Brett Butler, one of my all-time favorite comedians, after a particularly…vivid story about her adolescence, looked into the audience, smiled that devilish, dimpled smile of hers, and stated, “I’ve lived quite a life, haven’t I?” For all intents and purposes, that line could have doubled as the subtitle to Carrie Fisher’s memoir, Wishful Drinking (consequently, Fisher gets bonus points for the clever twist of a title).

The book also earns extra points for the cover design. Look at it! The way Fisher’s name and the book title are tilted in a style reminiscent of the scroll at the beginning of all the Star Wars movies. And look at Princess Leia, with her empty martini glass and pile of blue pills. See? Neo was right to take the red pill after all.

The really great thing is that the inside of the book is just as clever and just as humorous as the outside. Fisher is quite honest about the mess that is her life, about the mistakes she’s made, and the path that she continues to carve for herself. She’s also honest about the fact that her path is now one of confusion and self-discovery ever since electroshock therapy muddled her mind and shorted out a lot of her memories.

I’ll give you a moment to mull over that last bit…

Like I said, she’s quite honest. I know that Fisher has had a lot of problems throughout her life, including severe depression and addiction problems. The fact that she is so straightforward about all of this and doesn’t try to make excuses or pass blame is refreshing. Besides, she’s Princess Leia Organa. She fought the dark side in a metal bikini and made out with her brother. How could that not complicate anyone’s life?

Final score: 3.5/5. Another quick, funny beach read that will help pass the time between low and high tide.