A remarkably candid biography of the remarkably candid―and brilliant―Carrie Fisher In her 2008 bestseller, Girls Like Us , Sheila Weller―with heart and a profound feeling for the times―gave us a surprisingly intimate portrait of three icons: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. Now she turns her focus to one of the most loved, brilliant, and iconoclastic women of our time: the actress, writer, daughter, and mother Carrie Fisher. Weller traces Fisher’s life from her Hollywood royalty roots to her untimely and shattering death after Christmas 2016. Her mother was the spunky and adorable Debbie Reynolds; her father, the heartthrob crooner Eddie Fisher. When Eddie ran off with Elizabeth Taylor, the scandal thrust little Carrie Frances into a bizarre spotlight, gifting her with an irony and an aplomb that would resonate throughout her life. We follow Fisher’s acting career, from her debut in Shampoo , the hit movie that defined mid-1970s Hollywood, to her seizing of the plum female role in Star Wars , which catapulted her to instant fame. We explore her long, complex relationship with Paul Simon and her relatively peaceful years with the talent agent Bryan Lourd. We witness her startling leap―on the heels of a near-fatal overdose―from actress to highly praised, bestselling author, the Dorothy Parker of her place and time. Weller sympathetically reveals the conditions that Fisher lived with: serious bipolar disorder and an inherited drug addiction. Still, despite crises and overdoses, her life’s work―as an actor, a novelist and memoirist, a script doctor, a hostess, and a friend―was prodigious and unique. As one of her best friends said, “I almost wish the expression ‘one of a kind’ didn’t exist, because it applies to Carrie in a deeper way than it applies to others.” Sourced by friends, colleagues, and witnesses to all stages of Fisher’s life, Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge is an empathic and even-handed portrayal of a woman who―as Princess Leia, but mostly as herself―was a feminist heroine, one who died at a time when we need her blazing, healing honesty more than ever. "Riveting...mesmerizing...expertly probed."―Leigh Haber, O: The Oprah Magazine "Addictively readable.. Weller embraces her multifaceted subject and illuminates Fisher's life with the same sensitivity and attention to detail she displayed in her previous books" ―Hannah Brown, The Jerusalem Post "Sympathetic and terrifically moving" ―Carrie Rickey, The Forward "Compassionate, engaging...[the book is] as sharp [and] endearing as its subject:"―Douglass K. Daniel, The Associated Press "This in-depth, insightful, and profoundly sympathetic biography is built around the premise that Carrie Fisher was simply 'famous just for being herself' . . .This is a worthy tribute to a strong, intelligent woman, and readers will appreciate Weller's honest portrayal and thoughtful analysis." ― Booklist (Starred Review) "Bestselling author Weller shares a heartfelt tribute to the late Carrie Fisher―a complex portrait of the actress, her struggles and her extraordinary singularity. A Life on Edge is a fitting and beautiful homage to Fisher." ― Juliana Rose Pignataro, Newsweek "A thoughtful and fast-paced biography . . . [Sheila Weller] is exactly the right showbiz insider-outsider to shepherd Carrie Fisher's story to the masses . . . [Weller] does an excellent job of placing Fisher's life in context, showing that while she may have shifted the culture . . . the culture also shifted her." ―Rachel Syme, Bookforum "Drawing from exhaustive research and interviews, Weller closely analyzes all of [the] interrelated facets of Fisher's story, from her countless accomplishments and vast social network to the disturbing side of her disorders. What emerges is a vivid and honest portrait of a brave, complex woman who had an impact on all who knew her. Extensive notes and a thoughtful introduction complement the absorbing narrative . . . Well written and poignant, this is a must for Fisher's fans." ― Library Journal "Engrossing, gracefully written . . . Carrie Fisher reads as definitive." ―Celia Wren, The Washington Post "Fisher lived a lot , and that is felt in page after page. But like Fisher’s life itself, A Life on the Edge runs deep. It is less a long book than a very full one. It’s moving, truthful and a fitting tribute to its subject and to her unflappable courage and transparency. Reading Weller’s portrait of Fisher, you will miss her, deeply." ―Anna Spydell , Bookpage "A robust, many-faceted portrait of a woman whose longstanding feminism . . . elevated everything she touched and who left a powerful legacy . . . This satisfying biography of Carrie Fisher, the late actress, writer, wit and mental-health advocate, brings to the fore two additional defining attributes: feminist and friend." ―Nell Beram , Shelf Awareness “Sheila Weller has always treated the brilliant, complicated women she writes about with the se