood and Mad\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This book is so good. By the end, I felt like I had lost a friend. Such is its power and the power of Carrie Fisher: Hollywood royalty, intergalactic princess, honest and sassy and smart and straight talking with a vulnerability that breaks your heart. I hope the whole world reads \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e, and that everyone follows Carrie Fisher’s lead—don’t bullshit, tell the truth no matter how painful, and ‘love so big, it should have a capital and its own currency.’” —\u003cb\u003eAnn Hood, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Book that Matters Most\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life On The Edge\u003c\/i\u003e is a remarkable, moving portrait of a woman seemingly winning the race of life. I was moved to tears at many points as I read Carrie’s story in Sheila’s book—tender and honest, with clarity about the hard gritty facts, and the tale of beauty and intelligence bound with bipolar disorder, sorrow and addiction. At the same time, my heart was lifted by Carrie’s hope against fate. In her book \u003ci\u003eGirls Like Us\u003c\/i\u003e, Sheila Weller painted intriguing, exciting, telling and provocative portraits of women who are icons: Carole King, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. Weller’s new book on Carrie Fisher is the graduate course.” —\u003cb\u003eJudy Collins, Grammy–nominated singer-songwriter and author of \u003ci\u003eSweet Judy Blue Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This is the Carrie Fisher story as it had to be told—with clarity and verve. Sheila Weller has created a brilliant kaleidoscopic portrait of a true original, smack in the center of our celebrity culture: a brassy, vulnerable lady with a searching intelligence rapier wit and a capacity for deep deep friendships. Sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, Weller charts Fisher's evolution with perception, balance, and a keen understanding of Fisher's tragic complexities. Importantly, Weller shows how Fisher kept challenging her dark experiences: she learned. She changed. She sometimes even found joy. \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e is a page-turner. I was emotionally hooked from start to finish.” —\u003cb\u003ePatricia Bosworth, author of \u003ci\u003eJane Fonda: The Private Life of a Public Woman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  “\u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge \u003c\/i\u003egrabs you with its winning combination of unflinching honesty and graceful empathy. Sheila Weller, drawing on her deep understanding of the beauty and trauma of Hollywood, has written a stunning biography of Carrie Fisher.”\u003cbr\u003e  —\u003cb\u003eDavid Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e is a can’t-put-it-down, fascinating, deeply compassionate biography of the one and only, indomitable Carrie Fisher. Weller gets at the heart of the feisty, smart, and sometimes conflicted Fisher, who fought the siren song of addiction and unthinkable tragedies in her life, while still being the incredibly loving, supportive friend everyone dreams of, a blazingly original talent, and an absolutely beloved star. Weller’s book is special, essential, and wildly entertaining. It will move you to tears . . . and to laughter.” —\u003cb\u003eCaroline Leavitt, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003ePictures of You\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCruel Beautiful World\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A lively and informative account of the improbable life and times of Carrie Fisher. Fisher was a survivor of a movieland happily-ever-after that went gaudily off the rails (her family became an international scandal when her father, Eddie Fisher, left her mother, Debbie Reynolds, for Elizabeth Taylor), and of one of the most successful franchises in film history (\u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e, of course), not to mention a hairdo that would’ve sunk almost anybody else (think sci-fi George Eliot). But she was so much more than that: a curiosity, a sensation, a writer, a wreck, a wit, a flirt, an addict, a sage, a marvel, and, finally, a legend. She was, too, Hollywood’s sharpest critic as well as its moral conscience and best friend. Weller’s book captures the spirt of this complicated and contradictory figure. Wonderful fun.” —\u003cb\u003eLili Anolik, author of \u003ci\u003eHollywood's Eve: Eve Babitz and the Secret History of L.A.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sheila Weller’s lively and insightful biography of actor and writer Carrie Fisher brings a fresh perspective to a life we thought we knew.” —\u003cb\u003eRichard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of \u003ci\u003eHedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“No one gets under the skin of a subject like Sheila Weller. She inhabits Carrie Fisher from somewhere deep inside, providing a tragic, albeit deeply moving portrait of a brilliant and brilliantly flawed Hollywood rebel. \u003ci\u003eCarrie Fisher\u003c\/i\u003e isn’t a postcard from the edge, it’s a dispatch from backstage—and beyond.” —\u003cb\u003eBob Spitz, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eReagan: An American Journey\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Beatles: The Biography\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781250758255\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Picador","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40713001763022,"sku":"9781250758255","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_4b502f91-688c-4eea-8d3a-f9ca2f2bfd1d.jpg?v=1643201364","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781250758255","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}