David Sheff’s memoir Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction is an honest first-person account of Sheff’s response to his son Nic, who has become addicted to methamphetamines. The book chronicles the hopes and disappointments that Sheff experiences over a number of years as he discovers that Nic is using drugs, the extent to which he is using them, and the power with which they have taken over his life.
Sheff seamlessly moves between the present and the past. In the present, as Nic journeys in and out of sobriety, Sheff struggles with guilt as he tries to balance his desire to help Nic with his need to keep the rest of his family safe. There are parts of this narrative that are written in short staccato sentences; the reader feels the urgency and desperation in Sheff’s thoughts. When Sheff revisits the past, we get a more complete picture of Sheff’s earlier years, Nic’s youth and their family life; the memories are for the most part happy and Sheff shares them with great detail.
Sheff seamlessly moves between the present and the past. In the present, as Nic journeys in and out of sobriety, Sheff struggles with guilt as he tries to balance his desire to help Nic with his need to keep the rest of his family safe. There are parts of this narrative that are written in short staccato sentences; the reader feels the urgency and desperation in Sheff’s thoughts. When Sheff revisits the past, we get a more complete picture of Sheff’s earlier years, Nic’s youth and their family life; the memories are for the most part happy and Sheff shares them with great detail.
Sheff seamlessly moves between the present and the past. In the present, as Nic journeys in and out of sobriety, Sheff struggles with guilt as he tries to balance his desire to help Nic with his need to keep the rest of his family safe. There are parts of this narrative that are written in short staccato sentences; the reader feels the urgency and desperation in Sheff’s thoughts. When Sheff revisits the past, we get a more complete picture of Sheff’s earlier years, Nic’s youth and their family life; the memories are for the most part happy and Sheff shares them with great detail.
Sheff seamlessly moves between the present and the past. In the present, as Nic journeys in and out of sobriety, Sheff struggles with guilt as he tries to balance his desire to help Nic with his need to keep the rest of his family safe. There are parts of this narrative that are written in short staccato sentences; the reader feels the urgency and desperation in Sheff’s thoughts. When Sheff revisits the past, we get a more complete picture of Sheff’s earlier years, Nic’s youth and their family life; the memories are for the most part happy and Sheff shares them with great detail.
Sheff seamlessly moves between the present and the past. In the present, as Nic journeys in and out of sobriety, Sheff struggles with guilt as he tries to balance his desire to help Nic with his need to keep the rest of his family safe. There are parts of this narrative that are written in short staccato sentences; the reader feels the urgency and desperation in Sheff’s thoughts. When Sheff revisits the past, we get a more complete picture of Sheff’s earlier years, Nic’s youth and their family life; the memories are for the most part happy and Sheff shares them with great detail.
Sheff’s skill as a researcher and journalist is apparent as he artfully weaves technical research, interviews and expert opinions within the story he tells. The information about the biological basis for compulsive behavior and addiction is written in such a way that a layperson can understand it. The genetic tendency toward addiction is not offered as an excuse, rather it is one component of Nic’s journey.
David Sheff tells *his* story, respecting the line between his life and the addict’s; Beautiful Boy is a compelling read.
(Reading Beautiful Boy made me curious about Nic’s own perspective on his addiction. Have you read his memoir, Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines? Should I add it to my wishlist? Please leave me a comment with your input
Hi: I did read Tweak. Its a very hard read – in that the descriptions of the active addiction are difficult to read about – it made me feel scared and sad – especially since his son does not do well in rehab at all for a very long time.
This book was engrossing but hard on the morale.
Thanks for the tip; I’ll add it to my wishlist and read it on a sunny day!
I loved Beautiful Boy and Tweak, both. Very different books, both so powerful. (Is it just me, or did your second paragraph try to take over your blog?)
Thanks for letting me know about your review. Gives me a little bit of a heads-up on what to expect. And you might want to check this review…your paragraphs kept repeating in the middle!