

Beautiful Boy
Books | Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs
4.2
(4.6K)
David Sheff
"When Nic was growing up, I thought I would be content with whatever choices he made in his life... Now I live with the knowledge that, never mind the most modest definition o fnormal or healthy life, my son may not make it to twenty-one." What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong? Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff's harrowing journey through his son Nic's addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery. Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional rollercoaster of loving a child who seems beyond help. Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied repeatedly, stole money from his eight-year-old brother, and lived on the streets. David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial, the three A.M. phone calls (is it Nic? the police? the hospital?), the rehabs. His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself, and the obsessive worry and stress took a tremendous toll. But as a journalist, he instinctively researched every avenue of treatment that might save his son and refused to give up on Nic. Beautiful Boy grew out of an article in the New York Times Magazine that drew an overwhelming response from readers grateful that Sheff had finally given voice to the devastating experience they shared. As the psychologist Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia, said in praise of Beautiful Boy, "When one of us tells the truth, he makes it easier for all of us to open our hearts to our pain and that of others." -- Book Jacket.
Mental Health
Memoir
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More Details:
Author
David Sheff
Pages
340
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published Date
2009
ISBN
9780547203881 0547203888
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"I really enjoyed this book. It was very emotional and gave me good insight into drug addiction and how it can affect families "
A K
Amelia Kaiser
"It was really sad and it’s beautiful and raw. It’s real, which makes my love for it grow. The journey between a father and his son with addiction is a heartbreaking one. "
C
Cinny
"this book was written so well. it put me into david’s shoes and made me feel for nic and their whole family. addiction is a hard topic to talk about but i think this book really brings out the headspace of an addicts parents p.o.v "
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luqem
"For the fact that this book is non-fiction, it was amazing. I loved the movie so decided to read the book. I typically hate non-fiction but this was an amazing piece of writing. The story is full of grief and it is beautiful. My favorite non fiction book I've read."
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zoe quinn
"Amazing and heart wrenching. Makes you evaluate you life. Not my cup of tea but amazing if you are a fan of true stories and slower moving books. "
J S
Jane Smith
"This book is so crushing but so beautiful"
A A
Abigail Alcala
"heartbreakingly beautiful."
K D
Kenzie Doss
"Amazing, True, free movie on Amazon Prime "
J G
Jonnie Glasgow
"Beautiful story but also devastating. There was lots of interesting info in this book as well. I really enjoyed it. "
K M
Kennedy Mobley
"I haven't read any other books by him! I think my favorite part was just understanding more about addiction and how that affects the person and the people around them and how difficult the road to recovery is. "
J D
Julia Damon