It's no secret that I love Star Wars and was crushed when Carrie Fisher passed away last year. That dang ending of Rogue One gets me every time now. Even the little clip of her saying "May the force be with you" in The Force Awakens that they showed in a tribute to all the actors we lost in 2016 at the Oscars last night hit me right in the feels. Damn you 2016.
Anyway! I decided I wanted to read one of the books she wrote, and picked Wishful Drinking since it seemed to be the most autobiographical; which was what I was after. First of all, I have so much respect for those who can be open with their struggles with mental illness. Especially when they're in the public eye. For any who weren't aware, Carrie Fisher was bipolar and also had some issues with drugs and alcohol. She is very candid about these subjects in the book and I adore her for that. It's not easy to be open about these things sometimes. There's that stupid stigma that I've referenced time and time again that makes absolutely no sense to me. Actually, it didn't make sense to Carrie either. In the author's note of the book, she said this:
"One of the things that baffles me (and there are quite a few) is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls. Not unlike a tour of duty in Afghanistan (though the bombs and bullets, in this case, come from the inside). At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you're living with this illness and functioning at all, it's something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medications one has to ingest."
It's such a strange feeling, and I feel a bit weird saying it, but I have tremendous respect and admiration for this woman I've never met and never will in this life. She was dealt a difficult card to play, and if you ask me, she played it with dignity. As is true with any mental illness, there is so much that we don't know about that goes on when the cameras are off. Yes, there were the drug problems. But she also worked to fight that temptation and to feel better through healthier means. And the fact that she was willing to be open about these things just shows an inner strength that is admirable. I encourage anyone who enjoys Star Wars, or just wants to hear another perspective of someone who dealt with bipolar disorder, to read this book. It's also hilarious. I laughed out loud more times reading this than probably any other book. (Alert: she is a bit crude at times, so if that bothers you, don't say I didn't warn you.) Carrie's approach to the topics she talks about is open, honest, and often times just fantastically funny. Wishful Drinking has easily become one of my favorite books, and as I've previously stated, when I find something I really like, I want to share it. May the force be with you, Carrie. You're beautiful. 
