Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness

Dieses Buch ist eines der besten was ich seit längerer Zeit gelesen habe. Mary Forsberg Weiland - Ehefrau von Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver-Frontman Scott Weiland - hat mit diesem Buch eine sehr authentische, berührende und brutal ehrliche Biographie abgeliefert, die - auch Nicht-Fans der o.g. Bands - sehr zu empfehlen ist. Angefangen bei ihrer Kindheit auf Coronado Island, San Diego, Kalifornien über ihren Einstieg ins Modelbusiness, das erste Aufeinandertreffen mit ihrem Noch-Ehemann Scott Weiland im Alter von 16 Jahren bis hin zu deren gemeinsamen, chaotischen Achterbahnfahrt durch das Musikbusiness und die Drogenszene (und Liebesbeziehung) ist dieses Buch - gepaart mit Humor und einem Hauch Sarkasmus - ein echter Leckerbissen. Es rührt zu Tränen, bringt einem zum Lachen und nachdenken. Noch dazu ist es - trotz englischer Sprache und umgangssprachlichen Ausdrücken - einfach zu lesen und sehr gut zu verstehen. Also auch die, die im Englischunterricht gepennt haben, können daran ihre Freude haben :D Ein sehr schöner Aspekt ist auch, dass sie mit ihrer Darstellung der Dinge der Klatschpresse einen ordentlichen Tritt ins Hinterteil verpasst und der "ach-so-böse-und-durchgeknallte" Scott Weiland ins richtige Licht gerückt wird. Man darf also auf einige "Aha"-Effekte gespannt sein, wenn man dieses Buch liest. Ich konnte es jedenfalls kaum aus der Hand legen und habe einige Taschentücher verbraucht! *grins* Fünf sehr wohl verdiente Sterne von mir

regalo apprezzato

Really great memoir. As someone who deals with both mental health & addiction issues, I found this book really well written. The only thing, it left me feeling very sad knowing this memoir was written before the sad passing of Scott Weiland. I can only imagine how Mary would write it differently knowing what we know now. Highly recommended to STP fans or anyone who enjoys a good memoir on the subjects of addiction & mental health or rock n' roll ...

A heart-breaking and well-written tale of addiction. Although I was never a fan of Weiland's music necessarily, I was always intrigued by his addiction battle and what made him tick. This is forthright, up-close and personal. Recommended!

I generally pay little attention to the romances of the rich and famous, but a book co-written by the ex-wife of Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland -- who I've always been a big fan of -- was too much for me to resist. Surprisingly, I was riveted by Mary Forsberg Weiland's own life tale and not just what she said about Scott. She's led a riotous and unpredictable existence as a model, to say the least, and her autobiography conveys that to wildly entertaining effect. Readers will get hooked into her story right away during the prologue, where a depressed, anxiety-laden Forsberg tries heroin for the first time -- with her boyfriend, Scott Weiland. The recount dredges up a bunch of observations: It's fascinating to get an intense, firsthand look at what these celebrities are doing in such a sleazy environment, but it's also very sad. As the book proceeds, you eventually see that this encounter is just the tip of the iceberg where drug use is concerned. In fact, if ever a piece of literature could be used to discourage kids from experimenting with drugs, this might be it. There are lighthearted aspects to the book, however. Mary's stories and the way co-author Larkin Warren helps relate them are at times graceful, charming and funny. This is a hard-knock girl who had a rough childhood, a less-than-middle-class upbringing and a penchant for experimentation. In addition to her addictive personality, Forsberg was a prominent model who traveled the world and is still a huge music fan. Fans of Scott Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots and even Velvet Revolver won't be disappointed; there's a lot of fodder about each. Especially interesting is the evolution of Scott Weiland, who Mary met (and fell in love with on the spot) as a 16-year-old model. Through her smitten eyes readers witness a sweet, soft-spoken 23-year-old guy who aspired to sing in a big rock band, worked days as a chauffeur, liked to wear vintage 7-UP jackets and was a genuine friend to Forsberg during her formative years. The first time Mary watches Scott performing onstage, she realizes there's a whole other musical element to him, an enrapturing one at that. What Scott Weiland evolved into was not always so innocent or admirable, but that's the beauty of Forsberg's honesty: No stone is left unturned (pardon the bad pun). In a weird way, Forsberg's book has elements of a ragged love story, albeit one that doesn't exactly end in the storybook tradition. Her meltdown memories at the end of the book put her fragility and bipolar disorder on full display, but the coupon-clipping, down-to-earth Mary makes you root for her. As the dust settles and her tumultuous years get put in the rearview mirror, Forsberg ultimately comes across as hardworking, devoted to her children, ambitious and seemingly level headed, despite a life lived in the spotlight. Hopefully she'll persevere after such a hectic lifestyle, and it would be wonderful to see her become a counselor and help others, like she aspires to.