From as early as grade school, the world seemed to be on Nic Sheff's string. Bright and athletic, he excelled in any setting and appeared destined for greatness. Yet as childhood exuberance faded into teenage angst, the precocious boy found himself going down a much different path. Seduced by the illicit world of drugs and alcohol, he quickly found himself caught in the clutches of addiction. Beautiful Boy is Nic's story, but from the perspective of his father, David. Achingly honest, it chronicles the betrayal, pain, and terrifying question marks that haunt the loved ones of an addict. Many respond to addiction with a painful oath of silence, but David Sheff opens up personal wounds to reinforce that it is a disease, and must be treated as such. Most importantly, his journey provides those in similar situations with a commodity that they can never lose: hope. --Dave Callanan
(description found on www.amazon.com)
7 comments:
I don't agree with his comment towards the end of his intro where he says that (as I understood it) it's not their fault that they became addicted to drugs. Ummmm...yes, it is. We all are responsible for the choices we make in life.
Anyway, I am loving it. It's a hard read emotionally, but pretty fast otherwise. I find myself having to take breaks just to try to give my brain a break. Maybe it just hits too close to home for what our family and friends have gone through.
His storytelling is great though. Makes you want to hold onto your babies and never let them go. It's also very informative.
It's definitely a book every parent (and anyone planning on being a parent) should read.
I am only a few chapters in, but I too have to put it down often. It really makes you think and I have found myself going in after my kids are asleep and just sitting next to them holding their hands and wondering and praying for their future.
I've been sucked into it for hours tonight..3 hours. My eyes are literallyl numb..they don't want to move anymore!!
I've made it to page 257. I have to admit I began skimming over the paragraphs of text book type information. Maybe b/c I've researched and heard so much on it already so it was already kind of common knowlegde to me. But, thankfully he's not Stephen Kingesque in his writing and gets back to point quickly.
There are parts where the things Nic does hit so close I just burst into tears at the newest thing he's done..sometimes I think what the family goes through must be worse than what the addict goes through. But, maybe I just tell myself that b/c I don't want to imagine someone going through MORE pain than what the family goes through, because it seems so unbarable.
*sigh*
I have to go to bed. Not allowing myself to touch the book again tonight!!
P.S. Did you enjoy all of my typos and disjointed rambling? Proof of my deliriousness. Is deliriousness a word? Good Lord..
I forgot to ever come back on here and tell u that I finished the book! I really liked it a lot. I'm going to, on my own time, read the book that Nic wrote of the experience through his eyes.
Ash (my daughter) read the book, too, and really liked it. She's only 12 and I wasn't sure it was appropriate for her to read..but figured I'd rather her read it and have the heartache drug abuse causes fresh in her mind should she ever be offered drugs.
I am almost done, about 2-3 chapters to go. I hope I never have to face this as a parent, I am sooo frustrated just reading about all the things Nic does!
This is just food for thought, I am not trying to be judgemental at all because maybe it wouldn't have changed a thing...but I wonder a bit about all the negitive "role models". Throughout the entire book the author mentions his sons (and his own) music (and author, etc.)tastes. They all had addictions, ie: Kurt Cobain, Hemmingway, and so on, and I can't help but wonder if when you are constantly filling your head with all the negitive/depressing influences without anything to counterbalance, or give you hope , if it might have an impact on what a person deems as acceptable.
I know each person is different, but in this case Nic is always listening and quoting Nirvana or Dylan lyrics, most of which are very depressing, and he has absolutely no belief in God. This doesn't necessarily mean things would be different if it were not the case, but I can't help but wonder if he might have had more hope. We are so influenced by what we fill our heads with, at least, I know I am!
Once again...no judgement intended, just some thoughts that crossed my mind as I was reading...
I agree with you..we are what we eat, both spiritually and physically. Trash in, trash out.
I was part of the Cobain era, wasn't ever the hugest fan but did listen on occasion..I did have other friends who were completely into him and they didn't become drug addicts..BUT, I did notice changes in their outlook on life, etc. And not just from listening to him, but to other artists who had the same type of music. I went through a phase where I was totally emersed in Pink Floyd and Nine Inch Nails and I was already having emotional issues before listening but after starting things only got worse. Because the music didn't try to lift me up, it just drown me in my feelings and validated them. I find now that I'm on the other side of depression, I don't have any desire to listen to either band, with exception of 2 or 3 songs.
And, I agree, although not all "athiests" are drug addicts, and not all Christians aren't drug addicts..I think that taking God out of your life doesn't help. Without God there really is no hope.
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