Nada A. reviewed on 5/30/2013 + 1389 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Review first posted on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/carrie-and-me.html

Some disclaimers before I start my review ... First, I grew up watching Carol Burnett and have always loved her work. So, I suppose I am predisposed to liking her work. Second, before reading this book, I was not familiar with Carrie Hamilton's story or her struggles. As such, I had no pre-conception of what this story would bring. Third, this book is really two books - one the memoir written by Carol Burnett, and second, the piece Carrie working on when she died. My review is based primarily on the first - the memoir.

Carrie and Me is a heartfelt tribute to and memoir of Carrie Hamilton written by her mother Carol Burnett. Carrie was the oldest of Carol Burnett's three daughters. She was a precocious child who grew up alongside her mother's career. As a troubled teen, she developed a drug addiction. It took several iterations of detox for her to find the road to recovery. She went on to have a successful career and a happy life. Unfortunately, she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 38.

A bulk of this memoir is written as correspondence between mother and daughter or as excerpts from diary entries. As such, it has such a personal tone. It comes across as true and as real. I know that all memoirs are intended to be true and real, but not all of them read that way. This one does. It draws me in and makes me feel like I am there and present. It makes me feel the love and the heartache.

I am so very sorry for the sorrow in their lives, but I am so glad of the courage to share it with the world throughout - by going public with a drug addiction when such things were kept so private and by this book.

*** Reviewed for GoodReads First Reads Program ***

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