Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

I started my review on "Tweak" with the same preface. I am looking at this from the point of view of my sister also being a Recovering Meth and Heroin Addict. I can unfortunately relate to the personal hell of the addiction of a family member. Sheff skillfully and with a deep honesty rarely seen lets us into his personal hell of his son's addiction. A long and twisted journey that leaves the survivors with a tear in their heart that does not heal long after "recovery" is achieved.

To stare at the empty shells that used to contain our loved ones is a truly soul crushing experience. The book contained a great deal of information on Meth and it's affects physiologically and psychologically. It was written with raw emotion and feelings that I am all too familiar with. He documents his struggle internally and externally with a rare openness. It is truly invaluable to anyone struggling with a family member in the throws of addiction or anyone who wants to educate themselves.

-Small Tangent-

The difference in Sheff's world of pain and misery and mine is socioeconomic status. It would be nice to think that something as painful as drug addiction would see no economic boundaries. However, this is not the case. Having the ability to put your loved one into treatment when they are ready is not a luxury we had. Strange in the US we call access to drug rehab a luxury. A sad commentary that hopefully can change without more people having to experience this special kind of hell that has no boundaries in choosing it's victims only when it comes to treating them.

This is a must-read for anyone who is interested in how addiction devastates everyone in it's path. I had such empathy for David Sheff and all he went through. A wonderfully, well-written, moving book.

I could not put this book down. It is so well written and filled not only with emotion from a first-person perspective, but also packed with research and facts that keep the intellectual reader interested. I love this book and wish I could speak with the author--doesn't everyone feel this way? I rode the roller-coaster with him throughout the course of the book and feel like I need as much help with my jelly-legs after that ride as he must. Thanks to Mr. Sheff for letting me into his world and giving me insight into a place I never want to go in person.

I have shared this book with my 21 yr old son who is in prison because of drug related crimes. I received a letter today saying that he now understands my side of his addiction. We have read both books (Beautiful Boy and Tweak)by father and son and have new insight and understanding for what we have BOTH been through. I hope to pass these books along to other family members and hope they gain some insight for what we have been through and can be more generous in their support for both of us. Thank you so much Sheff's for your bearing of soul. It has helped me and my son to grow closer.

I have never been moved by a book to actually take the time to write a review before. This book is not only well written but it is also a rude awakening to reality that we as parents do the best that we can but still could lose the battle. I have read a few of the negative reviews and I think that people are missing the point that Mr Sheff is simply writing to explain what it is like for families and parents. He does not glorify the events but recounts them with heartbreaking truth. There are parts of the book that may slow it down a touch but overall it is powerful and makes a point. Looking at the book you can see the mistakes that were made by David while raising Nic, but what parent doesn't make mistakes or have regrets. This book is truly an awakening to reality for me that any of our children are at risk and we all need to recognize that and take even the small signs to heart.