Customer Reviews

High On Arrival

5 star:		(103)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

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.

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.)

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.

Mack's story is an interesting and thought-provoking one that provides the most insightful account of addiction I've read. Despite the controversy surrounding the book, the incestuous relationship is just a part of the complex family dynamics and surprising childhood neglect this woman experienced. There are some very big gaps between the highlights detailed, which found me wondering if she had simply lost those "gaps" in her life to her addiction, or if she was providing the most "entertaining" material for her audience. Regardless, I couldn't put this book down when I started it, and set it down believing (and hoping) that she has truly gained some insight from her latest brush with the public spotlight; but wondering about (and fearing for) the likelihood of her story being wrapped up so tidily.

As a memoir, this is also a fascinating detailed picture of the 70s and 80s, from a person intimately involved with many of the icons, yet with a perspective that was slightly removed from the very center. I am ten years younger than her, and I enjoyed seeing behind the veneer of the same time that I experienced in a very different way.

Unlike her first attempt at rehab and her father's staged show that surrounded it, I really hope this is more than a well-packaged publicity show. It would be a sad story if such a intelligent and beautiful soul let another opportunity for happiness slip away.

Mackenzie Phillips is one brave lady. She has FINALLY released her demons and NOW it all makes sense. Like she said "this is her truth" and nobody can take it, change it or make it into something else. She lived it. She has inspired me to let go of my own dysfunctional upbringing and I sincerely thank her from the bottom of my heart. Peace be to you Ms. Phillips in this life and the next. Much love from a fellow survivor.

Her life story is very believable.

I think in all the publicity of the book it's being overlooked that her father John was already a married grown man to his high school sweetheart, and he had two children (Mackenzie and her brother) when he ran off with a 16 year old girl Michelle and married her. Having sex with a 16 yr old girl, he was clearly already a man without boundaries before he was a junkie or famous!

She was completely neglected by almost all the adults in her life. That is not her fault!

In reading the book I thought if she was not a junkie, she would NOT have had what she called and thought was "consensual sexual relationship" with her father for 10 years. By her own account she had all types of father issues by this time, and was so emotionally wounded by him she thought it was a consenting relationship, and it really was abuse. She and her father were both very sick lost junkies together!

However, she did not write a book full of excuses for anything she did in her life; she takes serious responsibility for her actions (unlike her father or the other adults like Michelle or Genevieve who never did). It's a book full of sincere apologies to all who have been harmed by her.

As a parent herself she became aware how ridiculous her childhood was and how irresponsible all the adults were towards her, and the pain the adults caused in her life. How does anyone heal from that? Her fate as a junkie seemed almost unavoidable.
But she is now a hopeful women!

Best to her!

Mack needs to be applauded for her courage to write such humiliating details of her life.
It just shows the ugliness of incest when you have her own family members standing up for the abuser.
Her own aunt said " why would you hurt your cousins and make them sick to their stomach...they cant go to school or work they are so embarrassed and sick about this".

I say How dare you to the aunt...suggesting Mack hides for the rest of her life because of the SHAME of what her dad did!
I would be a druggie too if my dad had lead me by example into a life of drugs and abuse!!!

What no one is talking about ( and NO I am not blaming Mack) but I believe Mackenzie was one of those children that thrived on attention. Good or bad....she wanted love and male attention. Even as she became an adult, she was not as beautiful as most girls and she needed to feel worthy of a mans love.
That is why she says it was consenual.
She bought into it. She wanted whatever love her dad would throw her way.
Her dad was SICK....& she was sick with drugs and self loathing.
I hope she stays sober, and knows that most of the world loves and supports her.
((((HUGS)))) to mack!

I have a better understanding of why some kids with wealthy parents do so badly. I would always think they had everything, why would they mess up. This book reminds me not to judge people because you just don't know. I am so glad that Mackenzie Phillips told her story because I'm sure incest happens more than we all would imagine and it will help people. I don't know how common it is that a victim of happens that late in life but I know from reading the book that she never got the love or attention that she needed from her dad growing up. I'm glad she wrote the book.
I read it on Kindle edition.

When I hear people talking about "She needs the money", that is the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. This took lots of courage for her to slay her dragon in the public arena. She is not doing this for money, this is to give permission to other "incest" survivors to get help, and to talk about it. We are as sick as our secrets is very true. We must air out our secrets to heal them.

I applaud what she has done. Who ever condemns her obviously side's with the abuser, and approves of incest? That is sick. Ignorance is not bliss, ignorance is pain and suffering. The truth shall set you free. Mackenzie is not only setting herself free, possible ten's of thousand's of other survivors are being set free. Mackenzie is a hero for standing up for herself, and healing her life. I applaud her.

Anyone that disagrees with her story has never been an incest survivor, studied sex abuse or even talked to a sex abuse survivor. Try going to a 12 step group and ask a few questions. Bring the her book and ask if this is possible?

If your going to judge someone please study a little bit of what they are talking about and read some books on rape.

Invalidating someone's reality of abuse, is also another form of abuse. Abusing the abused must stop or we won't survive on the planet much longer.

After reading this book I feel proud of her for a couple of reasons one for surviving and two for remaining such a compassionate person . How on earth did she do that . I think that with all of the struggles and neglect that went on in her life it is pretty amazing how much she cares about other people !!! She loves her son !!! Telling This story could not have been easy she did it really well! I really could not put it down . I don't usually read memoir type books . I saw her on oprah and to me she seemed genuine and before the show was over I ordered the book . It came the next day and it was hard to put down .I cannot imagine a child being raised that way and still coming out as a Nice person ,She really seems like a nice person and I think it makes the reader wish her well. I know I did