Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction
Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction book cover

Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction

Paperback – November 6, 2012

by
Price
$19.95
Format
Paperback
Pages
320
Publisher
BenBella Books
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1937856069
Dimensions
6.05 x 0.75 x 9 inches
Weight
14.6 ounces

Description

"An honest, page-turning insight into alcoholism and the road back out."— Neil Gaiman, New York Times Bestselling Author "Warning: Once you start reading Babylon Confidential you may not be able stop until the last page. Babylon Confidential offers mesmerizing insight into the allure of success, the pressures of Hollywood, the pitfalls of love, and the nature of addiction."— Rebecca Moesta, New York Times Bestselling Young Adult Author " Babylon Confidential is compelling, horrifying, and uplifting. Claudia Christian has an amazing story of glitz and darkness and ultimately a journey as strange and exciting as any of her films."— Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times Bestselling Co-author of Sisterhood of Dune "This story is a runaway train on a roller coaster rail. Told with brutal honesty, Claudia Christian takes us on a trip through her life of sex, drugs, despair, betrayal, courage, humor, love, and triumph. She has lived it all and she's inviting us along for the ride. Hold on to your hat!"— Walter Koenig, Actor, Director, and Author "I was gratified my method of alcoholism treatment could play a part in Claudia's journey from addiction to successful recovery. This vivid and insightful book can help save others suffering from this disease."— John David Sinclair, PhD, Founder of The Sinclair Method for the treatment of alcohol addiction "The dashing and darling Claudia puts herself on the line with her struggles with addiction. Claudia shares and bares it all to help everyone else.... A must-read for fans and for folks dealing with any kind of addiction."— Pat Tallman, Actress, Stuntwoman, and Author, Pleasure Thresholds "Fearless and inspiring. Claudia not only remembers the torturous calamities of her life, as well as the highs, but she recalls them here with skill, grace, and utterly no apology. If you have an addiction, or know someone who does, you must read this book."— Shari Shattuck, Actress, and Author, Callaway Wilde novels "[ Babylon Confidential ] is from the heart, succinct, clear, and gives hope where there is none."— Stephen Michael Cox, MD, President, National Anxiety Foundation " Babylon Confidential is riveting—it is a great book filled with humor, warmth, and compassion. I was by deeply impressed by Claudia's courageous life story and I was grateful that I could play a role in helping her. I know this book will save lives and help families effected by alcoholism."— Dr. Roy Eskapa, Author of The Cure for Alcoholism "A wild ride. Claudia's James Frey-like voice reveals the secret life of an alcoholic. Read, laugh, and learn. But most importantly, share—to save a life."— Clare Kramer, Actress from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Claudia Christian is an actress, writer, singer, songwriter, director, producer, and voice-over artist. She landed her first TV series at age 18 with NBC's Berringers and her first studio feature at 20 in the cult hit The Hidden . Christian went on to star in studio pictures such as Clean and Sober with Morgan Freeman and Michael Keaton and in TV shows such as sci-fi megahit Babylon 5 . More than 50 films and hundreds of TV shows later, Christian has worked with George Clooney, Sharon Stone, Nicolas Cage, and countless other luminaries. She was the voice for Jaguar cars and Helga Sinclair in Disney's Atlantis . Christian starred in the new Showtime series Look and was recently seen on NBC's Grimm . Morgan Grant Buchanan is an Australian writer of sci-fi and historical fantasy. He has written for comics and film and is currently collaborating with Claudia Christian on Wolf's Empire , a future Rome sci-fi novel.

Features & Highlights

  • When actress Claudia Christian flees a troubled childhood and moves to Hollywood at age 17, she steps through the looking glass into another world.From the set of
  • Dallas
  • to her starring role on the sci-fi series
  • Babylon 5
  • , Claudia's affairs with billionaires, supermodels, rock stars, and celebrities are mixed with shootings, stalking, heartbreak, and betrayal. Onset and off, drama follows Claudia—an alcohol-fueled coke run and makeout session with a bridesmaid on her wedding day; her tempestuous, love-hate relationship with actor Angus Macfadyen; the conspiracy theories surrounding her ex-husband's death; and a 20-year on-and-off relationship with billionaire Dodi Fayed before he dated Princess Diana. Hollywood life takes its toll on Claudia as she descends into alcohol addiction and a desperate battle to reclaim her life.Rehab, alternative treatments, and even hypnotism can't break the cycle of alcohol abuse that threatens to destroy Claudia. Close to despair she discovers The Sinclair Method, a treatment that saves her life.Sometimes shocking, often humorous, always captivating —
  • Babylon Confidential
  • is a story of hope that will inspire and enlighten you.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(206)
★★★★
25%
(172)
★★★
15%
(103)
★★
7%
(48)
★
23%
(159)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

An inspiring book that was absolutely great to read!

I really enjoyed this book! I found it extremely well written. Like many others here, I have been a fan of Claudia Christian since she was on Babylon 5. This book is a great insight to her private life and the hell she went through as well as what she did to survive her monster. Whether or not you can relate to alcoholism or other addictions, it is a fantastic read and a fantastic insight into some of what happens to Hollywood stars when the cameras are off. Personally, I feel like I got a chance to know Claudia Christian a lot better without intruding on her personal space. I bought the book specifically because she wrote it, and in the end I learned a lot about alcoholism that I previously did not know, I learned some of what it does to people, and I learned what is being down to help people who suffer from it. It was an enjoyable read and I learned something. I call that a win-win!
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

An Easy Read About a Difficult Life

There is a monster or demon that chases or plagues all of us if we are honest. For Claudia Christian, that monster is alcohol.

Babylon Confidential is a candid story of a real life fairytale full of tragedy, drama and betrayal, but never lacking in hope. Christian is simultaneously her own dragon and its slayer--a flawed heroine who bares her soul to prove she is just as human as the rest of us.

Babylon Confidential is an easy read about a difficult life. At times, the seemingly endless list of celebrity names runs together in a blur, but not due to poor writing. Instead the feeling provoked is one that gives a glimpse of Christian's descent into an emotional realm less concerned with the fame and celebrity of those in her surroundings and more focused on her inner demons.

In spite of the title, this is not a book focused on Babylon 5, but that's okay, because it doesn't claim to be.

Christian uses a conversational tone that allows readers to feel as though she's sitting across the table holding a personal conversation with a new friend. It's her story and she tells it frankly, in the end, inviting readers to reach out and tell their own stories and get help if needed.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Heart wrenching story of success, failure, and final victory

Babylon Confidential is a gripping book that had me thrilled with Claudia's successes, aghast at the machinations of Hollywood, and horrified with the lengths to which her addiction drove her. Many of her stories involving other celebrities were fascinating. The way that she presented both the events and her feelings about them with unrelenting openness made reading the book a very enriching experience. I can highly recommend it.

Despite her having been dragged by her addiction through some of the the deeper ditches in hell, this is the only non-fiction book involving alcoholism I know of with a truly happy ending. If this were fiction, I would call the sudden shift to being able to control and eventually eliminate her alcoholism to be deus ex machina. Life is stranger than fiction, though, and I've witnessed dozens of others benefit similarly from the treatment she describes.
3 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

An Open & Honest Look at Alcohol Addiction

From when I took it out of the box and when I finally put it down I had already read 7 chapters of this book. It is simply amazing and a very easy and compelling read. Filled with open and honesty about living with the disease known as alcohol addiction. A frank and open book about how one's body dealt with the addiction but most importantly how one's brain is very involved in the process. How dealing with only one "cause" and not dealing with the body as a whole can lead to failure. But how persistence and research led Claudia to the Sinclair Method and how it works for her and for many other people where other processes did not.

Even if you are not into Sci Fi or Babylon 5 it is a compelling read!! For anyone that knows a person suffering from alcohol addiction whether it be family, partner, co-worker or friend here is another chance at hope in living with that addiction. Fascinating look into addiction and the recovery process that is always an ongoing process!! A very brave book that can help us all!! Thanks Claudia....
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

A Different Approach to Alcoholism

I, myself, have never had an issue or problem with alcohol, or drugs, or any type of addiction like that. I know quite a few that do have this issue within their lives. This autobiographical account of easily slipping into alcoholism and desperately wanting to be normal again is gripping. Until now, I had never heard of the Sinclair Method. I have now researched it and it's methods make so much more sense than AA or cold turkey. I'm very glad that Claudia made it through and back to the land of the living. The Sinclair Method has a very powerful spokeswoman for them.
As for the other parts of her story - WOW! What a fun ride. I've enjoyed the gossip tidbits sprinkled here and there, along with her escapades with the opposite sex. Claudia is the kind of person I want to meet and do girl stuff with. Congrats, Claudia Christian! I'm glad that you had the determination to get better and rejoin the rest of the world.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Sad but entertaining

I have never watched Babylon 5, nor did I know who Claudia Christain was. It was sad to hear of what Ms. Christain endured as a child growing up. She was on the right track in getting into a business she really wanted--acting. I'm thinking that a career in the latter has a high chance of helping to cause major dysfunction in an individual and their relationships. The author was way too free with her love and sex, then brought alcohol into the picture knowing she had the genes to become an addict. I found it hard to LIKE the author very well--she seems very self-centered and doesn't seem to know what love is.
The good part is the writing is very good and often entertaining. Lots of well thought out analogies. Another good part is the way she was able to 'solve' her problem--I had never heard of TSM, but I'm glad to know more about it. It goes along with what we know about the brain, and that alcohol changes it for life. So, there is some educational value.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

To the Edge and Back Again

While not a household name, Claudia Christian played my favorite character on my favorite TV show - Babylon 5. So I was interested in her memoir about her life and career and struggle with alcohol.

She has not had an easy life, and she is quite candid about the family tragedy and personal affronts that attacked her even before she moved to Hollywood. Once she moved there, her life became a whirlwind of jobs working with the famous and the not quite as famous as she built her career. But behind it all, she was staying one step ahead of addiction, and when it finally hit her, she crashed hard.

Okay, I'll admit I would have loved to hear more about her time on Babylon 5, although she does give her side of why she wasn't around for the final season of the show. But that wasn't the point of her book. While she does share stores and drop names (this book makes you realize just how small Hollywood really is), the reason she wrote it is to share her struggles with alcohol and her road to recovery.

I've got to say this book will scare you. She doesn't hold back on the horrors of alcohol, and it is enough to keep me from even starting to drink. But her talk about the Sinclair Method, which she credits with saving her life, is interesting.

If you struggle with addiction or are one of Claudia's many fans, you'll find this book well worth reading. I always got caught up in the story and had a very hard time putting it down.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Excellent book--could not put it down.

Claudia Christian has written an excellent autobiography which gives the reader an intimate inside view of her life. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. She does a great job of bringing you into her life and conveying her emotions. I actually felt joy at her triumphs and shared in the sadness of her tragedies. I pulled for her as I read about her struggles with alcohol and could feel her sense of pride when she was able to conquer her demons. I really enjoyed her side stories about life on the set of "Babylon Five" and immediately rented the film "Never on Tuesday" (check it out--you'll love it) as a result. In addition her stories about her encounters with a few actors (not to be named in my review!) has given me a totally different perspective about them and I'll never look at some of them the same way again when I see them on screen. This book is also an excellent resource for anyone struggling with alcoholism. She provides in vivid detail her battle with her "monster" and all the steps she did to beat it. I highly recommend this book--get it. Once you start reading it you will not be able to put it down.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Surprised and Pleased

I've been a big fan of Claudia Christian for years. I've ponied up my money for her albums, her books, her memorabilia. When she decided to write this memoir, I knew I was going to buy it, but I expected it to be like her previous work, which is terrific, under-appreciated and designed for a unique niche market. This is not a book for fans. This is a book for people.

This book amazed me. I expected lots of Hollywood gossip and fandom-centered stories. What I got shocked me and startled me. Claudia's remarkable story is visceral and its truth hits you like a hurricane. Yes, be prepared for an important message about addiction and a legitimate cure. That's important and precious. But what I was completely unprepared for was the maturity in writing and the integrity of her prose. Claudia's writing steps off the page powerfully and simultaneously melts through the cynicism of Glittertown, and comforts those or us who have any compassion at all for friends or family suffering addiction.

Read the first page, I dare you. If you do, I am positive that you will be unable to put the book down.
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

An honest and open look at addiction

Claudia Christian is an amazing young woman. She does it all... acts, sings, cooks, and writes. With her new book, Babylon Confidential, she has become something new... an inspiration.

The star of Babylon 5 opens up about her long battle with addiction and how she overcame it using the Sinclair method. In this day and age where celebrities are going to jail over their addictions, it is nice to see one come out and try to help others who might seriously need it!

Excellent book from a very classy lady.
2 people found this helpful

Related Books