Europe's junkie princess, 35 years later

November 6, 2013 3:56 PM

"Hardly anyone at the time would have believed that I would still be here today." Christiane Felscherinow, better known as Christiane F., has published Mein Zweites Leben (My Second Life), the follow-up to her (in)famous autobiography, which was originally published when she was 17. Christiane's story became a sensation in Germany and a cult classic around the world (as well as the basis for a cult film, with a soundtrack by David Bowie), and has recently been republished in America in a new translation. (Previously)
posted by scody (13 comments total)

I haven't read the autobiography, but I loved the film when I saw it many years ago. I rented it again recently, and was so disappointed that it the version I received was dubbed that I turned it off. I wonder if there is a subtitled version available in this country?
posted by Dip Flash at 4:22 PM on November 6, 2013

Wow, I am going to read this book next. This is very tragic.
posted by kbennett289 at 4:30 PM on November 6, 2013

So...the new translation seems to be the only really available copy. The others on Amazon are over 60 bucks!?
posted by kbennett289 at 4:33 PM on November 6, 2013

I remember it being an amazing book. It's veery sad to hear that she still isn't clean at 51. A close friend of mine has struggled to become clean for over 25 years. A hard, soul-destroying battle.
posted by greenhornet at 4:35 PM on November 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

Oh my. I devoured the book as a thirteen year old in 1988. I have no idea why I identified so strongly with her but honestly she was a kind of hero to me back then. I think it was because she seemed to be living so intensely, and with such agency, which is a bizarrely twisted way of viewing addiction and desperate squalor.

It had a massive influence on me though, in wanting to be the heroine of my own story, to be a protagonist, whatever the context. Thanks so much for posting this. I'd picked up some bits of her 'after-life' online but didn't know she was working on something more. It's a sad story, but her voice is just compelling to me.
posted by freya_lamb at 4:35 PM on November 6, 2013

So...the new translation seems to be the only really available copy. The others on Amazon are over 60 bucks!?

Yeah, the Bantam edition from 1982 (the one I devoured, like freya_lamb, at age 13 or 14) has been out of print for a long time. When I wanted to replace my copy a few years ago I was surprised by how much it cost as well -- I think I eventually found it for about $35 after some searching.

I'll be really interested to read the new translation, in part because there were clearly some problems with handling slang, etc. in the original.

I wonder if there is a subtitled version available in this country?

I have a vague recollection that the dubbed version was the only one officially released for the English-speaking market. That's certainly only ever been the version I've seen. (I think there are unofficial subtitled versions available online.)
posted by scody at 4:44 PM on November 6, 2013

Also, I've been unable to determine if there are currently any plans to publish her new book in English, though I'd be a little surprised if nothing comes about in the next year or two.
posted by scody at 4:45 PM on November 6, 2013

I read this book as a pre-teen (maybe. Young adult anyhow) and thought: that sounds pretty cool. I was in AA by 21.
posted by shothotbot at 5:13 PM on November 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

I spent a fortnight in Spain with Uli Edel, who directed the film, a few years ago. I was expecting a dark intense auteur but instead he was a wonderful avuncular bear of a man. We drank a lot together, and he still talked a lot about Christiane and the other kids.
posted by sweet mister at 5:26 PM on November 6, 2013 [2 favorites]

I just saw this film recently. Loved the fact that it focused on Thin White Duke era Bowie. Probably one of the better depictions of opiate addiction in film (not that it's a high bar to set).
posted by WhitenoisE at 5:28 PM on November 6, 2013

We were shown the film in high school as an anti-drug message and it was definitely the dubbed version (in Australia). I remember one of the teachers clearing his throat the first few times the word fuck was mentioned. After that he didn't bother :)
posted by andraste at 7:22 PM on November 6, 2013

My favourite part will always be the bit where the guy jumps over the toilet stall wall to steal their fix.

It reminded me of home.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:20 AM on November 7, 2013

I didn't know about the movie until I saw the promo video for this Thieves Like Us track back in 2007, which is built out of clips from it.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:31 AM on November 7, 2013