Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction
Book Review: Hits home
Summary: 5 Stars
All of us have had problems with children during the growing up phases. But this real life accounting of a father's love and concern for his child only goes to point out how addictive drugs can be at anytime in your life. It is something that never leaves. The reader is left with the feeling that, as a father, you have done all you can do with love, treatment and compassion. The rest is up to the child or young adult in this case. As it is said in Alanon and other groups, you are powerless over the addict and have to admit that and move on. I have not read the child's point of view yet. Something every parent should read before it is too late.Book Review: Beautiful Boy
Summary: 5 Stars
The book was a detailed, living testimony regarding the challenges of an addict and people who are close to an addict. Mr. Sheff opening shared the guilt he felt/still feels and yet there is little he can do. As a person who has recently experienced the pain and agony of loving an addict I can tell you that the only way to move beyond the experience is to trust in God -- get to know him. Mr. Sheff is not a believer, but I pray that he will some day. God is reaching out to him.Book Review: This book will hit home... and will bring tears... if this is a reality for a loved one...
Summary: 5 Stars
This book will hit home... and will bring tears... if this is a reality for a loved one... I caught myself in tears and true empathy during parts of this book. Many pieces of it sounded so familiar and so true to life. As much pain as it was to read in parts, it helped to ease the anger and the hurt feelings from going through the process of dealing with a loved ones addiction. It was recommeded to me by a friend... and I am definately recommending it to anyone living this reality with someone or even someone who is struggling with addiction.Book Review: Slow and pointless
Summary: 1 Stars
We picked this book for our book club, mostly because of all the hype it's been getting. We buy it, start reading, and wish it would end already. Only 2 of us in the club have actually finished it, the rest (6)have simply lost interest in it.
I wouldn't go as far as saying this guy ruined his son's life with a divorce (my parents are divorced too and I didn't get into drugs or anything like that). If reminds me of aaaaalllll those people who think they are "special" or "cool" because the come from a "broken home" or who often compete to see who is more dysfunctional.
He makes some good points, such as your freshman year of college is always the hardest... true, but the worst I ever did was skip a few classes to catch a movie or go for coffee.
The book starts out kinda cool, then gets slow, then it's interested again, then slow, on and on and on and on....
I don't want to "spoil" it. I am a parent myself, my kids are still young and have their whole lives ahead of them, and he makes a good point about you can only do so much as a parent, eventually they will make their own decisions. HOWEVER... he's a little too out there with the liberals for me. i.e. would you take your 6th. grader to a Nirvana concert? (yes, Kurt is dead, but you know what i mean). I can see him trying to be the cool, hip dad, taking your kids to concert, buying them "explicit lyrics" CDs, cursing and all to "fit in", all because his son is so brilliant. Of course his son is brilliant, but then again all our kids are brilliant to us, eventhough other people may not see how brilliant they are.
I don't expect I'll be lining up to purchase Nic's book either.
Book Review: Fascinating and Well-written
Summary: 5 Stars
This book really builds empathy and understanding for families drawn into this dreadful problem. I just finished acting in two consecutive plays that coincidentally dealt with addiction and recovery and this book just expanded what I learned from that experience. Most of this information I had heard or read before, but when it is delivered in such a personal way it becomes more meaningful. Toward the end I became more and more anxious to get to some final resolution and I am sure the family felt and still feels that way, but their lives are not a book that they can just put aside. The mental state that the author arrives at in the epilogue was especially surprising and interesting. I am eager to read Tweak for another point of view.