Nic Sheff was drunk for the first time at age eleven. In the years that followed, he would regularly smoke pot, do cocaine and Ecstasy, and develop addictions to crystal meth and heroin. Even so, he felt like he would always be able to quit and put his life together whenever he needed to. It took a violent relapse one summer in California to convince him otherwise. In a voice that is raw and honest, Nic spares no detail in telling us the compelling, heartbreaking, and true story of his relapse and the road to recovery. As we watch Nic plunge the mental and physical depths of drug addiction, he paints a picture for us of a person at odds with his past, with his family, with his substances, and with himself. It's a harrowing portrait -- but not one without hope.
I just finished this-- couldn't put it down once I started. I went through every emotion you can imagine. Believe it or not, some of the story is really funny -- I laughed aloud -- but I also cried. THere were entire sections during which I didn't breath. And finally I felt something you don't always feel in books about this subject: genuine, pure, true hope.
writes,
****
This book is much easier to understand if you read the author's father's book, also recently published, called "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Meth Addiction" by David Sheff. By reading his father's account of the same time, you understand from a parent's perspective just what is going on with Nic Sheff. You understand how brilliant and talented Nic is (he will not tell you this in his book) and you understand what this novel explores---his descent into methamphetamine addiction, how he lived for many years, how he squandered his potential by avoiding dealing with life, and the consequences in his life and in the lives of those he loves. Once you know more about who the young author is, you can appreciate his book so very, very much more.
The author is honest and transparent about the life he has lived as an addict, and the book is worth reading for this alone. Not many of us who haven't been through it can imagine what an average day is like for a meth addict, and this book shows us that. The insight this book truly gives you is what goes on inside an addict's mind, and how an addict views life and circumstances---very differently from a non-addict. Many of the terms may be confusing to those of us unfamiliar with drug culture (for example, "tweak", "rig", "push off") but again, they are explained in his father's book "Beautiful Boy".
So, read "Beautiful Boy" first from the parental perspective---don't miss it---and then, if you are still intrigued, as I was, follow up with "Tweak" and venture more deeply into the mind and life of the addict---who eventually becomes a likable person to the reader, not just an intensely selfish and initially totally unlikable addict. The author is courageous in sharing his life so openly in this book. I think it will make an impression upon you and leave you with a read you will not soon forget.
Recommended, especially after reading the "prequel".
****
writes,
This is a frustrating book -- it has elements of a good book within it. However, the narrative is so disjointed and poorly constructed that it is difficult to tell if the book is supposed to be non-linear or just a poorly-done linear storyline. Perhaps the author was attempting to replicate the hyperactive mind of someone on methamphetamine. Whatever the reason, the story was so hard to follow that it took a force of effort for me to read past the first ten pages.
The book resembles "A Million Little Pieces" in that it is a mix of novel and memoir providing a raw account about a young twenty-something year old man abusing drugs, while selling both drugs and his body as a male prostitute, and generally acting like a despicable person to line up his next dose of methamphetamines and other drugs. Oh and the protagonist's name is the same as the author's name.
There are some glimmers of a fascinating book in here. The prose is straightforward (even if there are far too many confusing flashbacks). Too bad the glimmers are buried in a book that was crying out for a solid editor.
