The #1 New York Times best-selling story of addiction and a father’s love: “A brilliant, harrowing, heartbreaking, fascinating story, full of beautiful moments and hard-won wisdom. This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.”—Anne Lamott
Now a Major Motion Picture Starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet.
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 journey through his son’s drug addiction. David’s story is a first: a teenager’s addiction from the parent’s point of view—a real-time chronicle of the shocking descent into substance abuse and the gradual emergence into hope.
Before meth, Sheff’s son, Nic, was a varsity athlete, honor student, and award-winning journalist. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole money from his eight-year-old brother, and lived on the streets. With poignant candor, Sheff traces the first warning signs—denial, 3 a.m. phone calls—the attempts at rehabilitation, and, at last, the way past addiction. He shows us that, whatever an addict’s fate, the rest of the family must care for one another too, lest they become addicted to addiction.
Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional rollercoaster of loving a child who seems beyond help.
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"A father's story of his son's addiction to meth. A different angle because it really tells the other side, that of the family. Told in chronological order without a spoiler...so just when you think... Also kind of a scary read for a parent - you can appear to do everything right, but some things are just out of your control."
— Jennifer (4 out of 5 stars)
“This book will save a lot of lives and heal a lot of hearts.”
— Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author“Affecting…Rich with topical research and personal revelation.”
— Los Angeles Times“[A] frightened, beautiful memoir.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“Sheff’s intense memoir is hard to put down…A must-read for, at the least, anyone in similar straits.”
— Booklist (starred review)“This is an honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.”
— Publishers Weekly“[A] moving, heartbreaking account…Anthony Heald does an excellent job with the reading, his voice and intonation conveying the pain and discouragement Sheff must have felt over his son’s condition.”
— School Library Journal“Sheff writes with amazing candor…Anthony Heald narrates, poignantly capturing Sheff’s highs and lows. Powerful, engaging, instructive.”
— BookPage (audio review)“[A] powerful and sorrowful story…[Heald’s] narration is exciting and engaging.”
— AudioFile“Those of us who love an addict—or are addicts ourselves—will find Beautiful Boy a revelation. David Sheff knows all too well what must be endured with faith, and his extraordinary book describes it better than anything else I’ve read. While painfully candid, Beautiful Boy is equally optimistic and powerful.”
— Martin Sheen, actor" Holy. What an ordeal. I learned so much from this book, and felt heartbreak and triumph all at once. A very powerful read. "
— Christine, 2/11/2014" A difficult, compelling, and wrenching journey. "
— Jen, 2/6/2014" This should really get 3.5 stars. It's a wonderfully well written account of a horrible situation, and a father's powerlessness to stop the downward spiral he sees his son going through. I think I was gripped initially by the book, but as time went on, I started to shut down, much the way some of the characters in the book shut down against Nic's drug use. I think that emotion is what keeps me from giving it a higher review. But I am very curious to read Nic's book Tweak now. "
— Deepa, 2/3/2014" got to see more of the family's side of what it is like to go through this...can't imagine... I see the patient's side at work... I liked the book, good information at times (not too much). I skimmed a lot, though - I felt like the author wrote too much about his daily life and life w/his other kids - when I wanted more focus on the substance dependence parts - but still thought it was a good book and would recommend it. "
— Shelly, 2/1/2014" Whether you have or haven't had the experience of watching or knowing another go through the addiction of drug/alcohol. It's a honest revelation & sad, but optimistic. "
— Riley, 1/29/2014" I can't say that I "enjoyed" this book - but as a parent I am glad that I read it and that the author shared his journey. "
— Kim, 1/23/2014" Non-fiction. Awesome story but very sad. His son Nic becomes addicted to meth. Tells how he tries to help him - he's in and out of rehab. Meth is the worst drug to be addicted to. He's sober for 1 yr at end of book. "
— Sue, 1/17/2014" Powerful and validating to those who have loved an addict. "
— Kati, 1/7/2014" This is one of those books that I found myself thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. It is completely heartwrenching, especially if you have ever cared for someone who has suffered with addiction. It does carry a hopeful tone as well. *Disclaimer--this book does have some language in it. "
— Alice, 12/30/2013" So moving-devastating. Takeaway:never try crystal meth, anyone. "
— Susan, 12/8/2013" I love how honest he is over his every reaction and thought to his sons addiction. If anyone close to you has had a drug addiction you will relate to his words and experiences. "
— Jana, 12/2/2013David Sheff’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Wired, and Fortune. As a contributing editor to Playboy, he has interviewed John Lennon, the founders of Google, Gore Vidal, and others.
Anthony Heald, an Audie Award–winning narrator, has earned Tony nominations and an Obie Award for his theater work; appeared in television’s Law & Order, The X-Files, Miami Vice, and Boston Public; and starred as Dr. Frederick Chilton in the 1991 Oscar-winning film The Silence of the Lambs. He has also won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narrations.