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275 of 292 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Absolutely Shocking", September 23, 2009
This review is from: High On Arrival (Hardcover)
Not since Christina Crawford wrote her tell-all story "Mommie Dearest" about the physical and mental abuse she endured at the hands of her famous mother Joan Crawford, has a book about famous people rocked Hollywood. Mackenzie Phillips has written an honest and brave account of her life with Mamas and the Papas frontman John Phillips who was her father. In the book Mackenzie discusses candidly her drug problem that has plagued her most of her life and how her father introduced her to cocaine when she was ten. She eventually started smoking pot and drinking heavily and ultimately became very promiscuous often having sex with many of her dad's friends including Mick Jagger. Mackenzie also recounts her eventual childhood stardom on the CBS sitcom "One Day At A Time" and how her drug use led her to being fired from the show as she would often show up stoned to film scenes. The most harrowing part of the book is her allegation of her father raping her one night while she was passed out cold from doing too many drugs. She reveals waking up after being "out" only to find her father having sex with her. Her drug problem became so severe that she actually allowed her father to have sex with her for over ten years until she found herself pregnant. She didn't know if the father was her fiance or her dad so she had the pregnancy terminated. The greatest part of the book is that she accepts her faults and mistakes herself and doesn't blame anyone for her shortcomings. She was even able to forgive her father for all the harm he inflicted upon her before he died in 2001. Rather than be a book that seeks revenge on someone "High On Arrival" is a book about facing one's past, dealing with their mistakes, and starting over fresh. I have always admired Mackenzie Phillips and I admire her more as her book is a lesson for all of us in understanding why a person starts doing drugs, why they become hooked on it, and how, if not handled properly, one can be destroyed by them. The fact that Mackenzie Phillips is still alive to write such a memoir is testimony in her strength as a human being and she should be applauded.
UPDATE ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011: "High On Arrival" was a huge publication success going to the top of many critic's lists as one of the best books of 2009. However, Mackenzie Phillips received a huge amount of negativity from fans of her father's who felt she was tarnishing his image. Many do not believe what Mackenzie states in her memoirs. Even upon "High On Arrival's" publication in September, 2009 Phillips discovered many in her immediate family, including brothers, sisters, and her former step-mother Michelle Phillips, disowned her. Mackenzie was shocked to realize she was not invited to attend her family's 2009 Thanksgiving dinner.
In the paperback edition of "High On Arrival" Mackenzie devotes a newly-written chapter about the fallout of the book's publication. In interviews promoting the soft-cover book Phillips states she would love to have her family welcome her back, but insists what she wrote was indeed fact and that her family is acting like most families do when dealing with something as controversial as incest: they are in complete denial.
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108 of 112 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Compelling Read That Puts The Allegations in Important Context., September 24, 2009
This review is from: High On Arrival (Hardcover)
You can't have paid any attention to the internet or TV for the last few days without hearing the revelations Mackenzie Phillips has made about her relationship with her father. Based on this, people have made decisions on whether or not they find her to be truthful. Having read the book I believe Mackenzie to be self-aware and compelling. Nobody knows for sure, only Mackenzie and only her dad, but her story, read in the context of the whole book, reads as truth.
Even if she'd not revealed her incestuous relationship with her dad, this still would be an interesting (5 star) read, a story about a roller coaster life and the pain of addiction. However, all the details together make that detail that every one is gossiping about seem plausible. Mackenzie grew up with a father who never parented, who only got angry at her taking drugs when it was his collectible LSD and not the stuff strewn casually around their home, who only asked that his 13-year-old daughter -- who lived with him -- be home one night a week, and so many more jaw-dropping stories. The relationship was so very inappropriate before it was INAPPROPRIATE that it gives credence to the latter. Her relationship with her father was about lines crossed, non-existent rules, and promises broken.
I don't think anyone could even casually follow her life and not wonder why a woman who was given so much couldn't stay off drugs. After reading this, I think most people will come to an understanding of why she's struggled so hard and how she could sink so low and perhaps, in the end, how she can still say she loves and forgives him -- why she needs this for her own sobriety.
One of the best reads this year. Memorable, with too many anecdotes to share here! Tales of golden days of casual drug use/flower power descending into dark days of self-destruction.
(I wish Mackenzie Phillips the best and hope she will, at last, be healed and that her story will help others.)
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82 of 91 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If You're a Doubter, Read the Book, Watch Her TV Interviews, September 24, 2009
This review is from: High On Arrival (Hardcover)
This is story of a privileged young woman who was exposed to sex, drugs, and adult activities at a very young age, who grew up way too fast under irresponsible parents, who suffered abuse from somebody she trusted and loved. Her written words have a LOT OF PAIN behind them. But when you see her tell them to Oprah, it is even more sad, more painful. I found myself tearing up at times, because this woman was so damaged and still in so much emotional turmoil.
As difficult as it is to believe that Papa John would do such things, all you have to do is read her book and watch her interviews on TV to see the result of his abuse.
Hers was a difficult story to tell, and from some reviews, naysayers who state Mackenzie is making this up, trying to get money, attention, whatever. For the doubters, have you read her book? Have you seen her on TV, talking about this book and its contents? You could see how Mackenzie was struggling to let these demons out in public; at times her hands were shaking. And the difficulty she had with her interview with Oprah was revealing in itself: nobody would go out in public and tell such stories if they weren't true. Her book is searingly honest and hard to read, but very brave.
People don't like to hear about their heroes or stars having flaws or doing such awful things behind closed doors. This is true of John Phillips. His image was that of a gentle, peace-loving hippie, talented musician, and founder of The Mamas and The Papas. People cannot rectify that image with that of a drugged-out, irresponsible parent who thought it was ok to carry on an incestuous relationship with his daughter. It was shocking enough to read that John Phillips used drugs in front of his daughter and taught her how to shoot up. But to carry on a ten-year incestuous relationship is beyond the pale. It is amazing Mackenzie is still around to tell her story, as her life has been a drug-fueled struggle to exorcise these demons she kept hidden inside for all these years.
I hope now she will be able finally heal and move on to a better life.
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