What do you think?
Rate this book
Debbie: My Life
In the '50s, Debbie Reynolds was Hollywood's reigning ingenue.Pretty, sassy, and bright... America's sweetheart. But behind the dazzle was a young woman thrown in the star making machine and hoping for personal happiness.
446 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
4 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Reynolds
19 books76 followersDebbie Reynolds was an Oscar-nominated American actress, singer, and dancer. She was one of MGM’s principal stars of the 1950s and ’60s in such films as the 1952 classic “Singin’ in the Rain” and 1964’s “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” for which she received an Oscar nomination as best actress. Reynolds received the SAG lifetime achievement award in January 2015.
Reynolds's first marriage, to popular singer Eddie Fisher, produced a son, Todd Fisher, and a daughter, Carrie Fisher, but ended in divorce in 1959 when Fisher fell in love with Reynolds's former (and later) friend Elizabeth Taylor. Reynolds married twice more, both ending in divorce.
On December 27, 2016, Reynolds's daughter, Carrie Fisher, died. The following day Reynolds suffered a stroke and died. Her son, Todd Fisher later said Reynolds had been seriously impacted by her daughter's death, and grief was partially responsible for her stroke, noting that his mother had stated, "I want to be with Carrie," shortly before she died.
Reynolds's first marriage, to popular singer Eddie Fisher, produced a son, Todd Fisher, and a daughter, Carrie Fisher, but ended in divorce in 1959 when Fisher fell in love with Reynolds's former (and later) friend Elizabeth Taylor. Reynolds married twice more, both ending in divorce.
On December 27, 2016, Reynolds's daughter, Carrie Fisher, died. The following day Reynolds suffered a stroke and died. Her son, Todd Fisher later said Reynolds had been seriously impacted by her daughter's death, and grief was partially responsible for her stroke, noting that his mother had stated, "I want to be with Carrie," shortly before she died.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 10, 2023
It seemed she went through it kind of fast lol. I never knew the hardship she went through with her first two marriages and miscarriages.
February 13, 2017
Born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas in April of 1932 - the child who would eventually become known as Debbie Reynolds - wasn't planning on ever having a career in Hollywood. Although she grew up in poverty, Debbie was catapulted to fame at a very young age - when she won the 'Miss Burbank' Beauty Pageant at the age of sixteen. What had started out as a chance to win some new clothes, also earned Debbie a screen test with Warner Brothers Studios. And so began the acting career of Debbie Reynolds.
From the very beginning, her fans identified with her and called her 'the kid' - the kid with guts, the kid with personality, the kid sister - and to movie audiences she was truly 'America's Sweetheart'. As Hollywood's reigning ingenue, Debbie Reynolds was the fresh-faced embodiment of American grace and gumption. Throughout her career, starring in such film classics as: Singin' in the Rain, How the West Was Won, Tammy and the Bachelor, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Debbie always portrayed a sassy, spunky, and bright personality. Yet behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - beyond the dazzling spotlight of instant fame - was a young woman thrown into the starmaking machine, and whose only hope was to achieve personal happiness for herself.
Now, taking readers inside her private world, Debbie tells it all: about an extraordinary life spent in the limelight - the tears, the laughter, and the bitter moments of her career - all is revealed in this candid, funny, and gutsy self-portrait. She reveals the real story behind her marriage to Eddie Fisher - a marriage that blew apart when he began a torrid love affair with Elizabeth Taylor - and abandoned Debbie to the hurricane winds of a sensational white-hot scandal. Here, too, is a startling expose of the years spent with her second husband Harry Karl - a compulsive gambler and womanizer who left her in a state of financial ruin.
Yet there are also so many wonderful memories as well - star-studded recollections from the Golden Era of Hollywood: memories made with such stars as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; the famous movies and movie moguls; as well as her hardwon, yet enduring relationship with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. As the last of the red-hot troupers, Debbie Reynolds has lived through it all: the hard times and the happy times, and she has somehow managed to retain her dauntless determination to make her dreams come true. This is so much more than just the saga of a legendary Hollywood star, it is also the fascinating and poignant story of a true survivor - someone who has emerged from her various trials and tribulations, perhaps somewhat battered, but ultimately triumphantly resilient.
Despite reading Ms. Reynolds second autobiography back in April of 2016 - after her recent passing in December of 2016 - I wanted to read her first autobiography. Actually, I found that this book focused more on her hard-scrabble childhood and in my opinion, she held nothing back. I must admit that I found Ms. Reynolds to be a wonderful person, lovingly honest and surprisingly forgiving - to be perfectly honest, perhaps more forgiving than I would be if I were in her circumstances.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although if I did have any problems with it, it would probably be that Ms. Reynolds tended to drop names of stars into the story fairly frequently. Although having said that, I suppose that this would certainly be something to be expected when a bonafide Hollywood legend writes her autobiography. I would definitely give this book an A!
From the very beginning, her fans identified with her and called her 'the kid' - the kid with guts, the kid with personality, the kid sister - and to movie audiences she was truly 'America's Sweetheart'. As Hollywood's reigning ingenue, Debbie Reynolds was the fresh-faced embodiment of American grace and gumption. Throughout her career, starring in such film classics as: Singin' in the Rain, How the West Was Won, Tammy and the Bachelor, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Debbie always portrayed a sassy, spunky, and bright personality. Yet behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - beyond the dazzling spotlight of instant fame - was a young woman thrown into the starmaking machine, and whose only hope was to achieve personal happiness for herself.
Now, taking readers inside her private world, Debbie tells it all: about an extraordinary life spent in the limelight - the tears, the laughter, and the bitter moments of her career - all is revealed in this candid, funny, and gutsy self-portrait. She reveals the real story behind her marriage to Eddie Fisher - a marriage that blew apart when he began a torrid love affair with Elizabeth Taylor - and abandoned Debbie to the hurricane winds of a sensational white-hot scandal. Here, too, is a startling expose of the years spent with her second husband Harry Karl - a compulsive gambler and womanizer who left her in a state of financial ruin.
Yet there are also so many wonderful memories as well - star-studded recollections from the Golden Era of Hollywood: memories made with such stars as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis and Robert Wagner; the famous movies and movie moguls; as well as her hardwon, yet enduring relationship with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. As the last of the red-hot troupers, Debbie Reynolds has lived through it all: the hard times and the happy times, and she has somehow managed to retain her dauntless determination to make her dreams come true. This is so much more than just the saga of a legendary Hollywood star, it is also the fascinating and poignant story of a true survivor - someone who has emerged from her various trials and tribulations, perhaps somewhat battered, but ultimately triumphantly resilient.
Despite reading Ms. Reynolds second autobiography back in April of 2016 - after her recent passing in December of 2016 - I wanted to read her first autobiography. Actually, I found that this book focused more on her hard-scrabble childhood and in my opinion, she held nothing back. I must admit that I found Ms. Reynolds to be a wonderful person, lovingly honest and surprisingly forgiving - to be perfectly honest, perhaps more forgiving than I would be if I were in her circumstances.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although if I did have any problems with it, it would probably be that Ms. Reynolds tended to drop names of stars into the story fairly frequently. Although having said that, I suppose that this would certainly be something to be expected when a bonafide Hollywood legend writes her autobiography. I would definitely give this book an A!
Read
April 18, 2017I read this a couple of decades ago. I remember her life wasn't as wonderful as I thought it should be.
November 29, 2007
Debbie Reynolds made some marvelous movies, and chose some rotten men. Here is her warts-and-all story of her life, and what an interesting read it is. She pulls no punches and is not even gentle with herself. She writes as she speaks, and it's an unexpected pleasure.
May 27, 2024
"I may have been escaping from reality, I won't deny that. I didn't want to love. I wanted someone to love me more, so that I could be in control; so that everything could go my way."
I loved how heartbreakingly honest this was.
I loved how heartbreakingly honest this was.
March 23, 2016
A few weeks ago I was watching TCM and saw a segment about Debbie Reynolds' latest memoir, Make 'Em Laugh. At the time I didn't know it was the latest of three memoirs by this outstanding actress and comedienne, so to the great objection of my OCD I read that last volume first. Then I quickly ordered the earlier two and launched in. This book, published in 1988, is her first such work and her main biography.
In steady chronological order, Reynolds (born in 1932) recounts her childhood in a very poor family in Depression-era Texas, which prompted her parents to move her and her older brother to move to Burbank, California in late 1939. She loved living in California, though her family's finances improved only marginally. In 1948, at the age of 16, she entered the Miss Burbank beauty contest just so she could get the blouse and scarf offered to each entrant, so meager was her wardrobe. Much to her astonishment, she won. This led to her getting noticed by a Hollywood talent scout, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Reynolds discusses how it took her a long time to come around to the way of thinking that Hollywood would be a career for her—she had aspired to be a gym teacher, not an actress, and she held onto that goal for a long time. Even though she had a hit movie at age 19 in Singin' in the Rain, her acclimation to the life of a star was slow in coming. But the rest of the country loved their quirky, fresh-faced ingenue, particularly when she married young singing sensation Eddie Fisher in 1955.
Their marriage didn't go well for long, though, and ended in a very public divorce a few years later when Fisher left her for Reynolds' erstwhile best friend, Elizabeth Taylor. But Reynolds left the marriage more popular than ever and, more important to her, a young daughter and baby son whom she adored and who would become the focus of her life. She loved being a mother, and wanted to be a wife.
Reynolds recounts her continued successful career, not only in film acting but as a singer, cabaret act, and stage actor. When she remarried in 1960 to millionaire businessman Harry Karl, she thought she finally had found complete contentment; but fate decreed otherwise (I won't give away details).
In this book, Reynolds discusses with amazing candor her favorite people and some who were not so well remembered (sometimes she gives names, sometimes not). She's frank about her sex life—which isn't as interesting as you might think because, well, it just wasn't that interesting. She lavishes praise on her friends, like Joan Crawford and Agnes Moorehead, and those who helped her learn her craft, like acting coach Lillian Burns Sidney. It's a real insider's look at Hollywood in the '60s and '70s, and eye-opening in that Reynolds juxtaposes her glamorous life in front of the camera with the mundanities of the daily life of a wife and mother of two small children. Sure, it's an autobiography, a form which lends itself to self-aggrandizement; but Reynolds comes across as a down-to-earth lady who would be a good friend to have and a hoot at a party.
In steady chronological order, Reynolds (born in 1932) recounts her childhood in a very poor family in Depression-era Texas, which prompted her parents to move her and her older brother to move to Burbank, California in late 1939. She loved living in California, though her family's finances improved only marginally. In 1948, at the age of 16, she entered the Miss Burbank beauty contest just so she could get the blouse and scarf offered to each entrant, so meager was her wardrobe. Much to her astonishment, she won. This led to her getting noticed by a Hollywood talent scout, and the rest (as they say) is history.
Reynolds discusses how it took her a long time to come around to the way of thinking that Hollywood would be a career for her—she had aspired to be a gym teacher, not an actress, and she held onto that goal for a long time. Even though she had a hit movie at age 19 in Singin' in the Rain, her acclimation to the life of a star was slow in coming. But the rest of the country loved their quirky, fresh-faced ingenue, particularly when she married young singing sensation Eddie Fisher in 1955.
Their marriage didn't go well for long, though, and ended in a very public divorce a few years later when Fisher left her for Reynolds' erstwhile best friend, Elizabeth Taylor. But Reynolds left the marriage more popular than ever and, more important to her, a young daughter and baby son whom she adored and who would become the focus of her life. She loved being a mother, and wanted to be a wife.
Reynolds recounts her continued successful career, not only in film acting but as a singer, cabaret act, and stage actor. When she remarried in 1960 to millionaire businessman Harry Karl, she thought she finally had found complete contentment; but fate decreed otherwise (I won't give away details).
In this book, Reynolds discusses with amazing candor her favorite people and some who were not so well remembered (sometimes she gives names, sometimes not). She's frank about her sex life—which isn't as interesting as you might think because, well, it just wasn't that interesting. She lavishes praise on her friends, like Joan Crawford and Agnes Moorehead, and those who helped her learn her craft, like acting coach Lillian Burns Sidney. It's a real insider's look at Hollywood in the '60s and '70s, and eye-opening in that Reynolds juxtaposes her glamorous life in front of the camera with the mundanities of the daily life of a wife and mother of two small children. Sure, it's an autobiography, a form which lends itself to self-aggrandizement; but Reynolds comes across as a down-to-earth lady who would be a good friend to have and a hoot at a party.
October 12, 2011
A total guilty pleasure. Honestly, who would've thought one person could get beaten down so many times, in such extreme and publicly humiliating circumstances? What a fascinating life: she sort of fell into acting after being discovered by a talent scout in a beauty pageant. Then she gets thrown into "Singing in the Rain" and gets verbally pummeled by Gene Kelly on the set. Then she is courted by, and marries, the Justin Bieber of his day (though slightly older), Eddie Fisher. They are this internationally renowned, adorable superstar couple, like Brad and Angelina but wholesome and actually married. Then they have Princess Leia! Then Eddie leaves Debbie for Elizabeth Taylor...can you get any more dramatic than that? Oh, wait. You can. After Eddie leaves and essentially has nothing to do with his kids again ever, Debbie married a seemingly stable and caring multi-millionaire heir to a shoe fortune. He also becomes her "manager." (Red flag warning to any successful actress in the 50s/60s, but how could Debbie have known this at the time?) After a good decade of marriage it turns out this guy is a gambling addict who has not only frittered away his entire fortune, and hers, but he's also been seeing hookers on the side AND gotten Debbie and himself into massive amounts of debt. In the multi-millions. Debbie, after working her butt off for years, must start from ground zero at age 40, so that she can work for years and hand her paychecks directly over to banks and the IRS.
The fact that Debbie Reynolds has gone through all of this but still remained as hard-working and positive and glamorous as she still is, makes this (for me) a simultaneous downer and inspiration. Like many books about old Hollywood stars, it's sometimes difficult to stomach the magnitude of the darkness that seemed to be going on behind the scenes. I guess that's what I love about these sorts of books: the irony that someone like "Tammy" could end up literally sleeping in her car 20 years later. Her life certainly was much more fascinating than any of the movies she made, and she dishes on quite a few old stars, which is always a good time.
The fact that Debbie Reynolds has gone through all of this but still remained as hard-working and positive and glamorous as she still is, makes this (for me) a simultaneous downer and inspiration. Like many books about old Hollywood stars, it's sometimes difficult to stomach the magnitude of the darkness that seemed to be going on behind the scenes. I guess that's what I love about these sorts of books: the irony that someone like "Tammy" could end up literally sleeping in her car 20 years later. Her life certainly was much more fascinating than any of the movies she made, and she dishes on quite a few old stars, which is always a good time.
June 16, 2017
I am a superfan of Debbie Reynolds and forever will be. This book was an insightful look at Debbie's career, family and relationships. And no matter what happened nothing ever held her back or stopped her, she was a fighter! Great book and would recommend to everyone, especially Debbie Reynolds Fans!!
June 23, 2017
After reading two Carrie Fisher books, I felt the need to see what her mom had to say. I read both of her biographies (My Life and Unsinkable) in a nonstop frenzy. Reynolds has had an interesting life and sadly seems to have been taken advantage of many times. Her autobiographies were wonderful though and I now feel the urge to binge-watch a bunch of Reynolds movies.
February 3, 2017
It was very interesting to read about all of Debbie's trials. Seeing her in all the movies and shows you would never know the distress she endured. I really liked this book. Looking forward to Unstoppable.
December 23, 2008
Love love love Debbie!
June 9, 2009
I don't read too many biographies but I'll never forget Debbie's guts and determination. It was a good read.
December 24, 2020
Interesting memoir, but the audiobook seemed rushed somehow. As if she had no coach for the audiobook. Love that Debbie Reynolds.
October 9, 2020
If you ever watched and enjoyed Singin' in the Rain, Tammy or The Unsinkable Molly Brown you would like this book.
July 3, 2022
I love Debbie Reynolds!
February 17, 2024
I had forgotten how naturally funny Debbie Reynolds was.
September 23, 2024
Story of a life truly lived. Her life lessons were tough re marriage and business, but she learned to finally trust herself and took control. Thanks for her gifts to us.
February 21, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. It's like I could hear Debbie reading it as I read. I loved being able to read about her life, the ups and downs. She had such an amazingly interesting life. I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes memoirs, old hollywood stories, or just good stories in general. It's a definite favorite of mine.
November 20, 2014
This book was what I'd like all celebrity memoirs to be: interesting, very readable, and detailed without being dry. I've seen probably 5 or 6 of Debbie Reynolds' films, but I wouldn't consider her to be one of my favorite classic film actresses by any means. But she was in my favorite classic movie (Singin' in the Rain), and I was interested enough in her life to want to read her memoirs.
It was interesting and I liked the writing style, but goodness, Debbie sure has had a rough life. I was amazed by how things could go from so "perfect" (or seemingly so) to rotten, so quickly! She had such awful luck with picking husbands. I loved reading about her life up until her first marriage, but that's when things started going downhill. I guess I'm sheltered, but I can't believe how flippant celebrities are about certain things! And I can't wrap my head around the fact that someone who once was a millionaire could end up with nothing (granted, it was her second husband's fault).
I liked reading little mentions of other celebrities that she knew. (And I found it extremely ironic that Sinatra, with all of his failed marriages, advised her to not marry Eddie Fisher and ended up being correct.)
These were the only things that bugged me: the bit of language scattered throughout (though it wasn't as much as I expected), some uncomfortably inappropriate recollections, and the fact that every once in a while there would be little contradictions. Nothing too major, but sometimes she would say one thing and then sort of say something different a few paragraphs or pages later.
Overall, I enjoyed it (though it was rather depressing), and I look forward to reading her new memoir, Unsinkable, sometime soon.
It was interesting and I liked the writing style, but goodness, Debbie sure has had a rough life. I was amazed by how things could go from so "perfect" (or seemingly so) to rotten, so quickly! She had such awful luck with picking husbands. I loved reading about her life up until her first marriage, but that's when things started going downhill. I guess I'm sheltered, but I can't believe how flippant celebrities are about certain things! And I can't wrap my head around the fact that someone who once was a millionaire could end up with nothing (granted, it was her second husband's fault).
I liked reading little mentions of other celebrities that she knew. (And I found it extremely ironic that Sinatra, with all of his failed marriages, advised her to not marry Eddie Fisher and ended up being correct.)
These were the only things that bugged me: the bit of language scattered throughout (though it wasn't as much as I expected), some uncomfortably inappropriate recollections, and the fact that every once in a while there would be little contradictions. Nothing too major, but sometimes she would say one thing and then sort of say something different a few paragraphs or pages later.
Overall, I enjoyed it (though it was rather depressing), and I look forward to reading her new memoir, Unsinkable, sometime soon.
April 11, 2011
I don't often read biographies because they can be so boring, frequently just a listing of dates and dull recitation of events. "Debbie: My Life" is not at all like that. It is very readable and interesting. Each time I'd pick it up to resume reading, I felt like I was sitting down to chat with an old friend. When I was a young girl, I thought Debbie Reynolds was absolutely wonderful and wished I could be like her. Obviously, I'm not, but she seems like the kind of person whose friendship I would really enjoy. It's unfortunate that so many people took advantage of her when she relied on them. Her determination and grit really come through in this autobiography. My husband and I had the good fortune to see her perform several years ago and found her to be a great entertainer and charming person, even taking time to be photographed with members of the audience. I wish there was a sequel to this book to bring us up-to-date since it was written over 20 years ago.
February 1, 2017
I listened to this as an audible during my daily horrible commute. What a way to experience this memoir! It was so wonderful to hear Ms. Reynolds' voice again! She went into great detail throughout most of the book, though I felt that the end was quite rushed. She literally dedicated one paragraph to Unsinkable Molly Brown! She also glossed over the estrangement with Carrie Fisher that resulted in the writing of Postcards from the edge. Compared to the beginning and middle, which were fantastically rich with detail, the end just felt rushed. Perhaps she goes into more details about that time of her life in her next memoir, which is next on my list to listen to. I actually bought that one first right after she died, and then learned of this one. Can't experience them out of order!!
I enjoyed this look at an amazing life and hope that the glossed over parts are covered in more detail in Unsinkable.
I enjoyed this look at an amazing life and hope that the glossed over parts are covered in more detail in Unsinkable.
August 13, 2025
Mary Frances Reynolds aka Debbie Reynolds. This memoir covers her life from her birth to the mid 80s when she married her third and last husband. Since it was published in 1989 there was a lot of years not covered.
I have admired Debbie Reynolds as an actress for as long as I can remember. I love just about everything I have seen her in. Reading this book gave me a respect and admiration for the person she was. Classy and strong!
I have admired Debbie Reynolds as an actress for as long as I can remember. I love just about everything I have seen her in. Reading this book gave me a respect and admiration for the person she was. Classy and strong!
Want to read
March 20, 2011In Carrie Fisher's memoir, Wishful Drinking,(and in her fictionalized autobiography Postcards from the Edge) she paints her mother as such an interesting and colorful character that I decided I wanted to learn more about Debbie Reynolds herself. Unfortunately, her autobiography is over 20 years old, so doesn't cover her recent history, but I still look forward to learning more about her.
February 21, 2012
The book was extremly insightful not only regarding her own career but also that of her peers and family. the story was told in a comedic manner which i enjoyed and really gave you an insight into her personality. My only negative thought was that it needs to be updates as it was published back in 1989.
April 3, 2015
Wonderful autobiography. It was an enlightening and inspiring read. Debbie Reynolds is a complex, fascinating person who courageously shares her life story in this book. I know she has written a more recent memoir, and I look forward to reading it soon as well. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies and reading about the entertainment industry.
July 25, 2011
I've always loved Debbie Reynolds and especially the movie
"Singing in the Rain". She's had an amazing life, lots of things
I didn't know about her and details about filming the movie
that were very interesting.
"Singing in the Rain". She's had an amazing life, lots of things
I didn't know about her and details about filming the movie
that were very interesting.
June 10, 2013
I enjoyed reading this biography about Debbie Reynolds. She is definitely a very interesting person who has had a tough life. But she also made some really stupid mistakes. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read.
Read
June 2, 2013No rating; I didn't really read much of it. There was only a few pages about "Singin' In The Rain". Just saying that it was miserable. Some, though not all, of her childhood sounds very rough, too. I might look in again when I'm curious about other movies I might watch.
Want to read
January 20, 2009I'm embarrassed to say that I actually own this book -- complete with signed photograph -- but haven't read it yet.
October 23, 2009
Debbie Reynolds is one of my favorite performers. This book about her life offers an interesting insight into her world and Hollywood history.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews