High on Arrival

A Memoir

By: Mackenzie Phillips

Narrated by: Mackenzie Phillips

Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Not long before her 50th birthday, Mackenzie Phillips walked into Los Angeles International Airport. She was on her way to a reunion of One Day at a Time, the hugely popular 70s sitcom on which she once starred as the lovable rebel Julie Cooper. Within minutes, Mackenzie was in handcuffs, arrested for possession of cocaine and heroin.

Born into rock and roll royalty, Mackenzie grew up in an all-access kingdom of hippie freedom and heroin cool. It was a kingdom over which her father, the legendary John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, presided, often in absentia, a spellbinding, visionary phantom.

When Mackenzie was a teenager, Hollywood and the world took notice of the charming, talented, precocious child actor after her star-making turn in American Graffiti. As a young woman, she joined the nonstop party in the hedonistic pleasure dome her father created for himself and his fellow revelers, and a rapt TV audience watched as Julie Cooper wasted away before their eyes.

By the time Mackenzie discovered how deep and dark her father's trip was going, it was too late. And as an adult, she has paid dearly for a lifetime of excess, working tirelessly to reconcile a wonderful, terrible past in which she succumbed to the power of addiction and the pull of her magnetic father.

As her astounding, outrageous, and often tender life story unfolds, Phillips overcomes seemingly impossible obstacles again and again, and journeys toward redemption and peace. By exposing the shadows and secrets of the past to the light of day, the star who turned up High on Arrival has finally come back down to earth - to stay.

©2009 Shane's Mom, Inc (P)2009 Simon & Schuster

An Extraordinary, woman!

Wow, I mean Wow! I had no idea that she went through so, much and for so, long. I found her narration perfect, no one is more suited to tell her story than she, herself. And she did an excellent job! I've seen how drug addicts behave and whoever they were before, no matter how wonderful; once they become addicts, that person they were before; doesn't exist anymore. They look like and sound like the person that you knew before, but it's almost like a possession. They're capable of doing things that defy the imagination. So, I wasn't too, surprised at some of the things she experienced. But, I had no idea that she experienced all that she did. Coupled with wealth and fame to add to it's crippling grip on you especially,as a child. Remarkable story and I'm so, very happy that she survived it. And not buy survived, but thrived. It's so, easy to dismiss people, and stick a negative label on them, It took GREAT courage to reveal such personal things, I was touched and almost brought to tears in some parts, didn't think I could read to the in. I did and I'm glad. Thank you, McKenzie Phillips for sharing. may you continue to thrive and appreciate life real life for the rest of your life.

WOW! What a story!

This was a good book. A stunning story. I had no idea the demons that she had endured over the years. Funny, sad, terrifying, horrific and uplifting. What a journey.

Wow!

I can’t imagine growing up in such a disarray and then have to call that your life.

Beautiful and Devastating

This story is told openly and honestly with all the bugs and warts. Bless her.

Brutal Honesty

Mackenzie has written and shared with us a no nonsense, brutally honest account of some very disturbing and painful experiences. She doesn't waste time defending herself and just bares her soul completely. Throughout her life, she absorbs these shocking yet tragic events in the way that children who have grown used to abuse, learn to do. I have a great deal of respect for Mackenzie for telling the truth in spite of her critics and those within her own family who would attack her. I wish she had written this book while her father was still alive as I wish he had been held accountable for for causing so much suffering and pain.

When the Last Rose of Summer Pricks my Finger

Depression, recession hits the land of the free. Too many years and so many roads have passed to remember who wrote all the lyrics that go through my head when I'm slipping into darkness. Never known for my timing, delivery or material this was not the best time to read the darkest book I've read since that summer in '91 when I tried to read VC Andrews. As an ex Mormon and amateur cult scholar I am so excited to hear her speak now knowing she got clean in a Scientology rehab. I had a yuge crush on this rebel growing up and had no idea she too was struggling through the 80's. It wasn't just the drugs either. I mean who wasn't doing coke with a parent? But the rest of it was just awful. I'll be listening carefully for any cult lingo and wondering if some of these "memories" were implanted during an auditing session with an e-meter doing some aggressive regression therapy?

good book

it was Smart, funny & witty. i finished it in 2 days. .... ... ..

Raw and gritty honest

loved it. Almost felt as if you're there during all MacKenzie's trials and tribulations. it makes you understand how things got so turned around for her. she went through so much. And now she's back. loved the book Shred It with my niece. I would recommend it to anyone couldn't put the book down

I get her

Whan amazing story. Not to her extremes, but some of that I can completely relate to.

I listened to her book on my way to and from work, I couldn't wait to get back in my car to continue to hear her life story

A Tragic Battle Fought by a Beautiful Soul

I was impressed by the struggle this woman endured time and time again throughout her life and yet she had the courage to continue forward, share her story with the World and to hopefully help others in similar situations. The reality is that everyone is a survivor of something and those who can help heal others through their own tragedy are the true winners in these scenarios.