Beautiful Boy

I read this beautiful and moving account of a father's love for his addicted son, Nic, in just under three days. Don't you love it when a book can grab you and take you hostage for it's duration and haunt your every other thought? Well, I do-- and this book does that. David Sheff manages to tell his awful story with a sensitivity and honesty that takes you there. He begins at the start of his son's life and goes through all the ups and downs that we've all been through, and tells how his son became horribly addicted to methamphetamine and other drugs when that wasn't available to him. He tells how his son quickly loses his way in life, along with his dignity, morals and respect for himself, his families and others. Most importantly, because we have all read tons of stories from a junkie's perspective, he tells how excruciatingly hurtful it can be to fear for a person all day, every day. When his son is using, his family (wife and two kids) are all taken hostage by their love for Nic- all members jumping every time a phone rings. David's depression takes a toll on his whole family and scares everyone out of their wits. I think it's so important to see the viewpoint of someone who is hurt by addiction and just how much one person's abuse, to themselves, can completely change another's life. After I finished this book, I immediately got on the 'net and did some research and found that his son wrote his account shortly after "Beautiful Boy" was published- it's called "Tweaked" and I'm looking for it on ebay!! Also, Nic has a blog in which he is continuing his recovery and telling us about his journey. Here's the link: http://nicsheff.blogspot.com I recommend reading this book, reading "Tweaked" and visiting Nic's blog... these Sheff's have a lot of things to say, and from a recovery point of view, it can be a useful tool.