Carrie Fisher

Franklin Library Carrie Fisher books

Delusions of Grandma - signed first edition - 1994

 

Actress Carrie Fisher

Carrie Frances Fisher, born on October 21, 1956, was an American actress, author, and screenwriter, best known for her iconic role as Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars franchise. She was born into a showbiz family; her mother was actress Debbie Reynolds, and her father was singer Eddie Fisher. Carrie Fisher's early years were spent in the spotlight of Hollywood's glamour.

Carrie Fisher made her debut in the entertainment industry at a young age, with her first film appearance in the comedy Shampoo (1975). However, it was her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) that catapulted her to international fame. Fisher reprised the role in the subsequent Star Wars sequels, becoming an enduring symbol of the franchise.

Beyond her acting career, Fisher was a talented and witty writer. She penned the semi-autobiographical novel Postcards from the Edge in 1987, drawing from her own experiences in the film industry and her relationship with her mother. The book was later adapted into a film, starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Carrie Fisher was open about her struggles with mental health and substance abuse, using her experiences to advocate for mental health awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. Her one-woman play, Wishful Drinking, and her memoir, The Princess Diarist, provided a candid look into her life, including her time filming Star Wars and her relationships. In addition to her work in film and literature, Fisher continued to make notable contributions as a script doctor, polishing and improving screenplays for various Hollywood productions.

Carrie Fisher's impact extended beyond the screen, making her an influential figure in both the entertainment industry and mental health advocacy. Her unexpected death on December 27, 2016, at the age of 60, left fans and colleagues mourning the loss of a talented and courageous woman who had left an indelible mark on popular culture. Fisher's legacy lives on through her iconic performances, her insightful writing, and her advocacy work, reminding the world of her wit, resilience, and lasting contributions to the arts.

 

Delusions of Grandma

Pregnant screenwriter Cora has taken to writing lengthy letters to her unborn child, and it's small wonder why. For that age-old script family values is looking like it needs a complete rewrite.

Now that she's conquered rehab and romance, best-selling novelist Carrie Fisher boldly goes where no man has gone before: motherhood. Hollywood screenwriter Cora Sharpe has taken to writing letters to the unborn child she's tentatively dubbed Esme even though it sounds like a noise your nose makes. But then, Cora has what one of the endless intimates she thinks of as her Committee calls "a big loud life," and recent events have been no exception. Her confidant and writing partner, Bud, has been on a bipolar roller coaster. Her dear friend William, AIDS-ridden, has finally taken leave of his life, with the aplomb befitting "a suburban show business sultan." And in the vacuum that follows his departure, Cora's romance with quiet, gentle Ray has suddenly flickered and expired. Then Cora finds out she's pregnant, and even the Committee can't steer her through this one. In a fight-or-flight confrontation with maturity, flight seems to have the upper hand. So when her mother, Viv, tries to rally support for her latest madcap scheme - to kidnap her Alzheimer's-stricken father from a nursing home and take him back to Whitewright, Texas, the place of his birth - Cora, for once, is game. With Bud in tow, she signs on for what turns out to be a cosmic (not to mention comic) exploration of the urges that drive us to feather our nests and fill them, to flee them and find our way home. With singular deftness, Fisher captures the ambivalence and absurdity of modern maternity, in her wittiest and wisest novel to date.