High On Arrival: A Memoir Paperback – Illustrated, February 22, 2011

This was the most amazing, detailed and emotionally raw and brave autobiography I've ever read, and I've read hundreds! I was captivated from start to finish! The descriptions of the authors feelings were absolutely intense. I have a 39 Forever son who struggled with addiction from his early teen years until his death from an fentanyl overdose last year in 2023 and this book gave me the opportunity to feel his personal struggles with drug addiction as well as my own struggles to try to save him from it. What a brave story to tell! I wish my son could have read this book before he passed away. Bravo for the courage to share your story! Congratulations on your sobriety and I hope it continues. God Bless You!

I don't think I have read a more raw, honest book. I got this as a KU book, because it was free and I like memoirs. I like seeing how others lives are. I remember watching, "One Day At A Time" as a child. It wasn't my favorite show, but I saw it sometimes. I was probably a little young for it. But I saw enough of it that I recognized MacKenzie Phillips. And of course I know who The Mamas and the Papas were, and several members of Mackenzie's family....probably mostly because of the band Wilson-Phillips, which was popular when I was a teen and young adult. So, I figured this would be the typical celebrity memoir. Big no! There was nothing typical about Mackenzie's life. About the only thing I, personally could relate to, was her motherhood, her pets, and her relationships with men. (I too, remain friends with exes, and still feel love for some of them even decades later).Mackenzie's story holds nothing back, yet she tells it with grace. She tells it as honestly as she possibly can, yet there is nothing "gory" about how she conveys it. Her love and respect for her siblings, son, and former partners shines throughout this book. And because of that love and respect she manages to tell about her life, her extreme neglect as a child, her extreme drug use, and her abuse as an adult in a way that is raw and honest, yet respectful of others feelings. Never once did Mackenzie try to shy away from the truth or try to make herself look good. This is a woman I could easily be friends with. I honestly had to put the book down several times to take a break, because portions of it were hard for me to emotionally get through. And yet, an hour later I'd be back reading because I had to see what happened. Yeah, yeah. I could have googled it, but I wanted to read her story in her own words. (I did watch an episode of "One Day at a Time" online early on in the book just to get a sense of her acting and the other people on the show, since I haven't seen it in decades.)Much respect to Mackenzie for sharing all the nitty gritty personal details in such a respectful way. I'm glad you made it girl!

The book was fantastic. Hard to put down. Written well and her story is heartbreaking and encouraging. Recovery is possible.

I heard about this book and I am so glad you took the time to read. I learned so much about the disease of addiction and became a fan of Mackenzie Phillips in the process. Not only for her acting ability, but her strength and love of a sober life!

Was and still in shock somehow, after reading it. A strong book in every sense and, for sure, not for weak or too sensitive characters. Think, in exchange, we-her readers- will finish it having learn more and deeper about human kind. Is as good as any of the best novels I read and can assure you have read a lot. Am always reading and chose very much. Happen to know about literature, so let us say that if it is not a book very carefully written, is still maybe more truth resounding as it is. Found it is a breathless reading, as if she was speaking through a recording: was seeing it mindly: so frank, brutal but deep sometimes too, as this book is. Is making me think much more than expected and this I like. Moved me to tears also, sharing what she thought and said. A luxury spoiled child? Well, a Summerhill child, to me. Living as free as never imagined a daughter of the hippy generation would. But Freedom does not mean to have an absent father who does not care much or as supposed to, about you. As a result, Mackenzie went wild, trying always to call the attention of Papa John. Surely not understanding, same as me and the millions who still love his music, why someone so brilliant and romantic (in his words and songs), could have that "other" dark and irresponsible side. Now have to read HIS book as well, for what this left me is the will, even the need, to understand or try to the mislead artist he might have been. Only the ones closer to him, friends, women and other artists surrounding him could let us know a bit more about what was in his tortured soul. Wish to have known him, do not blame him, for he surely was sick, hiddening in drugs a whole life, not wanting to touch reality. Not too much, anycase. Very fragile, in the inner way, he must have been. About her, well, I admire the woman behind this book. Have no doubt she is telling the truth about it all. And do not doubt neither than if she went through all these raw, too often painful memoirs it was not to make money or hurt anybody. Has obviously been a sort of therapy this punch of a writing. Have to explain herself the anger she surely felt and dry the tears within, the burden of secrets beyond words to express. Twice raped, kidnapped, with blanks of consciousness, bordering several times death, and then, his icon all time failing her. Showing her his mud foot all her life through. Sort of a weird loony dad she had? Many would have suicided having to carry such a life, in fact too many did. Others went mad or deeply depressed, ended being a crack up toy, unable to do nothing. Not she. She managed to work all her life and earned so well her peanuts as to help others, included her erratic father. She also made a family and had plenty of happy times too. Fought hardly to go through all that hell of a mess. So, HATS OFF TO MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, such a brave, sensitive and heartful being. She deserves the best. A GREAT BOOK, A MUST READ, WRITTEN BY A COOL, FRIENDLY LOVING MIND. This is what I think, that is how I feel. P.S.- By the way, have someone heard about the incestuous relationship Lawrence Durrell had with her daughter? Michelle and that part of the family should know, it did not ruin the family reputation, nor seem to damage the daughter in excess. And far from praising such an aberration, of course. Just say that the more we know about the human being, the better. Hope to be useful to somebody and not have been too long and boring.

I can’t believe how much drug use some human bodies can take! This is some shocking and brutal honesty from Mackenzie Phillips. I found myself very angry at her dad a lot.Some of it is hard to follow because she jumps around so much. Sometimes there is one great sentence, which is a reminder that the rest is just average writing. I think it would have flowed better if she’d had help from a good writer.I was an interesting read, and I hope her life stays good. It’s amazing how positive her outlook always was at the smallest things and how much she loves everyone she meets.

Really well written and captivating. Shocking and sympathetic, it’s a great and worthwhile read.

This book was second hand but in good condition. I think it is now out of print and copies are quite rare. Very well written and such a sad tale. I was aware of how abusive and neglectful her parents were but I didn’t realise the extent of the difficulties she has overcome. I first heard of Mackenzie Phillips in Danny Sugarman’s memoir, No-one gets out of here alive, as she and Pamela Courson were some of his needle buddies. Pam, of course, being Jim Morrison’s partner who was with him when he died. Both books are highly recommended.

Une sombre histoire si émouvante

Mi ė piaciuto davvero molto questo libro perché ė la storia della vita di Mackenzie Phillips l'attrice che adoro ma nn solo X questo ė un libro intimo, scioccante che ti colpisce nel profondo che ti appassiona perché sono vere esperienze di vita, erano anni che non mi appassionavo così leggendo un libro mi ha tenuto incollato allo schermo dell'IPad non ė il solito romanzo ė qualcosa di più una testimonianza di come dopo aver toccato il fondo ed aver vissuto l'inferno si può risalire ce la si può fare ti assalgono un insieme di sensazioni contrastanti lo consiglio veramente.....

What a story, what a life! This book was fantastic and I would definately recommend it. I couldn't put it down....