Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Boy
A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction
by David Sheff
★★★★

This nonfiction book tells the story of a meth addict from his father’s point-of-view. The father was a journalist long before his son became a tweaker, so he already had the writing skills and was able to put his raw emotions into words. It’s a heartbreaking and honest look at how someone can quickly become lost to the world of addiction. His son, Nic, was smart and kind, but on drugs that person just disappeared.

One thing I think it’s important to note is that I’m not a parent. I think that any parent who reads this will have a much harder time with the material. Imagining your own child in this situation is absolutely terrifying and I don’t think I can truly grasp that without kids of my own.

One of the aspects that was the hardest to read about was the effect Nic’s drug use had on his younger siblings. At one point his kid brother (I think he was about 8 years old at the time) realizes Nic has stolen everything out of his piggy bank. The little boy is so hurt and confused by the action.

There are parts of the book that feel a repetitive, but I think that’s the nature of the disease. Addiction is cyclical, rehab, relapse, rehab, relapse, etc. and it’s hard to avoid the book taking on that same pattern. But even with that it was a compulsive read, one that I couldn’t put down. He can’t help but feel their pain. You hope that this time the rehab has worked, but you can’t help but fear a relapse is just around the corner.

I’m curious about the book “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines” by Nic Sheff. It’s written by the son, the addict that the book revolves around. I think it would be fascinating to see the whole situation from his point of view after reading this.

BOTTOM LINE: The book is wonderfully written, but it will break your heart. Addiction is such a destructive disease and Sheff paints an intimate picture of what they went through.

AUDIOBOOK NOTE: This one was narrated by Anthony Heald and it was excellent. I think I might have been frustrated by the repetition more if I hadn’t listened to it, but the audio was so well done that it worked for me.

“People with cancer or emphysema or heart disease don’t lie or steal. Someone dying of those diseases would do anything in their power to live, but here’s the rub of addiction. By its nature people afflicted are unable to do what from the outside appears to be a simple solution, don’t drink, don’t do drugs. In exchange for that one small sacrifice you will be given a gift that other terminally ill people would give anything for, life. But, a symptom of this disease is using.”

Image from here.