The message, the sheer terror and courage of writing this story, and the validation of feelings and thoughts I have going through my own head... Wow! What an amazing story to read. Felt like I was actually living his life. A heart wrenching, yet inspirational experience. ( )

I’ve never heard of the movie called Beautiful Boy which is apparently based on this book so I cannot day which works better, although I do see a lot of reviews comparing the two. I enjoyed the book though, especially the way the two sides were shown from Nic and his father.
Having dealt with this addiction personally in my life with friends, it is not an easy thing to give up no matter how hard you want to stop. There is definitely a high chance of relapse if you are able to stop. That being said, I see a lot of reviews mention that the writing in this book is not great. That maybe so but the fact that someone was able to put their fight and struggle into written words to try and help others says a lot to me about the people involved and I commend them for being so honest. ( )

What an emotional rollercoaster!
Sadly, one I can relate to as well being a former drug user and addict. This book takes you to all of the emotions you felt when you were a user and running from your own life and self. It was often hard to read. It was too raw and real at times and I'd have to put it aside for a bit. I still had to get through it though and pray that Nic got to his light at the end of the tunnel, so-to-speak.
This is an incredible memoir!
I hope Nic's life and experiences can help someone else. Addicts feel like no one understands, when surprisingly there is usually someone who does. It's just finding that someone that can help you see your own destrictuve self from their experiences. That's how some of us addicts can heal. Seeing your true self can be so hurtful, that's why you can't do it alone. Everybody needs somebody sometimes, man that line is so true!
I am now going to watch the film adaption, Beautiful Boy. It stars Steve Carrell and Timothy Chalomet. It's gonna be a ride, and emotional one, but I look forward to it. ( )

Read Beautiful Boy, then read this book! BB explores the point of view of the father of a bright, talented boy who spirals into heavy drug use. His anguish is palatable, and it filled me with dread.

Nic Sheff, the son/drug user is an even better writer than his father. I wish I knew how much of this was written when he was actually using, and how much is written in hindsight! You understand the lure of the drugs, the shame he feels and shudder at the hold the drugs have, and will continue to have on him forever.

The most interesting thing is seeing the differences between the father's perspective and the son's reality. A true cautionary tale!

This book is being marketed primarily as a youth selection, which is unfortunate, since every parent should read it! ( )

I don't like Nic Sheff. But he is okay with me not liking him. In fact, throughout this entire memoir, I believe he is pracitally daring me to hate his superficial, self-absorbed, rentable ass. Showing us all his past faults is part of the theraputic nature of memoir writing, I guess, and I don't actually resent him for that. God knows he's entitled to his therapy. And actually... I don't think I resent him all that much. He knows his problems. He's very intelligent, and able to look at himself and others honestly. But dammit, he likes bands I don't like and probably dresses like a hipster and has rich parents. So that's the level of dislike. Superficial. Hopefully having a book published (or two, I think, by now) will help aleviate Sheff's fear of being normal/boring.

I speak fluent california-ese (if you haven't noticed) so the slangy writing style didn't bother me at all. It was kind of a slog reading a whole book with characters you want to punch all the time and their totally unglamourous sex having and drug taking. And honestly I only read this book because I am obsessed with Breaking Bad, and I am actually not interested in meth as a drug or addicts or recovery (I like breaking bad for the humor and crime and general OTTness... drugs themselves become an abstract entity by the time of Jesse's rehab in the beginning of season 3). So it was like, reading a book on electrical wiring or baseball for me. ( )