Book Review: High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips

The media blitz surrounding Mackenzie Phillips' memoir High on Arrival informed the world of this: She had an incestuous relationship with her father, Papa John Phillips.

Her ex-stepmother, Mama Michelle Phillips, says that Mackenzie is lying - and probably doesn't remember anything clearly thanks to decades of drug use.  Everyone else, however, seems to support her accusation.

Personally, I think there's enough story in High on Arrival that there was no need for her to make it up.  Even without the incest, goodness, there's plenty of gruesome and embarrassing details.

Throughout High on Arrival, Mackenzie Phillips is very honest when she doesn't remember something, which is often.  She'll begin a story and just say that she passed out and then woke up in some unfamiliar place.  Her memoir starts out like a true celebrity tale ... loads of name dropping.  You read the names Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Marlon Brando, and many, many more.  It's a constant party - and not something a child should be witnessing, let alone participating in.

Later in the book, she talks about her 15 years of sobriety and some poor choices she made as a mother while still using.  She talks about her relapse and getting busted at LAX with cocaine and, once again, finding sobriety.

Two of my favorite nuggets from the book:

• Farnas screamed again and his heart rate went back up.  This was going on and on.  Farnaz was screaming and crying on her knees ... I said, "Can you shut the fuck up and let him die already?"
  

• ... the official story was that he died of heart failure.  Well, sure.  We all die of heart failure.

It's clear that her energy is in the beginning of the book - the parties, the clubs, the attention.  The first part of the book is probably giving people what they want.  They want names and situations and glamor.  The latter part of the book is actually much better  High on Arrival is sensational.

I hope she doesn't use the royalties to buy cocaine (or heroin or alcohol).  Also, I hope if anyone is screaming and carrying on over my deathbed that someone steps in and tell them to shut up.

Read It.