Blunt, Sarcastic, Inappropriate: A Reading List Suggested by the Works of Carrie Fisher

There were too many painful losses to count in 2016, and the death of Carrie Fisher was among the most painful for me. I’ve never seen any of the Star Wars movies–-I never got around to it as a kid and now it’s just fun to watch people’s horrified reactions when I tell them I’ve never seen the iconic films. I read her memoir, Wishful Drinking, the year I got sober. I related to Fisher on many levels–-as a recovering alcoholic, as a person who has learned not to be ashamed of her depression, as someone who is really and truly obsessed with her dog, and as a woman who has always found humor in the blunt, the sarcastic, and the inappropriate. So inspired not just by Wishful Drinking but her entire life, here are 10 non-fiction books I think the Great Carrie Fisher, Our Misfit Queen, would appreciate. 
~Katie MacBride, "A Non-Fiction Reading List In Honor of Carrie Fisher"


To many, Carrie Fisher was first and foremost an actress and Hollywood royalty. To others, like us, Carrie Fisher might have first come to our attention as Princess Leia, but we'd come to think of her as an engaging writer with a dry wit who'd penned some scathing social commentary based on her own life experiences. You can find most of her books, fiction and non-fiction, in the library catalog. She was also  a screenwriter and script doctor. But she always had a distinctive point of view.

In everything she wrote, she was a character. Our eResource NoveList describes Carrie Fisher thusly:

In both fiction and memoir, Carrie Fisher captivates readers with candid, insightful, funny revelations about the difficulties of celebrity life. Her humor ranges from amusing to darkly humorous as she relates characters' (and her own) struggles with relationships, addictions, and mental health. Even in the worst situations there is bittersweet emotion, a sense of thrill in survival by being not quite sane. Fisher's personal voice is witty, as is that of her heroines who are often sarcastic or sassy. Though drawn from her real life, scenes often resemble high-drama.

When she was cruelly taken from us too soon in December, we lost a voice that was "funny and sharp and witty even as she was laying her soul wide open," a generous soul who was also "a fervent activist who spoke openly about her own struggles with mental health and addiction." Inspired by the Katie MacBride reading list quoted above, we've tried to find other writings that echo some part of her voice, the wry humor in the face of adversity, the warts-and-all acceptance of family, negotiating celebrity, a willingness to share her highs and especially her lows with the world, the unflinching courage to speak truth to power (as Tavis Smiley explains it, "comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable"). Can you think of other titles? Let us know in the comments!

STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) - FISHER, CARRIE; HAMILL, MARK. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/144_1475199/1/144_1475199/cite. Accessed 8 Feb 2017.

 

I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi [eAudio]

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh 

Dry by Augusten Burroughs  

Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay  

Lit: A Memoir by Mary Karr  

The Merry Recluse: A Life in Essays by Caroline Knapp 

I'm Supposed To Protect You From All This: A Memoir by Nadja Spiegelman 

Haldol and Hyacinths: A Bipolar Life by Melody Moezzi  

The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman [eAudio]

Listen to the Squawking Chicken: When Mother Knows Best, What's a Daughter To Do?- A Memoir (Sort Of) by Elaine Lui 

Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation by Aisha Tyler  

You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein  

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel 

The Rules of the Tunnel: A Brief Period of Madness by Ned Zeman 

The Most of Nora Ephron by Nora Ephron 

The Chronology of Water: A Memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch 

Bad Dog: A Love Story by Martin Kihn

Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola

But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous by Jancee Dunn 

Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear ... and Why by Sady Doyle 

How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

 

Notes From the Underwire: Adventures From My Awkward and Lovely Life by Quinn Cummings


Fisher herself, meanwhile, would like it to be reported that she was drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra. The joint public memorial for Carrie and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, will be in Los Angeles on March 25th. 

Debbie, Todd & Carrie. Photographer. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/115_2842483/1/115_2842483/cite. Accessed 8 Feb 2017.

Tough Topics in YA Fiction

In October, Publishers Weekly posted an article called YA Authors Turn Advocates. The article focused on young adult authors who choose to write about topics such as mental illness, bullying, suicide, sex trafficking, life as a refugee, living with a disability, and sexual assault.

There is no shortage of YA books that explore these types of topics. In fact, the amount of books published that focus on social issues and tough topics seems to be increasing (based on my observations). Sometimes, though, it can be hard to get these books into the hands of teen readers, because teens may be too afraid to ask for books that deal with sensitive subjects, especially when it means their privacy may be at stake.

To help, I've put together a list of books the library has, and their call numbers, that touch on sensitive subjects and difficult topics. I've broken it down by topic to make it easier to find books about any given subject. These lists include books that haven't been released yet, but that will be published later this year. For those books, I've included the release dates, that way anyone who wants to see if the library has purchased those books can check the catalog closer to the publication dates.

In the interest of making sure the lists aren't too long, I tried to include only books that have been published from 2012 to 2017 (with a few exceptions).

Bullying

The Tightrope Walkers by David Almond (YA Fiction Almond)
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti (YA Fiction Colasanti)
Period 8 by Chris Crutcher (YA Fiction Crutcher)
Speechless by Hannah Harrington (YA Fiction Harrington)
Random by Tom Leveen (YA Fiction Leveen)
How It Ends by Cathy Lo (YA Fiction Lo)
Tease by Amanda Maciel (YA Fiction Maciel)
The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu (YA Fiction Mathieu)
#scandal by Sarah Ockler (YA Fiction Ockler)
The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts (YA Fiction Roberts)
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (YA Fiction Ruby)
Identity Crisis by Melissa Schorr (YA Fiction Schorr)

Characters of color

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (YA Fiction Alexie)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (YA Fiction Han)
Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia (YA Fiction Kanakia)
Like No Other by Una LaMarche (YA Fiction LaMarche)
Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham (YA Fiction Latham)
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon (YA Fiction Magoon)
Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina (YA Fiction Medina)
Ink & Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani (YA Fiction Maetani)
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler (YA Fiction Ockler)
The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler (YA Fiction Ockler)
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds (YA Fiction Reynolds)
When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez (YA Fiction Rodriguez)
Permanent Record by Leslie Stella (YA Fiction Stella)
The Hate U Give by Angie C. Thomas (YA Fiction Thomas)

Disabilities and obesity

How to Keep Rolling After a Fall by Karole Cozzo (YA Fiction Cozzo)
Girls Like Us by Gail Giles (YA Fiction Giles)
Butter by Erin Jade Lange (YA Fiction Lange)
Dead Ends by Erin Jade Lange (YA Fiction Lange)
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy (YA Fiction Murphy)
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven (YA Fiction Niven)
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider (YA Fiction Schneider)
Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland (YA Fiction Sutherland)
Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas (YA Fiction Thomas)
All in Pieces by Suzanne Young (YA Fiction Young)

LGBTQIA+

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown (YA Fiction Brown)
Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman (YA Fiction Brugman)
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills (YA Fiction Cronn-Mills)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth (YA Fiction Danforth)
Tessa Masteron Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin (YA Fiction Franklin)
Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin (YA Fiction Garvin)
Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian (YA Fiction Mesrobian)
Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz (YA Fiction Moskowitz)
It's Our Prom (So Deal With It) by Julie Anne Peters (YA Fiction Peters)
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith (YA Fiction Smith)

Mental illness and suicide

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (YA Fiction Asher)
Under Rose Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall (YA Fiction Gornall)
Paperweight by Meg Haston (YA Fiction Haston)
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu (YA Fiction Haydu)
How it Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes (YA Fiction Holmes)
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella (YA Fiction Kinsella)
Calvin by Martine Leavitt (YA Fiction Leavitt)
When We Collided by Emery Lord (YA Fiction Lord)
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (YA Fiction Niven)
World Without You by Beth Revis (YA Fiction Revis)
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (YA Fiction Shusterman)
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone (YA Fiction Stone)
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley (YA Fiction Whaley)

School shootings

Hate List by Jennifer Brown (YA Fiction Brown)
The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs (YA Fiction Combs)
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (YA Fiction Nijkamp)
Underwater by Marisa Reichardt (YA Fiction Reichardt)
Violent Ends edited by Shaun David Hutchinson (YA Fiction Violent)

Sexual assault

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (YA Fiction Anderson)
Some Boys by Patty Blount (YA Fiction Blount)
Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen (YA Fiction Cohen)
Every Last Promise by Kristin Halbrook (YA Fiction Halbrook)
What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler (YA Fiction Hartzler)
Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston (YA Fiction Johnston)
Asking for It by Louise O'Neill (YA Fiction O'Neill)
Those Girls by Lauren Saft (YA Fiction Saft)
The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith (YA Fiction Smith)
All the Rage by Courtney Summers (YA Fiction Summers)
Empty by K.M. Walton (YA Fiction Walton)

Student-teacher/student-adult relationships

Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott (YA Fiction Alcott)
Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper (YA Fiction Draper)
Hit by Lorie Ann Grover (YA Fiction Grover)
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga (YA Fiction Lyga)
Consent by Nancy Ohlin (YA Fiction Ohlin)
We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt (YA Fiction Reinhardt)

Another great resource for further information and booklists is the Teen Librarian Toolbox, which has done multiple projects about tough issues:

SVYALit (Sexual Violence in Young Adult Literature)
FSYALit (Faith and Spirituality in Young Adult Literature)
MHYALit (Mental Health in Young Adult Literature)
Poverty in YA Lit (This is a less in-depth project, compared to other Teen Librarian Toolbox has done, but I'm hoping it will grow over time.)

World Mental Health Day 2015

World Mental Health Day is annually held on October 10th to raise awareness about mental health issues. This event promotes discussions on various conditions and treatment options.

Mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders, affect millions of people around the world. Loved ones also face challenges as they do their best to support partners, relatives, and friends. The theme of this year's day of awareness is "Dignity In Mental Health". 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is focusing this year, on confronting the ways mentally ill people can be denied human rights, abused and discriminated against, especially in war torn and impoverished areas where quality care is absent. WHO is concerned with human rights being secured through policy, law, the training of health professionals, informed consent, and patients' inclusion in their treatment plan. Public information campaigns are also vital in reducing ignorance and stigma, which prevents so many people from getting the help they need to live healthy, independent lives. 

ABC Library has a LibGuide to help patrons locate services and support groups. The following list of books can also cover a wide variety of issues, such as dual diagnosis recovery, compassion fatigue, and some uplifting biographies from people living with mental illness and sharing their experience, strength, and hope.

An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison

Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher

Understanding Addiction by Elizabeth Connell Henderson                  

Resilience: Two Sisters and A Story of Mental Illness by Jessie Close with Pete Earley

 A Road Back From Schizophrenia: A Memoir by Arnhild Lauveng

Coping With Schizophrenia: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Caregivers by Steven Jones and Peter Hayward

Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide For Understanding and Living With BPD by  Robert O. Friedel

Conquering Depression and Anxiety Through Exercise by Keith Johnsgard

Conquering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Newest Techniques for Overcoming Symptoms, Regaining Hope, and Getting Your Life Back by Victoria Lemle Beckner and John B. Arden

The Burden of Sympathy: How Families Cope With Mental Illness by David A. Karp