Guts

Guts (2012) by Kristen Johnston. The subtitle of this book is "The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster." But it's really not that type of book. The great bulk of the story told in this slim volume is the tale of how, after years of drugs and drink, Johnston's stomach burst and spilled out it's contents into her internal cavity. She then spent about two months in a British hospital recovering, and discovered that her medical bill was surprisingly low. The main point to be made about this book is that it seems to be told with surprising honesty, and Johnston seems to hold nothing back in describing herself as an addict and an alcoholic. The case she tries to make, that everybody is addicted to something, is weaker. It's still a highly entertaining book, especially for those who saw her in the TV show, "3rd Rock from the Sun." In that show, she played an alien who came to Earth as part of a crew of four, and for some reason she ended up being the alien stuck with a female body. She was very good in that part, and it is interesting to read that she was abusing drugs and alcohol the entire time. Johnston deserves credit for telling her story with all its warts intact. Grade: B