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Unsinkable  By  cover art

Unsinkable

By: Debbie Reynolds, Dorian Hannaway
Narrated by: Debbie Reynolds
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Publisher's summary

The definitive memoir by legendary actress and performer Debbie Reynolds - an entertaining and moving story of enduring friendships and unbreakable family bonds, of hitting bottom and rising to the top again - that offers a unique and deeply personal perspective on Hollywood and its elite, from the glory days of MGM to the present.

In the closing pages of her 1988 autobiography Debbie: My Life, Debbie Reynolds wrote about finding her "brave, loyal, and loving" new husband. After two broken marriages, this third, she believed, was her lucky charm. But within a few years, Debbie discovered that he had betrayed her emotionally and financially, nearly destroying her life.

Today, she writes, "When I read the optimistic ending of my last memoir now, I can't believe how naive I was when I wrote it. In Unsinkable, I look back at the many years since then, and share my memories of a film career that took me from the Miss Burbank Contest of 1948 to the work I did in 2012.... To paraphrase Bette Davis: Fasten your seatbelts, I've had a bumpy ride."

Unsinkable shines a spotlight on the resilient woman whose talent and passion for her work have endured for more than six decades. In her engaging, down-to-earth voice, Debbie shares private details about her man and money troubles, including building and losing her Las Vegas dream hotel and her treasured Hollywood memorabilia collection. Yet no matter how difficult the problems, the show always goes on.

Debbie also invites us into the close circle of her family, speaking with deep affection and honesty about her relationships with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. She looks back at her life as an actress during Hollywood's Golden Age - "the most magical time you could imagine" - including her lifelong friendship with (and years-long estrangement from) the legendary Elizabeth Taylor. Here, too, are stories that never reached the tabloids about numerous celebrities, such as Ava Gardner, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Mick Jagger, Gene Kelly, and many more. She takes us on a guided tour through her movies with delightful, often hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdotes about every film in which she was involved, from 1948 to the present.

Frank and forthright, and featuring dozens of previously unseen photos from Debbie's personal collection, Unsinkable is a poignant reminder that there is light in the darkest times. It is a revealing portrait of a woman whose determination is an inspiration.

©2013 Maxray Productions, Inc. (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Unsinkable

Average customer ratings
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Loved Loved loved IT!

Almost shocking with honesty. My beef alot of the time with so-called memoires or autobiographies from different actors is that they cut and paste then whitewash alot of the facts, making themselves look good. But, it seems that Miss Reynolds holds nothing back. Her delivery is wonderfully old Hollywood like a gossip columnist almost. What a loss when she past last year.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Total fun with Debbie Reynolds

What made the experience of listening to Unsinkable the most enjoyable?

The fact that it was read by the author herself.

Have you listened to any of Debbie Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I loved Hollywood Anecdotes, which I believe she did several years prior to this. Her delivery of the lines for several actors quotes was a hoot in that book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was surprised at how many times she made financial mistakes, but was glad to learn she always came out on top in the end. A most enjoyable journey into the inside thoughts of a movie star.

Any additional comments?

Debbie Reynolds needs to do more of these, as her reading brings the words to life.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Queen of the Tangent

I saw her live about 5 years ago at a Q & A session that preceded the showing of one of her old movies. She had a wonderful, earthy sense of humor as she answered questions and seamlessly wove in hilarious anecdotes that invariably involved another famous person. And while I realize that hearing someone read their memoir is not the same experience as a live Q & A I was not prepared for how incredibly stilted this book would sound. Her inflection was by turns breathless and brassy as she constantly wanders off on namedropping tangents with no real payoff. If you drank a shot every time you heard "my dear, dear friend" (insert celebrity name here) you would be dead of alcohol poisoning before you were halfway through the book. While the woman is undeniably a survivor and one of the few remaining links to old Hollywood this book would have benefitted from sharper (or any, for that manner) editing.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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She's the greatest!

A fabulous trip down Hollywood Memory Lane by one of the finest and funniest artists. Debbie 's a great listen!

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely Delightful!

Debbie Reynolds is the only one who could have voiced her tale of joy and heartbreak with such charm and grace. Her delivery is winsome and a little baudy when that's called for. I could listen to her read me anything. What a treasure she was!

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved this!

I started listening to this just one week before the deaths of Carrie and Debbie. It was very surreal to continue listening after I heard of their sad passings. But I kept at it and I truly loved it. The fact that Debbie read the story herself added to the greatness. If you love old Hollywood, juicy stories, and Ms Reynolds herself then you will love this. I was shocked about her honesty ranging from Elizabeth Taylor to her own financial issues. My mouth fell open a few times at the things she divulged in this book. I have always admired her from her movies but now having gotten to know her in her own words I hold an even greater respect for her. She was and is a true Hollywood legend and icon.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Unsinkable Personality

I have enjoyed watching Debbie for many, many years. Her movies are a delight and so is she. I really enjoyed hearing about her personal life and all of the experiences she had working in the business.

If I had one issue with the audiobook, it would be the speed. It seemed a bit slow so I ramped it up a notch and it didn't impede my ability to hear everything clearly.

If you like Debbie too, you'll love this book!

We are so lucky to still have some of the greatest stars like Debbie with us to enjoy!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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Such a Disappointment

What would have made Unsinkable better?

There is no 'story' here, just Debbie Reynolds whining about her past divorces and how the world had dumped on her. She made very poor choices in men and finances, yet she takes no responsibility for it. Therefore the book is just a 'woe is me' diatribe.

Has Unsinkable turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not really, I love biographies and autobiographies.

What didn’t you like about Debbie Reynolds’s performance?

Everything! While I admire Ms Reynold's age and applaud her for being a survivor, the narration of this book is painful as she struggles to finish each sentence and then have the breath for the next.

What character would you cut from Unsinkable?

I better not answer this :)

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your money on this.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Entertaining Memior

I purchased this book after reading Todd Fisher's memoir. (I also sat down to watch a documentary he mentions about his mother, "Bright Lights") It has all been very interesting and Debbie Reynolds is a part of history that just would not have crossed my path otherwise. I was very happy to listen to her amazing story. She was Hollywood Royalty and delivers an accounting that includes warmth, good memories, the best sides of people and the industry when it had high professional standards. And the people involved had high personal standards, for the most part. She really cared about leaving people with good memories. Which is what an entertainer used to do, and what people used to pay for. No wonder our nation is fixated on politics now for entertainment. She was part of a magical window in time that is somewhere behind us, and she shares it in this lovely recounting. I can't see how anyone ever got tired of listening to her, I could have listened for another 100 hours. She was a real entertainer in every sense of the word. Her son has honored her legacy so others can experience some of the magic.

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3 people found this helpful

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A true Hollywood star.

Her memoir is not just a story of her life, but the story behind many of the movies she stared in and the great movie stars who stared in those movies with her.

She'll be very missed.

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