My Girls: A lifetime with Carrie and Debbie

My Girls: A lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd Fisher     Audio Book:  13 hours, 15 minutes   Paperback Book:  500 pages          

Excellent book.  I would highly recommend it.    Told with truth, love and humor.   Todd Fisher is the son of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher and is the younger brother of Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame.   This book was such an enjoyable read from beginning to end.  Todd relates stories of his life growing up as the child of celebrities relating great stories of hanging out with celebrities and thinking of them just as Mom and Dad's friends, like the time Bette Davis was using the bathroom in his room  and he went running in, flung open the door and there they were just staring at each other.   Apologetically he slammed the door shut horribly embarrassed, but, Bette called to him and continued to talk to him through the door until she finished, washed her hands came out and lovingly placing her hand atop his head told him he was an angel then went back to the get-together.  He talks about Debbie always saying on the phone when calling him and Carrie, "Hello Dear, this is your mother, Debbie."   Or the live in Chinese couple that worked for the family and were considered part of the family.   The lady would say each school day morning,  "Fishy Carrie, time to get up, I lobely you!   Fishy Todd, wake up!  I lobely you."  Which Todd and Carrie always continued to say to each other over the years and which when Todd said his last goodbye to Carrie when she had been disconnected from all the tubes and monitors in the hospital and was declared dead, he went back to her for a few minutes alone telling her how he would miss her and more, he ended with, "I lobely you."   He talks about the financial debacles Debbie's last two husbands had put her through -what a nightmare!  And the philandering and drug use of Eddie Fisher who walked in to Debbie one day and told her he was leaving her for Elizabeth Taylor.   At least he told her. Todd talks about growing up with a multimillionaire step-father and his tale of the manicurist that came so often when his mother was away.   Debbie Reynolds was one of the hardest working women in showbusiness.  She was forced to work to pay off the debts her exs incurred but while hard on her she loved her fans so much it was a labor of love and got her out on the stage with a smile even when she was in such pain that Todd had to carry her up the steps to the stage but she would stop she would not disappoint her fans she would say.   Todd's grandpa told him Quit was not a word in their family and she never did till her dying day.   Debbie supported her kids, her parents and her brother until her dying day and paid for so many things for both Carrie and Todd throughout their lives that they really should not have put on her once they were grown,  She loved them so much she didn't want to disappoint them and while she might postpone a major financial outlay on their latest want, she always came through.   Carrie at 19 wasn't sure if this Star Wars movie would ruin her career or not, but, gave it shot.   What a good thing she did career-wise though on the down side it gave her access to more hangers on with drugs.   She blew through relatioinships with Paul Simon and a brief marriage and a sex only relationship with Han Solo himelf, Harrison Ford during production.   Mr. Ford being married at the time - so-both knew it was a no strings relationship.   Carrie had huge mood swings which the drugs enhanced.  She was finally diagnosed as Bi-Polar and began to talk about it openly in hopes she might help other people suffering from it.   She wrote books about her life, "Post Cards from the Edge," "Shckaholic" and admitted to all that she was up to.   She alwsys felt Debbie was competing with her and their relationship remained strained at best until Carrie had a child of her own.  Carrie was destined to be unlucky at love just like her mother when her baby daddy told her he was gay and left her and their daughter.   Carrie used that as fodder for her stand-up comedy.  Such a great book, I wish it had been longer it was so compelling learning each new thing about this related trio and their good times and bad up through the deaths of both Carrie and Debbie 1 day apart.  Todd said his mother never wanted Carrie to feel like she was alone.   Such a good book,   You will feel so many emotions going through these pages.   Carrie never wanted Todd to write a book because she said that was her thing, but, I am so glad he did.   Bravo, Todd!   This is a wonderful book and an awesome tribute to your girls and you.