Delusions of Grandma

by Carrie Fisher

Overview

Beloved and bestelling novelist Carrie Fisher’s “autobiographical...funny, and touching, single woman’s exploration of survival and motherhood in 1990s Hollywood” (Harper’s Bazaar) is a dazzling romantic comedy full of “charm with a vengeance” (Entertainment Weekly).

Hollywood screenwriter Cora Sharpe has what one of the endless intimates she thinks of as her “Committee” calls “a big, loud life.” Her confidant and writing partner, Bud, has been on a manic-depressive roller coaster. Her dear friend William, AIDS-ridden, has finally taken leave of his live. And in the vacuum that follows his departure, Cora’s romance with quiet gentle Ray has flickered and expired.

Then Cora finds out she’s pregnant, and even the Committee can’t steer her through this one. Enter Cora’s mother, Viv, with her “delusions of grandma” and a madcap scheme to kidnap Cora’s grandpa from his nursing home. All she needs is a little help from Cora and Bud, who are only too happy to take their troubled act on the road...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501136818
Publisher:	Gallery Books
Publication date:	09/26/2015
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	267,081
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Carrie Fisher (1956–2016) became a cultural icon as Princess Leia in the first Star Wars trilogy. She starred in countless films, including Shampoo and When Harry Met Sally. She is the author of Shockaholic; Wishful Drinking (which became a hit Broadway production); and four bestselling novels, Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, The Best Awful, and Postcards from the Edge.

Editorial Reviews

Fisher ( Surrender the Pink ) is up to her usual schtick: analyzing the dynamics of a love affair gone sour. It all works fairly well, as long as the narrator, pregnant Hollywood script rewriter Cora Sharpe, doesn't get carried away with her own clever quips. Mildly concerned that she won't survive labor, Cora is writing to her unborn child. Between these piquant scribblings, the narrative backtracks to events leading up to Cora's pregnancy, including a pivotal phase in the relationship with her ex-boyfriend Ray, the expectant father . When a friend with AIDS moves in with them, Cora's efforts to ease his final days demonstrate to Ray that he is not her top priority. Exit Ray, and enter some wacky and not-so-convincing plot twists focused on Cora's flamboyant mother (``To label her eccentric would be a disservice to the words,'' Cora remarks). Scenarios built around this show-bizzy grandma-to-be, whose ``heartfelt delusions'' give the book its title, lack the conviction of earlier chapters. Still, Fisher's nonstop pithy dialogue and opinionated heroine make this a lively, witty read. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

This look into screenwriter Cora Sharpe's "big, loud life" begins as she embarks upon a relationship with nice-enough lawyer Ray. The affair wanes until revived by a mutual commitment to care for Cora's dying friend William. William's death from AIDS signals the end of Cora and Ray's affair, but she soon discovers that she is pregnant with Ray's child. Dialog interspersed with letters written to her unborn child provide insight into the complications posed by Cora's impending motherhood. After an inexplicable scheme to kidnap her grandfather from a nursing home, the book concludes with the birth of Cora's child. Fisher's expert reading allows her wit to come through in some great passages, but the plot is disjointed and neither themes nor characters are developed sufficiently. An optional purchase for most libraries.-Linda Bredengerd, Hanley Lib., Univ. of Pittsburgh, Bradford, Pa.

Library Journal