POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE by Carrie Fisher

This book is an extremely clever, witty, and hilarious look into the horrors of addiction. Loosely autobiographical, Carrie Fisher uses the fictional character of Susanne Vale to tell the tale. The book recounts the trials and tribulations of achieving movie stardom, managing a love life, and orchestrating and supporting a monumental addiction to pills, powders, and booze. In and out of various rehabs, Fisher recounts a grab-bag of off-beat insights and asides from a cavalcade of kooky friends and acquaintances. Very soon the reader wonders how could so talented a person become so deeply disturbed, yet this is the aim of addiction recovery philosophy. If the genes and the behavior are properly aligned, then dependence and obsession can occur in the most perfect of lives. Fans of the book should most definitely check out the 1990 film starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine.